"The boat was rock solid and once again I felt that perverse privilege to have a court side seat for watching an angry ocean do its thing. I guess that’s a different kind of weather window."
"...a different kind of weather window"-- best metaphor inversion of the year. And isn't such a window only open to a boat with the right underbody, all else being equal? I know you covered this beautifully in your paean to the "The Roman Arch of Blue Water Sailing",--the skeg-hung rudder and deep, longish fin keel-- but how do you think its opposite would have fared in those conditions? It seems an unsupported semi-balanced spade and high-aspect keel would have made life for you guys a lot harder, especially hand-steering. And what about the current fashion for wide transomed, twin spade designs--with centerboards, no less?
I am in favor of being able to gaze with confidence out of the "weather window" of your coinage, not the one that reveals itself in the blue glow of a computer monitor. How do we get the industry back on course, making boats that track true and defend us against the attempted muggings of a serious ocean?
Hey JK, Interestingly the 46 has a partial skeg, a substantial one, but it's the overall hull shape that makes it track so well. Frers was hedging his bets a bit, with the partial skeg and a rudder whose bottom section was designed to break away and leave enough to steer. His Hallberg Rassys of the same period had the same design. And yes, I'd go for a full skeg if I was choosing. But I love the 46.
Good question on the keel. Not sure about SeaGlub, but I believe most Hylas 46's were built a fin and bulb keel. Either 6'6" or 5'5" drafts. Mine is 5'5" and it tracks much better than you'd expect.
Sailing a Serious Ocean was my gateway to blue water sailing. Not sure I made it halfway through and was emailing John about future passages. One of the best decisions (well maybe not financially!) I've made. Since then it's been a full on fire hose of learning which I'm very thankful to John for. He's been a great sailing mentor, but an even better friend. Ironically, I now own a Hylas 46 that John may have given a little nudge on.
And a note on this "chance encounter" with SeaGlub. Had John ran into her somewhere in the Caribbean, it would still be a great story. But, the South Pacific? I'm a big believer in free will and chance, but also think we cross a few wakes that were meant to be.
Hopefully you won't Linda but it's good to know you have a boat than can ride it out. And as, we know, that's a whole other discussion. I am really looking forward to seeing DV Duende one of these days.
We were in Hurricane Odiel in La Paz on the Baja in 2014 - but it was on our last boat and we were in a marina. It was still terrifying and 4 sailors lost their lives in that Cat 5 storm. So many boats were lost, and there was so much destruction on land. I hope to never see that again.
I well remember Mitch, but from the MX-Caribbean side. We were on our second year into running our bookstore in Puerto Morelos, and in the middle of the night watched NOAA's path running right through Cancun 30 km north. Little did we know it would become a Cat 5, but with a changeable path. We were saved, Honduras, ruined, as you know. Then it took SV Fantome, such a sad tale. (criminal what Windjammer made the young captain do). The local news thought it may have pitch-poled, losing the cap and entire crew. Oddly, it had sailed into Puerto Morelos a year or two earlier, in all her glory. Even the scruff of it, apparently, was very worrisome. I haven't heard about Mitch in a long while. Amazing the storm's trajectory.
Jeanine, I remember that night well too. I had a dear friend who lived on Roatan, his house was on the east end and it looked like he was going to get demolished. We were talikng on the phone when he lost all power. Then, after completely denuding Guanaja, the storm turned hard left sparing Roatan and hitting the coast, and that was terrible. You mentioned the Fantome, what a tragic story, that turn did them in too. There's a great book about it, The Ship and the Storm, by Jim Carrier.
I’ve read it. We were really following the story. Kept hoping they’d be safe. As we all knew it was originally meant for our coast. The cap was young, 30s if memory serves, maybe if older he may have put up a fight. Windjammer was self-insured, and there was the rub. Imho. Is your friend still in Honduras?
He died last year. You may have known him, Eric Anderson, he was a friend to all and well known in the Western Caribbean. It’s like Mitch had it’s sights on the ship, the Captain ended up trapped.
"The boat was rock solid and once again I felt that perverse privilege to have a court side seat for watching an angry ocean do its thing. I guess that’s a different kind of weather window."
"...a different kind of weather window"-- best metaphor inversion of the year. And isn't such a window only open to a boat with the right underbody, all else being equal? I know you covered this beautifully in your paean to the "The Roman Arch of Blue Water Sailing",--the skeg-hung rudder and deep, longish fin keel-- but how do you think its opposite would have fared in those conditions? It seems an unsupported semi-balanced spade and high-aspect keel would have made life for you guys a lot harder, especially hand-steering. And what about the current fashion for wide transomed, twin spade designs--with centerboards, no less?
