SailNet Community banner
  • SailNet is a forum community dedicated to Sailing enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about sailing, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, repairs, reviews, maintenance, and more!
Status
Not open for further replies.

Interesting Sailboats

3M views 7K replies 205 participants last post by  tdw 
#1 · (Edited)
Sirius 32, Sirius 35

THE OBJECT OF THIS THREAD:

Interesting sailboats in production and available on the new boat market (only boats with modern designs, meaning that the boats still in production but made with old designs are out). Recent designs out of production are also admissible.

Modern boat designs and modern one off, if interesting.

Classical boats and traditional boats.

Small cruisers (less than 35ft)

Seezunge 27ft: PG1-PT9

Hanse 325: PG19-PT185;

Presto 30 : 33-326; 33-327; 34-331; 34-333; 55-543; 55-544;

Tess Yachts: 37-366; 38-373;

Tess 28 Magnum: 37-369; 38-371;

Delphia 28: 38-373;

Vancouver 27/28 : 42-412; 72-717;

Cruisers between 35ft and 49ft


Catalina 355 : 31-306;

RM sailboats: PG5-PT41; 5-42

RM1050: PG5-PT46; 5-47; 5-48;

RM 1060: PG8-PT77; 8-78; 8-79; 8-80; 9-81; 30-295; 40-400; 79-786;

RM 1200: PG9-PT84; 9-85; 19-184; 20-191; 20-192; 41-404; 42-414; 42-418; 43-425; 43-426; 69-688;

RM 1350: PG9-PT82; 55-549; 95-943;

Morris Yachts: PG7-PT61

Bavaria 36: PG19-PT188; 19-190; 20-196;

Bavaria 40: PG10-PT95; 28-278; 29-281; 29-282; 29-283; 29-286; 32-316; 36-356; 51-502; 51-507; 52-518; 53-527; 53-532;

Bavaria 40s: 69-685; 78-775;

Bavaria 45: PG10-PT96; 19-190;

Rustler Yachts: PG11-PT104;

Jeanneau 409: PG11-PT103: 11-106; 30-298; 30-299; 36-356; 51-502; 51-504; 51-505; 51-509; 52-513; 52-514; 52-515; 52-516; 53-527; 54-532; 57-564; 57-570; 58-571; 58-580; 59-581; 59-583; 59-585; 62-614; 74-739; 91-906;

Jeanneau 439: 40-396; 40-397; 59-584; 59-585; 96-956;

Hanse Yachts: 16-154; 16-156; 16-158;

Hanse 400: 81-804;

Bluewater cruising yachts: 21-206

Beneteau Oceanis 37 : 31-306; 31-308; 31-309; 32-314; 55-541;

XC 38: 36-356; 96-954;

Diva 38: 39-386;

Diva 35: 40-391;

Dufour 405: 62-614;

Defline 43: 63-622

Walkabout 43: 93-923; 93-925; 93-927;

Small performance cruisers (less than 35ft)


Performance 32ft test: 29-87;

Sun Fast 3200: PG4-PT33; 4-34; 4-36; 30-293;

Elan 210: 70-691; 70-696; 78-779; 79-781;

Elan 310: PC7-PT64; 7-69; 8-71; 36-356; 41-408;

Quest 33: PG7-PT62

Olea 32: 25-243; 25-245;

First 27.7: 38-373; 38-380; 39-382;

First 30: 30-295; 39-356; 41-408; 55-545; 55-546;

Comet 26: 34-340; 35-345; 35-350; 36-353;

Pacer 30: 36-357;

Django 7.7: 40-399;

Vivace/Evosion 34: 45-442; 45-446; 45-445; 45-446; 45-447; 45-448; 45-449; 45-450; 46-458; 46-460;

Finn Flyer 34: 46-451; 46-453; 60-593;

Salona 34: 46-457;

Heol 7.4: 63-621; 63-622;

Azuree 33: 87-867; 91-902; 91-904;

JPK 10.10: 88-877 ; 88-880; 89-883;

Performance cruisers (between 35ft and 49ft)

