Old AWB's to new AWB's

[Kelpie]

That sounds like a badly designed boat then, there are several boats larger than this that sail really well with a tiller. The Etap 34s for instance is nearly 35ft, tall rig deep keel often club raced and is nicely balanced.

Perhaps there is a slight misunderstanding. I would not call it a badly designed boat. It's a traditional open clinker double ender with a dipping lug rig, evolved over generations to meet the needs of longlining fishermen in the Outer Hebrides. However the relatively 'crude' nature of construction, raked stern, and large rudder aren't conducive to a light helm.

It's not really a valid comparison with a conventional, modern boat; I was just making a point that some people think nothing of tiller steering even when it becomes a physical exertion.

 

[ChrisE]

I think I would have to say absolutely! As an example, consider Horatio Hornblower (of this Forum) who recently sold his Jeanneau SO 42 which was only a couple of years old. They also had a lot of relatively hassle free and enjoyable cruising with their boat, and I am sure that the brand new boats today can only benefit from improvements in design and materials technology as they happen.
I am not toooo sure about the new style interiors that look like ultra modern apartments, but I am sure they will grow on me - again, not a speck of varnish in sight, even down below, to worry about......

An interesting debate. I'd say, tho', that there is someting between the new boat/ modern materials/ homogenous look vs old boat/ old materials/ good looks.

Upgrade your MAB using modern materials and techniques.

Clearly you can't take change the hull line (unless you really are committed..) or make major changes to the rig but you can upgrade the interior, the sail handling (stack packs, roller furling, lines led back, etc), the electrics and the electronics.

That's what we've done, it is a long term project and I'm not saying that it is the cheap option but the end result is a boat that hasn't needed a major refit from when we re-jigged the boat in 1994, after it had been sailing for 17 years as a charter boat. We still have things to do but these are now minor and the net result we have a boat that suits us. A boat with character that is a practical, robust sea boat, more an ocean alsation than a greyhound but one that can look after us when things go pear-shaped.

I guess it depends what you want out of your craft and at the end of the day if you're counting the costs you wouldn't own a craft in the first place. Incidently, I drive a modern Landrover which is a similar idea to the MAB upgrade.

 

[Bajansailor]

I would agree with Rob that boats like the Jeanneau mentioned above will tend to round up if over pressed - they need to be sailed without too much heel really.
And as you say, having the mainsheet on the cabin top, and the helmsman not being able to pull it in by hand is a dis-advantage, compared to (say) end of boom sheeting to a traveller in the cockpit.

But then these types of boats were not really designed to be sailed single-handed - they are set up as people boats, with lots of accomodation, and nice big cockpits.
So there is usually somebody else apart from the helmsman available to tend the mainsheet when required.
OK, not when sailing short-handed, like we were on the trip down here from the BVIs, with just one person on watch steering at night and no autopilot - but then we were prudent and reefed down early (usually! )

And in the tropics it is very nice to have a full bimini awning over the cockpit that can be left up while underway (never mind that you have to peer out from underneath it to see how the mainsail is doing).
OK, having a large bimini is often still possible with the mainsheet going to the end of the boom - we have a nice bimini, and the end of boom mainsheet goes to a traveller on the bridgedeck just aft of the companionway. But then this leads on to the danger of having the mainsheet located here, especially when gybing, and crew happen to be in the way as it flies across.

Re Chris' note above, agreed, we are slowly trying to upgrade our 18 year old MAB now in a similar fashion - still have a long way to go though!

 

[ChrisE]

Re Chris' note above, agreed, we are slowly trying to upgrade our 18 year old MAB now in a similar fashion - still have a long way to go though!

We have now spent the equivalent of the GDP of one of the larger Caribbean Islands so far......