Why are there no Japanese sailing cruisers for sale ?

[Guest]

I have always fancied a heated bow roller.

No seriously, they are surrounded by water and surely to go sailing is part of the dream like being a member of a golf club.

? ?

 

[Guest]

Yes, well if you lived in the centre of a year-round typhoon season ...

*

 

[Guest]

Because of weird Japanese regulations

on overall length, which have produced some very unattractive boats which would not sell internationally. Beyond that, the Japanese are taking to messing about in boats quite enthusiastically and the local secondhand price is therefore high. Unlike Japanese cars, there is no equivalent to the brutal 3 year MOT.

 

[Guest]

Strangely enough...

There are very few good natural harbours on teh Japanese coastlin which give the sort of protrection the country's weather requires. Add to this the horrendous shortage of building land, the generally high cost of living and the shortage of free time which is a partof the JApanese way of life, and sailing gets little attention.

There is an enthusiastic hard core, but they tend to be very rich and the conditions I have seen them sailing in would not be considered acceptible over here for the price - MDL notwithstanding.

Near Tokio I went to a marina - the biggest in the area with about 200 boats - which was full of old Westerlies and superannuated IOR racers. Alongside them was a mouth watering collection of Rollers, Mercs, Cadillacs etc. The clubhouse was a single storey building fitted with a security keypad and inside it was full of Coke machines, a bar and little else.

 

[Guest]

Don't Yamaha Build Yachts - seem to remember a solent sailing school who swore by the 30ft versions - not sure about the heated bow roller though - surely ducted air heating tube at helm for the helmsmans oily trouser leg would be a Jap-ism!!!

 

[Guest]

Southern Sailing have some Yamaha branded cruisers - dont know where they got them from but seem to go ok

 

[Guest]

Re:I raced against Yamaha..

boats in the late 70's or early eighties. In the UK. As I remember there was a couple or three of them. About 32ft or so.

Tom

 

[Guest]

Re:I raced against Yamaha..

Yep there's a sail training one in the Solent. If my deteriorating brain cell's aren't playing their usual tricks with me there was a review of one in the early to mid eighties in one of the yottimags and it got an excellent review.

 

[Guest]

Re:I raced against Yamaha..

I own a Yamaha 30 cruiser/racer, circa '81. It is a lovely sailing boat. We use it for family sailing/cruising. They were sold mainly in the US, I understand. I would like to hear from owners. Also references to previous "road tests" would be appreciated. Thank you.....Joe Moran