Pogo 10.50: PG2-PT20; 3-27; 3-28; 3-30; 4-35; 5-50; 6-51; 6-52; 6-60; 11-101; 11-107; 11-110; 43-425; 44-440; 87-861; 87-867;

Pogo 12.50: PG13-PT125; 20-198; 20-199; 22-214; 27-264; 27-265; 27-269; 32-317; 32-319; 43-425; 43-426; 43-428; 44-432; 44-437; 44-439; 55-546; 55-547; 82-812; 84-831; 87-870;

Este 40: 89-890; 90-893; 90-899;

A35: PG5-PT42; 5-44; 66-660;

A40RC: 92-914;

Hammerhead 35: 64-645

Opium 39: PG5-PT42; 9-85; 9-89; 13-125; 22-220; 22-221; 43-426; 55-547; 86-857;

Aerodyne 35: PG7-PT62

Elan 350: PG7-PT64; 13-24; 13-126; 13-127; 13-128; 14-132; 18-178; 26-255; 36-356; 40-398; 41-405; 57-564; 59-589; 60-591; 72-711; 73-724; 74-738;

Elan 380: 23-223; 25-249; 26-256; 40-398; 59-589; 97-962;

Elan 410: 32-316; 79-784;

JPK 110: PG9-PT85; 10-91

Olea 44: PG10-PT100; 27-268;

Olea Yachts: 25-247;

Dufour 40e: Pg13-Pt125; 32-316; 55-547; 56-558; 56-559; 57-561; 57-562; 57-563; 59-586; 59-588,

Salona 37: 36-359; 41-406;

Salona 41: PG15-PT141; 15-145; 32-316; 36-356; 40-398; 54-538; 57-569; 78-778; 80-796; 80-798; 97-965;

Salona 42: PG15-PT145; 36-359; 40-398; 93-929; 94-932;

Cigale 16: PG15-PT148; 16-152; 17-161; 55-549; 63-625;

Cigale 14: PG17-PT163; 55-549;

Santa Cruz 43: PG17-PT169

Sydney Yachts: PG18-PT171; 18-175;

Sydney GTS 37: 43-423;

Sydney GTS 43: PG18-PT173;

Winner 12.20: PG20-193;

First 40: 31-304; 32-313; 32-316; 35-344; 36-354; 55-546; 55-547;

First 35: 36-356

Dehler 41: 30-296;

Dehler 44: 79-785;

Dehler 45: 36-356; 79-785;

Luffe 40.04: 30-300; 31-301; 31-303;

XP 38: 56-533; 56-544; 56-555; 67-622;

XP 44: 33-325;

Pacer 430: 36-357;

Pacer 376: 36-357; 66-652; 69-683;

Faurby 424: 36-360; 37-361; 37-363; 37-365;

Comfortina 39: 40-395;

J 133: 43-426; 63-620

J 111: 100-993;

Maxi 11: 99-982;

Arcona yachts: 46-456;

Arcona 410: 47-467; 47-468; 47-469; 48-471;

Arcona 430: 48-472;

Arcona 460: 50-495

Finngulf yachts: 46-456;

Varianta 44: 60-594; 60-595; 60-596; 60-597; 60-598; 64-639;

Imagine 53: 63-628;

Zou 40.2: 63-620

Ker 39: 68-676;

Finn-Flyer 42: 77-762;

Azuree 40: 85-842;

Loft 40: 85-848; 85-852;

Vivace 35: 90-895;

Sailing boats over 49ft

Zeydon 60 : PG 12-119;

JP 54: PG18-PT172;

Salona 60: 70-695;

Stadships: PG20-PT193; 20-195;

Pogo 50: 32-318; 32-319;

X-50: 54-537;

Murtic 52: 54-537;

Decksaloons and pilot house sailing boats

Sirius 32: PG1-PT1

Sirius 35: PG1-PT1; 1-10; 2-18; 50-491; 50-492; 60-559; 60-599;

Sirius 31: PG1-PT5; 2-17; 36-356;

Regina 35: 48-478;

Regina 40: PG11-PT104; 49-481; 49-483;

