Anyone with experience with 30' plus trailerables?
David and Kim Crosley
the size of a 30 plus footer but want also something with a shallow draft
(or retractable keel) and something that could be trailered (even if using a
custom trailer). Part of our delima includes wanting to be able to easily
step the mast either at launch or, if necessary, to pass under lower bridges
(we have a lake home with a transecting bridge with only a 25' clearance and
the best portion of the lake for sailing on the other side!) all from the
deck of the boat without use of cranes or other lifting means.
I've gone down to see Nick Hake's Seaward Eagle with the new tractable keel
in West Palm Beach. I was impressed with the general exterior and hull
design. We only took it into the ICW but it seemed to handle well under
light to moderate winds and tide. Unfortunately, the interior was very
unimpressive and some of the workmanship was just substandard for a boat
this cost.
Anyone with any ideas short of a custom boat? I've spoken with Nick and
recently they've committed to a quality improvement program and redesign of
the interior but I'll wait to see the product. He thinks it will take some
5-8 boats to get the production up to standards. At a boat a month, that
will be awhile.
Has anyone seen the new retractable keel Beneteau 311 on a trailer or tried
to set up a mast stepping system on such a production boat? For the cost
and value, this seems a good alternative approach but I can't find anyone
with direct experience. My state's Beneteau dealer says he can do this but
his talk seemed dubious when it came to details. In defense though, I only
spoke to him on the phone about it and not in person since he's some 6 hours
away.
If you want, you can respond directly to me at meds...@home.com. If
someone already has a boat like this, please let me know what you think
about the set up and what I should be looking for. Or even better, anyone
out there already done this and is wanting to sell your boat/trailer?
We have a family of four and love to cruise lakes, inland and ICW, only
occasionally out into blue water but would like to at least have the option.
By nature, we love speed so racer/cruisers are the best boats and aren't so
interested in barges!
Thanks,
David
meds...@home.com
Ted Sansom
Graham
just barely so) and are built in NZ and Australia. They have a
retractable daggerboard.
Graham W.
Ian Malcolm
might
be possible to get under a 25 foot bridge with a fixed mast (or masts).
Alternatively, over here in England, on the Norfolk Broards (a system of
rivers
and flooded medieval peat diggings) EVERYONE has a mast that lowers. It
is
common to drop the stick to go under a 7 foot bridge while under way.
The
traditional boats have a mast pivoted in a tabernacle about 2 foot above
the
deck, with a counterweight (big lead bricks) bolted on the heel. It is
balanced
to be neutral. Add a tackle on the forestay, and another on the heel
which is
below the deck just above the keel and it is under control. The foot
of the
mast and the counterweight swing up through a long narrow hatch in the
foredeck
that extends forward from the tabernacle. When the mast is up, and the
fore
hatch is closed, the fore cabin is perfectly habitable, just DONT leave
any of
your kit in the way. The mast locks in the up position by a heavy pin
through
the foot. Using this system it was traditional to 'shoot' the bridges,
that is
drop the mast while brailing up the sail under way (no engines back
then) close
enough to the bridge to get under it and out the other side with enough
room to
get the mast back up. This was done against the current as long as the
wind was
with you. If you didn't quite have enough speed, there were two
tactics, either
grab the bridge and pull or rest the end of a long pole called a quant
on the
bottom and push on it while walking back from the bow.
The hire craft all have engines now and one is strongly discouraged from
shooting any bridges. Bermudan rigged yachts on the broads usually use
an A
frame that is pivoted more or less in line with the mast foot which is
on the
deck and stows along the toe rail to the bow. A tackle from the stem
head is
used to lower the mast on its forestay, with the A frame giving the
required
leverage. The A frame is then unclipped from the forestay and lowered
back to
the deck if the bridge is really low (under about 15 foot). There is of
course
a pin through the tabernacle to fix the mast up and a pin through the
stem head
and the A frame to secure it and the forestay.
In both cases the mast and boom rest in a crutch that one erects at the
stern.
If the gooseneck is on the tabernacle a little below the pivot, the boom
can
remain shipped, otherwise it must be unshipped. Main and fore sails
should be
dropped or roller reefing jibs furled.
Recently, on a chartered Westerly 27 footer, I went through 3 bridges
about
1/2 mile in total, starting with the mast up, dropping it under way,
and re hoisting after the last bridge in 20 minutes. I did 95% of the
work as my crew were all over 65. The hoist was done while staying
stationary relative to the bank, stemming a 3 knot tide so we could be
head to wind. It was the only suitable place apart from mooring and
paying a fee. The dock attendant headed towards us receipt book in hand
but
went off in disgust when he saw we weren't coming any closer. (hoisting
in a
30 knot crosswind is too much fun for me, It can also be difficult to
start
the mast coming down in a strong stern wind).
If you are in Europe any time except winter, a trip to the Norfolk
Broards would
be worth your time. If you have a spare week or weekend you could even
charter
and see how it all works out yourselves. The company that runs most of
the
charters is called 'Blakes'. Most of the villages and towns have yards
that
charter through Blakes. Only basic experience is required, but do bring
any
certificates you have, the yards like to know that the skipper knows
enough to
be cautious.
--
Ian Malcolm. London, ENGLAND. (remove NOSPAM from email to reply)