Seems to me it's all of the things you mention. What I like about my Cal is
that it stays on track easily because the rudder is so big. This makes it
easier to handle with the relatively big winds on the bay. It's no wonder
that after 40 years, it's still a popular boat here.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"DSK" wrote in message
.. .
Time for a sailing thread. Where's Bart when you need him?

One of the essential characteristics of a cruising boat is that she be
"easy to handle." Obviously this means different things to different
people.

What makes a boat "easy to handle"? Size? A powerful windlass & roller
furling? Self-tailing winches? Halyards led aft? I have a number of things
rooted in the basic design of a boat, and which cannot be added on.

In the quote below, they refer to size & turning ability, but not basic
configuration or deck layout. IMHO these things should all be a part of
the choice of boat, and cannot be upgraded later.

Small jibs, possibly fitted with self-tacking gear, is a big improvement
over a huge genoa... unless the boat will not sail properly because it's
underpowered. Basic design. Etc etc.

I'm interested in what others have to say on the subject.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King


** ** begin quote from "The Stone Horse" booklet, Edey & Duff, 1968** **

Cruising sailboats are almost invariably short-handed. The watch on deck
is frequently only one person. So the sails and rig should be within the
strength capability of this abbreviated crew. The smallest, weakest member
of the crew, working alone, should be able to perform aby evolution
required to rescue another crewmember who's been silly enough to fall
overboard, in any weather likely to be encountered. In case of medical
emergency, he or she should also be able to detach the vessel from the
bottom (as such things usually wait until you're tucked away in some
remote anchorage) , get underway, sail to where help can be found, and
terminate the emergency run without terminating either the patient or the
boat.

And of course it's times like these that the engine and radio choose to
pack it in (Murphy has provided a natural law to cover these situations).

Up to a point, mechanical aids such as winches and windlasses, and to a
greater extent, the the knowledge and experience of each crew member, will
permit larger, heavier, more cumbersome boats and gear. But ultimately, a
flogging headsail that must be muzzled and changed, a spinnaker doused,
or an anchor heaved on board or buoyed and slipped, become the limiting
factors.

She should be directionally stable, yet have authoritative rudder control
and a small turning circle. When the helmsman looks up from the chart,
she should not have wandered wildly off course. In fact it is especially
important that a cruising boat can be made to steer herself for long
periods. You should be able to leave the helm untended to trim, set or
shorten sail, make a sndwich, answer nature's call, study a chart, or for
any number of reasons without having to awaken a snoozing spouse or trust
a lubberly passenger.

On the other hand, to be able to negotiate a narrow harbor entrancem
twitch reliably and safely through an anchored fleet, and come to anchor,
wholly under sail, with a minimum of fuss, is a joy and a satisfaction.