Rivers & creeks
Well-Known Member
There are a whole set of compromises to make. Because we have a young family we wanted a boat that doesn't heel very much, we wanted more than two dedicated sleeping cabins so that there's enough space for everyone, we needed the ability to motor to windward so that we didn't have to beat and tack to windward just to meet a deadline.
All of that lead us to Colvic Watsons and Fishers. We bought the best sailing version of those we could find but the heavy displacement means we need more than 13 knots to go faster than 5 knots through the water. The sail plan rules out beating closer than 40 degrees and we generally don't bother beating on passage at less than 45 degrees, the long keel heavy displacement just doesn't make it rewarding enough. Light displacement cruisers pass us and a Contessa or Sadler will always reach the marina well before us, I miss their sailing speed and tacking your way somewhere is good fun, I miss sailing with a tiller and the quick heels to gusts of wind that give a positive feel. But the heavy displacement design gives us a wonderfully dry boat, hardly any heeling, three dedicated sleeping cabins, two heads, a wheelhouse & saloon and we haven't had to reef yet, despite plenty of f6 sailing. I'm sure we will have to reef one day though
We're happy with the compromises and in those f6's we tramp along nicely at 7 knots through the water, last month we averaged 8.3 knots with the tide on a five hour trip, buckets of wind, lots of fun.
All of that lead us to Colvic Watsons and Fishers. We bought the best sailing version of those we could find but the heavy displacement means we need more than 13 knots to go faster than 5 knots through the water. The sail plan rules out beating closer than 40 degrees and we generally don't bother beating on passage at less than 45 degrees, the long keel heavy displacement just doesn't make it rewarding enough. Light displacement cruisers pass us and a Contessa or Sadler will always reach the marina well before us, I miss their sailing speed and tacking your way somewhere is good fun, I miss sailing with a tiller and the quick heels to gusts of wind that give a positive feel. But the heavy displacement design gives us a wonderfully dry boat, hardly any heeling, three dedicated sleeping cabins, two heads, a wheelhouse & saloon and we haven't had to reef yet, despite plenty of f6 sailing. I'm sure we will have to reef one day though
We're happy with the compromises and in those f6's we tramp along nicely at 7 knots through the water, last month we averaged 8.3 knots with the tide on a five hour trip, buckets of wind, lots of fun.