Ugly or what?

[pvb]

In a nutshell that epitiomises everything I don't like about old yachts (granted it's good to look at from a distance). And I expect it sails well. But ... cockpit and interior are extraordinarily cramped for a 43' boat, and look manky to boot. I'm a marina hopper as JD put it. My wife wouldn't spend more than 2 minutes on there in the best marina in the world.

Others' views will differ

I agree with you completely. And my wife wouldn't even set foot on it. It's over half a century old, and looks like it has all the comfort of a garden shed.

 

[Skylark]

In a nutshell that epitiomises everything I don't like about old yachts (granted it's good to look at from a distance). And I expect it sails well. But ... cockpit and interior are extraordinarily cramped for a 43' boat, and look manky to boot. I'm a marina hopper as JD put it. My wife wouldn't spend more than 2 minutes on there in the best marina in the world.

Others' views will differ

+1

I’ve never really looked at old boats but out of intrigue I clicked on the link. Hard to believe how small and claustrophobic a 43 ft boat can appear. Life can’t be very comfortable aboard whether you’re sailing preference is caravanning, marina hoping or ocean crossing.

I’m happy with my 41 ft AWB with huge cockpit, twin wheels and drop-down transom. Being French, it came as standard with three wine racks.

Fortunately, at sea there’s room for us all and I always give a wave to any nearby boats to acknowledge the mutual pleasure of being on the water.

 

[doug748]

I knew I'd seen the letterboxes before:

 

[Elessar]

In a nutshell that epitiomises everything I don't like about old yachts (granted it's good to look at from a distance). And I expect it sails well. But ... cockpit and interior are extraordinarily cramped for a 43' boat, and look manky to boot. I'm a marina hopper as JD put it. My wife wouldn't spend more than 2 minutes on there in the best marina in the world.

Others' views will differ

With a WLL so much shorter than the boat it won’t even sail quickly. Another boat that I like other people to own for me to look at. Just like anything wooden.

 

[NealB]

I knew I'd seen the letterboxes before:


View attachment 93814


View attachment 93813

A Robert Tucker, Debutante, if my memory serves me correctly.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

With a WLL so much shorter than the boat it won’t even sail quickly.
...

Yes. Nothing wrong with the sailing performance or pointing ability of my AWB, in conditions for which she was designed. (Cat A notwithstanding).

 

[pvb]

Another boat that I like other people to own for me to look at. Just like anything wooden.

 

[Laminar Flow]

It's horses for courses. I can't provide figures, but my impression is that most boats sail from marina to marina, rarely overnighting or being out in bad weather. A big comfy shower and lots of bedrooms are more important than storage and hand holds. I've no doubt that my late friend's Dufour 385 would do the ARC quite safely, but it wouldn't be my first choice by any means.

Here's an interesting discussion on the subject

Now that's a boat to cross oceans with, and row-away factor by the bucketfull! Probably not my first choice to squeeze into an awkward marina berth with an unhelpful tide, nor to try and get line honours on the RTI, but Yummm!

While nothing screams offshore as a long keel and a rig festooned with baggywrinkle, I know of a HC 38 that made the passage Canaries to Barbados in 17 days; average speed: 6.8kts.

 

[Laminar Flow]

I agree with you completely. And my wife wouldn't even set foot on it. It's over half a century old, and looks like it has all the comfort of a garden shed.

Dear me, half a century old?
My tub is over 40 years old and my wife is quite happy to set foot on it.
I love my wife.

 

[Skylark]

It seems to me that a car analogy is appropriate.

I drive a modern car, an Audi. It's a piece of engineering excellence. A lot of technology has been invested in its design. It's very comfortable and needs very little owner attention other than keeping it clean. It's immediately ready to go anywhere, perhaps with the exception of off-road, but I have no interest in off-road. It meets all legislative safety regulations.

I also have a 50 year old car. It's design is a bit hit and miss, very empirical. It requires a great deal of routine maintenance. Driving it puts a smile on my face but it's uncomfortable. Ride and handling, albeit a sports car, is poor compared to a modern car. It's had a professional restoration but it still leaks and rattles and I need to listen when driving it for extraneous noises indicating a new problem. The engine creates high emissions, the carbs go out of tune at will. Much as I like it, I don't trust it to venture too far from home

 

[JumbleDuck]

I also have a 50 year old car. ... Much as I like it, I don't trust it to venture too far from home

Wuss. I took my 45 year old car from Scotland to Switzerland and back last year, and the year before. Live dangerously and carry a spare distributor!

 

[Carib]

It seems to me that a car analogy is appropriate.

I drive a modern car, an Audi. It's a piece of engineering excellence. A lot of technology has been invested in its design. It's very comfortable and needs very little owner attention other than keeping it clean. It's immediately ready to go anywhere, perhaps with the exception of off-road, but I have no interest in off-road. It meets all legislative safety regulations.

