Boat show 1st day highlights!!!!!!

[Serin]

I should imagine it is simply fashion. It may look cool to some. It is different. It is change for change sake. Its not just boats. Its everything

I think fashion must play a part. As the owner of a 40 year old boat that does whatever I ask of her, I watch the changing fashions in boat design with interest. Like it or not, the mass production boats do tend to conform to the trend du jour. I notice it particularly on the magazine covers, where the photos are so similar that I sometimes have to peer at the date to determine which I have, or have not, read.

I rather like having a boat that is distinguishable by something other than its name. But before anyone takes offence, I doubt if many AWB owners would want to swap and neither would I. Each to their own.

 

[dslittle]

The mass production boats are as boring as ever, thank goodness I am not looking to buy "bog standard boat" as they all have gone down the twin wheel route, why? It eats up space in the tiny cockpit

Why bother wasting your time and money going to LIBS/SIBS? Just go to Beaulieu and buy your hemp, whale oil and sou'wester there (and don't forget your hard tack for longer trips...)

 

[flaming]

I think "slag then off" is a bit stronger than what I said, but hey ho.

Beauty, and in this case function, is in the eye of the beholder. What I am trying to get my head around is why the mass market manufactures have gone down the twin when route. From the posts above I understand it is about speed - fine if you are racing, but these are marketed cruisers. Personally, I found the cockpits both tiny and cluttered, there would be no way that I, at 1.75m, could stretch out in full wet weather gear and get comfy.

No, I don't think it has much to do with speed at all. I've sailed some pretty quick boats, and then in September I spent a week in Croatia chartering a very fat arsed, 47 foot twin wheeled tub. As a sailing boat it was pretty horrible, and significantly slower than the 37 foot cruiser racer I spend most of the time sailing. As a boat for introducing a whole load of non sailing friends to sailing holidays it was almost perfect.

If you look at the modern race boats, only the offshore boats are going down the fat route, and then it's coupled with quite a light hull. The stuff that's designed for inshore, or a mix, is pretty narrow and heavy and only has 2 wheels at well over 40 feet. E.g. the first 40 is a single wheel boat.

As to why cruising boats have fat arses and twin wheels, I think it's a good thing. Fat boats have loads of form stability, so heel less. They also give accommodation that will convince even the most ardent land lubber. Then you get to the walking straight through thing, and that's a pretty good argument too.
In cruising terms, narrow boats, in general, are more rewarding to sail, especially upwind. If you have a family and friend group who are already super keen sailors, then yippee, have one of them and laugh at all the fat arsed things as you overtake them.
However, if your aim is to bring your reluctant sailor family/friends with you, then a fat arsed modern cruiser is a much better bet for tempting them out onto the water.

 

[doug748]

I had to wait for people to get off several boats that I wanted to get so I'd say that was busy enough. If you don't like mass production boats you don't need to look at them. No reason to slag them off. There things on some of them that I didn't like but I enjoyed looking all the same. As for tiny cockpits I thought they all had very generous cockpits for the overall size of the boat.

Me too.

Once someone says these new designs are boring; the next guy says they are for fat, lazy people; the next says eat your hard tack at Beaulieu.

And off we go again.

 

[[70521]]

However, if your aim is to bring your reluctant sailor family/friends with you, then a fat arsed modern cruiser is a much better bet for tempting them out onto the water.

Thanks flaming that has been helpful.

 

[Serin]

Why bother wasting your time and money going to LIBS/SIBS? Just go to Beaulieu and buy your hemp, whale oil and sou'wester there (and don't forget your hard tack for longer trips...)

Funny that...I was complimented on the quality of our hard tack last summer by a friend. She said she thought its secret was the aged balsamic vinegar.......

Hemp and whale oil I find I can manage without, but I do like my sou'wester. Much more comfortable and efficient than your average hood in many situations. It didn't come from Beaulieu though, but from a fisherman's shop on the Plymouth Barbican when Sutton Harbour was still a proper fishing harbour.

My problem is not coaxing reluctant family and friends to come sailing but finding time to accommodate all the eager family and friends lining up to come. It's a hard life in the third world of sailing.

 

[dunedin]

Why bother wasting your time and money going to LIBS/SIBS? Just go to Beaulieu and buy your hemp, whale oil and sou'wester there (and don't forget your hard tack for longer trips...)

Nicely put

 

[Resolution]

Funny that...I was complimented on the quality of our hard tack last summer by a friend. She said she thought its secret was the aged balsamic vinegar.......

Hemp and whale oil I find I can manage without, but I do like my sou'wester. Much more comfortable and efficient than your average hood in many situations. It didn't come from Beaulieu though, but from a fisherman's shop on the Plymouth Barbican when Sutton Harbour was still a proper fishing harbour.

