BLUE WATER
spring, 2022
SAILING FITTING OUT YOUR CRUISING BOAT A DOZEN WORTHY CRUISING BOATS UNDER $50,000 SUMMER SAILING VACATIONS
{ CONTENTS } FEATURES
12 Bluewater Adventure Laughing Goat by Susan Cole
18 Fitting Out
Fitting Out Your Cruising Boat
26 Tech Report
2022 SPRING
Water Power Tops Your Batteries
28 Summer Sailing Let’s Go Sailing
38 Boat Review
A Dozen Worthy Cruising Boats Under $50,000 by George Day
Front Cover: Photo by Mahina Expeditions
DEPARTMENTS
3 Captain’s Log 4 Blue Water Dispatches 48 Classifieds
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{ CAPTAIN’SLOG }
Fitting Out an Older Cruising Boat THIS ISSUE’S FEATURE ON A DOZEN WORTHY CRUISERS for under $50,000 on page 38 offers a look at what we think are boats with good designs, good builders and good bones. At that price, they may not be equipped with a lot of modern electronics, may not have updated machinery and probably will need a lot of TLC. But, if you have the time, patience and a bit of extra cash, these boats can make perfectly good coastal and offshore cruisers. So, what do you need to do to transform an aging classic into a safe and capable cruiser? Quite a lot, frankly, but we will summarize for you. You would have a current survey, so that will tell you a lot of what needs upgrading. If the rigging and mast step have not been replaced, that’s a place to start. And, while you are at it, check the chainplates for secure attachments or signs of corrosion. These can be hard to replace. New sails are probably in order and going with solid Dacron cross-cut or miter cut designs will keep costs down. Used sails might work, too. The engine will need servicing if it doesn’t need to be rebuilt or replaced and the fuel and water tanks will need to be inspected and made whole. You may have to add a holding tank to the head if it doesn’t have one. Electronics are costly. These days you can get by with a wheel or tiller-mounted autopilot, as well as depth and speed and wind instruments. For navigation, you can use a tablet with an external GPS backed up by a handheld GPS with internal charts. For radar, you could go with a wireless device, such as the Furuno 1st Watch, that will talk to your iOS tablet or iPhone. For communications, a good VHF and an Iridium Go are all you need. For safety gear, don’t stint on harnesses, PFDs and PLBs. And an EPRIB and life raft are essential for sailing offshore. How much does all this cost? As much as you can afford. But, you have to expect to spend about 25 to 40% of the cost of the boat to make it safe for offshore sailing. If you can swing it, it is a great way to get a great boat at a budget price. spring, 2022
BLUE WATER
SAILING spring, 2022 Blue Water Sailing, LLC 747 Aquidneck Avenue, Middletown, Rhode Island 02842 USA phone: 401.847.7612 web: www.bwsailing.com
Editorial Editor & Publisher George Day george@bwsailing.com Editors-at-Large
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Circulation Published quarterly. Issues available at issuu.com For questions about your subscription email the publisher. george@bwsailing.com Blue Water Sailing is copyrighted 2022. All rights reserved. Blue Water Sailing is published quarterly by Day Communications, Inc. 747 Aquidneck Ave. Middletown, RI 02842 ISSN#1091-1979
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The Moorings Teamed Up with Sailing La Vagabond in the Abacos
AFTER HURRICANE DORIAN DECIMATED THE Abacos in the Bahamas two years ago, the charter bases there were slow to get back in business as infrastructure ashore was rebuilt. But, in celebration of a full charter season in 2022, The Moorings teamed up with Sailing La Vagabonde, the popular YouTube vloggers, to bring in lucky sweepstakes winners for a magic weeklong celebrity charter. In early June, the lucky winners arrived in Marsh Harbour and were soon on their boats getting ready for a sailing adventure of a lifetime. Here’s the story from one of the crew. The Abaco Islands have captured the hearts of many a sailor. YouTube sensation Sailing La Vagabonde recently posted their top 5 sailing destinations worldwide, and The Bahamas topped the list. Their love of the islands is no secret to their viewers, so it was the perfect spot to choose for a charter giveaway in partnership with The Moorings, and Cruise Abaco. In late April, a few lucky winners were chosen to participate in a Flotilla along with Riley, Elayna, Lenny, and Darwin, in the pristine waters of the Abacos. Landing at the Marsh Harbour Airport, the entry was quick and easy. Upon arrival, there were plenty of taxis waiting and we sat down with Barb, our gracious driver. She offered a stop at Abaco Groceries and the liquor store next door on the way to our base. Easy and convenient, we highly recommend this for provisioning your yacht. Dinner at sunset was a relaxing reward for the day of travel, and the restaurant at Abaco Beach Resort - the site of The Moorings’ new Abaco base - did not disappoint! 4
Blue Water Sailing
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Stretching our legs that evening we caught a glimpse of a baby sea turtle swimming around the docks. If the water is that clear in the marina, you can only imagine what awaits outside. The following morning, we found Riley and Elayna from La Vagabonde taking a quiet walk with their kids. They are every bit what they seem online; humble, genuine, and passionate about life at sea. Greeting the guests, from all over the U.S. and Canada, it was clear in an instant what a week this would be. After a welcome tour and a safety briefing aboard our beautiful Moorings 514pc, we were off on an unforgettable adventure! Tahiti Beach was decided as our first destination by Captain Jack, of the 40ft sailing catamaran. Jack is quite the sailing sensation in his own right, instantly recognized by some of us from Sailing Virgins, another YouTube sailing channel. What an experience for the winners to get to sail with and learn from such a team! Near Tahiti Beach is the Abaco Inn and Restaurant with incredible views and a delicious menu offering everything from gnocchi to fresh-caught grouper. Tahiti beach is a large stretch of calm, clear waters on one side and crashing waves across the strip of land on the other. Surrounded by starfish, the group enjoyed a swim, getting to know each other, and a few drinks upon arrival of the Thirsty Cuda, a pink floating swim-up bar. Read more here.
