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Offshore cruiser questions
On 30 Jan 2004 16:30:40 GMT, (JAXAshby) wrote:
a.) it was condescending to women,
Only in your fevered mind, apparently.
b.) all lines led aft both dramaticly increases friction and the chance of
failure in high wind conditions, it also makes one psychologically unable to go
forward under conditions when one HAS to go forward, and
It can, but usually doesn't unless there are a number of unnecessary
turns. Internal halyards aren't usually carried away by the wind, and
if it's that high, tearing out your Spinlock is the least of your
worries.
If what you were saying had much validity, we wouldn't have roller
furling. Almost all cruisers do. I don't, and thus have that "real
world" experience you so rarely believe others except yourself to
possess.
c.) the center cockpit vs aft cockpit is a far more serious discussion that to
say it is better for the "little lady to see over".
Well, it's also better for the little man, I suppose, but my five foot
tall wife is quite happy on the tiller of my 34' C&C design in 35
knots. Other stronger, taller women and any number of men wouldn't be.
The preference is as much personal as practical. These days, Mini Me
can drive a Volvo 60 with the right equipment...so physicality is no
obstacle. Attitude and comfort levels are. Ellen MacArthur is five
two, after all, and she's probably in the top five ocean racer list.
The reason people like cc boats is that they get a full width aft stateroom.
That's *one* reason.
To get that aft stateroom they get a lower performing boat, and a boat that
usually can not have an effective windwave set up.
I'll have to tell my center-cockpit ketch owning buddy to return that
Voyager windvane, then. He obviously doesn't know when he's being
steered effectively.
Wendy has stated she wants
an ocean going boat to go ocean going (trying to cross serious bluewater
without a windvane is kinda dumb, unless one is motoring the entire way. Also,
electric auto pilots have serious reliability issues, burn LOTS of hard to
replace amps, and don't steer well as the winds pick up, just the area where
wind vanes come into their own).
I actually agree with you, JAX. Windvane and autopilot fill each
others' gaps, as last month's Cruising World article putting the two
devices head-to-head in ocean conditions demonstrated. Where I differ
is in positing that self-steering and a center-cockpit boat are
necessarily opposed. They aren't.
She also wants something under 40 feet (ALL
cc boats under 40 ar Ugh Lee, and really poor performers to boot), and perhaps
as small as 30 feet (only really weird duck boats have cc's under 35 feet).
ALL of them, eh? That sailing simulator you own is some piece of work,
JAX. Anyway, thanks for being the gallant arbiter of insult to females
everywhere. I'm sure you are in many prayers tonight.
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