My problem is not coaxing reluctant family and friends to come sailing but finding time to accommodate all the eager family and friends lining up to come. It's a hard life in the third world of sailing.

I think that's fifteen all.

 

[jimmyk]

Its not worth falling out over is it really. I have one kind of car and I dont really care what anyone else is driving. I have a boat I like and dont really care about anyone elses. I have a gas cooker at home, next door has an electric one, we dont argue the merits of each. It doesnt really matter. Stick to what you like and let others like what they like

 

[wully1]

I think the blokes with their twin wheel twin aft cabin cheese wedges look rather comfortable as they cream past me. Two wheels on a wide stern 40 footer would be jolly nice things to have and avoid seeing the world as glimpsed over the spray hood.

I pity them as 90% of the time they are huddled behind the spray hood muffled up in goretex and fleece as the pass.

while I sit inside in the warmth with my sailing slippers and mug of tea and watch the scenery pass through the nice big windows. The windows also come in handy when at anchor and I can study the scenery while fat arse goretex folk sit down below in their square edged designer interior. Maybe they have one of the new trendy 'deck saloon' boats where can can see out the windows, if you are 7 feet tall and stand on tip-toes.

( mind you, I'd not venture far offshore with my big windows)

Med boats don't work to well up here for me.

 

[Serin]

Its not worth falling out over is it really. I have one kind of car and I dont really care what anyone else is driving. I have a boat I like and dont really care about anyone elses. I have a gas cooker at home, next door has an electric one, we dont argue the merits of each. It doesnt really matter. Stick to what you like and let others like what they like

+ 1.

 

[DannyB]

I own a Jeanneau with twin wheels, my friend has a similar sized Bavaria with a single wheel. Moving around in my cockpit is much easier, to the point that after a while my friend has gone and fitted a replacement folding wheel. At considerable cost. I note newer versions of his boat come with twin wheels.

 

[Malo37]

There's a triangular, flat bottomed twin wheeled boat not a million miles from where I keep my boat. And as an added bonus you can see the matting through the gelcoat just is case you want to check it.

 

[Budgieboy]

I thought it was a very poor show FWIW .... On the other hand when it comes around , I get this urge that the sailing season is upon us again

 

[Concerto]

I thought it was a very poor show FWIW

Whole heartedly agree. Very few yachts and spread all over the hall. I did look at a number of boats in the low 30 feet range and decided that I would not want to change my Fulmar. My boat once I finish the renovation will have cost about a third of a new boat and get me from A to B in more comfort.

The number of stalls selling chanderly seemed less, thankfully less non-boating stands, but an increase of charter stands. It was a big let down on the show hype, and feel I will not waste my time visiting next year.

 

[grumpy_o_g]

Depends what tack you are on. The wheel on the high side will give the helmsperson a clearer view for'ard (assuming the foresail is in use)

I usually use the wheel on the low side if one is available partly to look under the genoa but also 'cos it's often dryer too...

 

[dslittle]

My problem is not coaxing reluctant family and friends to come sailing but finding time to accommodate all the eager family and friends lining up to come.

Our experience too.

They 'LUV' the hot water showers, gourmet meals, drinking all night, dry sailing, comfortable double beds, stretching out in the cockpit (well over 6'), stepping off the back, drinking all night, eating all day, sailing when it is nice, drinking all night, eating all day, watching tele when it is too cold to sit out in the cockpit tent drinking, listening to music and drinking all night in the cockpit tent..

oh and seeing how far you can p*** in a p***ing competition!!!

 

[Serin]

oh and seeing how far you can p*** in a p***ing competition!!!

Sad.

I have never quite fathomed out the reason why an expression of a preference or appreciation of a pleasant aspect of life is perceived by people (not all, happily) on the internet as some kind of challenge. In these minds, "I like this" or "I'm lucky in/happy about this" seems to translate itself into "my this is better than your this" or "I am better than you" or some such. Indeed, sometimes I think the whole of internet discourse, as it is interpreted by some, can be summed up five or seven words -"I am better than you" or "My way is better than your way". I suppose some get their kicks from pissing competitions and, presumably, assume that other people are like them. It's a common mistake.

Oh well. Each to their own.

 

[Poignard]

Its not worth falling out over is it really. I have one kind of car and I dont really care what anyone else is driving. I have a boat I like and dont really care about anyone elses. I have a gas cooker at home, next door has an electric one, we dont argue the merits of each. It doesnt really matter. Stick to what you like and let others like what they like

Yes - that's a good attitude. I think I'll make it my New Year's resolution. :encouragement:

I just hope it lasts longer than my resolutions usually do!

 

[dom]

Well I'm off to have a look - there's always the Guinness tent or whatever it's called