Southerly yachts: PG11-PT104;

Luffe 43DS: PG12-PT111; 12-115; 50-494;

Noordkaper 40: PG14-pt139;

Noordkaper yachts: PG16-PT155

Nordship 36: 30-297; 49-482;

Nordship 38: 49-482; 49-490;

Paulo's pilot house I: 38-376; 39-381; 39-383; 39-384;

Paulo's pilot house II: 69-682

Lyman & Morse 45: 38-379;

CR 38DS: 48-477; 48-478;

CR 40DS: 48-476; 48-478; 48-479; 50-494; 50-496; 50-497; 50-498;

Arcona 40DS: 50-494;

Racers

Figaro 2:pG4-PT36; 4-37; 5-42; 6-52; 6-53; 6-55; 6-56

VOR 70: PG16-PT160; 17-187

Farr 400: 67-661

Soto 40: 96-952;

Lifting keel/centerboarder

Southerly yachts: PG11-PT104;

Allures 45: PG10-PT93; 100-996;

Allures yachts: 25-248;

OVNI 425: 23-228;

OVNI 395 : 68-679; 69-690;

J 108: 67-661

Atlantic 43: 68-67

Boreal 44: 97-970; 98-974;

Multihulls till 34ft

Several Trimarans: 28-273;

Multihulls with 34ft and over

Dragonfly yachts: 26-257;

Dragonfly 35: 26-258; 27-261; 27-262;

Dragonfly 1200: 56-551;

Corsair 37: 28-276;

Farrier 39: 28-277;

Challenge 37: 28-278

Hammerhead 34: 29-385;

Hammerhead 54: 29-288; 30-292;

Trimax 10.80: 29-285;

Sig 45: 54-534; 54-539; 54-540;

Gunboat: 56-551

Fusion: 56-551;

Outremer: 56-551;

Tournier: 56-511;

Classical and Traditional boats

Jclass boats: 54-537;

Tofinou 12: 71-703;

Folck boat: 73-727;

Puffin Yachts: PG14-PT135; 14-138; 16-155;

Bestwind 50: PG12-PT116; 14-123;

Bestevaer 53: PG12-PT116;

Bestevaer yachts: PG16-PT155

Cape George 36: 41-410; 42-412;

Marieholm 33 : 42-412;

This list is not actualized. Please use the advanced search engine of the thread with the name of the model and builder. It works, most of the time.

(actualized till PG100) and it will be no more because that gives a lot of work (500 pages now).

Instead I am actualizing the titles and with the right title the thread search engine (not the one on the top of the page bit the one much below that says search thread) on its advanced option works quite well.

Hello,

Melrna posts on Miami Boat show and the comments of Smackdady about the interest of that thread lead me to think that perhaps I could share more information about sailboats I know and find interesting.

I am interested in boat design (interior and sailing performance) and I go each year at least to one of the main European Boat shows and that means basically Dusseldorf, Paris or Hamburg. On these shows you have the opportunity not only to visit the boats of the main and medium size builders but you have also the opportunity to visit the boats of small and sometime family shipyards.

Normally they build very good sailboats and sometimes they have been doing that for decades. The boats are hugely appreciated by their faithful customers but because they don't advertise their boats and there are very few on the used boat market, they pass unnoticed by the majority of the sail community.

The visit to these boats is a very rewarding experience because they are made with passion by true boat lovers and because when you talk to the guy that is on the boat, you are not talking with a dealer, that many times doesn't know much about boats, but with the builder, or the designer.

Even if you are not a buyer they will have real pleasure in talking with someone that really appreciates and understands their work. Those guys really believe in what they are doing and they do it the best way they can, no matter the cost. In a word, they are in love with what they are doing.
Of course, these boats have to be expensive.

This thread will be mainly about these boats, as a way of letting you know about these gems. Let's see if you are interested. I will not post much. If you want to know more you have just to participate and make questions.

The first one it will be the "Sirius". I have had the pleasure to visit several times their boats and to talk with the builders (father and son).