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Blue Water Sailing
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Cruising Club of America Launches Digital Maine Cruising Guide
THE CRUISING CLUB OF AMERICA which has long called the coast of Maine one of its favorite cruising grounds, recently launched a digital cruising guide to the coast compiled from notes, photographs and long experience from its members. You do not need to be a CCA member to access the guides so it opens the doors for you to a great selection of favorite harbors, anchorages, island and villages. CALL US TODAY
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From Portland in the west to Roque Island well Down East, the coast of Maine offers cruisers thousands of opportunities to explore a wild, beautiful and jagged coast. Along the way you will sea osprey and the occasional eagle, you’ll see dolphin and whales, you’ll catch mackerel and bass on your trolling lines, and you’ll keep an eye out so you don’t foul your prop on one of the thousands of colorful lobster floats that decorate every inch of the coastal waters. On the islands you will see deer browsing and perhaps a moose or two. Ashore you will meet the locals, the Maniacs, who are famous for their Down East accents, their pearls of Maine wisdom and their flinty hospitality. The farther east you sail, the wilder the coast gets and the more hard-core the fishing local populations. East of Scoodic Point, past Bar Harbor, you will find a coast little changed in a hundred years. You’ll also find tides that rise and fall 20 feet or more and harbors filled with fishing and lobster boats instead of cruising yachts. Eating local in Maine often means boiled lobsters and lobster rolls, soft shell clams, corn on the cobb, white potatoes and blue berries. If you can find a true local clam bake, try it out since this is the traditional summer feast long shared by Maniacs and their visiting summer friends. The eating scenes around Portland, Rockland, Blue Hill, Camden and Bar Harbor are now world famous, so you will eat well when splurging on a fancy night out. Veteran Maine cruisers will tell you that it takes a lifetime to really get to know the Maine coast as a cruiser. But, with the CCA digital guides, you will shrink that time by many years. Sailing to Maine is a highlight of many a cruiser’s experience. Check out the CCA Cruising Guide to Maine here. Blue Water Sailing
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{ BLUEWATER ADVENTURE }
LAUGHING GOAT
Family Adventures Onboard
by Susan Cole
BEFORE OUR DAUGHTER KATE WAS BORN in 1989, my husband John and I lived aboard a succession of romantic, leaky wooden boats in Long Island Sound. The first, XL, a 1903 forty-eight-foot Fire Island ferryboat, sank. On our next boat, Phaedrus, a 1920s fifty-ton, 50-foot Colin Archer-designed ketch built in Norway, newly caulked deck seams leaked onto our sleeping berth and clothes, driving us to buy a house in Fairfield, Connecticut. John had sailed his whole life and dreamed of sailing away one day; I was from Ohio, and had never sailed before we met. I loved being on the water with John but, after fifteen years on 12
boats, was more than ready to settle on land. When Kate was about six months old, we bought a 26-foot Soling, a bright red racing boat originally designed for the Olympics, that we named Red Dog. For the first time, we owned a boat that didn’t require a day of preparation before taking her out on the water. Red Dog had no motor, and we would sail out of the harbor, tacking back and forth across the wind. Each time we tacked, the boom slammed over, the sails whipped furiously, and the sheets beat against the side of the boat. I tucked Kate under the overhang while I tended Blue Water Sailing
lines, and she cried at the noise. Once we got out of the harbor into Long Island Sound, the boat quieted, and I brought Kate on my lap. She listened to the boat cutting through the water with a smile. John was delighted: Kate liked to sail.
Kate & Susan raising flag before entry Nassau Harbor
The summer when Kate was one, John and I chartered a sailboat in Maine. We sailed into Southwest Harbor, home of the Hinckley boatyard. Hinckley sailboats were the gold standard. Whenever we spotted one on Long Island Sound, it would take our breaths away—classy, beautifully constructed, understated yet gorgeous. And well beyond our price range. The entrance to Southwest Harbor is like a fjord, a narrow passage with high ground on either side. At sunset, we rounded the bend, the harbor opened, and about 20 Hinckley sailboats came into view, moored near the boatyard in the pale orange glow of dusk. The harbor was quiet except for seagulls cawing. John whistled. “Will you look at that?” Before that night, I would have sworn that Hinckley’s boats were all constructed of wood, which, although we loved its natural beauty, required so much labor. But many of these graceful boats were fiberglass, and they were knockouts. Gasping, we imagined our next boat, Laughing Goat, into being. Back home, sailing magazines piled up on John’s side of the bed. He showed me photos of boats he especially liked and places he wanted to sail like the spring, 2022
Allen's Caye iguanas above, Kate, Elmo, moored in Wardderick Wells, below
{ BLUEWATER ADVENTURE }
HOLDING FAST by Susan Cole
"Riveting true story about the author's life on a sailboat with her young family." "An astonishing adventure." "Tender, moving and highly readable."
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Rio Dulce, a remote river in Guatemala where Johnny Weissmuller had filmed the first Tarzan movie. I volunteered at Kate’s nursery school, helping children with projects, and reading to the class. I took Kate on playdates. Late in the afternoon, before picking up John at the train station, we watched cartoons in the den, Kate lying contentedly in my lap. I enjoyed having Kate’s friends and cousins over and relished being Kate’s mom. For a long time, I had worried that I was not fit for that role since my relationship with my mother was fraught and spiteful. I was afraid that I wouldn’t know how to act otherwise. In 1993, when Kate was four, we searched for an ocean-going sailboat. We flew to Fort Lauderdale, a boating mecca where glittering luxury yachts, heavy-duty racing sailboats, 14
cigarette boats, and cruise ships sped past each other in the channel. At night, drawbridges clanged, and navigation lights twinkled in every direction. A broker showed us a Bristol, a Peterson, a Cabo Rico, a Westsail, a New York 40, a CT, and others. We peered into chain lockers, admired intricate cabinetry, and checked out rigs and sails. The more boats we saw, the more certain we became about what we wanted: a classic design about forty-five feet long, an aft cabin that you could stand in, a spacious galley, a forward cabin for Kate, and a warm, homey feel. A jolly, weathered older couple that had cruised in the Caribbean showed us a Peterson. The wife whipped out the watermaker, a device that turned salt water into drinking water. As she eagerly showed me how it worked, Blue Water Sailing
I thought about how little I knew of living on a boat in remote places where you needed to extract your drinking water from tubes. In Florida, we stayed with friends who had lived on a sailboat across the dock from XL. They were excited about our new adventure. When my friend and I were doing dishes after dinner, she asked how I felt about buying a new boat and sailing off. “It will be a while yet,” I said. I was still on a high from the past few days of our window-shopping expedition. I imagined many such vacations in yachting centers around the country, seeking the perfect boat. A couple of months after the Florida trip, John arranged to see a Mason 43 in Stamford, CT harbor. Huddling together against the winter wind, we took in the smooth white hull, the thin gold stripe along the rub rail, the teak deck, and varnished rails. Quarter-rounds finished off each hatch. Where Phaedrus in her prime had workboat-type toughness, this boat brimmed with fine finish-work. The broker forgot to leave the key. I knelt and peered through an aft cabin porthole. The teak deck, sheltered by the cabin top, felt warm through my jeans. Large berths hugged either side of the cabin. A wide hanging locker, gracefully arched with carved insets of contrasting woods, stood in between. A brass reading lamp perched above what I imagined as my side of the bed. “A poor man’s Hinckley,” the broker called it, which set our hearts soaring. We had found the boat we wanted. John sat down with me in the cockpit. As seagulls shrieked overhead, we remembered the winters on XL and Phaedrus. We had lived in the house in Fairfield about five years now, and as much as I loved it, I sometimes missed the wintry solitude of the docks. Our over-schedspring, 2022
uled lives on land lacked the raw closeness to nature of living on the water. We traipsed back toward the parking lot and stopped in at the bar overlooking the harbor. We buzzed with excitement under the blue lights of the bar. From a payphone, John called a friend who had lived across the dock from us and who had recently retired from General Foods to become a yacht broker. We asked him to find an older Mason 43 we could afford. Within a few months, we flew down to Fort Lauderdale again to look at a 1982 Mason 43. We admired the elegant lines, crisp blue hull, and the myriad warm woods shining from Kate swinging, Fort Lauderdale, 1996
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sickness pill, I imagined sailing for miles in soft, warm breezes.
