Re: [bolger] The Prolific Mr B.
Hi,
Decisions, decisions . . .
A few tips based on making some sub-optimal decisions
myself, in the past (i.e. do as I say, not as I do!)
- watch out for the sail-area/displacement figure.
Some of Mr B's designs are best suited for areas with
light winds, so if you live in a windy part of the
world, go for something with a smaller SA/D.
- Do you live in an area with substantial
tides/currents? If so, make sure your choice can buck
the tide, even to windward. That's when a degree or
two of close-windedness can make the difference
between getting home or not. Waterline length is also
important in this respect - other things being equal,
the longer boat will move faster.
- Do your local waters suffer from short, steep chop?
If so, flat bottoms perform worse than vee bottoms
with a fine entry. It's very frustrating to slam
around in the waves, with not enough wind to move you
along - Not as unusual as you might think; you can get
nasty waves with little wind in shallow estuaries when
wind is against tide.
- Do you have good launching slips where you plan to
sail? If not, trailer sailing could be a PIA.
- Do you do most of your sailing alone, or in company?
If alone, can you do all the launching and retrieval
single-handed? The weight of the boat comes into
this.
- Do you have space at home to keep the boat?
- Do you plan to sell the boat someday? If so, go for
a pretty conventional design to maximise your chances
of finding a customer.
Hope that helps to narrow it down . . .
Cheers,
Bill
__________________________________________________
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Decisions, decisions . . .
A few tips based on making some sub-optimal decisions
myself, in the past (i.e. do as I say, not as I do!)
- watch out for the sail-area/displacement figure.
Some of Mr B's designs are best suited for areas with
light winds, so if you live in a windy part of the
world, go for something with a smaller SA/D.
- Do you live in an area with substantial
tides/currents? If so, make sure your choice can buck
the tide, even to windward. That's when a degree or
two of close-windedness can make the difference
between getting home or not. Waterline length is also
important in this respect - other things being equal,
the longer boat will move faster.
- Do your local waters suffer from short, steep chop?
If so, flat bottoms perform worse than vee bottoms
with a fine entry. It's very frustrating to slam
around in the waves, with not enough wind to move you
along - Not as unusual as you might think; you can get
nasty waves with little wind in shallow estuaries when
wind is against tide.
- Do you have good launching slips where you plan to
sail? If not, trailer sailing could be a PIA.
- Do you do most of your sailing alone, or in company?
If alone, can you do all the launching and retrieval
single-handed? The weight of the boat comes into
this.
- Do you have space at home to keep the boat?
- Do you plan to sell the boat someday? If so, go for
a pretty conventional design to maximise your chances
of finding a customer.
Hope that helps to narrow it down . . .
Cheers,
Bill
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Everything you'll ever need on one web page
from News and Sport to Email and Music Charts
http://uk.my.yahoo.com