On Oct 1, 5:34 pm, wrote:
Bart wrote:
Great information Doug. Many thanks. I'd like to
try one out.

There's a fleet up on Narragansett Bay, shouldn't be too hard to get a
ride on one. They have a Midwinters regatta in Florida, it would be a
nice break unless you're already in the VI

It seems like a major flaw--not to be able to hoist the
keel without removing the boom. I'd think they would
have something built in for that purpose.

I'd have thought so too, but it gets complicated & expensive. Using
the main halyard & boom vang tackle as a hoist works for getting the
boat in & out. One reason why I'm looking more for a boat with a
daggerboard/keel instead of just a lifting keel... we need to be able
to run in shallow water.

I was wondering if it could be beached.

Only with difficulty.

So how is everything going?

Right now things are kind of cycling in place, just finished up some
chores in the engine room... mostly cleaning... cruising consists of
working on your boat in exotic locations.

DSK

I forgot to mention Doug. I saw a Viper 640 at the boat show
today. I stopped in for a few hours. I'd rate this years boat
show at Annapolis, the best I've ever seen--and I've seen
quite a few. Only the parking is a bitch. I was luck and found
metered parking two blocks from the show which only started
ticking at 10am--the start of the show. I got in early with a
pass and ran around the place for three hours--great fun. I
took lots of pictures. I'll try and post some if I get time.

I had a discussion with a friend in the industry about how the prices
always go to the boat shows. He denied it. But I've seen it time
and again. The Viper was a case in point. Check on line and people
talk about these boat costing $18-20K. At the boat show they
quoted me over $22k, and then stated the boat show price was
just over $20k. So they jack up the price, just so they can lower
it to where it was. I feel they want to cover their costs getting
the boat to the show, and their personal expenses. In reality, if
you walked in with a pile of cash and made them an offer, they
would take less outside of the boat show when they are a bit
hungrier.

Genrally, I'd say the new idea are fabulous. I saw one
big catamaran with the head vents going into the mast to
take the odors up and away from the boat. They claim no
head odors on the boat--something to think about!

Lots of carbon fiber. Most boats seemed more refined and
better put together.