From: kell@mprgate.mpr.ca (Dave Kell)
Subject: Re: Boat Show
Reply-To: kell@mprgate.mpr.ca (Dave Kell)
Organization: MPR Teltech Ltd.
Distribution: na
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 93 01:12:38 GMT

Well I've been holding onto this article for a couple of days because
I wanted to comment but don't have time... I guess I'll make time :-)

In article <1993Jan21.143233.15952@cbnewsj.cb.att.com>, legacy@cbnewsj.cb.att.com (wayne.m.simpson) writes:
|> In article <1jhro5INN3q9@male.EBay.Sun.COM> jeffh@nonsuch.EBay.Sun.COM writes:
|> >Of the sailboats that were there, most seemed to look a little bit like power 
|> >boats, strongly promote the theme of "easy to sail", and use new (sometimes 
|> >radical) gimmicks instead of sound design features.  My impression was that 
|> >most of the boats looked a lot more "plastic". than I have been used to boats
|> >looking.  

I attended the Toronto and Seattle indoor boatshows in the past few weeks.  
Neither was very useful if you're looking for keelboats, although the Seattle
one was about the same size as two years ago when I was there before.  I hadn't
been to the Toronto show in about 4 years, and the pickings were pretty slim
for keelboats.  Powerboats galore, as usual, but I don't even look at them.

I went to the Seattle in-the-water show at Lake Union as well.  This is a
bunch of brokers all having open-house at the same time.  I really enjoyed it.
It was a good chance to look at some significant boats (lots in the 37 - 40'
range), including many true cruising boats I hadn't seen before.  Ah, if only
I had a spare $150k :(  Some of the dealers had new boats there, including
Catalinas, F-27/F-27 trimarans, and J-boats.  There were a couple of Passport
yachts (37 and 42') that were really nice, as well as a Hans Christian 38 and
Tayana 37 (about which I'd read but not seen).

The hot new J-95 (? the one with sliding spinnaker pole/bowsprit) was there,
as well as being in the Toronto show.  I guess it would be lots of fun to sail,
but definitely not a cruising boat.  At 30' I would have wanted a bit more
accommodation, but then I'm not an all-out racing type of guy.

I finally got to see the J-35C, which I'd seen advertised.  It's supposed to 
be a cruising boat, according to the advertising, but I wasn't very impressed.
There's no bow roller.  There is in-deck storage on the starboard side-deck
for a Danforth anchor.  Inside it was OK, but didn't really excite me at all.

... good stuff about under-cockpit aft-cabins deleted...

I have only seen about two boats that had an "aft-cabin" in an aft-cockpit
boat that I thought I might enjoy.  Both boats were ~40', and I still wasn't
very impressed.  Now with a centre cockpit, the aft-cabin idea really shines.
Unfortunately I don't think I'd like a centre cockpit boat, so I'll live without.


|>    The Catalina 270 sleeps 4, from what I can tell. This, at least, is
|> a positive trend in that the number of berths is down from 5 or 6 for the
|> Catalina 27, depending on model.

Finally a bit of sense.  My 25' MacGregor "slept 5".  So does my C&C 32.  Still,
more than 3's a crowd.  I can see, though, that the number of berths really
is attractive to a new buyer with a family.  It's just not practical for nearly
that many adults.

|>    I agree with Jeff regarding the now ubiquitous wheel steering. A 27
|> foot boat simply doesn't need it and I don't understand why so many people
|> want them. I mentioned this to a dealer at the Annapolis show and she 
|> seemded positively indignant. "People want them. It's just not a Big Boat
|> without a wheel!", she said. My reply? "Steering a boat this size with a 
|> wheel is like making love with gloves on. There's just no feel at all."

I will agree that there's no real need for wheel steering on a relatively 
small boat.  However, my wife would disagree (last boat had a tiller, current
one has a wheel).  It really bugs her that tillers take up so much space in
the cockpit while sailing.  She hated having to move out of the way when tacking.

The wheel always takes the same amount of space in the cockpit, and is also 
something robust to hang onto when the going gets rough.

As for feel, I think a lot of that is in the installation.  My C&C 32 has
cable/quadrant steering and moves with the pressure of a finger.  I find there's
quite a lot of feel in it, and when we have weather helm I'm made aware of the
fact through pressure on the helm.  On the other hand, a friend has a Tanzer 26
with wheel steering that's completely bogus and requires a strong hand in
all conditions.  No feel whatsoever.  I expect that the hydraulic systems used
on larger boats also have no feel at all, but in their case that may be a bonus,
since the helmsman might not be able to handle the boat without them.

|>    Another unusual design feature of the C-270 are the cabin top mounted
|> mainsheet traveler and jib sheet winches. This means all sails are worked
|> from the forward end of the cockpit, and makes it difficult or impossible
|> for the single handed skipper to steer and work the sails at the same 
|> time. It does, however clear out the cockpit for those weekend cocktail
|> parties at the yacht club (hmmmm...).

Yeah, great!  I have yet to have a cocktail party :(  A few light snacks, maybe,
but the cockpit seats worked fine even with the winches on the coaming.  Since
I single-hand relatively often, I can't imagine having the sheet winches on the
cabin top.  My traveller and main sheet are there, though, which I haven't
really found to be much trouble (a bit maybe).  Working upwind, once the main
is set, it doesn't need to be touched, but the genoa sheets are worked regularly.
I guess gybing would be a bit safer with the mainsheet led to the centre of the
cockpit, but I generally take the end of the sheet off the winch and can handle
the sheet from the wheel.

===========================================================================
Dave Kell   (604) 293-5753                 kell@mprgate.mpr.ca
MPR Teltech Ltd.
8999 Nelson Way
Burnaby, BC, CANADA
V5A 4B5
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