I could almost get into this day sailing lark

[Fr J Hackett]

The sheer simplicity and beauty of this Eagle 44 is hard to beat in any boat, you could imagine you are at the helm of your own mini J class.

 

[harvey38]

Practical? I'm not sure but it is certainly elegant.

 

[Daydream believer]

Soon get bored of that, I would suspect. Cannot actually go anywhere & sailing around the same place all the time is not exactly exciting is it. Plus one cannot stand up to boil a cuppa, so it is not even practical.

 

[Stemar]

A rich man's toy. Not for me, I want something to take me places and stay on board.

 

[flaming]

Soon get bored of that, I would suspect. Cannot actually go anywhere & sailing around the same place all the time is not exactly exciting is it. Plus one cannot stand up to boil a cuppa, so it is not even practical.

Depends on what draws you to the water. Some people get more excited by the voyaging, the going new places and the sailing is just something you have to do to enable that. Some people are more excited just by the act of sailing itself, and aren't too bothered about actually going anywhere. Most people probably lie somewhere on a scale from one to the other.
Factor in some lifestyle time restrictions and I can definitely see that this boat, and the many, many similar examples available, would appeal.

 

[Bouba]

Looks like a miniature J Class

 

[The Q]

Day boats? We got lots of em...
Reedling Keelboat,

 

[The Q]

Rebel

 

[The Q]

Yare and Bure one design aka white boat

 

[The Q]

Broads one design aka brown boat.

 

[The Q]

Yeoman keelboat.

 

[The Q]

Squib

 

[The Q]

Waveney

 

[The Q]

Day boats,
race for an hour or two, prop up the bar. Then go for another race
Or
Sail or race between pubs...

 

[capnsensible]

Soon get bored of that, I would suspect. Cannot actually go anywhere & sailing around the same place all the time is not exactly exciting is it. Plus one cannot stand up to boil a cuppa, so it is not even practical.

Isn't it great how there are so many ways that people can enjoy being out on the water without being locked into some rigid rule of what must be done.

 

[rotrax]

I overheard a conversation on our pontoon between a new bertholder who had a scruffy open boat, an 18 footer for net fishing previously launched off the beach by the old owner. He was apologising for putting a boat among the others that was perhaps 'not up to the cosmetic standard' of the others.

The bertholder he was speaking with said "Dont worry mate, it gets you on the water. Being on and enjoying the water is what its all about."

A lot of sense there.

 

[Minerva]

Many years ago, I got a shot in a Soling 27ft keelboat - to this day, I think it was the sweetest sailing boat I've ever helmed. If I had a deepwater harbour within a short drive of my house, I would buy one in an instant. Alas all the harbours near home are drying...

It was absolutely perfect for an after work, sunset mid week sail. I can definitely se the appeal.

Would be useless for spending the summer 3 week cruise on though!

 

[Daydream believer]

Isn't it great how there are so many ways that people can enjoy being out on the water without being locked into some rigid rule of what must be done.

The point is that most of those listed in the posts above (like my own Squib) spend a proportion of their time racing. In all the years I have owned the Squib, neither I, nor my daughter, have been for a "cruise" in it. We did have a fleet of 19 at our club, I am not aware of any going for a simple sail around. Other than at the start or between races. Racing gives a purpose to their sailing when sailing on the same stretch of water all the time.

With a thing such as that in the OP's post there is not much opportunity for class racing.
So, yes, to each his own. But at a different level, I can point to quite a few dinghies in our club that the owners had bought just to "potter". Most get used very rarely after the first "thrill", if not raced & end up becoming - shall we say- "Uncared for".

Now I am nor suggesting that the boat in question will become such. However, once the first few sailing days have passed, that boat will spend its time tied to a pontoon, with passers by admiring it. Then it will end up in a cradle in the yard somewhere with a "for sale" sign on it, at a value far below its cost.
That is the way of wealthy people who do not have to worry about their whims costing money.

 

[Daydream believer]

If you want a good looking day boat- get a Dragon. It will drain your finances as fast as any & if you race it it will demonstrate how poor you are at sailing.

 

[capnsensible]

There are often complaints and observations on here about how a large number of boats are bought and rarely, if ever used. Who cares, that's up to the owner, no one else.

The point is, however, people are free to enjoy their boats how they wish.

Hurrah.