Sailing for the aged
 

Good questions, I will try to address them as you asked them:

In article ,
wrote:

Before doing any boat recommendations I need to know about the couple.
Eighty year of age does not means much.
How physically flexible is the couple. Are they quick enough to react if the
boom swims toward them.

Absolutely, especially since after 60 - 70 years of sailing they can
anticipate the danger based on wind conditions.

Can they swim ashore if their boat capsizes or can
they get back in their boat.

At their age and given the water temperatures and distances of LI Sound
out of Mamaroneck, I think not.

I know people sailing dinghies is their late
eighty and doing extremely well.
Mr. X is over eighty five. He build his own 11'2" Shellback Dinghy. During
the summer he takes his grandson sailing with him or his girlfriend of the
same age.
Conversely, today you can buy 30 (and up) foot sloop sailboat with walk
though transom, furling for the main and jib.

Any suggestions? I think this is the size boat and solutions they would
want to consider. How reliable has mainsail furling become? Do some
boats offer more mechanical advantage on the winches than others (or
electric assist).

TIA,

harlan


If a couple has been physically active and know what they are doing on the
water age is not a problem.


"DSK" wrote in message
...
Harlan Lachman wrote:
Does anyone have sail boat recommendations for a couple in their 80s?

snip

Lew Hodgett wrote:
SFWIW, I'm on another list with a guy in Rhode Island that has sailed a
Marshal cat boat for years.

He loves it and while not 80, is no spring chicken either.

If you want something smaller, how about a 9 ft Fatty Knees, a dinghy
designed by Lyle Hess and now being built by Eddy & Duff.


If you want to go with something small, why not a Tech dinghy?


Jeff wrote:
I certainly wouldn't recommend a Fatty Knees to anyone with mobility
problems. It would be a death trap - they wouldn't last one tack! I
have one - I only capsized once, but that was stepping into it from my
boat.


And they're not as tippy as some other hard dinks. A Tech or one of the
other frostbiting classes might be a good mix of stability & performance.


A Marshall 15 might be better, but the larger ones have a lot of sail to
handle.

A Beetle Cat!

.... I was thinking of a Rhodes 19, or the Mariner (same hull, with a
cuddy). With a keel its going to be stable, nothing happens too quickly,
and the sails aren't to large to handle. Its even reasonably functional
under main alone.


Good idea.

Of course, a lot depends on where they are and what type of sailing they
want to do.

A boat with a cuddy cabin need not make it too large or heavy or
expensive, and can add functionality.

DSK


--
To respond, obviously drop the "nospan"?

Sailing for the aged
 

In article ,
DSK wrote:

Harlan Lachman wrote:
Does anyone have sail boat recommendations for a couple in their 80s?
Frankly, my dad has a lot of trouble moving quickly and so much less
strength that he makes me appear to be Atlas. He has tried powerboats
twice but frankly he loves to go out and sail on Long Island Sound.

I am interested in sail boats with equipment or specifically earmarked
for the older sailor which are designed to allow those with less
strength to succeed. He could keep it at a dock to charge up electrical
stuff...


http://www.santanasailboats.com/boat...0/harbor20.htm

Have not sailed one of these myself, but there are a few
around and they look like fun... easy to handle from what
I've seen.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

I owned a Harbor 20. My folks owned the Alerion 28. I got a letter from
the factory re the H 20 warning me that one of their boats sunk, killing
its skipper. I had had floation added to my boat. They would not
guarantee me the boat would not sink if taking in water so I sold it.
Also, as per responses to other posts, I think they would prefer to be
in a larger, more comfortable boat.

Harlan

--
To respond, obviously drop the "nospan"?

Sailing for the aged
 

In article ,
Don White wrote:

Harlan Lachman wrote:
Does anyone have sail boat recommendations for a couple in their 80s?
Frankly, my dad has a lot of trouble moving quickly and so much less
strength that he makes me appear to be Atlas. He has tried powerboats
twice but frankly he loves to go out and sail on Long Island Sound.