each carefully constructed cabinet, rail, and bulkhead. The owners had cruised for several years in the Caribbean. In a cabinet in the main salon, I found a handwritten letter the wife had written to a friend describing their adventures in the Virgin Islands. The pale blue notepaper smelled like a sun-washed beach. Our offer was accepted. We hired a wellrespected surveyor and requested a sea trial. After years spent toiling on old wooden boats with rotted wood, we wanted to be sure the boat was seaworthy. The day of the sea trial shone sunny, bright, and breezy. A hired captain steered the boat out of Fort Lauderdale’s teeming harbor. John and I followed the surveyor around as he poked different spots with his hammer while the brokers chatted up forward. As we sailed out of the channel, the Atlantic Ocean spread before us. Our pale northern legs peeked out beneath our shorts. John and I looked at the blue horizon. Slightly woozy from a motion 16
Although she needed some repairs, the boat passed the survey with flying colors. We signed a contract. For the first time, we had a well-found boat capable of taking us past Long Island Sound to the far reaches of the ocean. I pushed away thoughts of what it would mean to leave home and head to sea. On the plane ride home, we were elated. Myriad tasks unfurled into the future, from getting the boat documented and delivered up north, to making repairs, and purchasing equipment. John wanted to get everything right. I was glad John was so conscientious, and I imagined that it would take years to get ready. Maybe, I hoped, we would never even leave. After a weekend brainstorming, we named her Laughing Goat, an amalgam of a famous racing boat, Laughing Gull , and the old goat whom John felt he was becoming. Between attending my book club, volunteering at Kate’s school, and holding a Seder over the Jewish holidays at my house, a tradition I suddenly resurrected
from my childhood, I was laying brick after brick to cement my place in the community. If I could talk to myself then, I might gently say, “John wants this. He’s been quietly steering toward it for years. This is going to happen. You and Kate are not staying here. You’re going sailing.”
John Russell and Susan Cole bought Laughing Goat, a 1982 Mason 43, in 1993. In 1996, John, Susan and their seven-year-old daughter Kate sailed on Laughing Goat from their
home in Connecticut down the Intracoastal Waterway to the Bahamas, Cuba, Mexico, Belize and Guatemala. They returned to the States in 1999 and settled in Florida, living aboard Laughing Goat in Fort Lauderdale and continuing to sail her in South Florida and the Florida Keys. They became landlubbers, sold Laughing Goat in 2003, and after Kate went off to college, purchased a Norseman 20 catamaran, Smooch, which they lived aboard for a number of years, sailing between Fort Lauderdale and the Bahamas.
{ FITTING OUT }
FITTING OUT YOUR CRUISING BOAT
Whether you are getting ready for a spring launch or going through your annual haul out, here’s a guide to the essential tasks
MOST CRUISERS ARE FAIRLY HANDS ON AND will undertake many if not most of the chores in an annual prelaunch refit when getting our boats ready for ocean sailing and another summer or year of cruising. Here’s a look at the basics. ANTIFOULING Racers want a hard, slippery, fast underwater surface and don’t mind diving under the boat to clean the bottom regularly. But cruisers really need antifouling that will last a long time and will not require a lot of between-haul18
out maintenance. That means we’re looking to apply a coating that has a lot of punch and includes both a lot of biocide and a slime fighter. Tin based antifouling paints are the most effective but they have long been banned in the U.S. and most of the modern world where environmental policies are stricter than in the Third World. The next best thing in bottom paint is copper or cuprous oxide and this, too, is in the cross hairs of states and the EPA since it is poisonous. But, for most of us copper-based antifouling paints are the best bet. Blue Water Sailing
Look for paints with a high percentage of copper like Micron 66 or Pettit’s Trinidad and make sure the paint has an anti-slime additive such as Irgarol. The copper will ward off barnacles and organic growth while the antislime additive will prevent slime from building up along the waterline. In states or countries where copper-based paints are regulated, you have to go with different formulations and the best seem to be based on ECONEA or zinc biocides. These are more eco-friendly and that’s a good thing. The downside is that they do not work as well as copper-based paints so you have to add more coats at a higher cost. Most cruisers opt for co-polymer formulated ablative paints, straight ablatives or modified epoxy paints. Ablatives slough off molecules as the boat passes through the water steadily exposing new layers of the biocide. This also means that if you are moored for a long time in a high growth body of water, you can quite spring, 2022
easily scrub the bottom clean. And, ablatives don’t build up layer upon layer with repeated paintings. Modified epoxies are hard paints that can be sanded very smooth and can last and be effective for a long time. These paints do build up layer upon layer so you have to sand very thoroughly between seasonal repainting. For long haul sailors who will be 12 to 24 months between haul outs, you have to apply at least three layers of ablative paint and two good coats of modified epoxy paints to ensure that the effectiveness of the biocides will go the distance for you. If you know you are going to own your boat for many years and plan to sail in areas where hauling out is ether not possible or inconvenient, then you may want to consider applying Coppercoat to your boat’s bottom. It is more expensive and takes a lot more prep work than regular paint but it will be effective for five years or more. 19
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INSPECT THE RIG
WAX THE TOPSIDES Gelcoat, even white gelcoat, and modern marine paints will tend to fade slowly in sunlight. To preserve the boat’s hull as much as possible, it is wise to give the hull a good polishing or waxing once a year. So, give it a good cleaning with a soft brush and nonscratching pad where necessary and rinse it very thoroughly. Then, with one of the usual polishing products from StarBrite or another brand, apply a nice thick coat of polish and then steadily wipe it off with a soft cloth. This is a boring job that’s hard on the shoulders but we always find ourselves quoting Mister Miyagi: “Wax on, Wax off, Danielsan.” That’s small consolation but it’s better than nothing. And the boat will look great afterwards, too.
We always go up the mast and give the whole rig a thorough inspection before heading off on a long passage and if we are not heading offshore we reduce the process to one good annual inspection. The whole point of the inspection is to catch any potential failures before they happen and to make sure everything aloft is working properly. When you go up in the bosun’s chair, there are a few items you should take with you so you can make repairs if necessary: white rigging tape, black electrical tape, screwdrivers, seizing wire, wire cutter, tube of silicone, WD-40 with a nozzle, spare cotter pins or ring pins and a magnifying glass. Before you go aloft, turn on the masthead and steaming lights and if they are not working, take replacement bulbs with you. Start at the masthead and check all mounting points for your instruments, tricolor and antennas. Make sure that bases are secured and that there is no chafe on the wiring. Make sure the hole in the mast where the wiring passes is well filled with silicone so the wires don’t chafe on the aluminum. Check the shackle on the roller furling gear and re-seize the pin if need be. Check the tangs and end fitting on the stays and look for rusted strands near the swage or mechanical end fittings. Use the magnifying glass to get a close look at any discolored strands. If the ends look okay and are dry, smear some silicone around the joints to prevent water ingress that can cause corrosion.