I am in favor of being able to gaze with confidence out of the "weather window" of your coinage, not the one that reveals itself in the blue glow of a computer monitor. How do we get the industry back on course, making boats that track true and defend us against the attempted muggings of a serious ocean?
Hey JK, Interestingly the 46 has a partial skeg, a substantial one, but it's the overall hull shape that makes it track so well. Frers was hedging his bets a bit, with the partial skeg and a rudder whose bottom section was designed to break away and leave enough to steer. His Hallberg Rassys of the same period had the same design. And yes, I'd go for a full skeg if I was choosing. But I love the 46.
If you had to pick your top three underbodies, what would they be?
That’s tough! I’ll mull.
“..with the partial skeg and a rudder whose bottom section was designed to break away and leave enough to steer.”
I’ll never look at my partial skeg hung rudder the same way again!
Good question on the keel. Not sure about SeaGlub, but I believe most Hylas 46's were built a fin and bulb keel. Either 6'6" or 5'5" drafts. Mine is 5'5" and it tracks much better than you'd expect.
Nice to see Sailing a Serious Ocean get a great p;ug! Hope all is well...Molly
Sailing a Serious Ocean was my gateway to blue water sailing. Not sure I made it halfway through and was emailing John about future passages. One of the best decisions (well maybe not financially!) I've made. Since then it's been a full on fire hose of learning which I'm very thankful to John for. He's been a great sailing mentor, but an even better friend. Ironically, I now own a Hylas 46 that John may have given a little nudge on.
And a note on this "chance encounter" with SeaGlub. Had John ran into her somewhere in the Caribbean, it would still be a great story. But, the South Pacific? I'm a big believer in free will and chance, but also think we cross a few wakes that were meant to be.
I am a big believer in free will and chance too, but Vanuatu? Crazy and wonderful.
Big ocean, small world John. What a wonderful chance encounter 💙
Good story about riding out Mitch in a boat built for bug weather. SV Duende is also such a vessel, but we've not seen a big one like that.
Hopefully you won't Linda but it's good to know you have a boat than can ride it out. And as, we know, that's a whole other discussion. I am really looking forward to seeing DV Duende one of these days.
I look forward to that day John!
We were in Hurricane Odiel in La Paz on the Baja in 2014 - but it was on our last boat and we were in a marina. It was still terrifying and 4 sailors lost their lives in that Cat 5 storm. So many boats were lost, and there was so much destruction on land. I hope to never see that again.
Being an eyewitness to hurricane in a boat is something you never forget. i am with you, hope to never see that again.
You did a great job editing the book and bringing it to life Molly.
I well remember Mitch, but from the MX-Caribbean side. We were on our second year into running our bookstore in Puerto Morelos, and in the middle of the night watched NOAA's path running right through Cancun 30 km north. Little did we know it would become a Cat 5, but with a changeable path. We were saved, Honduras, ruined, as you know. Then it took SV Fantome, such a sad tale. (criminal what Windjammer made the young captain do). The local news thought it may have pitch-poled, losing the cap and entire crew. Oddly, it had sailed into Puerto Morelos a year or two earlier, in all her glory. Even the scruff of it, apparently, was very worrisome. I haven't heard about Mitch in a long while. Amazing the storm's trajectory.
Jeanine, I remember that night well too. I had a dear friend who lived on Roatan, his house was on the east end and it looked like he was going to get demolished. We were talikng on the phone when he lost all power. Then, after completely denuding Guanaja, the storm turned hard left sparing Roatan and hitting the coast, and that was terrible. You mentioned the Fantome, what a tragic story, that turn did them in too. There's a great book about it, The Ship and the Storm, by Jim Carrier.
And yes, those Windjammer ships were terrible, rusty converted barges masquerading as sailboats.
So sad.
I’ve read it. We were really following the story. Kept hoping they’d be safe. As we all knew it was originally meant for our coast. The cap was young, 30s if memory serves, maybe if older he may have put up a fight. Windjammer was self-insured, and there was the rub. Imho. Is your friend still in Honduras?
He died last year. You may have known him, Eric Anderson, he was a friend to all and well known in the Western Caribbean. It’s like Mitch had it’s sights on the ship, the Captain ended up trapped.
I’m sorry to hear that, John.
Eric lived a great life, that’s all we can aspire to.
That’s good, John. That’s what it’s all about.
plug!