These boats have the best interiors you can find, or at least that I have seen. Not only the quality, but the design and ergonomy are fantastic. You really won't believe you are in a 32ft boat. Just incredible and amazing; Have a look at it:

Sirius-Werft Plön | Forecabin | 32 DS for 2 forecabin
Sirius-Werft Plön | Owner´s cabin | 32 DS 4-berth comfort owner´s cabin
Sirius-Werft Plön | Workshop | 32 DS for 2 workshop

Now that the son is in charge they have modernized the outside look of the new boats, they look fantastic not only inside but also outside. The boats sail well and they have clients as far as Japan.

Sirius-Werft Plön | Versions of decks house | You have the choice

Another interesting point is the way they develop new boats. They work with the clients to collect suggestions on the shape and design of the boats. A truly interesting affair, between passionate clients and passionate builders.

Sirius-Werft Plön | 35 DS | Philosophy

Take a good look at their interesting site and if you find the boat interesting, please let me know, I can add some information.

Sirius-Werft Plön | english | Welcome at website of Sirius-Werft Plön

Regards

Paulo
 
See less See more
#5,628 · (Edited)
Race; Cape 2 Rio

But this is a race too and while many cruising boats are having problems the racing boats and performance cruisers are way ahead. The first is without any Surprise Maserati, a VOR 70, the second, at some distance is Scarlet Runner, an interesting performance cruiser (Reichel&Pugh designed), like a kind of TP 52 with a cruising interior, followed by an old Open 60. Not very far a 40class racer that is being double handed:eek:.

The boat that is next (and almost at the on pair with the 40class racer) is an incredible one, I mean it is not a racer designed for transats and even if it is an offshore boat is designed for regattas on more coastal conditions, in fact it was specifically designed for the Tour the France and it is showing that it could not only take the conditions that made much bigger cruisers went for shelter as it is going like a rocket: The Archambault M34, designed few years ago by Joubert-Nivelt-Mercier. This racer (Volvo add on the spi):



Also close from the class 40 an incredibly well sailed Simonis 35, a fast performance cruiser designed by Simonis or maybe not because contrary to the entry list they give it on the tracker has being a Nose be 38, a Lavranos designed fast cat?

Two other cats are not far away, both Leopard.

This video taken yesterday on board Maserati show the conditions they have taken. Not very impressive aboard a VOR 70, but these boats are very seaworthy (and big).

 
#5,629 ·
Re: Race; Cape 2 Rio

But this is a race too and while many cruising boats are having problems the racing boats and performance cruisers are way ahead. The first is without any Surprise Maserati, a VOR 70, the second, at some distance is Scarlet Runner, an interesting performance cruiser (Reichel&Pugh designed), like a kind of TP 52 with a cruising interior, followed by an old Open 60. Not very far a 40class racer that is being double handed:eek:.
Maserati is not only a VOR70 but a tuned up one. Its performance should be a lot better than the usual VOR-performance.
I mean it is not a racer designed for transats and even if it is an offshore boat is designed for regattas on more coastal conditions, in fact it was specifically designed for the Tour the France and it is showing that it could not only take the conditions that made much bigger cruisers went for shelter as it is going like a rocket: The Archambault M34, designed few years ago by Joubert-Nivelt-Mercier. This racer (Volvo add on the spi):

If you read reviews from TdF sailors it is fast but crap to sail...
This video taken yesterday on board Maserati show the conditions they have taken. Not very impressive aboard a VOR 70, but these boats are very seaworthy (and big).

Maserati was so fast it was ahead of the worst weather. They had 40kn but never 60 as its followers had...
 
#5,642 ·
... and the center of gravity is further aft to enhance downwind performance.
But that would mean massive changes to the hull...
How can you bring the CG further aft without moving the heaviest parts - keel and mast?
And moving weight around like motor would definitely don't do the trick on an mzig ton boat... Heck - their sail wardrobe is heavier...
I doubt that this has been done... Why invest money in a dead horse?
The VO70s are gone, which is sad and a shame...
 
