ugly modern boats

[Bosun Higgs]

I love it when these threads degrade into just slagging off people that don't sail all the time, even in a F5-6 on the nose because "we did and we thoroughly enjoyed it".

In the last 4 months, SWMBO and I have sailed 775 miles (that's an average of 6.25 miles a day).

Does this make us good people or bad people?

We have done it in a 1983 Beneteau First 30E.

Does this make us good people or bad people?

We have motored for 27.7% of the time that we have been moving.

Does this make us good people or bad people?

But, more importantly, we have been living on the boat for 4 months (1 more to go). Meeting people, going to places we have never been to before, seeing things we have never seen before. Earning our daily crust (from the boat, using Wifi & 3G dongles) and generally chilling out in a way that it would appear many on this forum are unable to do if you take the high-octane, high blood pressure posts that a lot of you guys seem to make.

WTF does it matter if we're motoring sometimes when we could be sailing. Why is there such snobbery about it.

Mine's a **** AWB. I motor. Who cares. I can sail when I want to and I do.

<Sticky out tongue smiley>

I don't see why you want to inject conflict into the discussion. It hasnt been about British boats unless Elan, for example, is British. And it hasnt been about never motoring though clearly high topsides does worsen sailing performance. Instead its been more about aesthetics. Or nice arses.

I would have thought your Benny would be a fairly sleek and good looking boat - most of the Firsts are like that because their design maximises sailing performance rather than accommodation. And incidentally, at a suspiciously precise 27.7% you are doing far better than me . My average on the summer cruise was nearer 60% either motoring or motor sailing, but that says more about my wife's view of heeling than anything else.

And nobody ever said you were a bad person - or a good one for that matter.

 

[bendyone]

I have a old boat, some might say ugly, but I can afford to run it and enjoy it. It suits us 100% and I know the keel wont fall off

 

[30boat]

I have a old boat, some might say ugly, but I can afford to run it and enjoy it. It suits us 100% and I know the keel wont fall off

I have a Westerly Fulmar.It's not exactly pretty, from some angles it can even be a little ugly but boats can be ugly for different reasons.If it's because they're sturdy and form has not been put before function then I can live with that.If on the other hand it's because they're designed from the inside out ie when they're no more than a rounded off caravan with little concern for what used to be their primary role,sailing,then no I don't think that's acceptable.

 

[bendyone]

I have a Westerly Fulmar.It's not exactly pretty, from some angles it can even be a little ugly but boats can be ugly for different reasons.If it's because they're sturdy and form has not been put before function then I can live with that.If on the other hand it's because they're designed from the inside out ie when they're no more than a rounded off caravan with little concern for what used to be their primary role,sailing,then no I don't think that's acceptable.

Mine certainly falls into the sturdy category.

 

[30boat]

Mine certainly falls into the sturdy category.

And a fine seagoing vessel she must be.

 

[Zagato]

And of a fine seagoing vessel she must be.

This is a real tool to get a job done in many circumstances and conditions, it's a compromise but a fine looking one. I like!

 

[bendyone]

This is a real tool to get a job done in many circumstances and conditions, it's a compromise but a fine looking one. I like!

I thank you kind Sir

 

[SailBobSquarePants]

I have a old boat, some might say ugly, but I can afford to run it and enjoy it. It suits us 100% and I know the keel wont fall off

Ummm, what he said exactly...

 

[JimC]

WTF does it matter if we're motoring sometimes when we could be sailing. Why is there such snobbery about it.

Because some people want show what horny-handed, salt-stained, super seadogs they are, and one way of doing this without unseemly boasting is to express surprise or contempt for those who take the soft option of motoring when they could be sailing, which is implicitly suggested to be a more manly, skill-demanding, respect-worthy means of progress.

 

[Duffer]

I actually like the modern Dufour 34, she has a seriously slick hull, just poor detail and MFI furniture.

The Dufour performance range (34, 40, 44/45) sail well, look sleek and have attractive, durable interiors. The interior was a lot better than the equivalent Elan which is why we bought one!

 

[dt4134]

The Dufour performance range (34, 40, 44/45) sail well, look sleek and have attractive, durable interiors. The interior was a lot better than the equivalent Elan which is why we bought one!

I agree on the sails well & look sleek and attractive bit.

I based my opinion on having chartered a Dufour 34.

Main things that annoyed me were

1) The genny winches being sited where the cockpit sole mounted mainsheet snagged them. It was a nuisance even when cruising, however it's a particular gripe of mine that people sell cruiser-racers where the genny trimmer has to face aft to trim the sails and has to be in continual conflict with the main trimmer to get to the winch. I find it annoying as main trimmer too when I can't dump the main down the track for risk of entangling the genny trimmer.

