50 innovations that changed sailing

[electrosys]

What evidence do you base that assertion on? My understanding is that the Bluebird of Thorne design by Lord Ravenscroft in around 1930 was the first boat with twin keels rather than bilge plates to help a long shallow keel boat to dry out upright. I would be interested to hear of an earlier twin keeler you know of.

How about the beach-launched sailing cobles of the North-East:

"There are two bilge keels, which run two-thirds of the length from the transom forwards, but do not go all the way to the forefoot. These support the hull on the beach and keep the bow vertical."

They certainly had no other keel or dagger-board to prevent leeway, so I guess they could qualify ... and these boats have a history going back several hundred years.

 

[VO5]

In Mast furling (not that I like it or would choose it).
Electric Windlasses.
Self Tailing Winches.
Goodbye DF.
Breathable Wetweather Gear.
Deckshoes with leather uppers.
Steering Wheel Covering.
Goodbye Galvanised.
Goodbye Red Lead Paint.
Goodbye boxing the compass (by points).
Hello 4 stroke outboards.
...amongst other innovations...

 

[Searush]

How about the beach-launched sailing cobles of the North-East:

"There are two bilge keels, which run two-thirds of the length from the transom forwards, but do not go all the way to the forefoot. These support the hull on the beach and keep the bow vertical."

They certainly had no other keel or dagger-board to prevent leeway, so I guess they could qualify ... and these boats have a history going back several hundred years.

"Keels" or rubbing strakes? You might as well include Dylan's duck punt which uses chines for lateral resistance. Bluebird of Thorne caused outrage when first launched & later Lord Ravenscroft sailed trans-oceanic with his family in a larger version. Cobles are merely designed to be pulled up a beach in bad weather. They are a development of clinker longboat designs used by the vikings without any keel, but with hefty rubbing strakes to protect the planking. I don't see North Sea crossings even being likely, but I could be wrong, Frank & Margaret Dye have done it in a Wayfarer.

It seems the design is still available from Running Tide yachts

 

[Liz_I]

How about - Fleeces - take up much less space than traditional oiled sweaters.
Dry in a couple of hours. Warm and warm and cosy warm. Fleece blankets also.
Oh and cordless tools.
Head torches.

 

[Kukri]

"Keels" or rubbing strakes? You might as well include Dylan's duck punt which uses chines for lateral resistance. Bluebird of Thorne caused outrage when first launched & later Lord Ravenscroft sailed trans-oceanic with his family in a larger version. Cobles are merely designed to be pulled up a beach in bad weather. They are a development of clinker longboat designs used by the vikings without any keel, but with hefty rubbing strakes to protect the planking. I don't see North Sea crossings even being likely, but I could be wrong, Frank & Margaret Dye have done it in a Wayfarer.

It seems the design is still available from Running Tide yachts

I remember an account of a North Sea crossing and back in a coble in the Yachting Monthly in the late Sixties.

 

[grumpy_o_g]

No-one's said the Internet yet......

 

[grumpy_o_g]

What evidence do you base that assertion on? My understanding is that the Bluebird of Thorne design by Lord Ravenscroft in around 1930 was the first boat with twin keels rather than bilge plates to help a long shallow keel boat to dry out upright. I would be interested to hear of an earlier twin keeler you know of.

A keel as the sticky-down bit of a boat to stop you falling over or going sideways is a comparatively recent invention and, as such probably ranks pretty high in the top 50. Any multi-hull with a plank running stem to stern is a twin-keel boat really so they must have been around for quite a while.

 

[GlennG]

Reliability of pretty much everything but especially engines.

Just have to vote for navigation kit. Changed out of all recognition in the last 20 years; go back 50 and it'll appear like witchcraft.

Volume and comfort but at the cost of seaworthiness.

 

[stav]

Saved opening the mag until last night, got in bed unwrapped the plastic looked at article saw AIS as No1, put mag down turned off light. Was there No1s in other sections? (I hope).

If I could have been a pilot opperating out of Fal a 100yrs ago the kit I would want to take back with me would be:

Modern oilies,
no1: breathable wellies,
fleece and thermal gloves,
Dacron sails,
Nylon and braid on braid ropes
light weight handheld compass,

Ironically, something that has enabled yachting to have mass appeal I guess the small reliable diesel is up there (but if you have suffered diesel bug you might have learnt to live without a reliable engine)!

 

[RichardTaylor]

It strikes me probably the most important is GRP, no more annual varnish/painting, or plank replacement etc, so lower maintenance.

Next would be aluminium (or alloy) spars