#5,636 ·
Trimaran Whisper 29

I have talked some posts back about what is probably the fastest (small) sailing boat with cruising potential, a trimaran. The offer in what regards cruising trimarans is very reduced probably because they are expensive to build an necessarily expensive for the interior space they offer.

There is a Finnish one that we did not yet talked about, the whisper 29. A good interior and certainly fast as all light trimarans even if this one offers a better and heavier cruising interior than the Corsair one that seemd to have about the same quality of the Dragonfly:

Trimaraani on vakaa purjevene, retkivene ja nopea kilpavene yhdessä. Tuotekehityksen avaintavoitteena mahdollisuudet tulevaisuuden taloudelliseen veneilyyn EU:ssa ja Suomessa

 
#5,639 ·
Rob:
I don't know. I'm just speculating and because LCG and LCF are usually quite close together that it involves both centers. A boat will change fore and aft trim around trhe LCF. But it would be hard to move LCG aft without also moving LCF aft also. Not impossible but unusual.
 
#5,640 · (Edited)
Cape 2 Rio

Update on the situation:

One more boat returning home, a Vand de stadt 34, Indaba with an injured crew member.

Regarding the others returning home or in trouble and the conditions:

"The majority of the fleet were still suffering rough sea conditions last night with poor visibility and a lot of rain this morning.
The current situation on the following yachts:

BILLE (Bavaria 54) - All crew of have now been transferred to SAS Islandwana. Two reported injured crew, the skipper with broken ribs and one crew member with lacerations..
Then the navy managed to clear all damaged rigging and have left the vessel to return to later. Once crew were secured, SAS Islandwana immediately left the area to go to assist yacht AVA.

AVA (Miura) - We have just had a report from SAS Islandwana that they have spotted yacht in very poor visibility. AVA sailing without power and communications but all well on board. SAS Islandwana now on their way to yacht Isla.

ISLA ( Schionning cruising cat ) reported late last night taking on water in the engine compartment and an electrical fire. They have had a container vessel Bosun, standing by for assistance since early this morning. All is under control and the yacht has decided to continue under sail to Saldanha. Smit Madura is on station with yacht Isla possibly to tow them back to port.

BLACK CAT (DiDi 38) - NSRI Station 3 are on route to tow her back to shore due to no steerage from a broken rudder.

.....

PEEKAY (Beneteau 51) safely in harbour at Yachtport.

DO DO (Fortuna 37 ), AVOCET (Beneteau 45), AVANTI (Vickers 41) and FTI Flyer (Charger 33) - are currently heading back to shore.

Tranquillo are only able to receive calls, otherwise all well.

....
Some trackers have been reported not to be moving but XtraLink are on top of each issue and most should be sorted by now."


We don't have any weather information trough the tracker. I will look at it later to see what they have ahead but for now all on that are racing seem to be doing well, including the smaller boat, a SF 3200 that sailed duo is on the front pack, behind the big boats.

 
#5,641 · (Edited)
#5,648 ·
i believe you.
but to me it seems that reducing the weight of an VOR 70 is like sending a really skinny model to hospital for a liposuction... ;)
i mean - 10% of a rated displacement of 14 t is still 1,4 t... i have no idea where they should have scraped that off since a raceboat is nothing but structure and mechanics (sails, rig, deck hardware, appendages...)
Groupama 4

Wouldn't it be possible just to fix the bulb further aft? Making an L out of a T?
i guess - but i wager not without reinforcing or redesigning the keel blade as well...
 
#5,649 ·
WOW!! boat: TT700

Lots of WOW boats but few that we can buy and this is one of them, an incredible boat. I had some difficulty in believing my eyes:D This is a boat designed on a mini racer type of hull, a big bigger, but with an unbelievable interior and a classy outside look. Designed by Zerbinati it was home built by a naval engineer that obviously new what he was doing. Now the boat is built on a small production scale.

On the movie skip the talk and have a good look at the interior...amazing!!!











