Just what qualifies as an AWB

doris

doris

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I understand that the current BenJenBav's etc all qualify as AWBs but how far back does one go. Nineties I assume are included but are David Thomas classics from the seventies and early eighties, ex IOR half tonners and all others of similar pedigree. Lots of boats like these are white and plastic but do they come under the heading AWB. Just like to know what is being included in the slagging!
 
I reckon they have to be "average" as well as "white" to qualify.

Whether they are in fact "boats" is perhaps more open to debate...
 
Forgive my ignorance but what is an AWB. Where I come from it stands for the Afrikaaner Weerstand Beweging. Run by a nice gentleman on a white charger calls himself Eugine Tereblanche.
 
Affordable and high turnover,

Westerly Centaur must have been in her time, still is probably, MAB, manky average boat.

My boat, Heavenly Twins, built just under 400, many home completes, at one time many anchorages had 2 or 3 of them. MAB probably.

My guess is anything that is built for the masses and does not have that 'special' ingredient, that as Ken put it so well, wow factor. It does not have to be an old boat to have a wow factor, it just has to be a little be different, built from the heart and not the wallet.
 
a lot further back in time than you might think ... early pictures, c AD1066, show a french designed boat which with flat-bottom (do i hear The Queen?) design capable of carrying a knight + horse + oats did land in this country. such is not the first incidence of an AWB as J Ceaser also visited these shores in one called sigmaticus oreanus, i believe ....
 
An AWB is what a snotty yottie calls a boat which is either cheaper and faster than his hand crafted masterpiece or more expensive and faster than his grotty little shed.
 
ah cannae fail to point out that both orra yer conditions include whit seems tae me, onyways, a pejorative term "faster" ... nooo, that cannae be so?
 
I have to express a certain irritation in the slagging off by some people of "AWB"'s - possibly because i'm the owner of one !! - a Legend 36

At the end of the day, it comes down to a nr of factors including choice, affordability & the amount of money one is willing to spend (or waste) on the pleasure of sailing and being on the water.

From my own perspective, I wanted a good sailing & possibly ocassional racing capability with comfortable accomodation. I couldn't have it because of my other half who is a novice.
She wanted comfort & light & new. I would have liked a Najad, Swedish Yachts or Halberg Rassy - i couldn't because i couldn't afford one new and if i could, i'm not sure i would since i wouldn't have wanted to have that much money tied up in a boat.

Therefore like with most things, i compromised. I certainly don't think that those people sailing bigger or better built boats
warrant any adverse criticism or comment, nor do those people owning much smaller or older craft - it comes down to choice, affordability and way in which u chose to spend disposaable income.

Judging by the nr of Bavs, legends & jeanneau's, i suggest a lot of others agree and from them we get differing amounts of pleasure !
 
If that is what it takes..

to get SWMBO out on the water then I congratulate you on perspicacity in achieving this. I suspect 90% of the forum would like to be in your happy position. Congratulations!
 
I think it's a deliberately vague definition, somewhat fuzzy around the edges, to allow as many people as possible to claim that their beloved is not an Average White Boat.
It makes for entetaining postings on here, tho'...
 
We have an AWB. Its a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 35. There I said it. We have an AWB.
Whats more, I am proud of it.
I have owned a succession of MABs, and I had the once in a lifetime opportunity to spend out on a boat. For 90k-ish I wanted new, and lift keel.
It smells of styrene newness, is enormous for 35 foot, and sails passable well. I know it will look after me to beyond my capabilities. I also think it has character, as Jeanneau deliberately left a 5 year old in the design office to work on odd bits of the design.
We have an AWB.
And we are proud of it.

The Fat Wasp.
 
I love reading debates about AWB's. There are none better to bring out peoples prejudices. There are some lovely boats around and at Dinghy level I love racing our wooden wayfarer. I think it is vastly better than the 2 new GRP ones that we owned before. However when it comes to big boats we have a AWB. I have now owned 3 AWB's all bought new. Every boat is a compromise and AWB's are no different with costs incurring many of the compromises.

There are many quality boats, some may be quality AWB's but I admit I am the boating equivalent of Ford Sierra man. I end up with an affordable boat that in many ways is far better than I should reasonable expect for the money.



