"Capt. Rob" wrote in message

enthusiasts still prefer First series boats, J-Boats, Swans, Swedens

Interesting that you include your boat with such a distinquished list
of
yachts.


I've sailed the Sweden 39, J34c, J30 and J35. I have NOT sailed a Swan
yet. The cost of the swan not withstanding, the 35s5 is in the same
league for performance.

*Performance* encompasses a lot more than just going fast. I'll take the
Swan any day. It will be heavier, but do far better than your Bendy Toy
over the broad range of conditions. You seem to be under the mistaken
impression that flat water and 15kts. is the standard by which "performance"
is judged.

In fact it was a hell of a lot nicer than the
nice J34c. The Sweden had better components, but tiny bunks...amazingly
small. A useless boat even for weekending if you're over 6 feet tall.
The J35 was fast and fun...if only it had a nicer cabin. The 35s5 was
simply one of the few boats that sailed like a raceboat while
maintaining a good interior for occasional cruising. Saying it's not
ideal for a 1000 mile voyage is rather silly since we didn't buy it for
that. It's also a poor boat to fly over the Grand Canyon as well.
I had a talk with Mark P. of Doyle sails this morning when I brought a
sail in for an insurance estimate. He owned a 36.7 for a while and is a
fan of the 35s5. We laughed at how we were once Beneteau bashers. He
said, "Yeah, that was me until I sailed a 35s5 and then a 36.7." As
luck would have it he built the sails on my boat and raced with her
owned many years ago aboard a S33.
Max, if you think the First 35s5 is lightly built, you should talk to
some surveyors who've worked the boat. It's built with many weight
saving featires, yet it's structural integrity is a match for most any
production cruiser.

You've been reading the Beneteau brochures, haven't ya. And believing them.

Rather than just denying this off the cuff I
suggest you look into it. Your impression on "lightly built" was also
mine. Then I learned a bit about the 345, 32s5 and 35s5 and why they
were standouts among the First series boats.

I've spent more time on Beneteaus than you, Bubbles. But that's not
necessarily significant--I state it only to explain that I'm far from
ignorant w/r/t Beneteaus. A good friend used to sell them in Chicago. So I
got the *Beneteau story*, and the *true story*. Fact is, they are really
very good boats--better, I think, than Hunters and Catalinas in most
respects. But Chantiers Beneteau's claim that they are great offshore
passagemakers is more advertising hype than reality. Sure, they bond their
bulkheads 360 degrees to the hull *liner* and deck *liner*, but that's not
quite the same as bonding them to the hull and deck. Beneteau's hull liners
have been known to separate from the hull, requiring extensive repair costs
often without effecting a valid repair. AND their bulkheads, fairly lightly
constructed, have been known to buckle and fail when pushed to extremes that
would probably not damage a stout cruiser, such as a Hallberg Rassey or a
Cabo Rico, for example.

However I think the most significant thing you've stated is that you used to
bash Beneteaus. I recall that very well--you were without mercy. Now that
you own one, there are few boats that can compare with your 35s5. Sounds
like owner prejudice, plain and simple, to me.

Max