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Blue Water Sailing
you put the sail back on the furler prior to launching, it is wise to give the whole roller furling system a good inspection.
Check the shackles and blocks on spinnaker halyards and seize the shackles if necessary. Check the halyard sheaves carefully and make sure they are turning easily. Squirt a good dollop of WD-40 onto the sheave’s sides to lubricate and protect the pins. As you come down the mast, check all tangs and end fittings and make sure the spreaders are well attached to the fittings on the mast. Remove the white rigging tape and spreader boots and check all attachments and fittings. Then, replace the boots and tape up the joints to avoid sail damage. Check the sheave or shackle on the topping lift and lubricate it with WD-40. Check the mast step for corrosion and make sure the fittings where the mast wiring goes through the deck are all watertight. Smear silicone on any joints that look suspect. Check the gooseneck for wear and tear and corrosion around stainless steel pins and apply WD-40 liberally. Once you have checked the whole rig, you want to make sure the mast is straight, the stays are tight and the mast is set up with the amount of prebend you and your sailmaker decided on. ROLLER FURLING If the boat has been stored with the mast up, you would have removed the sails to store them in a safe place below decks. Before spring, 2022
The device is made up of the drum and bale at the bottom, the turnbuckle and lower clevis pin, the individual foil sections which are usually eight feet long, the fasteners that attach the sections together and the top swivel. At the bottom of the lower turnbuckle, check the chainplate for discoloration or cracks and make sure the clevis pin is well secured with a split pin and then taped with rigging tape. Check the furling line for UV damage or wear and replace if necessary. On systems with open bearings, flush the bearings with hot water to remove dust and dirt. On drums with sealed bearings, you don’t have to worry. Using the bosun’s chair, have yourself hoisted up the stay to inspect the joints, fasteners and top swivel. Just tie the chair to the foil sections with a small loop of line so you don’t swing backwards. You may need tools such as Allen wrenches, LocTite, spare fasteners and WD-40. Look for set screws that are loose, for fasteners that are not in place and for joints between sections that are not tight and stable. Any loose set screws should be removed, cleaned, coated with LocTite and
{ FITTING OUT }
reinstalled. At the top, check the swivel and give it a good shot of WD-40. WINCHES A simple but messy task during a refit is to clean and regrease your winches. When a winch sits for a long time, the grease inside tends to coagulate and become thick and less viscous. This will cause the bearings to bind up and will make trimming sails or raising halyards more difficult. Also, it is not good for the bearings, pawls and springs to get gunked up. All you have to do is take the winches apart and clean the parts with a solvent that will dissolve the old grease. Once clean, you have to judiciously regrease the bearings, drums, pawls and put it all back together again. If you know what you are doing and have the required tools, it takes about 20 minutes to clean and grease a winch. STEERING SYSTEMS Steering systems are the most exposed to hardship of any system on a cruising sailboat. That’s because the forces of moving water and waves on a rudder can be im-
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mense, particularly in large waves when the boat is falling off waves or being overtaken by large rollers. The steering system is always in motion and always dynamic, so it is important when fitting out to check it from top to bottom. Most modern cruising boats have either a chain, wire to quadrant design or a bevel head, torque tube to quadrant system. A wire system will have more play in it since the wire will stretch over time and under load while torque tubes do not stretch. To start the inspection, turn the wheel or wheels hard in both directions and look for any play in the system. If there is no play, you are in luck. If there is, you will need to tighten the wires at the quadrant or look for weak fasteners in the installation of the torque tubes, most likely where the tubes change direction. On both types of systems, check points where the tubes or the wire goes through a fixed point, either sheaves for wire or mounting brackets for tubes. This is where failures often occur. At the quadrant, inspect the cast quadrant for cracks and the key in the rudder that keeps the quadrant aligned. Check the autopilot attachment to the rudder post and the key for that. The autopilot arm should not
Blue Water Sailing
screwed down very tightly. Check for signs of rust, cracks in the clamps or weakness in the hoses and replace any that are suspect.
be attached to the quadrant but to it’s own small tiller; that way, if you have a steering system problem, the autopilot can still steer the boat. Also, quadrants are not designed to withstand the sudden jarring motion of a big wave twisting the rudder and extending the arm violently. If the boat is out of the water, grab the bottom of the rudder and try to manipulate it sideways. If there is any play, you may have bearing issues or cracks in the rudder mounting installation and you should have a boat yard specialist look at it. In the water, inspect the thru-hull for leaks or cracks. THRU-HULL FITTINGS Modern cruising boats have many holes in them below the water and each one is a potentially serious problem. The seacocks are all that stand between you and a huge leak, so you need to make sure you check each one carefully. Make sure the valve turns easily and that there are no signs of corrosion or electrolysis. If the seacock has a grease nipple, pump a little grease into it and then open and close it repeatedly. Plastic Marelon seacocks eliminate the risk of corrosion or electrolysis.
Also, make sure you have the appropriately sized wooden or rubber plugs always handy on the boat so you can block a failed seacock quickly. ENGINE AND GENERATOR It is customary on marine diesels to change the oil and filter on the engine and genset when a boat is hauled out for the winter or for an extended stay on the hard, say, during hurricane season in the tropics. This removes impurities from the oil in the engine and will reduce internal corrosion. Then, when you are back in the water, run the engine for 10 hours or so and change the oil again to remove any impurities that appeared inside the engine while it was sitting. It is also normal to top up the fuel tanks when the boat is being laid up to reduce condensation in the tanks. You should also add a fuel additive with a biocide that will emulsify water in the tank and kill any bugs that try to grow in the water droplets. The fuel should be fine when you go to relaunch but monitor
The seacocks are all attached to internal plumbing hoses and made fast with hose clamps. Each hose needs to have at least two high-quality stainless-steel clamps that are in perfect condition and spring, 2022
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{ FITTING OUT }
the fuel filters carefully for the first 10 hours to make sure nothing is growing in the tanks. The general checkup of the engine during the fitting out should include changing the fuel filters and draining off any water that is in the filter housing, changing the raw water impeller that may have grown brittle from disuse, tightening or replacing the belts, which also might have become brittle or developed hard spots where they turn around the small pullies, and checking the anti-syphon loop in the raw water plumbing. The transmission fluid should also be changed with the appropriate fluid. The heat exchanger on the engines are liable to develop scale that can block the passages, reduce water flow and cause the engine to run too hot. There are several ways to check this, but the best is to take the ends off the exchanger and have a good look. On some engines, the passages can be cleaned manually. On others, with delicate fins, you have to flush the passages with a moderately weak solution of muriatic acid that will melt the scale but not the metal. The engine will have several zincs that will need to be checked and replaced. These are