I am interested in sail boats with equipment or specifically earmarked
for the older sailor which are designed to allow those with less
strength to succeed. He could keep it at a dock to charge up electrical
stuff...

TIA,

harlan


I wonder if a modified version of the 'Sail Able' boats used by
handicapped people would help?
http://www.pspmembers.com/syclub/sailableNS.htm

Don, very cool sailboat. They are not wheel chair restricted or even
close. But I like some of the design features.

I will share the boat with them but think they will think it too small
and designed for folks with different issues.

harlan

--
To respond, obviously drop the "nospan"?

Sailing for the aged
 

In article ,
Jere Lull wrote:

In article ,
Harlan Lachman wrote:

Does anyone have sail boat recommendations for a couple in their 80s?
Frankly, my dad has a lot of trouble moving quickly and so much less
strength that he makes me appear to be Atlas. He has tried powerboats
twice but frankly he loves to go out and sail on Long Island Sound.

I am interested in sail boats with equipment or specifically
earmarked for the older sailor which are designed to allow those with
less strength to succeed. He could keep it at a dock to charge up
electrical stuff...


My first thought is cat-boat: A single sail, stable and the newer
designs are pretty good sailing vessels.

Jere, any made with a highly reliable furling sail with either a
electric assist or great mechanical advantage.

I think they would like something of this ilk if it was large enough?

Any specific recommendation?

harlan

--
To respond, obviously drop the "nospan"?

Sailing for the aged
 

On Fri, 27 Oct 2006 09:38:30 -0400, Harlan Lachman
wrote:

In article ,
Jeff wrote:

Lew Hodgett wrote:
Harlan Lachman wrote:
Does anyone have sail boat recommendations for a couple in their 80s?

snip

SFWIW, I'm on another list with a guy in Rhode Island that has sailed a
Marshal cat boat for years.

He loves it and while not 80, is no spring chicken either.

If you want something smaller, how about a 9 ft Fatty Knees, a dinghy
designed by Lyle Hess and now being built by Eddy & Duff.

Lew
I certainly wouldn't recommend a Fatty Knees to anyone with mobility
problems. It would be a death trap - they wouldn't last one tack! I
have one - I only capsized once, but that was stepping into it from my
boat.

A Marshall 15 might be better, but the larger ones have a lot of sail
to handle. I was thinking of a Rhodes 19, or the Mariner (same hull,
with a cuddy). With a keel its going to be stable, nothing happens
too quickly, and the sails aren't to large to handle. Its even
reasonably functional under main alone.

Of course, a lot depends on where they are and what type of sailing
they want to do.

Thanks guys. But I am pretty sure with his experience and money (not to
mention bladder), he would want a bigger boat. I am just not sure anyone
makes anything to compensate for someone unable to reliably hoist and
lower sails manually.

harlan

I wouldn't look for an off-the-shelf boat. It will almost certainly
need electric winches and windlass, and those are add-on accessories.
Implied in this is significant battery power and hence a reasonably
large boat.

To answer an earlier question, boom furling mains are reliable. I did
encounter a few "learning curve" issues with mine but it failed in a
forgiving manner unlike in-mast furlers that fail with an unreducible
sail.

Sailing for the aged
 

On Thu, 26 Oct 2006 17:50:32 -0400, Harlan Lachman
wrote:

Does anyone have sail boat recommendations for a couple in their 80s?
Frankly, my dad has a lot of trouble moving quickly and so much less
strength that he makes me appear to be Atlas. He has tried powerboats
twice but frankly he loves to go out and sail on Long Island Sound.

A small keel boat like a Rhodes 19 or a Pearson Ensign might be just
the ticket. Rigged with a roller furling jib, and lazy jacks on the
main, it would be stable and very easy to handle.

