I feel awful...

[Judders]

I've placed Merit on Boats and Outboards.

I feel like I've cheated and stabbed her in the back all at once! What if she finds out? Will she capsize on our summer cruise to get her own back?

Are these feelings normal? Will pragmatism return next time SWMBO marvels at a fully gimbled stove and a flushing heads?

 

[moondancer]

You'll feel fine once you marvel at how your new boat, a Sonata, can actually sail INTO the wind!

 

[Lakesailor]

I'll be interested to see how much difference there is. I never had any complaints about the Foxcubs sailing performance. Mind you it was fin keel and I think Merit was bilge.
Is the new boat fin or lifting?

 

[moondancer]

I don't know if he has got a Sonata. I just remember from the last time Judders was looking for a boat a lot of people suggested Sonatas/GK24s etc and he bought a bilge keel Foxcub.

Nothing wrong with a Foxcub though!!

 

[Judders]

I would love to sail a fin keel Foxcub. Merit goes like stink on a reach or a run but makes a lot of leeway and a beat is depressing!

We haven't settled on a new boat yet but I think it'll be fin. The only lifting keels that cover all the bases are at the top end of the budget. I would love a Sonata but there is not enough accomidation for SWMBO.

We're looking at a Feeling 720 this afternoon (if she gets her arse in gear) which I am very excited about.

The Foxcub really is an ecellant first boat. Relatively cheap to run and easy to handle, but more solid than similiar sized boats (Swift 18, Hunter 9 etc).

In terms of moving on, it'll be a case of finding a good example of a good design at a good price, rather than setting our hearts on a GK24 and struggling to find a good one. It'll be 24' to 29' with good performance. At least one seperate double cabin, a decent sized heads & galley and room for a couple of guests.

 

[jezjez]

how could you... (only kidding)
I got round the problem of selling my old boat by not being able to despite already having bought the new one. Seems there's not much call for a 25 foot sailing boat - everyone starts big these days.

 

[Lakesailor]

The fin keel version also beats well. Perhaps First 211s point a touch higher, but aren't that much quicker, if at all. Like you say on a reach or a run Foxcubs are dependably quick.

 

[Niander]

Seems there's not much call for a 25 foot sailing boat - everyone starts big these days....

You are kidding!...arnt you.

 

[Lakesailor]

No.
For instance:
I weighed anchor after a picnic and set off downwind in a stiff f3 last year. I hadn't realised all the yachts bearing down on us were doing one of the Round the Lake Series races. From small boats up to about 36 foot. 3 miles later we headed off for our mooring, but were still ahead of them.

On the lake you often have the opportunity to sail in company, except our last boat was a bit sluggish so you usually became tail-end charlie. In the Foxcub we never felt that.

'Course in the present boat you just turn the wick up a bit.

 

[LymingtonPugwash]

why is it that sailors go through more angst and guilt over changing a boat they have had for a few years than they go through changing a wife they've had for decades? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Birdseye]

[ QUOTE ]
why is it that sailors go through more angst and guilt over changing a boat they have had for a few years than they go through changing a wife they've had for decades? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

God knows, because the latter is inevitably much more expensive!