"KLC Lewis" wrote
The average boater buys for "typical sailing conditions,"

Nah, the average boater buys for sitting at the dock with a
beer (not that there's anything wrong with that).


then lives in
fear of getting caught out in anything stronger than 15 knots. I'll take
the Wetsnail over a modern putty boat any day of the week, and twice on
Sundays.


It's a matter of taste. Skill and outfitting make a bigger
difference. I love to sail on windy days, and lighter/faster
boats are more fun.

The average sailor doesn't get much enough experience on
heavy days to feel comfortable, and rather few practice the
stuff you need to do.


Capt. JG wrote:
Out here, the typical sailing conditions are 20kts or more, and it's not
that unusual to see over 30kts in the summer months. I dread the days when
they're under 10kts, although it does make for excellent scenary/photography
for guests.


And the funny thing is, your area was the birthplace of the
ultra-light displacement flyer. I agree with Bob though,
different tasks require different tools.

DSK

On Sun, 03 Dec 2006 21:12:47 -0500, DSK wrote:

And the funny thing is, your area was the birthplace of the
ultra-light displacement flyer. I agree with Bob though,
different tasks require different tools.

Actually the most famous ULDBs came from the Santa Cruz area which is
a bit south from SF Bay and has much lighter conditions.

And the funny thing is, your area was the birthplace of the
ultra-light displacement flyer.


Wayne.B wrote:
Actually the most famous ULDBs came from the Santa Cruz area which is
a bit south from SF Bay and has much lighter conditions.


OK, I stand corrected. However, ULDB's are quite popular on
SF Bay, they're for more than just drifting around

And FWIW I agree about the optimism with regard to speed.
The Westsail is one of the slower crab-crushers and while
it's a common crab-crusher fantasy to say "My boat is faster
than all those lightweight clorox bottles, once the wind
gets up enough for REAL sailing," my experience has been
that as long as the LW clorox sailor is competent & not
anchored, the fast boat is always faster... upwind,
downwind... blow high, blow low. OTOH it's nice to not
bounce so much in waves.

DSK

On Sun, 03 Dec 2006 23:09:33 -0500, DSK wrote:

OK, I stand corrected. However, ULDB's are quite popular on SF Bay,
they're for more than just drifting around

I wonder how many ever go outside. Of course some do, but a lot more
don't.

And FWIW I agree about the optimism with regard to speed. The Westsail
is one of the slower crab-crushers and while it's a common crab-crusher
fantasy to say "My boat is faster than all those lightweight clorox
bottles, once the wind gets up enough for REAL sailing," my experience
has been that as long as the LW clorox sailor is competent & not
anchored, the fast boat is always faster... upwind, downwind... blow
high, blow low.

Under power too -- the Westsail is a slow boat. A friend has one, and
when we all cruise together we eventually lose him because he can't keep
up, doing only 5-5.5kt under power.

Another problem is maneuverability in tight spots -- the Westsail won't
turn tightly or back straight, and the big bowsprit doesn't help. In
reality it's a 40 footer, that handles like a 60 footer. There are plenty
of slips our friend just can't get into (or out of).

Still, he loves his boat, and has at least as much fun with it as the rest
of us do with ours. As far as speed goes, where we cruise the cove next
door is as nice as the one 50 miles away, so who cares?

Matt O.