Peter, we have a Y30 in our fleet. I find it to be a great boat... the
engine in the front was a bit strange at first, but it seems to do quite
well in heavy chop.. much less hobby horsing that you typically get. How
long did you have it? Did you have any significant problems? I think the
only thing I don't like about it is that it has a full rig, and that means
no big jibs (we sail in SF bay). Our isn't set up for single-handing also.

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

"Peter Bennett" wrote in message
news.com...
On 25 Apr 2005 12:48:32 -0700, wrote:

A number of months ago I began my search for a sailboat. I am an upper
Chesapeake sailor who, a few years down the road, will do some coastal
cruising. I am looking for a boat that I can sail solo (I want to sail
solo - if I wanted to hook-up with crew, I would have taken up golf),
but that can also confortably accomodate three adults for a weekend
cruise.But the principal criteria is its ease/security in solo sailing.

I single-handed a Yamaha 30 for many years - it is a fairly light
racer-cruiser (or perhaps cruiser-racer) - it performed well, and I
found it easy to handle. I don't think I'd want to go too much over
30 ft for single-handing coastal cruising (ocean cruising may be
another matter). For coastal cruising, you will frequently be raising
and lowering sails, anchoring, picking up a mooring, or docking at a
marina - all things that are harder the larger the boat.

I found the Yamaha very easy to handle, both under way and around
marinas (I had less trouble getting it into a marina slip than I do
with my present 28 ft trawler, and much, much less trouble than with a
26 ft twin stern drive planing boat I had between the Yamaha and the
trawler)

--
Peter Bennett, VE7CEI
peterbb4 (at) interchange.ubc.ca
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