"DSK" wrote in message

Did you try it in less wind?


Maxprop wrote:
Yeah. We sailed it downwind with main, mizzen, and non-lapping headsail
only (staysail furled) in roughly 3-5 kts. of wind. It moved along
rather
well.

uh huh.

.. In fact the C&C 40 belonging to another friend stayed with us or
fell
slightly behind.

Yeah right. The C&C must have been backing up.

Actually, in 3 ~ 5 knots true wind, the Bayfield is doing pretty well to
maintain steerageway. That one must have a clean bottom and good sails.

I knew you'd be skeptical. But I was there, and the boat thoroughly
impressed me. At dinner that evening, the owner of the C&C simply
approached and shook hands with the owner of the Bayfield. Those on board
the C&C were simply shaking heads and engaging in conjecture as to why the
C&C got bested by a fat, slow old cruising boat. No one had a valid
explanation, which leads me to conclude that preconceptions are often just
that, as opposed to reality.

.... The Bayfield seemed to do well in just about any wind.
That's what impressed me most. It's only failure, IMO, was that it
isn't
particularly weatherly. At 60 degrees off the apparent wind it moves
well,
but closer and it slows significantly.

Considering that the rig and the "foils" (if you'll excuse the liberty
of using this term so loosely) have been designed with every trade-off &
compromise slanted against weatherliness, that's actually not bad.

The major 'failure' of the Bayfields I have sailed... prone to steer
like garden sheds.

Are you making this appraisal only of Bayfields, or any 40' boat with a full
keel and barn door rudder? Both of my boats have been full keel, so I
thought the Bayfield steered as well as any full keeler. If you're
comparing the Bayfield to a fin keel boat, of course it seems sluggish by
comparison.

Considering their design and weight, they sail pretty
well. But all else being equal, a C&C 40 is going to sail rings around
any Bayfield. It's like comparing a Flying Dutchman to a Beetle Cat.
That doesn't mean the Beetle Cat isn't a good boat, and fun to sail.

Don't know what to tell you, Doug. I was there, you weren't. The C&C
couldn't catch us on a beam reach in 12-15kts, nor on a broad reach in
3-5kts. The boat ain't slow, contrary to preconceptions. Under power it
cruises at 7kts at 2000rpm and roughly 8kts. at 2600rpm. Under sail the
owner reports that it does hull speed easily in 15kts or better, and will do
5.5kts. in 10kts of wind. Not bad.

Incidentally, all the speeds quoted were verified by GPS as the knotmeter
reads 88.8 alla time.

Max