usually in the heat exchanger and in the back of the exhaust manifold but there may be others. We had an old Volvo MD model that had four zincs that needed to be replaced annually and one on the prop shaft. If you have a standard shaft, check the flange that attaches it to the transmission; if you see that is it fitting poorly, you may have to align the engine and for that you may want to call in a seasoned mechanic. Where the shafts exits the boat, inspect the stern gland and make sure it is functioning properly. An old packing gland should leak a little while running the engine but not when the shaft is not turning. The modern Lasdrop shaft seals shouldn’t leak; if it does, you may need to tighten it slightly. If you have a P-strut for the shaft, inspect the fasteners inside the boat for any corrosion or cracks in the fiberglass. Outside the boat, grab the shaft and try to move the Pstrut side to side. If there is any motion, you need to address how the strut is attached to the boat and correct any problems. Don’t forget to change the zincs on the shaft and propeller. On saildrives, check the rubber gasket under the engine for leaks or any discoloration from spilled oil or fuel. Out of the water you can check the saildrive and change the oil easily. You should also change the zincs. The saildrive is aluminum so don’t paint it with copper paint. You should coat it with a zinc-based antifouling paint. BATTERIES Your batteries do not like being left unused. They die a slow
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Blue Water Sailing
death when they are left to slowly discharge. Hooking the boat up to shore power through your battery charger, will maintain the batteries for a while but there is always risk of fire so you need to have the boat checked regularly. If you have solar panels, you can leave the batteries hooked up in the boat and let them self-maintain while you are away and that’s one very good reason to add at least one panel. But if you don’t have a solar panel or shore power, then you need to find a way to keep the batteries charged. That will usually mean finding a warm place for them where they can be hooked up to a maintenance charger. When you are ready to head back into the water, you should try to keep the batteries in the top third of the amp-hour cycle for a week so the batteries get used to the discharge-recharge activity. This is less important with gel cell and AGM batteries but still a good practice. Wet cell batteries need to be reconditioned after a long lay over so you will need to give them a high voltage charge for a few hours to burn the scale off the batteries’ plates; for this, you will need an adjustable smart charging device, which should really be a basic element of your energy system onboard. Lithium batteries are less sensitive to deep discharges and can be run through a lot more cycle than more conventional batteries. And, the price of lithium batteries is coming down, so they are now more of an optional upgrade for many. WATER TANKS Chances are you left the water tanks empty and flushed some sort of either non-toxic antifreeze or a solution of bleach to keep them healthy while the boat was not being used. spring, 2022
When you are ready to start fresh with the next launch, it is good to start with tanks that are as clean and fresh as possible. A simple solution is to mix up a couple of five gallon pails with a mild bleach solution, pour it into the tanks and pump that through all of the boat’s fresh water plumbing one faucet at a time. When done, flush the whole system with fresh water and you are done. This will help to contain any growth in the plumbing system and cut down on any odor. KEEPING RECORDS I like to keep a maintenance log that is separate from the ship’s log. In this I keep all of the serial numbers and part numbers for items that need to be worked on and or replaced and the phone numbers and websites of service centers and parts store. Also in this log, is the record of all the maintenance done on the boat, such as the frequency of oil changes, the dates of rigging upgrades and so forth, This will help you through all of the regular maintenance and it will be very valuable when the time comes to sell the boat as it is a good record of just how well the boat was cared for.
{ TECH REPORT }
WATER POWER TOPS YOUR BATTERIES Let your boat’s speed through the water charge your battery bank WATER POWERED THE BEGINNING OF THE Industrial Revolution when inventors and entrepreneurs discovered that a turning water wheel could be used to drive the machines that can mill lumber, weave cloth and turn lathes. Water power could be transformed into economic power by harnessing the inherent energy in a flowing stream. So, it is not much of a leap for the tinkerers and inventors in the marine world to figure out that the flow of water past the moving hull of a sailboat contains the same energy as the water flowing past a water wheel. Plus, that energy is there whenever the boat is underway so all they had to do was figure how to harness it. Water generators are not new. American Hamilton Ferris has been building and selling water generators—the Water Power 200— 26
since 1975 and continues to upgrade the units to include the latest generating technology. The concept then and today is to devise a generator that uses a propeller that is made to spin by the flow of the water to turn a small generator. The current created by the generator then runs through a regulator to the battery bank. The speed of the boat and thus the speed of the water flowing past it determines the spinning speed of the prop and the amount of energy created by the generator. Speed equals energy. Contact Hamilton Ferris for more information about the next generation models soon to be on the market. The Ferris Water Power 200 can be converted into a wind generator with long blades and a tail that can be hung over the boat’s fore triangle where it will generate electricity while the boat is at anchor. Several other water Blue Water Sailing
generator manufacturers have also adopted this dual use philosophy. Check it out here. The Duo-Gen, from England, is a dual purpose generator that can be deployed in both wind and water modes. Now in its third generation, the generator advertises that it can produce six amps in 15 knots of wind or eight amps in the water with a boat speed of six knots. The unit mounts on the stern and has a crane for the wind mode and a swivel for water mode. It is built of enhanced aluminum castings and has a carbon fiber drive shaft. The Duo-Gens have been used on world cruises for years and have proven reliable. The all up cost of a unit and installation will run about $5,000. Duo-Gen also produces the water only SailGen that mounts on the transom and will deliver a whopping 10 amps at six knots. The impeller is held firmly under the water by an articulating dive plane and when it is time to retrieve it, you simply change the plane’s angle and the unit pops out of the water. Simple, powerful and well made, the Sail-Gen will definitely keep the batteries topped up. For boats on passage, a speed of five knots will generate 150 amp-hours per day while a speed of seven knots will put out up to 400 amp-hours. The Sail-Gen with the regulator will run about $4,000. Check it out here.
Aquair-100
water generators for racers that are designed to perform in a wide range of boats speeds from two to 15 knots and more. The output from these units is 150 watts or about 12 amps. Check it out here.
WattSeagenerators
The most recent entry in the water generator market comes from France. Developed for cruisers and racers, the Watt & Sea water generators are not dual mode. Shaped like a very streamlined sail drive, the units fit on stern brackets and can be lowered and raised easily. Watt & Sea offers 300 and 600 watt models; the 300 watt models put out eight amps at seven knots while the 600 produces 10 amps at six knots. Eight amps become 192 amp-hours daily. The units are not inexpensive with prices for the 300 running about $4,000 and the 600 at about $4,500. Watt & Sea also builds ultra light, all carbon spring, 2022
Ampair-underwater 27
{ SUMMER SAILING }
LET’S GO SAILING
How to plan a summer sailing vacation that will take you to new cruising grounds and help you build cruising skills along the way
WHETHER YOU WANT TO BUILD skills or just get away for some fun cruising, this summer is the perfect time to sign up for a charter, a sailing school or an expedition. Here’s how.
