tillergirl
Well-known member
Just come back from a very enjoyable flotilla holiday in the Ionian. Gave a good opportunity to compare a modern lightweight glass boat (Jeaneau Attila) and fittings against our 25 years experience with long keeled wood.
From the bow: electric windlass – marvelleous, how have I managed without one? Was absolutely great, particularly given all the anchoring we did; far more than in the UK. Perhaps we’d do more in the UK if we had one but I would have to work on the chain fall which backs up the old fashioned chute on TG. I can appreciate the value of the modern bow chain locker for ease of use although it clearly gets a nasty bit of weight right up the front in a lightish boat which is not the best.
(While on the subject of anchoring, bow to and stern to anchoring didn’t give us the problem we feared. The key thing with the reversing bit appeared to be to give it a lot of room, get some gentle sternway on, get her straight and then start to drop the anchor. We could then motor backwards quite slowly [the bow won’t blow off cos its held by the chain] until reaching the quay) Bruce main anchor, Danforth kedge, the latter very effective.
The deck: how does anybody survive a modern deck with its slopey bits. Slippery as hell and very difficult to get about in a lively sea. Got some rearranged skin as a result. Give me the security and ease of movement of my wood anytime.
The rig: Fine really, not much difference except we have a large main in contrast to the smaller modern style. Thought the bridgedeck mounted mainsheet would be a problem but its convenience to the helm outweighed the inconvenience of moving it to one side in harbour. Thought she was a bit tender: ie she would initially heel quite freely until the lee rail was close to the waterline where she would stick. At this angle, of course, she made a bit of leeway so an early reef was necessary. Bit of an opposite to our own. OK on a holiday but the early reefing would frustrate me if I had to do it all the time.
Genoa Roller Reefing: well known make which I thought very inferior to the Sailspar continuous line system we have. If you didn’t hang onto the reefing line quite hard while unrolling, you got a birdsnest which made rolling it up impossible. The Sailspar is better made, easy to use and er British.
Keel/helm: Nice and light on the helm of course with a fin and transom mounted blade rudder. But long keels don’t mean weather helm necessarily and I much preferred the stability of the helm on my long keeler. Much more relaxing and enjoyable. You couldn’t leave the helm for a second on the Jeanneau. Ugh.
Bimini: Fabulous and necessary even in Greece in October. Wish it was necessary in the UK!
Below: More room of course but difficult to move about below in a seaway. Frankly scores poorly in that respect against our own where we regularly cook under sail. Couldn’t do that on the Jeanneau, didn’t even want to make tea although we must admit to drinking beer in preference – which was from the coolbox equipped with a holding plate. We have an evaporator plate equipped cool box on TG. The holding plate is clearly superior although curiously the gradual thawing at night was quite noisy. Don’t think the evaporator plate would have been good enough in the regular temperatures we had.
Stern Cabin. Comfy yes but has anybody ever had a decent night sleep in them from that awful sugar scoop stern. Slap, slap, slap in the slightest popple. We don’t have a aft cabin of course but give me the harmony of my transom and wineglass stern.
Calorifier: ok but didn’t get the water that hot although it kept it warm overnight. We have an ascot type water heater which is effective and completely UNlovely but I’m not sure I want the expense of a calorifier for that performance.
Holding Tank: gravity type, bit of black art if you’ll forgive the pun. Was it working (ie emptying)? Well we assume it did because it never overflowed. The tank was said to be 35 litres and was ok for the two of us over night. Really excellent. Shall seriously look at how we can install one – any suggestions for plans?
Emptying the bilge (the freshwater system leaked under pressure) bloody hopeless. If there was any serious water in it I am sure it would work but it wouldn’t get out the half gallon or so and the shallow bilge made sure that this soaked the floor in a seaway. I guess no one expects small bits of water in the bottom of a glass boat.
Overall: thoroughly enjoyed the holiday and would recommend it to anyone novice or experienced (the value for the experienced is a nice relaxed itinery with clear information about good tavernas, water and other supplies). The boat was functional and efficient (if a bit end of season) but not a design that I would aspire to own. It did lack charm (but then it was a charter boat), was over-lively in a blow (although carried us through ok) and required a lot of hanging on (you sat on it not in it). Faster than ours in light winds of course and probably always downwind unless I have the spinny up but any desire to upgrade to a modern design has evaporated completely unless Mr Lotto permits us to by one of those lovely Scandinavian cruisers.
