how well does moody eclipse 33 sail?

[Refueler]

I envy you with the Carbineer ... honest.

For long time have also liked the Macwester Seaforth version with 'hardtop' ... not the DIY ones where Joe Blogs has added a deckhouse. Its an old design - but will take you anywhere.

 

[Moodysailor]

I envy you with the Carbineer ... honest.

For long time have also liked the Macwester Seaforth version with 'hardtop' ... not the DIY ones where Joe Blogs has added a deckhouse. Its an old design - but will take you anywhere.

Thanks, kind of you to say. She's a lot of work, but a joy to own. Not such a fun boat in modern tight marina's, but it keeps my handling skills up

I'm not familiar with the Macwester you mention, but will take a look ?

 

[Laminar Flow]

I'm enjoying this resurrected thread, but I have to admit my bias - we have an even older deck saloon Moody - a 44 Carbineer.

Having never had a deck saloon before this boat I wasn't sure if I would like it, but given that the two previous boats didn't have great upwind performance (one was a gaffer, the other had terrible aftermarket in mast roller with no battens...) then I haven't missed much. I grew up messing around on the water in anything and everything though, so in my mind, if I want to go really fast when sailing I'll pick up another Hobie or get a skiff & blast around in that - or just crew down at the yacht club on someone else's boat.

TBH, for 95%+ of the sailing that we do, the boat is brilliant. She is 50yrs old this year, heavy, under-canvassed & has tons of our "junk" on board, but as soon as the breeze stiffens around 10/12kts she is a joy to sail (as long as you don't want to come too close to the wind). Off wind, she is as good as most cruisers.

The comments about steering from inside are valid, but I'll only say that I'm pretty sure the idea is that you don't sail the boat from inside, but you motor sail from there when the weather is bad. We mostly sail so are outside a lot, even in light airs, but when we were caught out during a day sail last December it was lovely to leave just a slip of main up, go inside, put the Eber on and cruise in at 7kts in our T-shirts from inside The deck saloon is also a great place to sit and watch the world go by - we've seen so much from our cabin that we would have completely missed had we been in one of our previous boats.

I honestly don't know if I'd like to go back to a "conventional" style of yacht for cruising now, my "wish list" now definitely includes a deck saloon of some description.

To be sure, your Moody is a very fine yacht and it should be noted that her decksalon is a lot less "coy" about it's existence than on some others of that designation and really more like a wheelhouse proper.

A friend just bought a Sceptre 43 where you cannot look out when you are sitting at the salon table, only when standing up, somewhat at least. To use the "inside" steering you have to fit a 4.5' extra leg to the helmsman's seat and even then visibility is poor. For me it pretty much misses the whole point of the entire exercise of having a decksalon/inside steering. All in the name of keeping her profile low and to avoid being called a motorsailer. Of course, the boat goes to weather nicely, but I noted she requires quite a bit of attention at the helm when going downhill in something of a chop.

Another friend has a Southerly and has taken her up to the Lofoten islands. He has never once used the inside helm.

On the benefits of covered steering and the ability to participate in the goings-on of the world in a sheltered and civilized fashion you are preaching to the truly converted. I never understood why one would bother cruising some of the most scenic parts of the world only to lock oneself in a dark cave because of a bit of a chill or a spot of rain. We live in our wheelhouse, the rest of the boat is just for cooking, sleeping, dressing, bathroom services and storage. For that we are happy to trade in some weatherliness; off the wind we are as quick as most other cruisers and she tracks like a train.

 

[Greenheart]

So much wisdom, Laminar Flow.

Aerodynamic superstructures appeal to people persuaded that upwind performance is paramount, even though most will routinely save themselves the bother, with the diesel.

Convinced that they must retain the option to sail hard on the wind, buyers dismiss the huge benefit of a properly raised saloon or wheelhouse...that of steering comfortably through British seasons, without dressing like a skier. ?

 

[Refueler]

I like adrenaline rush as most do ... but not all the time. There are many occasions where a lazy sail in comfort ... autohelm looking after boat ... cheese butty in one hand ... glass of plonk in other ....

Boats with the semi open deckhouse really appeal to me ...

 

[Greenheart]

There are many occasions where a lazy sail in comfort...cheese butty in one hand ... glass of plonk in other...

...rain/hail slamming on the roof while we sit behind glass with wipers on.

Very few motor-sailers deny the option to helm from outside when that's appealing...

...it's the downside of 'pure' sailing yachts that they deny the option to steer from shelter.

 

[Laminar Flow]

I like adrenaline rush as most do ... but not all the time. There are many occasions where a lazy sail in comfort ... autohelm looking after boat ... cheese butty in one hand ... glass of plonk in other ....

Boats with the semi open deckhouse really appeal to me ...

Done open, soft top, semi open and now fully enclosed (still have a cockpit, two if you count our deep bulwark foredeck).
I would say: we have arrived.