From: psmith@dg-webo.rtp.dg.com (Peter Smith)
Subject: Request for opinions
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 92 00:45:38 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Data General Corp., Westboro, MA

After 25 years of crewing for others and the occasional charter, I'm
looking seriously to buy my own boat.  Comments on my sanity aside, I would
like to tap the net's collective experience regarding some boats that are
of interest, and to request suggestions of what else I ought to look into.

I've sailed all my life, starting in Bulls Eyes and Flying Scots, then
coastal and offshore racing in handicapped classes.  My wife is newer to
this, but is eager and willing.  We plan to use the boat primarily for
day-sailing with 2-4 aboard and occasional over-nighters for 2.  We'll be
sailing mostly in Nantucket Sound, where the summer breeze is typically
10-20 knots with a mild chop.  Specific features we want are:

 -- A cockpit that you sit IN, not just put your feet into, with adequate
    coamings for dryness & back support.

 -- Enough of a galley to be able to make coffee or heat up a simple meal.

 -- Some sort of head: probably a porta-potty.

 -- Good manners in a seaway.

Specific features we don't want:

 -- Deep keels are a problem.  Getting a mooring for a boat that draws much
    more than 3 feet will be tough and we'd be limited as to where and when
    we could sail.

 -- I confess an aesthetic dislike for high topsides or tall coachroofs.  I
    don't insist on old-fashioned lines, but a nice sheer and low sil-
    houette would be a big plus.

 -- I'm fond of catboats for light airs, but in general I haven't enjoyed
    sailing them when the wind gets up.  One Big Sail is not so simple to
    de-power or reef as a sloop or cutter, and I find a gaff an unnecessary
    complication.  Too bad, as the Marshall 22 seems an otherwise sound,
    practical boat.

My dream boat would be one of the fiberglass Alerions that Halsey Her-
reshoff built when he was still in the business.  25 feet, keel/center-
board, graceful, and quick.  Unfortunately, not many were built and I
despair of ever finding one.  As for the Sanford-built, wooden Alerions, I
have not the love (or money) to keep up a wooden boat.

More of a possibility is the Stone Horse, built by Edey & Duff from a
Crocker design.  A tad heavy, but strong and handsome.  I've seen them
handle wind and chop well:  do they sail well in light air?

At a recent boatshow, I saw a Nimble 24.  It's a sharpie hull: hard chine,
flat bottom, centerboard, canoe stern, marconi sloop rig.  I see this as
having the shoal-draft advantages of a catboat while getting around my bias
against gaffs & cat rigs.  Does anyone know how they sail?  It's shallow
(18") draft would open up lots of possibilities, but I have to wonder if it
is at the cost of idiosyncratic handling.  Will it go to weather?  Does it
pound in chop?
 
I look forward to your replies.  You can E-mail longer replies and I'll put
together a summary.  Short opinions and snide remarks are probably better
posted, so they can start off their own threads 8-).  Thanks.
---
Peter Smith -- Data General Corp., Westboro, MA
Peter_Smith@dgc.ceo.dg.com or psmith@dg-webo.webo.dg.com
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