BoatBanter.com - View Single Post - Another single hand/sailboat choice question

wrote:
(initiator of thread) I was in a class this weekend where I was
learning the proccedure to 'heave to'. Could one do this in a Nonsuch
30 or Freedom 30/32?

I had a Nonsuch 30 for 8 years and never figured out how to "heave
to." This is one point against them as a ocean passage maker.
Another is the huge cockpit, a third is the poor stability number
which comes from the large beam.

However, you were quite specific that you were looking for a
Chesapeake Bay cruiser, that could also be used for more extended
coastal cruising. In these situations it is very unlikely that you
would need to heave to. In fact its usually not desirable if you're
closer than 50 miles to land.

I sailed my Nonsuch three times in 40+ winds, each with only a single
reef. With hindsight, I should have gone to a double reef, but as a
ex-dinghy sailor, I'm used to handling a boat that's overpowered. I'm
confident the boat could be handled at 50+ knots with a triple reef.

Although I almost always had a crew, I effectively singlehanded except
for docking and raising sail. Were I to get another for
singlehanding, I would install an electric winch, as raising the 500
foot sail is rather tedious. Although I'm content with my current
boat (a PDQ 36), my next sailboat will likely be smaller, and I've
though of a Nonsuch 26 or a Marshall 22, depending on where I'm located.

Here's the polar for a Nonsuch 30. Although not known as a speed
demon, it will outperform most traditional 30 foot designs except for
pointing ability. However, you can easily win a tacking duel since
there is no jib to worry about. Light air is a bit of a weak point,
but even there, it will do 5 knots in 6 knots of wind - not that shabby.
http://www.sv-loki.com/True.jpg

Check out www.nonsuch.org