discover cruising grounds far from your home waters. Surveys of our readers over the years have shown that the Pacific Northwest is the most popular region to charter in summer in the continental states followed by New England CHARTER VACATIONS and the Great Lakes. The Chesapeake Summer is the season for chartering Bay is popular in spring and fall but all around America and offers a great can be too hot and airless for summer opportunity for you and your family to cruising. Florida, also, is great in spring 30
Blue Water Sailing
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{ SUMMER SAILING }
and fall, and can be fine all summer but Duluth, Green Bay, Sturgeon Bay and the humidity and frequent rain squalls Door County in Lake Michigan and the can be an issue. famously beautiful waters of the North Channel in northern Lake Huron. Great In the Pacific Northwest you can charter Lakes cruisers swear that the North either a sailboat or a powerboat and Channel is America’s finest summer since the wind is often light in sum- cruising ground, rivaling the Pacific mer and the current between islands Northwest and the coast of Maine; if very strong, a boat with a good motor it is not on your cruising bucket list, it is the key to happy cruising. There is should be. good cruising all around Seattle and the islands or you can point the bow The Coast of Maine is famous for it’s northward and head for the wild region thousands of islands, harbors and rivers around Desolation Sound. You will see that combine to offer a lifetime’s worth bears and eagles and dine often on wild of sailing and cruising opportunities. It salmon. can be foggy in early summer so the best times to explore Maine under sail The Great Lakes are too often over- are in late July, August and September. looked by sailors on the coasts but the Old timers will tell you that on foggy lakes have some of America’s prettiest days you should sail to the heads of cruising areas and the great pleasure the bays for better visibility and on days of sailing in sweet, fresh water. The when the wind clears from the north, favorite places to charter will be the you can venture to the offshore islands Apostle Islands in Lake Superior, near like Matinicus and Monhegan. Along the 32
Blue Water Sailing
IN THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
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{ SUMMER SAILING }
way you can stop in charming towns like Booth Bay, Rockland, Camden, Castine, Blue Hill and Southwest Harbor and learn to speak like a Maniac. Ehyup. Southern New England is the East Coast’s summer yachting capital and the heart of the region will be Newport, RI. That’s the place to start and from there you can head east to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket or west to Long Island Sound and famous destinations like Block Island, Mystic, Shelter Island and Oyster Bay. You will sail in company of some of the grandest and most beautiful sailing yachts in the country, will see everything from Optis to 12 Meters racing around the buoys, and will catch sight of an osprey or two circling above your anchorages. July and August are the height of the season, but June and September can be lovely and less crowded, too. 34
The Chesapeake Bay in late spring and early fall is one of the East Coast’s most interesting places to charter. Starting in Annapolis you can head down the Bay to St. Michael’s, Oxford and Tangier Island or sail north to the Magothy and Sassafras Rivers or even downtown Baltimore for a night on the town. Florida is a sailing and chartering destination all year around and the two best destinations will be Ft. Lauderdale on the east coast and St. Petersburg on the west coast. You have to keep an eye out for summer squalls and always have a plan B when making coastal runs. Also, Florida is America’s lightning capital, so keep a weather eye for storms. The Bahamas offers great summer cruising and will be less humid and have steady trade winds all summer long. You can either cruise the Abacos out of Marsh Harbor or explore the Exumas Blue Water Sailing
Discover a world of exceptional sailing vacations Bareboat | Skippered | Sail By The Cabin | Flotillas | Sailing Schools Call 800.437.7880 or visit sunsail.com/bws
{ SUMMER SAILING }
schools associated with U.S.Sailing (the sport’s national governing body) and those affiliated with the American Sailing Association (ASA).
from a charter base on New Providence Island (Nassau). Old time Bahamas cruisers will tell you they prefer the spring, summer and fall seasons to the winter simply because the weather is more settled and the crowds gone. The Caribbean is open for chartering all summer long and you will find great off-season rates to keep the cost as low as possible. This summer, the charter companies in the BVI, USVI, Puerto Rico and St. Martin will be eager for your business and will be offering great deals to keep their fleets busy. The Caribbean in summer is slightly more humid than winter and it tends to rain more often. But, it is still the Caribbean and the hospitality can’t be beat. SAILING SCHOOLS Building sailing and cruising skills while on summer vacation in some exotic destination sounds like a perfect combination of fun and travel for the whole family. There are two branded sailing school operations in North America, 36
Some of the larger and older schools, such a Colgate’s Offshore Sailing School or J/World, are U.S. Sailing schools that follow the curriculum created and maintained by U.S Sailing. ASA has 350 schools around the world and provides a similar curriculum. The choice between the two systems will often come down to where you want to sail and what you want to achieve. It is interesting that ASA has many international affiliates. There are 37 ASA schools in China and there is even one in Egypt. If you have your heart set on sailing in French Polynesia, you can charter a bareboat or you can fly in and attend a ASA affiliated school and build sailing skills. US Sailing has dozens of schools all around the U.S. plus schools in Bermuda, The Bahamas, the Caribbean and Mexico. So, however you slice it, wherever you want to travel, you will be able to find a sailing school nearby. To find a sailing school log on to www. ussailing.org and www.asa.com. Blue Water Sailing
EXPEDITIONS For those who want to get some real blue water sailing experience and learn seamanship and cruising skills from sailors who have hundreds of thousands of miles under their keels expedition sailing is the way to go. One of the most well-known offshore instructors is John Neal who has been taking paying student offshore on long passages for more than 30 years. Recently, John shifted his expedition business to the Pacific Northwest where he runs trips on a regular basis all summer. He also runs expeditions in Scotland every spring. www.mahina.com. John Kretchmer is a veteran offshore sailor who has sailed all over the world and now run expeditions in the North Atlantic, Caribbean and the Med aboard his Kaufman 47 Quetzal. He usually has four to six paying crew aboard and everyone gets to manage the boat, stand watches and learn the ropes as they do. Kretchmer is a great guy, a fun storyteller and a good teacher of all things to do with blue water sailing. In 2022 he will sail from the Caribbean to Florida and the Bahamas, then to Annapolis before making the crossing to the Azores. For the rest of the summer he will be cruising north to Scotland and Ireland before finishing the season in Spain. johnkretschmersailing.com/. spring, 2022
Andy and Mia Schell have jumped into the expedition business with both sea boots and run six to 10 expeditions per year aboard their Swan 48 Isbjorn. Andy has vast offshore experience and was closely aligned with the Caribbean 1500 for many years. He also has one of the most popular podcasts available anywhere and is a frequent author. In 2018, Isbjorn will be focused on sailing in the Norwegian Arctic and will end the season with a passage south to Portugal where the boat will be staged to begin the 2022 season. www.59-north.com. Paul Exner runs a smaller expedition program aboard his 31-foot cutter Solstice. He can accommodate three guests and has focused his sailing in Hawaii. If you are looking for small boat experience, shorter expeditions and an intimate environment, Paul has just what you are looking for. www. moderngeographic.com.
{ BOAT REVIEW }
A Dozen Worthy Cruising Boats Under $50,000 AFTER TWO AND HALF YEARS OF Covid, during which many folks who were locked out of their normal lives, decided that boats and cruising was a safe and enjoyable way to do things as families without the stress and danger of crowded spaces. The brokerage markets for sailboats has been very active and inventory has been picked pretty clean. But, there are still great
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From 31 to 42 feet, here are 12 boats for cruisers on a budget by George Day
deals out there for sailors who are willing to take an older boat and make her new again. The dozen boats we selected here are a very personal choice and are of two distinct types; first there are the full displacement cruisers and double enders that were so popular among blue water sailors at the end of the
Blue Water Sailing
last century, so most of these will be 25 to 40 years old; second, we have selected several of what you might call racer-cruisers but which are in fact solid fin keel designs with large rudders that hang on partial or full skegs. These boats will be 20 to 30 years old in the under $50,000 price category. When you buy an older boat, you have to expect that there will be a long list of projects big and small to tackle to get the boat up to a standard worthy of coastal and offshore sailing. One good thing about older boats is that they were built with heavier scantlings than more modern designs and good ones will have been maintained and upgraded by loving owners. The other thing that is plainly noticeable in older boats is that they have a lot less living space below than modern designs. That’s just a fact of life when on a strict budget.
go with a 110 percent jib instead of the genoa and a larger mainsail with a lot of roach. There is a bridgedeck and access below is via a ladder through the companionway.
