Power Sailers

[graham]

I posted a report some time back about a 26foot water ballasted trailable "powersailer" that capsized in the Bristol Channel.

I included the makers name so the post was deleted to avoid legal problems.

At the boatshow yesterday I stopped and watched and listened to the salesmans patter for a while.Frankly I am concerned at how many beginners to the black art of sailing will be enticed for what appears a value for money package.With huge accomodation 50 hp giving 25 knots and park it on the drive .

The skills needed to drive a light weight boat at sea at this speed are not going to be available to a beginner .The sailing qualities are inevitably going to be limited due to the high windage and not much boat in the water.

In sheltered estuaries lakes or rivers I will concede they would be ok. But to sell a boat of this nature to a beginner and not warn them of the very real dangers of a fast ,light ,top heavy boat used at sea is I think going to frighten some of the owners away from sailing alltogether or at worst I think a tragedy is waiting to happen.

On the day the boat capsized there were many small yachts in the area.An Achilles 24 Hurley 22 Vivacity 20 to name but a few .All with a tuck in the main handling the conditions nicely.Also I dont know the owner of the boat or know what experience he has.

 

[Guest]

When I was looking around brokerages last year, you will probably not be suprised, there were a lot of these for sale and most seemed to be between 6 months to a 2 years old.

The yard I finaly bought from has a 6 month one for sale and the reason being was the performance at sea under sail.

Tim Eades
http://www.btinternet.com/~tim.eades/

 

[billmacfarlane]

Graham , I think we all know what boat you are talking about. It has a surname similar to mine I think. I don't think the boat would be suitable for a river - imagine letting a beginner loose on a broad river with a boat capable of 25 knots ?

 

[Twister_Ken]

Fast, cheap, safe

Sorry, you can only combine any two of those

 

[Bergman]

I think I remember your original post.

Around the same time someone on here was talking about starting a hire business with this things.

Does anyone know if he ever went through with the project

 

[gunnarsilins]

What is this I read!!!

Can a critical posting be deleted because a brand- or makers name is mentioned???

Would this mean, if I have a bad experience of product XYZ, and write a posting about this, the posting could be removed?

Sounds scary.......

 

[graham]

Re: What is this I read!!!

I think they were concerned about my posting as it was based on second hand information ,I was not actually at the scene of the rescue but spoke to the coxswain of the Flatholm support boat that took part in the rescue and also to the owner/skipper of a Westerly Berwick who also assisted.

It remains an indisputable fact that the yacht "Enigma "capsized and stayed that way.And that her crew were rescued by the 2 vessels mentioned and a rescue helicopter.

I have long held the opinion that a speed boat with a yacht rig cannot be ideal in the open sea and this incident reinforced my concerns.

 

[Athene V30]

I have seen 3 of these 'craft' at Woolverstone on the Orwell (East Coast).

Fortunately they never seem to venture onto the water!

With the Stena fast ferry we've got enough fast motor craft making wash, eroding the shoreline and knocking the wind out of our sails.

 

[kimhollamby]

Re: What is this I read!!!

Look through the forums here and you will see that is not the case at all. In this example info was second hand and conflicted with details from the statement issued by HM Coastguard. On that basis we have to protect our legal position. Hope that reassures.

Associate Publisher ybw.com websites kim_hollamby@ipcmedia.com