Steel boat sailing properties
 

Ebbtide 33
VanDer Stadt cumulant 32
I'm looking for a boat to single hand around the world, has anyone any
views on theses in steel? - how do they sail? head room, etc I'm
based in UK & woulk be interested in any suggestions - don't really
want to start steel/grp discussion but maybe unavoidable.


Ta

P

Hi

I am presently cruising in Australia and have noted that many of the
cruising boats here and in Holland are metal - steel or aluminum. Popular
designers are van der Stadt, Joe Adams, Graham Radford and Bruce Roberts.
Also most dinks are Al.

Last year I watched a friend build a van der Stadt 40 (Norman pilot house
version) in aluminum. This design can be built in either steel or
aluminum; you add an extra ton of lead ballast in the aluminum version and
finish with a boat that is still a ton lighter than the steel version.
Yacht is thus lighter (faster) and stiffer (better ballast ratio) and
doesn't rust. Must continually watch for electrolysis producing
situations though.

Yacht was bought as plazma cut kit from the van der Stadt agents which
were incredibly accurately cut and fitted together quite easily. Even
tack-weld points and welding sequence are marked. It took eighteen months
of fairly extensive part-time work to complete the hull to a high usable
standard, not luxurious. She sails quite well and is a very versatile
cruising yacht.

Hull seems bullet proof, and it might be worth you looking at this option.

Fair Winds

Graeme
sv Leonidas

we may be selling our cumulant 32 depending on how we get on with an enlarged family
We restored a Van Der Stadt cumulant 32 a couple of years ago with a similar idea as yourself. In our opinion its a comfortable size for two if you're living on it. small galley but sufficient. large self draining cockpit can feel a bit exposed but holds very little water, can't have it both ways. sails very well making 40-45 degrees off the wind. Realistic cruising speed about 5 to 5.5 knots. low freeboard can make it relatively wet at times but then it also means she goes well to windward in a blow. standing headroom at least 180cm. we spent ages dealing with rust replacing plating were necessary but now its good. Modern paints make corrosion not such a big problem. you do have to keep on top of maintaining it though. we keep a bottle of metal bright (mainly phosphoric acid) handy for the odd times we chip off any paint.
If you want more info,pics on this type of boat or you want to have a look at one contact us on valkyriemyth*hotmail.com (replace * with@)

All the best

On Sat, 25 Sep 2004 19:31:47 +0100, Padz
wrote:

Ebbtide 33
VanDer Stadt cumulant 32
I'm looking for a boat to single hand around the world, has anyone any
views on theses in steel? - how do they sail? head room, etc I'm
based in UK & woulk be interested in any suggestions - don't really
want to start steel/grp discussion but maybe unavoidable.


I cannot tell you anything about these particular boats, but I can
tell you that I am very pleased with my steel-hulled boat. It is a
Mauritius 43, designed by Bruce Roberts-Goodson, Aussie now living in
Maryland, US. I have sailed several fiberglass boats and have owned
an O'Day 25 for twenty-five years. I really cannot say that there is
any desernable difference in sailing characteristics from one material
to the other. Obviously size, displacement, and design do make a big
difference.

I can tell you that I feel much safer in my steel-hulled boat. I
don't worry that something or someone is going to hit it and crush it.
Nor do I worry about bumping into docks etc. as much as I would with a
fiberglass boat.

One other advantage for someone contemplating sailing around the world
(so I am told but cannot confirm on my own), is that the skill to weld
and repair steel is found in even the poorest and least developed
countries on your route.

Lee Huddleston
s/v Truelove