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From the bow: electric windlass – marvelleous, how have I managed without one? Was absolutely great, particularly given all the anchoring we did; far more than in the UK. Perhaps we’d do more in the UK if we had one but I would have to work on the chain fall which backs up the old fashioned chute on TG. I can appreciate the value of the modern bow chain locker for ease of use although it clearly gets a nasty bit of weight right up the front in a lightish boat which is not the best.
(While on the subject of anchoring, bow to and stern to anchoring didn’t give us the problem we feared. The key thing with the reversing bit appeared to be to give it a lot of room, get some gentle sternway on, get her straight and then start to drop the anchor. We could then motor backwards quite slowly [the bow won’t blow off cos its held by the chain] until reaching the quay) Bruce main anchor, Danforth kedge, the latter very effective.
The deck: how does anybody survive a modern deck with its slopey bits. Slippery as hell and very difficult to get about in a lively sea. Got some rearranged skin as a result. Give me the security and ease of movement of my wood anytime.
The rig: Fine really, not much difference except we have a large main in contrast to the smaller modern style. Thought the bridgedeck mounted mainsheet would be a problem but its convenience to the helm outweighed the inconvenience of moving it to one side in harbour. Thought she was a bit tender: ie she would initially heel quite freely until the lee rail was close to the waterline where she would stick. At this angle, of course, she made a bit of leeway so an early reef was necessary. Bit of an opposite to our own. OK on a holiday but the early reefing would frustrate me if I had to do it all the time.
Genoa Roller Reefing: well known make which I thought very inferior to the Sailspar continuous line system we have. If you didn’t hang onto the reefing line quite hard while unrolling, you got a birdsnest which made rolling it up impossible. The Sailspar is better made, easy to use and er British.
Keel/helm: Nice and light on the helm of course with a fin and transom mounted blade rudder. But long keels don’t mean weather helm necessarily and I much preferred the stability of the helm on my long keeler. Much more relaxing and enjoyable. You couldn’t leave the helm for a second on the Jeanneau. Ugh.
Bimini: Fabulous and necessary even in Greece in October. Wish it was necessary in the UK!
Below: More room of course but difficult to move about below in a seaway. Frankly scores poorly in that respect against our own where we regularly cook under sail. Couldn’t do that on the Jeanneau, didn’t even want to make tea although we must admit to drinking beer in preference – which was from the coolbox equipped with a holding plate. We have an evaporator plate equipped cool box on TG. The holding plate is clearly superior although curiously the gradual thawing at night was quite noisy. Don’t think the evaporator plate would have been good enough in the regular temperatures we had.
Stern Cabin. Comfy yes but has anybody ever had a decent night sleep in them from that awful sugar scoop stern. Slap, slap, slap in the slightest popple. We don’t have a aft cabin of course but give me the harmony of my transom and wineglass stern.
Calorifier: ok but didn’t get the water that hot although it kept it warm overnight. We have an ascot type water heater which is effective and completely UNlovely but I’m not sure I want the expense of a calorifier for that performance.
Holding Tank: gravity type, bit of black art if you’ll forgive the pun. Was it working (ie emptying)? Well we assume it did because it never overflowed. The tank was said to be 35 litres and was ok for the two of us over night. Really excellent. Shall seriously look at how we can install one – any suggestions for plans?
Emptying the bilge (the freshwater system leaked under pressure) bloody hopeless. If there was any serious water in it I am sure it would work but it wouldn’t get out the half gallon or so and the shallow bilge made sure that this soaked the floor in a seaway. I guess no one expects small bits of water in the bottom of a glass boat.
Overall: thoroughly enjoyed the holiday and would recommend it to anyone novice or experienced (the value for the experienced is a nice relaxed itinery with clear information about good tavernas, water and other supplies). The boat was functional and efficient (if a bit end of season) but not a design that I would aspire to own. It did lack charm (but then it was a charter boat), was over-lively in a blow (although carried us through ok) and required a lot of hanging on (you sat on it not in it). Faster than ours in light winds of course and probably always downwind unless I have the spinny up but any desire to upgrade to a modern design has evaporated completely unless Mr Lotto permits us to by one of those lovely Scandinavian cruisers.
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