What I especially love though is the superior air and apparent distain that many of the owners of non AWB's adopt (both on this forum and a few that I met via a friend (owner of a classic, definatly not a AWB) at the LBS.

Now can we have a debate on do most owners of non AWBs have their noses stuck in the air or is it limited to those that visit Marinas as the true classic owner can only be found on a swinging mooring!

Well said my piece I am off now for 9 days sailing to N Brittany on Saturday (yes straight away on the AWB - no time needed for maintenance) but don't tell the others - they love reading PBO and installing a new bucket toilet on their classic for 6p and if anyone ever works it out the biggest cost of not owning a AWB is the time lost in not sailing while they carry out the necessary upkeep of an older boat.

PS going to call in to Yarmouth on the Saturday though as I love looking at the boats in the Old Gaffers Meeting!!!
 
\"I love the smell of styrene in the mornings!\"

You tell by the smell:

strong smell of styrene - AWB

slight trace of styrene, buried by a strong whiff of mildew and old socks - MAB

mildew, bilge water and old socks - knackered old wooden boat

mildew, bilge water, old socks, fish heads and stockholm tar - knackered old ex workboat

fresh varnish, new cotton cloth and a hint of stockholm tar - classic.
 
Re: \"I love the smell of styrene in the mornings!\"

At the moment I dont own a boat so I have no axe to grind. Seems to me that AWB is applied to modern boats in the main by owners of heavy old boats. Mostly the comment is perjorative and often I suspect it is motivated by the envy of those who cant afford to buy a new boat. Either way, its unhelpful since it prevents real communication about which of the bulk manufacturers makes a decent boat and which doesnt.

For example, I would instinctively say the Bav and Legend made less good boats than Jan and Ben. But am I right? I dont know - does anyone out there? And is there really any evidence that a 37 ft Najad has a three times thicker hull etc to justify its price premium over a Bav?

Or is it a bit like comparing an X type Jag and a Mondeo - a con trick.
 
Re: \"I love the smell of styrene in the mornings!\"

I drive a Mondeo and own a heavy old boat, so what would I know?

They are totally different things. If you have already decided that you want an AWB, and need to choose between brands, go to a Boat Show or read a yottimag, don't ask me!

But I am pretty sure that I am not motivated by jealousy of people who own AWBs.

I covet neither their boats, nor their houses, nor their cars, nor their wives, nor children,nor their oxen, nor their maidservants (if any!) (Well, I dunno about the maidservants, but my wife may read this! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif)
 
Re: \"I love the smell of styrene in the mornings!\"

No - your comments werent really perjorative, or if they were you covered all types of boat. But dont you think there is the whiff of prejudice about the dismissive AWB and the comments that are often made. I certainly do.

OK some boats do have problems - there is a case going on at the moment with keels falling off Bavaria Match boats in Croatia. Shades of Westerly bilge keelers. But Bavaria are no more typical of all modern mass produced boats than Renault are of all modern mass produced cars. And there is little hard evidence that the up market brands are that much better built. Certainly thats what my last surveyor expounded at length.

And your Mondeo by the way, shares most of its DNA with the X type Jag. The point I was trying to make - stick an expensive label on something, charge a lot more for it, and its automatically assumed that its a better product. But is it?
 
Re: \"I love the smell of styrene in the mornings!\"

[ QUOTE ]
No - your comments werent really perjorative, or if they were you covered all types of boat. But dont you think there is the whiff of prejudice about the dismissive AWB and the comments that are often made. I certainly do.

OK some boats do have problems - there is a case going on at the moment with keels falling off Bavaria Match boats in Croatia. Shades of Westerly bilge keelers. But Bavaria are no more typical of all modern mass produced boats than Renault are of all modern mass produced cars. And there is little hard evidence that the up market brands are that much better built. Certainly thats what my last surveyor expounded at length.

And your Mondeo by the way, shares most of its DNA with the X type Jag. The point I was trying to make - stick an expensive label on something, charge a lot more for it, and its automatically assumed that its a better product. But is it?

[/ QUOTE ]
Actually, there is nothing wrong with the mass-production of boats. It should be a sure-fire way of having good quality control. The problems are all in the design of the boat, thickness of layup, size of cleats, method of joining hull to keel, stiffness, etc etc.

The scandinavians seem to be very good at both the design and the manufacture, and can ask the price they do as long as their order book is full and deep. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
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