With all of that in mind, here are dozen worthy cruisers that cost about $50k The accommodations have a full aft or less. cabin with a single and double berth (hence the bridgedeck for headroom) ALBIN NIMBUS 42 and then there is a V-berth forward. This Swedish built, Kauffman and Ladd There are two heads with “wet” showdesign is not all that well known in the ers. The saloon has the galley aft to U.S. despite the fact that quite a few port, a large dinette to port and bench were sold in America. The Nimbus to starboard. The chart table is at the came out at about the same time as the aft end of the bench and faces aft. Beneteau First 42 and both boats were homages to that generation of Swans, The Albin Nimbus 42 has stylish looks, but much less expensive. The cockpit sails very well and will be easily manis small and will be good at sea. The aged by a couple. If it has teak decks, rig has a smaller mainsail and a large these may need upgrading, but the foretriangle with a large overlapping boats have good bones and are worth genoa. It would make sense today to the effort it takes to bring it up to date. spring, 2022
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{ BOAT REVIEW }
ALAJUALA 38 This classic, displacement double ender with a bow sprit was designed by William Atkin and harkens back to cruising boats of yore and in a way is a precursor to modern classics like the Valiant 40. With a deep, full-length keel and an attached rudder, the hull can take a pounding without much worry and the rudder is well protected from flotsam. The boat’s displacement is very heavy by modern standards and will give the boat an easy comfortable motion in a seaway. The double-ended stern is excellent when running before large ocean swells. The cutter rig breaks the sail area into manageable sized sails and offers a built-in storm sail in the staysail. See the wind top 40 knots? No problem.
a huge amount of interior volume. But, it does actually have berths for five people, with a double V-berth forward, and single berths on the settee in the saloon and a pilot berth above the port settee. The U-shaped galley aft is a proper sea-going galley where you can cook and clean up even in bouncy weather. And, she has a large chart table with storage under it reminding us of cruising in the days before chart plotters. Steady, comfortable and safe, the Alajuala 38 is a proper old-fashion blue water cruiser that will look after her crew while making stately progress around the world.
BENETEAU FIRST 38 Designed by Jean Berret and introduced in 1983, the First 38 was billed as a racer-cruiser for a family. With its fin keel and spade rudder, it was quite modern at the time and had some dyed in the wool old timers shaking their heads. But the concept proved incredibly successful and the First line With just under 12 feet of beam and a grew to include the 34, 42 and 456, all 32-foot waterline, the 38 does not have worthy cruising boats. In the 80s, the boats were very solidly built and known for stiffness and good seakeeping. The standard rig was quite tall so the 38 needed to be reeded early and often. With almost 13 feet of beam, the design liked to be sailed upright instead of rail down, similar to most modern cruisers. Also, Beneteau broke with tradition and put the Blue Water Sailing
main traveler on the cabin top which got it and all the mainsheet spaghetti out of the cockpit. The accommodation plan was revolutionary, too. This was one of the first cruising boats to have double quarter cabins, as well as the V-berth forward and a pilot berth above the port settee – all in all berths for up to 10 souls. There was a tiny head aft between the quarter cabins and a larger head forward. The galley was small but perfectly useful and across from was a large full-size chart table. We have several friends who have circumnavigated in First 38s and found the boats to be fast, handy for a lone watchkeeper to handle and roomy enough for extended living aboard. CAL 39 In the 70s and 80s, Cal yachts become one of the world’s largest sailboat builders. The venerable Cal 40 was a huge success early on and then the series of Cal 39s filled that space in the company’s line. Hundreds were built and there are still many out there sailing. The MK III version which was built after 1983 would be a boat to consider for extended cruising. The Bill Lapworth design is similar to the First 38, with a spade rudder and a deep fin keel. It has a beam of 12 feet and a 32-foot waterline so it doesn’t have quite as much interior volume as the First 38, but otherwise is of the same design concept. spring, 2022
The cockpit is roomy enough for a crew of four or five, the side decks are quite wide and the fore deck large enough to carry an eight foot dinghy when on passage. The rig is very much of the 80s era with a short main boom, tall mast and large fore triangle. The standard huge genoa should be replaced with a smaller jib of about 115 percent as a working sail; then a gennaker or code zero could be used for down wind sailing. The acommodation plan has a V-berth forward and a double quarter berth aft to port. There are two heads, one forward and the other aft. The galley is small but will work both at anchor and at sea. The saloon has a centerline folding table with bench settees on both sides. In a pinch, the 39 will sleep six. Like the First 38, the Cal 39 would be a great sailing perfor
{ BOAT REVIEW }
headsails that will make sail handling easy for a lone watch keeper or a couple. The living spaces below are set up for two couples or a family of four. There is a V-berth forward and a large athwart-ships mance cruiser that will take a cruis- double berth aft in its own cabin. There ing couple anywhere reasonable – is one large head forward. The galley ie., mid latitudes-- they want to go. L-shaped galley has plenty of counter space and enough storage for extended cruising. The saloon has a dinette CATALINA 36 to port and a bench to starboard. The Catalina 36 is the most popular mid-size cruising boat ever built, with The Catalina 36 was designed as an 1785 of the MK I version and close to every-man’s coastal cruiser but many a thousand of the MK II version built intrepid sailors have fitted them out over a span of 25 years. And there are for extended cruising to the Caribbean still hundreds of 36s in good condi- and South Pacific. The construction is tion out there and ready to cruise. The robust and the interior joinery worthy Frank Butler design is moderate in all of such an amazingly popular boat. dimentions with a 12-foot beam, that is There are usually many used 36s to caried quite far aft, a 30-foot waterline choose from on the market and prices and a standard draft of five feet, eight vary depending upon age and condiinches. A shoal wing keel was also an tion. You really can’t go wrong choosoption. The rig is moderate with a sen- ing a Catalina 36 to fulfill your cruising sible balance between mainsail and dreams as many thousands of sailors have done over the years. C&C LANDFALL 38 During the great sailing and cruising boom of the 70s and 80s, C&C, based in Canada dominated the racer-cruiser market in North America. And, there are still thousands of their racy fin-keel, spade rudder designs out there sailBlue Water Sailing
ing. To enter the cruising side of the market, C&C launched the Landfall series. In the price category we are looking at here, the Landfall 38 is an interesting and attractive possibility as there were some 180 of them built. The hulls and decks are balsa cored, so that will be an important part of any survey. But, that also makes the boats lighter and faster than some of their counterparts. The rig is moderate and designed for a cruising couple. Draft also is only five feet so the L38 will make a good choice for the Bahamas, The Chesapeake Bay and southern New England.
