Dangerous boats
FBBB --
All this fuss about boats the capsize or don't capsize and the
relative safety has me wondering just what sort of sailors we have on
this list.
I grew up sailing sabots (SoCal version of an optimist) lasers,
thistles, snipes, etc. There isn't one of these that won't go over
even in the most moderate of conditions. I can't think of a single
race in winds over 10kts. where someone didn't put their boat on its
ear.
Yes, it is possible to make a small sail boat that won't go over (and
stay over) except in the most extreme circumstances of weather or
mishandling. But like *everything* else, that is an aspect of design
that you must pay for in some way; performance, looks, cost,
construction complexity. And like any other aspect of design, you
have to ask yourself, "Do I really need this much safety (or speed,
or good looks, or whatever,) or can I respect the limitations put on
my by size, budget, etc?"
Writing more than 50 years ago, Chappelle bemoaned the exaggeration
of seaworthiness in yacht design, mocking the construction and
purchase of "boats suitable for Winter North Atlantic passage, but
used only for short costal jumps."
Common sense is our most valuable ally in the quest "the perfect
boat." It's what let's us see that a Micro really will do most of, or
even more than what boats 10 feet longer will do; it's what makes us
build a surf when our heart is yeanering to lay the keel on a 50
footer. But just like anything else we take on the the water, common
sense can't save us from everything, and it can't provide the answer
to every question.
YIBB,
David
CRUMBLING EMPIRE PRODUCTIONS
134 West 26th St. 12th Floor
New York, New York 10001
http://www.crumblingempire.com
(212) 247-0296
All this fuss about boats the capsize or don't capsize and the
relative safety has me wondering just what sort of sailors we have on
this list.
I grew up sailing sabots (SoCal version of an optimist) lasers,
thistles, snipes, etc. There isn't one of these that won't go over
even in the most moderate of conditions. I can't think of a single
race in winds over 10kts. where someone didn't put their boat on its
ear.
Yes, it is possible to make a small sail boat that won't go over (and
stay over) except in the most extreme circumstances of weather or
mishandling. But like *everything* else, that is an aspect of design
that you must pay for in some way; performance, looks, cost,
construction complexity. And like any other aspect of design, you
have to ask yourself, "Do I really need this much safety (or speed,
or good looks, or whatever,) or can I respect the limitations put on
my by size, budget, etc?"
Writing more than 50 years ago, Chappelle bemoaned the exaggeration
of seaworthiness in yacht design, mocking the construction and
purchase of "boats suitable for Winter North Atlantic passage, but
used only for short costal jumps."
Common sense is our most valuable ally in the quest "the perfect
boat." It's what let's us see that a Micro really will do most of, or
even more than what boats 10 feet longer will do; it's what makes us
build a surf when our heart is yeanering to lay the keel on a 50
footer. But just like anything else we take on the the water, common
sense can't save us from everything, and it can't provide the answer
to every question.
YIBB,
David
CRUMBLING EMPIRE PRODUCTIONS
134 West 26th St. 12th Floor
New York, New York 10001
http://www.crumblingempire.com
(212) 247-0296