I also have a 50 year old car. It's design is a bit hit and miss, very empirical. It requires a great deal of routine maintenance. Driving it puts a smile on my face but it's uncomfortable. Ride and handling, albeit a sports car, is poor compared to a modern car. It's had a professional restoration but it still leaks and rattles and I need to listen when driving it for extraneous noises indicating a new problem. The engine creates high emissions, the carbs go out of tune at will. Much as I like it, I don't trust it to venture too far from home

I think car analogies tend to break down easily (no pun intended..) because the needs met by a car are so much simpler. Modern cars are unarguably better in terms of performance than older cars (speed, braking, roadhandling, efficiency). I don't think the same can be said of modern boats - they are just 'different' as the design priorities have changed, and the 'performance' of a boat to me means much more than just speed and how close to the wind you can sail. For example, my heavy, old, long keeler feels quite different on the water to an AWB, and not in a bad way. Comfort does not simply mean a bigger cabin or wider cockpit. The aesthetics / individuality are purely down to personal taste and there's no need to agree with anyone else on that, if they sail something that makes them happy.

Presumably you own the old car because it gives you more pleasure than the modern car in some circumstances (whether aesthetic, nostalgic, or whatever). Boats are simply for pleasure, so we will all make our own choices depending on our priorities and individual quirks.. but I suspect a search for the most practical or efficient boat is unlikely to result in the one that gives you the most pleasure or gets your heart beating a bit faster.

 

[Skylark]

Wuss. I took my 45 year old car from Scotland to Switzerland and back last year, and the year before. Live dangerously and carry a spare distributor!

The list of spares to carry consumes my entire luggage capacity so long distances are out of the question?

I could also have mentioned that my 50 year old car is of British design and with their “punters will buy what we make” attitude no longer exists but I thought that the comment would give our honourable MAB-owner friends apoplexy?

All tongue in cheek, of course ?

 

[Elessar]

I think car analogies tend to break down easily (no pun intended..) because the needs met by a car are so much simpler. Modern cars are unarguably better in terms of performance than older cars (speed, braking, roadhandling, efficiency). I don't think the same can be said of modern boats - they are just 'different' as the design priorities have changed, and the 'performance' of a boat to me means much more than just speed and how close to the wind you can sail. For example, my heavy, old, long keeler feels quite different on the water to an AWB, and not in a bad way. Comfort does not simply mean a bigger cabin or wider cockpit. The aesthetics / individuality are purely down to personal taste and there's no need to agree with anyone else on that, if they sail something that makes them happy.

Presumably you own the old car because it gives you more pleasure than the modern car in some circumstances (whether aesthetic, nostalgic, or whatever). Boats are simply for pleasure, so we will all make our own choices depending on our priorities and individual quirks.. but I suspect a search for the most practical or efficient boat is unlikely to result in the one that gives you the most pleasure or gets your heart beating a bit faster.

An I’m glad people like you continue to like beautiful boats as you describe. So I can look at them.
But I, like the majority, want to go quickly in comfort.
As to your “most pleasure” point, to me the most pleasure from boating comes from being with friends and family. Thus a faster more comfortable boat delivers on that score too.

 

[ryanroberts]

Not suitable for a family of 4 to stay sane but the simple open layout of my ancient 33' MAB isn't so coffin like. Big windows for something Lloyds certified of that date? AWBs in my price / size range a bit too cabinny for my hermit purposes.

Edit - nope, that was an over interpretation of the rules with the Vancouver 32 I saw I think

 

[Baggywrinkle]

While nothing screams offshore as a long keel and a rig festooned with baggywrinkle, I know of a HC 38 that made the passage Canaries to Barbados in 17 days; average speed: 6.8kts.

Hey! I object to that ....

 

[Carib]

Not suitable for a family of 4 to stay sane but the simple open layout of my ancient 33' MAB isn't so coffin like.

That's revolting. I wouldn't kennel my dog in that. My wife wouldn't spend as much as a nanosecond on board. Even looking at the picture has made her vomit all over my keyboard.

 

[ryanroberts]

Not exactly a paid up member of the MAB defence squad, like a lot of modern boats. Mostly the ones I can't afford.

 

[Elessar]

Not suitable for a family of 4 to stay sane but the simple open layout of my ancient 33' MAB isn't so coffin like. Big windows for something Lloyds certified of that date? AWBs in my price / size range a bit too cabinny for my hermit purposes.

Edit - nope, that was an over interpretation of the rules with the Vancouver 32 I saw I think

View attachment 93865View attachment 93864

I like that very much!
When I go back to sailing it will be a deck saloon.
Id like a little bigger perhaps but for that size that looks great to me. And maybe I’ll want that size by then.

 

[Laminar Flow]

Hey! I object to that ....

Sorry...