Colvic Watson 26,

Leeway

I seatrialed one two weeks ago. Sorry to say it rolled like a pig and made more leeway on a beam reach then any other boat I have ever sailed in, although my experience is limited. Not bad close hauled or on a run, 4kts with a dirty bottom in F4/5. Would have brought it as the missus liked it but it really needed too much work. So I got a Mk1 Crabber 24 instead. Missus hates it but it is a gaffer:)
 
Lazy Kipper must be down the pub! ;)

Sorry back now but I don't know the 26, only the 32 & 34 :o but its a tubby long keeler so it's going to have a rolling tendency. I sailed a Macwester and boy oh boy did that make leeway, the only boat able to make leeway on a dead run is a short keeled Macwester 26.

Caeruffa will be along soon and he's sailed them all. But in the meantime - what sort of sailing do you want to do in it?
 
Thanks for the info, I would be sailing around the Solent, South Coast area, the reason for considering one of these is that I can stand up, they are also roomy so SWMBO would possilbly come, also be good for the grandchildren, but if they roll too much it would put them off and I don't want that. I would use it as a base with a day boat as well to teach them .
 
Thanks for the info, I would be sailing around the Solent, South Coast area, the reason for considering one of these is that I can stand up, they are also roomy so SWMBO would possilbly come, also be good for the grandchildren, but if they roll too much it would put them off and I don't want that. I would use it as a base with a day boat as well to teach them .

you would be mostly motoring if you bought one :eek:
 
you would be mostly motoring if you bought one :eek:

No, but you'd have to put up with the likes of the post above.

The smaller Colvic Watson sails just fine but because they have a relatively large engine some people believe that it is impossible for them to sail well. It's not a fast passage maker, it's superb for what you describe - costal pottering. Forget about pointing close and thrashing to windward, rail under the water and fingers tightly crossed that you'll make the next headland without another tack. When the wind is on the nose start the engine or go the other way, when its 45 degrees plus, then turn off the engine and she'll sail beautifully. 6 knots average under sail is good enough for us, we don't want to get to each new place first because we like the journey, and 50 miles a day is good enough because we like to stop off places and explore. Sailorman and his pointy boat will get to each marina before us, they're welcome to.

We're a young family so the CW suits us and I reckon you'll love having the grandkids aboard.
 
No, but you'd have to put up with the likes of the post above.

The smaller Colvic Watson sails just fine but because they have a relatively large engine some people believe that it is impossible for them to sail well. It's not a fast passage maker, it's superb for what you describe - costal pottering. Forget about pointing close and thrashing to windward, rail under the water and fingers tightly crossed that you'll make the next headland without another tack. When the wind is on the nose start the engine or go the other way, when its 45 degrees plus, then turn off the engine and she'll sail beautifully. 6 knots average under sail is good enough for us, we don't want to get to each new place first because we like the journey, and 50 miles a day is good enough because we like to stop off places and explore. Sailorman and his pointy boat will get to each marina before us, they're welcome to.

We're a young family so the CW suits us and I reckon you'll love having the grandkids aboard.

can i reel you in now sir :D
 
Lazy Kipper thank you for you reply, this is what I wanted to know,yes I am quite happy to cruise along rather than race so long as the family are content, not all of us are waterborne boy racers, indeed the Solent has far to many of them power as well as sail.
 
We managed a sustained passage averaging 7.4k over a 8 hour stretch, about 5 hours with the tide. It was blowing a bucket of wind but one thing we noticed was there was no need to reef, they carry their canvas very well. Where others are reefing in a force four the most we've done is a couple of rolls in the genoa when we were seeing high twenties on the wind speed. The compromise is that a modern AWB will do very nicely in 8 knots of wind when that's drifting wind speed for us. Horses for courses.
 
I seatrialed one two weeks ago. Sorry to say it rolled like a pig and made more leeway on a beam reach then any other boat I have ever sailed in, although my experience is limited. Not bad close hauled or on a run, 4kts with a dirty bottom in F4/5. Would have brought it as the missus liked it but it really needed too much work. So I got a Mk1 Crabber 24 instead. Missus hates it but it is a gaffer:)

I like your decision, Sophie! :D

I did sail a CW26 many years ago on a private charter on the south coast many years ago with our young family, and it looked after us very well in a mixture of weather, mainly grim. Yeah, a bit of rock 'n roll, but always felt safe and made a good passage.
 
Top