Nauticats for lond distance and high latitudes?

[Tim Good]

Nauticats for long distance and high latitudes?

I'm looking at Nauticat styled boats around 35-40ft with good high deck saloons for long distance cruising and potentially higher latitudes. I appreciate some are motor sailors and some are more sailors.

Does anyone have experience of the more sail orientated Nauticats in heavy weather? Can they cope well with following seas. Is a deck saloon with large exposed windows a significant risk in the case of a large breaking wave on the beam or during a knock down? ... or is I unlikely that the deck saloon as high as on a nauticat would be at any real risk.

I know there might be better boats for heavy weather or high latitudes but a deck saloon layout would be a big advantage for many other reasons.

Many thanks In advance.

 

[jwilson]

Having been knocked down 3 times and totally inverted once in a seaworthy 34-footer off Iceland, with a small low-profile saloon window smashed, I'd prefer not to have bigger windows. When seas are maybe 30-50 ft with big breaking tops, the height above waterline of deck saloon windows is irrelevant.

 

[stuartwineberg]

I think that if there was a serious risk of heading out into this kind of conditions I would want to modify the boat and have storm boards to cover any size of window. Even ocean rated huge mobos like a Nordhavn would do that. I absolutely agree that the height of the windows above the water would be completely irrelevant in these circumstances.

Having been knocked down 3 times and totally inverted once in a seaworthy 34-footer off Iceland, with a small low-profile saloon window smashed, I'd prefer not to have bigger windows. When seas are maybe 30-50 ft with big breaking tops, the height above waterline of deck saloon windows is irrelevant.

 

[[2574]]

We have a Nauticat 39 pilot house sailing yacht so my comments are entirely biased. However I can report on my experience with her over the past eight years. We've not done much heavy weather sailing but have done a full gale when, in my view, she looked after us very well indeed. We're generally happy to sail with a 7 in the forecast (subject to other factors of course).

Yes the windows are large and naturally a cause for concern. I think the comment about storm boards above is sensible, if we were high latitude sailing then i think I would consider it. That said, the front windows are 10mm thick and the side windows 6mm. Glass is surprisingly tough these days! Nauticat build the boats very heavily and are known for being immensely strong. Certainly when sailing in strong conditions there are no creaks or groans going on down below and all the doors and lockers work normally at all times.

I could blether on for hours which would be boring so I won't but feel free to ask specific questions and I'll do direct responses.

Rob

 

[Hadenough]

http://www.katanne.co.uk/

Have a look at this.

 

[NormanS]

My DS ketch is similar, (but better, of course. . The previous owner was advised, before setting off on Biscay crossings to get storm boards for the side windows, but not the forward facing ones. I fit them in the winter, when the boat is ashore, when they act as double glazing. They are made of a Perspex type material. Sailing off the west coast of Scotland, I have never felt that they were even remotely necessary, but then I've never had a serious knock-down.

 

[Sybarite]

I'm looking at Nauticat styled boats around 35-40ft with good high deck saloons for long distance cruising and potentially higher latitudes. I appreciate some are motor sailors and some are more sailors.

Does anyone have experience of the more sail orientated Nauticats in heavy weather? Can they cope well with following seas. Is a deck saloon with large exposed windows a significant risk in the case of a large breaking wave on the beam or during a knock down? ... or is I unlikely that the deck saloon as high as on a nauticat would be at any real risk.

I know there might be better boats for heavy weather or high latitudes but a deck saloon layout would be a big advantage for many other reasons.

Many thanks In advance.

FWIW under the old classification in France the Nauticat 38' was a class 2 boat. It didn't get ocean classification because of the side doors to the deck saloon.

 

[chinita]

http://www.katanne.co.uk/

Have a look at this.

Beat me to it; and the boat still looks like new.

 

[jwilson]

Beat me to it; and the boat still looks like new.

Katanne has circumnavigated, but I don't think via any particularly high latitudes, which was one thing the OP was asking about.

Given the violence involved in a yacht being picked up by a breaker and hurled upside down at the water, I'd certainly not want any big windows with or without storm boards. You are not talking a gentle roll over and the windows getting wet. The one 360 I had whilst below was preceded for a few seconds by the sound of an express train approaching - and then it hit us, with a splintering crunch. I went from sitting at the chart table to standing on the headlining, with water pouring in through a smallish broken window round my boots.

That said lots of "unsuitable" boats have got away with lots of adventurous sailing. You pays your money and takes your choice, just don't expect Seastart or the RNLI off Cape Horn or Spitzbergen.

 

[DaveNTL]

I'm looking at Nauticat styled boats around 35-40ft with good high deck saloons for long distance cruising and potentially higher latitudes. I appreciate some are motor sailors and some are more sailors.

Does anyone have experience of the more sail orientated Nauticats in heavy weather? Can they cope well with following seas.

What do you mean by the 'more sail orientated'?

I have a 2000 model Nauticat 38, which is a motor-sailer but the 'more modern' hull which, apparently, sails better than the older models. I can't confirm this because I've never sailed the older model but mine does 7kts happily enough under sail and for such a heavy lump that's good enough for me.

Heavy seas? I've been in a few F7's and one 8 on our 5 year slow trips between Canada and the Caribbean and can't say I've had any concerns. A Nauticat (any Nauticat) feels very safe and sound. The rest is down to the experience of the driver and if you're not experienced don't put yourself in the position that you have to question the boats abilities.

I've never had / noticed sea break over the stern. Perhaps because the rear deck is high, perhaps because I'm often stearing from indoors when the weather isn't nice. The indoor stearing position is superb because it's at the boats centre of gravity. The most comfortable place to be if you have to roll around for hours on end.

Nauticats bully waves head on. I've smashed into lots of big waves and had a few very big ones break over the bow. Never fealt like the windows might come in. Sometimes I've regretted that the windscreen wipers don't go quicker.

The side doors, like most things on yachts, have their pluses and minuses. As Sybarite says, this is the reason they ( the Nauticat motor sailers) are Class B, the deck saloon are Class A. There are many good points about the large side doors though, mainly related to ventilation. You normally keep the windward one closed and have great ventilation and view on the leeward side.

If you fancy an N38 live-aboard layout I may know where you can get a very good deal on one, if so, PM me

 

[benjenbav]

Why do I read threads like this one? One of the boats I often find my mind turning to is a Nauticat 331. Please would someone tell me that I'm mistaken; that they are not superb boats and that I can do up the fastener on my wallet again.

 

[johnalison]

It depends what you want to do with it. I met a chap who sailed to Greenland from Tollesbury this year solo. He had a Nauticat 33 and got there and back but it wouldn't be many people's choice for high latitude sailing.

 

[Chatelaine60]

We have owned a Nauticat 33' and a 38' for the last 13 years. the only comment I would make is that if you are sailing downwind in heavy seas with the engine off do check that your exhaust system will not let water back up the exhaust into the engine. We modified both our boats after it happening to us twice, the last time off the Chanel Du Four in a Force 7+ running downwind. That time we also had water pouring through the keyhole in the upwind side door - we fitted keyhole covers since then. We have sailed and cruised our 38' from west coast of Scotland, down Biscay and through the med to Turkey. Been in some rough weather but never enough to knock us down - maybe I would think twice about going transatlantic or other oceans!!