Laminar Flow
Well-Known Member
Old man’s boats, you know: bluff bows, generous displacements, moderate draft, powerful engines, short rigs, often barely more than steadying sail; we have all seen them : Fishers, Colvic Watsons, Banjers, Roggers, Nauticats, etc.; a favorite of older sailors, a comfortable wheelhouse with a forward leaning windshield, invoking the spirit of Scott in the Antarctic leaning into that blizzard, a reliable, powerful engine and with the umph to get you out of trouble, topped off with an easily handled snug rig.
Any of the old boys will also tell you endlessly how seaworthy they are; although I’m not sure many of them have actually tried that out in anger. More often, I get the impression they might be quoting some long retired yachting journalist who, doing a test report back in the day, was acutely aware that advertising was paying the bills. Instead of pointing out the lack of sailing ability due to the stumpy rig, it was better to focus on the fact that the sturdy construction was likely to benefit survival in the conditions necessary to get the thing going at all.
Mostly they might be used for short trips up the river. Many simply stay in port; after all the mindset required to maneuver them in close quarters and without a bow thruster, is best employed at a demolition derby. So, they grow weeds as a man cave, a place to have a cuppa with the mates and escape the missus. The wife hasn’t been along for ages; flower arranging with the ladies from the church committee; anything else but.
Is this type of boat suitable for family sailing? I mean they are supposed to be imminently seaworthy, right?
The sail area / displacement ratios for most of these models are very modest at best. Combined with their reputation for being a bit rolly poly, the kind of weather necessary to get them going, might even convince a mother that sacrificing one of the kids to placate Poseidon, would seem a reasonable thing to do.
If that wasn’t bad enough, the same old boys that will swear up and down as to their seaworthiness will also tell you that they are slow. Some of the heftier models, Watsons in particular, have a SA/D ratio of under 9 and some under 8, when 13 is considered to be the absolute dividing line when something becomes a motorsailer. A SA/D ratio of 6 is really a motorboat!
Considering that in reality 95% of sailing is done in winds less than F6 (25kts) and of that 80% are done in winds under F5 or 15kts, does it make sense to have a boat that will not sail in anything less than a force 4? And, are you likely to take such a slug out into the bay for a fun afternoon sail?
I know there is a degree of hyperbole to what I have written and I’m sure that many will want to disagree, but there needs to be a bit of an edge to have a good discussion.
From those who own one of these boats it might be nice to know, how often, how far they have sailed them, whether alone or with the family or just the missus (I’ll be generous and will allow for the “secretary” in lieu of a legal blanket) and most importantly, how much of that was done under sail?
Any of the old boys will also tell you endlessly how seaworthy they are; although I’m not sure many of them have actually tried that out in anger. More often, I get the impression they might be quoting some long retired yachting journalist who, doing a test report back in the day, was acutely aware that advertising was paying the bills. Instead of pointing out the lack of sailing ability due to the stumpy rig, it was better to focus on the fact that the sturdy construction was likely to benefit survival in the conditions necessary to get the thing going at all.
Mostly they might be used for short trips up the river. Many simply stay in port; after all the mindset required to maneuver them in close quarters and without a bow thruster, is best employed at a demolition derby. So, they grow weeds as a man cave, a place to have a cuppa with the mates and escape the missus. The wife hasn’t been along for ages; flower arranging with the ladies from the church committee; anything else but.
Is this type of boat suitable for family sailing? I mean they are supposed to be imminently seaworthy, right?
The sail area / displacement ratios for most of these models are very modest at best. Combined with their reputation for being a bit rolly poly, the kind of weather necessary to get them going, might even convince a mother that sacrificing one of the kids to placate Poseidon, would seem a reasonable thing to do.
If that wasn’t bad enough, the same old boys that will swear up and down as to their seaworthiness will also tell you that they are slow. Some of the heftier models, Watsons in particular, have a SA/D ratio of under 9 and some under 8, when 13 is considered to be the absolute dividing line when something becomes a motorsailer. A SA/D ratio of 6 is really a motorboat!
Considering that in reality 95% of sailing is done in winds less than F6 (25kts) and of that 80% are done in winds under F5 or 15kts, does it make sense to have a boat that will not sail in anything less than a force 4? And, are you likely to take such a slug out into the bay for a fun afternoon sail?
I know there is a degree of hyperbole to what I have written and I’m sure that many will want to disagree, but there needs to be a bit of an edge to have a good discussion.
From those who own one of these boats it might be nice to know, how often, how far they have sailed them, whether alone or with the family or just the missus (I’ll be generous and will allow for the “secretary” in lieu of a legal blanket) and most importantly, how much of that was done under sail?
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