2) When the genny sheets were eased for a reach the headsail fell outside the pulpit and masked the nav lights. Bit of a bugger when dodging traffic in the Solent at night.

3) I had occasion to explore the inside of the boat when a key fell off the chart table, it went under the galley, through a cut out in the sole and into the bilges. I noticed the woodwork was all chipboard with exposed ends. Hence my MFI comment.

I'm glad you enjoy your boat, it was just the detail and finish put me off a boat that I otherwise liked.

 

[Zagato]

Perhaps there should be a cool wall for boats. Submit a picture of your boat and run a poll. Blinged up flashy boats, floating caravans, poor quality boats and those with net curtains can then be given there just deserts

 

[JimC]

I noticed the woodwork was all chipboard with exposed ends. Hence my MFI comment.

Seriously? chipboard on a boat? I have honestly never encountered that before.

 

[Ubergeekian]

Because some people want show what horny-handed, salt-stained, super seadogs they are, and one way of doing this without unseemly boasting is to express surprise or contempt for those who take the soft option of motoring when they could be sailing, which is implicitly suggested to be a more manly, skill-demanding, respect-worthy means of progress.

Really? In my case it's more puzzlement about why people would prefer the noise of an engine running to the peace of sailing. And f they do, why not just buy a motor boat?

 

[Ubergeekian]

3) I had occasion to explore the inside of the boat when a key fell off the chart table, it went under the galley, through a cut out in the sole and into the bilges. I noticed the woodwork was all chipboard with exposed ends.

Good. Grief.

 

[30boat]

3) I had occasion to explore the inside of the boat when a key fell off the chart table, it went under the galley, through a cut out in the sole and into the bilges. I noticed the woodwork was all chipboard with exposed ends. Hence my MFI comment.

I'm not doubting your word but couldn't it be just unprotected plywood?It can look a lot like chipboard.

 

[photodog]

Hahah! Chipboard!

My father owns a building firm... and when he first started out he was doing all sorts of little jobs... and one was building a double garage for our neighbor...

Anyways... we didnt really like them... they had two ferral children and the wife would come out every nite at midnight and call in the cats for 1/2 hours or so, waking everyone up.... there were many other annoying neighbor traits as well.

So, we slung up this garage and over their you make the roof out of wooden pre-formed joists, cover em with plywood, and then top the plywood with asphault shingles, which you nail into place...

So I am up on this roof and Dad has decided to save some dosh and instead of 1/2 inch ply he was using particle board... which is fine in reality once the shingles are on... but these had gotten a bit damp... and the damn hammer starts punching holes in the stuff...

So, I though I was in the ****... but he just told me to be quite and add some more nails...

Happy days. Not.

I mean really,, WTF was he doing having a 10 year old up on a roof laying shingles???

 

[dt4134]

I'm not doubting your word but couldn't it be just unprotected plywood?It can look a lot like chipboard.

It looked like chipboard rather than plywood, but I didn't take the boat apart to make sure and it was a couple of years ago.

Whatever it was it didn't look impressive.

 

[zarathustra]

Really? In my case it's more puzzlement about why people would prefer the noise of an engine running to the peace of sailing. And f they do, why not just buy a motor boat?

why not just buy a car??? Motorboating is as boring as driving

 

[JimC]

Really? In my case it's more puzzlement about why people would prefer the noise of an engine running to the peace of sailing. And f they do, why not just buy a motor boat?

One can like sailing, as one can like fudge, but sometimes want a change. It shouldn't be too difficult to comprehend this. If one has nervous new recruits or reluctant spouses aboard they will appreciate the floor being level and the absence of what they perceive as a tipping sensation and continually being told to move because they're in the way of rope or tiller. Also many people positively enjoy the sound of an engine running. Each to his own. With an auxiliary-engined sailing boat one can choose. What I find objectionable in some contributions to this forum is the suggestion that motoring a sailing boat when she could be wind-driven indicates inability, bad taste, or wimpishness on the part of the crew. It probably says more about the commenter than the commented upon. There has been more than one occasion when I've been mightily glad to start my engine and bash my way out of trouble. There have also been times when I've enjoyed chugging along steadily towards my destination when I could have possibly got there by skilfully playing wind and tide but didn't feel like it. As a previous poster said, this distaste for people who motor when it's possible to sail seems like a form of snobishness.