For a cabin boat, something like a Nonsuch 22 or 26 might make a good
choice.

Sailing for the aged
 

On Thu, 26 Oct 2006 17:50:32 -0400, Harlan Lachman wrote:

Does anyone have sail boat recommendations for a couple in their 80s?
Frankly, my dad has a lot of trouble moving quickly and so much less
strength that he makes me appear to be Atlas. He has tried powerboats
twice but frankly he loves to go out and sail on Long Island Sound.

I am interested in sail boats with equipment or specifically earmarked
for the older sailor which are designed to allow those with less
strength to succeed. He could keep it at a dock to charge up electrical
stuff...

Harbor 20! If there's power at the dock, the electric auxiliary is
perfect.

Matt O.

Sailing for the aged
 

On Fri, 27 Oct 2006 09:51:49 -0400, Harlan Lachman wrote:

In article ,
Jere Lull wrote:

In article ,
Harlan Lachman wrote:

Does anyone have sail boat recommendations for a couple in their 80s?
Frankly, my dad has a lot of trouble moving quickly and so much less
strength that he makes me appear to be Atlas. He has tried powerboats
twice but frankly he loves to go out and sail on Long Island Sound.

I am interested in sail boats with equipment or specifically
earmarked for the older sailor which are designed to allow those with
less strength to succeed. He could keep it at a dock to charge up
electrical stuff...


My first thought is cat-boat: A single sail, stable and the newer
designs are pretty good sailing vessels.

Jere, any made with a highly reliable furling sail with either a
electric assist or great mechanical advantage.

I think they would like something of this ilk if it was large enough?

Any specific recommendation?

If you want a slightly bigger boat with a cabin and a head compartment,
look at a Nonsuch 26 or 30. These are very simply rigged, with a wishbone
boom and few strings to pull. I've seen a few of the 30s with electric
winches. I think it was a standard factory option. I don't know about
electric winches on the 26 but I'm sure it's doable. Both these boats are
exceptionally roomy for their size. Even the 26 has standing headroom and
a decent head compartment, as well as 4 berths. They're very well made
too, some of the nicest yachts around.

Otherwise, be careful with cat boats because that single sail is a large
one.

Matt O.

Sailing for the aged
 

Harlan Lachman wrote:

Thanks guys. But I am pretty sure with his experience and money
(not to
mention bladder), he would want a bigger boat. I am just not sure
anyone
makes anything to compensate for someone unable to reliably hoist and
lower sails manually.

If he gets a sloop, dropping the main is probably the biggest challenge.

You can drop the jib without leaving the cockpit if the halyards are
brought aft.

Get a Milwaukee, right angle, 24 VDC cordless drill fitted with a
square shank adapter to fit the manual winch which will provide power
assist to raise the sails.

They come with a spare battery that can be kept charged.


Lew

Sailing for the aged
 

Wayne.B wrote:
On Thu, 26 Oct 2006 17:50:32 -0400, Harlan Lachman
wrote:

Does anyone have sail boat recommendations for a couple in their 80s?
Frankly, my dad has a lot of trouble moving quickly and so much less
strength that he makes me appear to be Atlas. He has tried powerboats
twice but frankly he loves to go out and sail on Long Island Sound.

A small keel boat like a Rhodes 19 or a Pearson Ensign might be just
the ticket. Rigged with a roller furling jib, and lazy jacks on the
main, it would be stable and very easy to handle.

For a cabin boat, something like a Nonsuch 22 or 26 might make a good
choice.

I was just going to say a smaller Nonsuch. You can add a single large
winch to handle both the halyard and mainsheet, and once rigged up,
you can sail it all day with "fingertip control." The main comes down
into lazyjacks, the only problem being gathering up all the sail.
However, if that's an issuer, there might be a way to add a Dutchman
system.

I lived with a Nonsuch 30 for 8 years, and when the time comes to
downsize, a 22 or 26 will be on my short list.