Help - is pilothouse yacht right for me?

RupertW said:
...we changed the weather not the yacht type and now keep our boat a plane ride away. It's cheaper than a train and easier than driving to a UK coast...but I still dress up in warm clothes and enjoy a winter walk in the Lake District anytime I can.
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I'm too fond of being free to cycle to the boat, to want to export my sailing (although I envy you the reliable weather when you get there).

But be honest...are you careful to take those wintry Lake District walks on dry, bright days? Or do you also enjoy long foggy gales blasting sleet into your hood and eyes? ;)

rotrax said:
Like Motorcycling, Sailing is to be enjoyed, nor endured.....................................
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Well said, sir.

It has taken me 30 years to realise that no single boat will satisfy the love of great sailing performance, and ameliorate my detestation of being outdoors in filthy weather.

Considering how little time most owners of big, performance-focussed sailboats actually spend sailing, they must have a very different take on what's worth paying for.

Good luck and fair winds to all of course, I hope they have continuous favourable conditions. Personally, I'm not planning to leave it to chance. :)
 
dancrane said:
I'm too fond of being free to cycle to the boat, to want to export my sailing (although I envy you the reliable weather when you get there).

But be honest...are you careful to take those wintry Lake District walks on dry, bright days? Or do you also enjoy long foggy gales blasting sleet into your hood and eyes? ;)
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I'm contrasting flying with a 3-5 hour drive or train and taxis in Friday night traffic to get to the boat in different locations, so flying doesn't seem so bad.

If I had to wait for dry winter days in the Lake District I'd never go walking but do prefer it when I'm not walking straight into horizontal rain.

Although it wasn't officially an inside steering position I found a cross Atlantic trip in a 41 foot cat in mostly bad weather to be so comfortable with wrap around windows forward and sliding conservatory doors the whole width of the cockpit behind. You could sit inside with a great view using autohelm toggle with no rolling or heeling as rain and spray washed over the boat. In very busy waters it helped to walk about the cabin to see what was in the views hidden from chart table chair.
 
rotrax said:
You are right, just the concept we like.

Last year we did 1500NM, this year 1800. We were aboard 19 and 21 weeks respectivley.

Our passage planning speed has gone from 5 KTS with our previous aft cockpit Island Packet yacht to 6.5 KTS with the SP Cruiser. This is due to the big engine. On inspecting the previous 6 years logsheets we found that because we travel as opposed to just going sailing we were motorsailing a great deal. Sods Law means the wind is either too much, not enough or in the wrong direction!

We do the same with the new boat but at substantially higher speeds. Just having full sail up and the engine on idle in ahead gives a substantially better angle on the wind. 1700 RPM and full sail on the beam even against a 1 knot tide allows 7 KTS in flattish water. Fuel consumption is more than acceptable.

Also agree with the comment re ground tackle-I have just purchased another bow roller to double up our anchoring potential. I already have in stock a 20 kilo genuine Bruce with chain and warp as well as a fortress for the stern.

You have pointed out a fabulous boat, and I like the idea of aluminium very much.

.
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I have just seen that the particular boat in that video is now up for sale at €360k. This is to compare with the new price which was IIRC €850k.

It's a real bargain for somebody.
 
Thanks again for all the ideas and pointers - Thought an update might be in order!

We both viewed a number of deck saloons/pilot house boats (whatever you want to call them��) including the wauquiez 40 but despite my thinking they did not feel right for us and my wife did not like them!

During the search, we stumbled across the more recent Jeanneau designs which, to my surprise, we found ourselves liking. The accommodation space and set up was something my wife saw could work far better for her with her medical condition. We found a 5 year old SO 439 which was in great condition, bigger than we had planned, but with all we would need at a good price, so have taken the plunge and bought her. Starlight now sold (will miss the fun of sailing the starlight) but the change will allow us to keep sailing!

Need to keep up with the family trend setter, my uncle who has just turned 90 and still sailing his Bavaria 33............
 
West Coast said:
Thanks again for all the ideas and pointers - Thought an update might be in order!

We both viewed a number of deck saloons/pilot house boats (whatever you want to call them��) including the wauquiez 40 but despite my thinking they did not feel right for us and my wife did not like them!

During the search, we stumbled across the more recent Jeanneau designs which, to my surprise, we found ourselves liking. The accommodation space and set up was something my wife saw could work far better for her with her medical condition. We found a 5 year old SO 439 which was in great condition, bigger than we had planned, but with all we would need at a good price, so have taken the plunge and bought her. Starlight now sold (will miss the fun of sailing the starlight) but the change will allow us to keep sailing!

Need to keep up with the family trend setter, my uncle who has just turned 90 and still sailing his Bavaria 33............
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Well done!
I wish you many happy miles.
 
In a ten-year-old Yachting Monthly, I lately found a sloop-rigged Fisher 30 for sale. I've grown accustomed to the Fishers' rather modest ketch rigs, but seeing one with a fairly tall mast and good-sized white sails, made me like them even more than before.

I had believed the rugged low-tech traditionalism was part of their appeal, but now I think the combination of a reasonably modern masthead sloop rig, with the throwback trawler wheelhouse profile, would keep me happy in fine sailing weather and winter's worst.

Sorry about the photo - it was only about an inch square in the magazine, and I can't find another Fisher 30 sloop pictured anywhere. I know the F25, F31 and F34 were available as sloops, but I guess this 30 was a neat bit of conversion.

Screenshot_2018-03-09-21-36-21_zpsj2aoya6s.png
 
dancrane said:
In a ten-year-old Yachting Monthly, I lately found a sloop-rigged Fisher 30 for sale. I've grown accustomed to the Fishers' rather modest ketch rigs, but seeing one with a fairly tall mast and good-sized white sails, made me like them even more than before.

[ .... ]

Sorry about the photo - it was only about an inch square in the magazine, and I can't find another Fisher 30 sloop pictured anywhere. I know the F25, F31 and F34 were available as sloops, but I guess this 30 was a neat bit of conversion.
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Perhaps there are some around as standard. I saw one in Italian waters two years ago - not the one below.

1c6e338ee7f05ba1455973caaddeb18dbe092b36.jpg

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