Almost makes me want to buy a yacht and go sailing again

[benjenbav]

A classic British built yacht and built to a high standard.

The Rustler 42 - maybe even the same one; maybe not - was at the recent Southampton Boat Show. I liked it very much. The folks from the company seemed very friendly, too. I hope they have a lot of success.

I didn’t find the washing machine on the one I looked at and, watching the video, I wasn’t sure how much enthusiasm I’d manage for crawling on my hands and knees through the hatchway in order to get at the machine. But other than that; not much to criticise.

 

[dunedin]

You compared twin wheels to 1 particular boat with a ridiculously large wheel and you have made all your assessments on that basis. You now have a boat that YOU prefer. Iam happy for you but you haven't sailed a multitude of single wheel boat 25,000nm to make a fair assessment. I have raced twin wheel boats and delivered twin wheel cruising boats back to the charter base a couple of times. Only 100s of miles not thousands. These were uphill trips in bumpy conditions. They were also very average production boats not an X boat.
The shelter in the cockpit was none existent. Climbing up to the windward wheel was at times impossible. If you needed to move from the windward wheel it was like free falling. At times it was dangerous. At anchor the boat sailed about so much that in the evening, sitting outside to eat was alternatively windy from the port side then the starboard side. If you huddled under the sprayhood when sailing you couldn't see the plotter mounted between the wheels.
My experience is of twin wheels is limited, but it is my experience and it makes me appreciate the attributes in my boat that suit my kind of sailing.
I don't need twin wheels or the massive exposed cockpit that they come with. It's personal preference

Thanks for clarifying.
However, I think you are mixing up single vs twin wheels as a specific feature, vs your oft quoted wider views about a generic type of modern boat (different from the Xc42 listed in this thread) - which is something completely different.
For example twin vs single wheels has absolutely no impact on how the boat moves around under anchor, which you cite. That is other factors of hull and keel shape, plus windage.

There are many cruising boats that have moved from single wheel to twin wheel as part of a "Mark 2" update on basically the same hull and underwater surfaces. And the Xc42 shown for example is a moderate sterned moderate displacement boat - that benefits from twin wheels.
Regarding shelter in the cockpit, as you yourself said, when not wanting the fun of hand steering (when the twin wheels win hands down in terms of visibility to see the sails), the below decks autopilot will be doing the steering anyway. Also when crossing the pond on an Xc45 when sailing downwind in waves we often steered from the middle with one hand on each wheel, so lots of options - windward, lee or middle.
I have never found "climbing up to the windward wheel impossible" - but the central walk through allows to get to / from the wheel safely without clambering over things.
And regarding viewing the plotter(s), I would never want a single plotter 3m or so ahead of the helm under the sprayhood. That would be a dealbreaker. When solo I want to be able to view, adjust and query the plotter (eg check CPA of a new AIS target) without moving from the helm. And on the cockpit table is ideal, as also able to be used by navigator if fully crewed, As noted, if at front of cockpit under sprayhood will use the second plotter or tablet.
I appreciate that there are pros and cons of wider boat design characteristics - but for me there is little doubt that above 12m twin wheels are best (even though I didn't think so until I tried it)

 

[geem]

Thanks for clarifying.
However, I think you are mixing up single vs twin wheels as a specific feature, vs your oft quoted wider views about a generic type of modern boat (different from the Xc42 listed in this thread) - which is something completely different.
For example twin vs single wheels has absolutely no impact on how the boat moves around under anchor, which you cite. That is other factors of hull and keel shape, plus windage.

There are many cruising boats that have moved from single wheel to twin wheel as part of a "Mark 2" update on basically the same hull and underwater surfaces. And the Xc42 shown for example is a moderate sterned moderate displacement boat - that benefits from twin wheels.
Regarding shelter in the cockpit, as you yourself said, when not wanting the fun of hand steering (when the twin wheels win hands down in terms of visibility to see the sails), the below decks autopilot will be doing the steering anyway. Also when crossing the pond on an Xc45 when sailing downwind in waves we often steered from the middle with one hand on each wheel, so lots of options - windward, lee or middle.
I have never found "climbing up to the windward wheel impossible" - but the central walk through allows to get to / from the wheel safely without clambering over things.
And regarding viewing the plotter(s), I would never want a single plotter 3m or so ahead of the helm under the sprayhood. That would be a dealbreaker. When solo I want to be able to view, adjust and query the plotter (eg check CPA of a new AIS target) without moving from the helm. And on the cockpit table is ideal, as also able to be used by navigator if fully crewed, As noted, if at front of cockpit under sprayhood will use the second plotter or tablet.
I appreciate that there are pros and cons of wider boat design characteristics - but for me there is little doubt that above 12m twin wheels are best (even though I didn't think so until I tried it)

I am not talking about X boats. I have no experience of them. I do have experience of Hanse twin wheel, Jeanneau and Beneteau twin wheel boats.
The Hanse and Beneteau designs had the latest wide stern shape that seems to come with high freeboard. This high freeboard seems to go hand in hand with the increased tendency to sail around the anchor. I am sure there are single wheel boats that do this, but it was very noticeable to me.
Fun steering is something I quickly tire of. We don't really go anywhere on passage without using the autopilot unless it's close quarters manoeuvring. We don't day sail or go for a quick sail. Our style of sailing is to get the boat on course, trim the sails to the wind and let the boat sail. Occasionally adjust the course or the trim of the sails. Read a book whilst lounging in the cockpit whilst on watch and just eat up the miles.
I fully appreciate that the X yacht is a difference style of boat. I have delivered a 72ft racer/cruiser from Sweden to Holland that had twin wheels, twin rudders and was an absolute bitch to manouvre in the Keel canal lock. The owner didn't want a stern thruster because of the extra weight so the lack of wash over the rudders made manoeuvring with a following breeze entering the lock interesting. It was a big boat and with four of us onboard, it felt like an absolute minimium crew you could get away with.
If you are sailing downwind with twin wheels you are sailing pretty flat. I was referring to the difficulty of getting to the uphill wheel when you are hard on the wind going to weather, especially in a bumpy sea between the Caribbean islands. Doing delivery trips to get the boat back to base for the next charter demanded that you just go, regardless of the weather. Something you don't normally need to do when you are retired and have plenty of time. I soon gave that up as a not much fun pass time. I was helping a pal out who needed some crew. He also needed the money and really didn't.
Part of the issue generally is we sail a centre cockpit boat. We have so much available shelter that perching on a far aft corner of the boat seems like an alien concept. In big following seas, we feel removed from the approaching breakers and that feels like a good thing.
With regard to plotter, it's 2m from the wheel to our 12" MFD. Just slightly too far for convenience if you are manoeuvring. The fitting of the remote wired control at the wheel for the MFD will resolve that. I have on occasion place a tablet with navionics on the pedestal. Otherwise, the MFD under the sprayhood is the perfect spot for us, with our style of sailing.
Our cockpit seats are over 8 feet long. We can seat 8 comfortably in the cockpit for drinks. We have had 10 on one occasion for a music night with several people playing instruments. Our wheel is relatively small so we can walk done each side of the wheel without difficulty. I was on an Oyster 475 for drinks last night and their single wheel totally blocked the cockpit. I had to climb over the seats. It is similar on my pals HR42. So I do understand that single wheels can have drawbacks, but we don't have that situation.