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

Agreed, it is a very important ability especially in a cruiser that goes into
out of the way anchorages.



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 dunno... seems to me that being cold, wet, seasick, hungry, and getting bashed
into rocks on a lee shore would be worse.


Donal wrote:
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.

Bigger is better, but it ain't evrything. The old square riggers were much
longer on the waterline than any modern sailboats, and they were not weatherly
at all by comparison. Look up the term 'embayed' and think if this has happened
to you or anyone you know sailing a modern small boat.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King