Ancient and Modern

[Mirelle]

We have recently seen a lot of heat, and not an awful lot of enlightenment, over the question of whether the latest designs from Beneteau, Jeanneau, Bavaria and Legend (American Hunter) are better or worse than what is now termed "classic plastic".

Anyone who opens a copy of this magazine published in the 1950's will find heated controversy on light vs heavy displacement, the use of plywood and so on, whilst a 1930's edition will yield equally heated controversy over gaff rig vs bermudian rig.

I fancy the truth is that when we start sailing we take whatever we get afloat in pretty much for granted, and our tastes are subsequently formed on the basis of experience, which can be pretty much random.

There is no right or wrong; we all end up with boats that more or less suit us, get into a rut, and stay with that type, which we have happened on by accident. This does not stop us arguing endlessly about it, deepening our entrenched positions as we do so.

(It is, of course, clearly understood that no proper yachts were designed, and few built, after 1939......)

 

[jimi]

Less of the Ancient, young \'un

Listen youngster, when you look at all the crap that was built last century nothing worthwhile has been built since the old Queen died, in fact when sails started getting cut in half with 3 edges instead of 4 was the root of all modern ills. I blame it on the Boer war myself. Now look at the Cutty Sark, that was a boat and a half. None of that modern rubbish there.

Jim

 

[halcyon]

One thing not concidered is that in the 60/70's when most classic plastic yachts were built it was not 2002.

My Hurley 27 when we bought it in 91 from her original owner had had nothing added since built in 1970. It was fitted with standard gear for the year, a compass, a depth sounder ( rotating arm ), and a long wave / medium wave radio. You got weather reports from the BBC, you had no vhf, no gps, no decca, no navtex, no marinas, winches were Tufnol, sails were the then new man-made. So you needed a boat that would cope with anything that you may meet, that would sit to anchor cofortably, that was easy to sail (no autopilots) and easily driven by not that efficient rig. Add to this that fibre glass was still a new unknown item, that was mixed in a bucket and applied by hand, with a unknown strength due do to the then new material and hand lay-up. Result was a long keel moderate displacement narrow beam yacht, built like the proverbial brick s**t house, or as we now say classic plastic yacht.

To-day the yacht lives in a marina, normally day sailed, fitted with vhf, gps chart plotter, navtex, depth sounder, log, radar, labtop, weather reports more accurate than they ever dreamed in the 70's. The hull is designed by a computor, stressed out to the n th degree, the hull fibre glass is sprayed by a robot to a repeatable standard. The hull internal volume is know the prime concideration, for living in and for entertaining in, normally decided on by the women of the group.


People drift to boats that suit there requirements, allways remember in the 80's dreaming of a Westerly Merlin because it was new and had loads of space below. To-day we buy a long keel narrow beam, for seakeeping, easy sailing, and intimate or cossy accomadation.


Brian

 

[Johnjo]

Speaking personelly, I have a 1972 Sabre 27 with a fin keel.
This class dates back to the late sixties, In my opinion only,
And for what it is worth, Superior yacht to many around at that time,
Very heavy lay-up,Built to last,
Considered by many to be a classic from this period,
Beauty is in the eye's of the beholder, Or owner in this case.
Nobody wants to hear any disparaging ctitisism about there boat so I shall refrain from doing so,
mike

 

[Guest]

Re: Less of the Ancient, young \'un

The Cutty Sark? Modern fangled tub with all those ropes, sails, and vertical logs which you call masts.

In my day we just had a couple of logs tied together with some cow hide and a couple of sticks to point the thing in the rough direction you wanted to go. Pure simplicity.

Then came along the naval architects and spoilt it all by carving out the logs, and giving us paddles! All that extra maintenance, and God help you if you lost or broke a paddle - at least a sack of wheat for a new one. And of course, when the first capsize occurred there was all this hullabaloo about freeboard, stabilty, number of crew, passengers....

 

[Endy]

Now you\'re lucky!

When we were young, we used to dream of having a couple of logs tied together...

STOP THIS IT IS GETTING SILLY!!!

 

[Guest]

Pity about Legend\'s

South Coast Marina ..... Hunter Legend ready for lift out
Crane with slings
Slip slings under hull and lift .....

What the hell ..........?????????

Deck to hull joint split, boat looking like banana .....

Upshot was : Diagnosed as weak joint, Insurance Co. fighting to not pay, Marina bans all Legends from crane sling lifts ..... owner looking at pride and joy that is now supported in cradle with jacks and rams to try and minimise further damage.

Anyone care to comment ??????

 

[Roberto]

Absolute safety = buy a submarine !(nm)

*

 

[vyv_cox]

But not only them....

Friend of my son, delivery crew brand new Beneteau First 42 transatlantic. Woke up when water ran into his sleeping bag, on a bunk at the time. Hull/deck joint failed, boat sank, crew in liferaft for 3 days.

 

[jimi]

Re: But not only them....

Did'nt happen to the "Golden Hind", now that was a bit of craftmanship ...

Jim

 

[pkb]

Still more heat than light

Peter