41 is a classic from the Hong Kong builder that was in production from 1982 through 1994. The design has a cruising fin keel and a skeg-hung rudder so it is a good mix of traditional rudder security with the sailing performance of a fin. The rig is moderately tall and designed to be sailed with a 130 percent overlapping genoa. As noted above, cruisers might chose to reduce the headsail size and add The layout below has a V-berth for- downwind sails. He cockpit is fairly ward, a double quarter berth aft to large and deep enough to be secure in port and bench settee with a folding a seaway. dining table on the centerline between Down below, the layout has a V-berth them. The boat will sleep four in com- forward with it’s own sink but no head. fort and six in a pinch. Designer Rob The head is aft, just forward of the Ball pulled out all the stops in the starboard quarter berth cabin and has large U-shaped galley, which will be great for both cooking at sea and at anchor. Landfall 38s check off a lot of boxes for a couple’s cruising boat that promises to sail very well. For living aboard, the L38 has the space, storage and galley for full time cruising. CHEOY LEE PEDRICK 41 The Cheoy Lee Perdrick spring, 2022
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{ BOAT REVIEW }
for the raised saloon area. Down below there is the aft saloon with inside steering for bad weather. Down a step into the saloon, the galley is to port and the dinette has a folding table so those seated on the opposite bench settee can join dinner. Forward a separate shower stall, something you there is a angled double berth and a don’t often see on vintage cruisers. small sofa. The U-shaped galley across from the head has a lot of counter space, dou- There were 200 Corbin 39s bult beble fridge hatches and double stainless tween 1979 and 1991 and many of steel sinks; this is as good a sea-going them sailed over the horizon on voygalley as it gets. Built in Hong Kong ages large and small. The boat has when labor was cheap, the Pedrick 41 large fuel and water tanks and ample has a fine traditional teak finish and storage for supplies and spares, so this lots of interesting details. If you can is a boat that you can live aboard in find one in good condition, you would remote cruising areas for a long time. have a boat that will take you safely and comfortably just about anywhere. ISLAND PACKET 31 The smallest design in our dozen CORBIN 39 boats, the Island Packet 31 is truly The Corbin 39, built in Canada to a much larger than she looks. With alRobert Dufour design, came along most 12 feet of beam and a 27 foot in 1979, just at the beginning of the waterline, she has nearly the interior cruising boom. A true blue water cruis- volume of boats five feet longer. Plus, ing, the 39 has a rounded stern simi- her relatively high topside creates a lar to the Valiant 40 and has a 32 foot lot of interior headroom. The 31 has a waterline with a five foot draft. Under roomy cockpit and is set up with a cutthe water, she has a modified full keel ter rig that has a small genoa on the and a large skeg-hung rudder. This is headstay and a staysail inboard. With a conservative approach that will make roller furling, a lone watch keeper will her owners sleep better at night. With be able to reef and reduce sail easily a short bow sprit, the standard rig was from the cockpit. The bow sprit douas a cutter with a Yankee foresail and bles as an anchor roller. a smaller staysail. Down below the layout has a V berth The cockpit is small by today’s stan- forward and a double quarter berth aft dards as was the preference in 1979 to starboard. The single head compartand there is a small raised pilot house ment is forward and relatively large for 44
Blue Water Sailing
a 31-footer. The galley is a true seagoing galley and also is relatively large for a cruiser of this size. The saloon has a centerline table with folding leaves to up to six can sit comfortable for dinner. This Bob Johnstone design was introduced in 1983 and over the next six year 262 of them were built. These salty little cruisers have crossed oceans many times and taken their owner on voyages to the Caribbean, South Pacific and beyond. With a full keel and attached rudder, the boat is bullet proof and capable of handling big seas and high winds. Island Packets hold their value very well, but you may be able to find one in the $50k range and you wouldn’t go wrong become its new owner. MOODY 37 The Moody 37 is the only center cockpit design in this collection and presents an interesting contrast the aft-cockpit sloops and cutters. Designed by Bill Dixon and built by Moodys in England, the 37 was introduced in 1985 and over the next two years 310 of them rolled out of the factory making it one of the most popular mid-range cruising boats of that era. The hull has pleasing lines, a moderate cruising fin keel with a draft of five feet, six inches and a skeg-hung rudder. The rig is a simple masthead sloop design with a smaller fore=triangle most of that era so it will have a smaller genoa to crank in. Down below the aft cabin has spring, 2022
a double berth to starboard, an en suite head and a settee to port. The forward cabin has a V-berth and access to the forward head. The saloon has an L-shaped dinette with a settee across from it, a large U-shaped galley and a chart table to port. There is a single berth in the passageway aft to the after cabin. This is a great mid-size 80s cruiser that will take you anywhere in quite a lot of comfort and style. PACIFIC SEACRAFT 37 One of the most iconic cruising boats from the 80s is the Pacific Seacraft 37. More of these boats have voyaged far and wide than almost any other double-ender, except perhaps the more expensive Valiant 40. Design by Bill Crealock, the hull is narrow, at 10 feet, 10 inches, and has a moderate fin keel with a rudder hung on a full skeg. The cutter rig breaks the sail plan down into mainsail, staysail and Yankee, all of a very manageable size. The cockpit is small, as was popular in the 70s when the boat was designed so a boarding wave in a storm will not flood the boat. At sundowner time, you’ll be able to fit five adults comfortably.
{ BOAT REVIEW }
Down below, space is limited by the narrow hull and short waterline but is laid out in a very seaman-like way so it is safe and convenient while at sea. There is a quarter berth aft and a diagonal double berth forward. The head is large and has a separate shower, something rare on a boat of this style and vintage. The saloon has a good seagoing galley, a full chart table, an Lshaped dinette and a good bench settee that will make a great sea berth, as will the quarter berth. This boat is an old-fashion blue water cruiser that will be comfortable and safe in all types of weather and sea conditions. It just begs for a wind-vane on the stern. TARTAN 37 Over the years, Tartan Yachts based in Ohio, built three 37 footer, one by Ted Hood in the 60s, one by S & S in the 70s and 80s, and one by Tim Jacket in the 2000s. The 37 we’re talking about that is a great buy un $50k, is the S&S
design. It is a keel-centerboard configuration with a minimum draft of four feet and a large skeg-hung rudder. The boats is fairly wide, has a long waterline and has quite high topsides for this generation so interior volume is maximized. The cockpit is large enough to be comfortable both sailing and at anchor with friends. The mast-head rig has a small mainsail and a large genoa; with modern sail technology, you could easily get by with a 115 percent headsail instead of the huge 140 percent spec’d. Down below the 37 has a large quarter berth and a V-berth up forward. The saloon has a good Ushaped galley, an L-shaped dinette, a bench settee with a pilot berth above it and a chart table. This is a comfortable, fast and well-built couple’s cruiser that is great for coasting but perfectly capable of ocean passages. There were 386 of the 37s built, so you can be choosy about the one you decide on.
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