"N1EE" wrote in message
om...
I think the most import issue regarding having
a weatherly boat is the ability to claw off a
lee shore--that is survivability.

So you brought up a very good point Thom! Points
to you. If you are freezing cold, wet, seasick,
and hungry, the upwind performance of the boat
will not matter much.


I've been wondering about the definition of "weatherly" since this question
was posed [ one point Bart].


A couple of years ago, I was on a friend's 42' Bavaria. It was February,
and we were beating into an F5 under sail and 50 hp engine. I was very
aware of the fact that we were slamming much less than Setanta would have
been, under the same circumstances. The main difference was the extra
waterline length. The extra weight was also noticable.


So, to answer your original question, I would say that waterline length is
the most important factor.



Regards


Donal
--