SAM Yacht
 
#5,652 ·
Stanley Paris in trouble

Loss of Sail and Injury:

"New Years Eve started out well, but by early morning the wind picked up and I was caught with a light headwind sail, which was in danger of being overloaded. On several occasions I had to take the helm. It was a scary situation and no sleep for me. The 1/2 bottle of champagne to celebrate the new year had not been touched. Finally at 4:00 am, a gust blew out the sail and torn fabric filled the air with a swooshing sound. It was dark and there was nothing I could do but watch the sail self destruct. Come dawn, I started the long process of getting the sail down and on deck before stuffing it away below. This would have been too dangerous to do at night. It is a pile of scraps.

While pulling on some pieces stuck in the shrouds, one piece suddenly gave way and I fell flat on my back onto an extrusion of the deck. The pain just below my left scapula was in as much as any pain I have ever experienced. I lay still for a few minutes testing my lungs and then started to get going. I could feel a rib cracking in my back. Crawling was out, as my left arm could take no weight. A few more actions and I collapsed for several hours in the cockpit.

Today, three days later, I am doing better, but am very limited with what I can do with the left arm. It's getting better and will take a few more days before some of the needed tasks on the boat can be attended to. I am now sailing conservatively and gently, until such time as I am ready again and can attend to a number of tasks...."




 
#5,655 ·
Re: Mini racing

Another great movie taken on the last transat, Cape Finisterra to be precise.

I have to confess that as I was watching this video I kept thinking: "Why doesn't he put up the A5 spinnaker?" And I had to keep reminding myself that it's blowing like stink and the sea state is a bit confused - not the best recipe for flying the kite when you're only a few days into the race. :D

But then I'm thinking: "Somewhere out there Pedote, Belloir, Mettraux, Marie, etc., all probably have spinnakers up." :eek:

So, I don't believe I have what it takes to be a competitive Mini racer. :eek:
 
#5,660 ·
Yes, that's what I heard him say. But there is one part of my brain saying: "Put the spi back up!" and another side saying: "This is crazy! How far am I from Cascais and a hot shower?"

If I do the first, then I am in the class of Marie and Pedote. If I do the second, then I am closer to being myself. :)
 
#5,657 ·
Transaquadra: Twenty years of racing (amateur transat)


20 ans, le bel âge de la Transquadra! por overlapprod

News about the Transquadra: the racing solo or duo Transat for amateurs with more than 40 years of age.

More than 80 boats are already in and the number is growing rapidly.

They have made the type of boats more uniform in what regards performance and they will have for the first time an overall classification in real time.

The handicaps allowed were shortened and now they are between 0.949 < TCC-IRC < 1,051 (previously the max allowed was 1,074). That means that boats that were preciously allowed like the J122, Opium 39, Pogo 10.50 are not allowed anymore.

Besides that the boats have to be class A, a hull length between 8,50 m and 12.50 m, having a fixed engine able to push them at 5K and be in accordance with Special Offshore l'ISAF, cat. 1.

Some of the boats that will be competing: Sun Fast 3200 (several), Sunfast 3600, A 35 (several), JPK 10.10 (several), J109, Pogo 30, Elan 350 (several), JPK 9.60 (several), Grand Soleil 37, A31 (several), First 30, Mat 10.10, Dehler 36, Mistral 9.50, Malango 8.88, Sormiou 29 (several), RM 10.60, Bongo 9.60, First 40.7, Azzure 40, Fabulo 36

Only one SF 3600 and none JPK 10.80. Maybe they will appear later. Anyway, lots of interesting boats;)

http://www.transquadra.com/documentations/AVIS DE COURSE TQS 2014 2015 mai 2012.1.pdf

Transquadra 2014-2015 | Transat solitaire et double r?serv?e aux amateurs.
 
#5,664 ·
Re: Transaquadra: Twenty years of racing (amateur transat)


20 ans, le bel âge de la Transquadra! por overlapprod

News about the Transquadra: the racing solo or duo Transat for amateurs with more than 40 years of age.

More than 80 boats are already in and the number is growing rapidly.

They have made the type of boats more uniform in what regards performance and they will have for the first time an overall classification in real time.

The handicaps allowed were shortened and now they are between 0.949 < TCC-IRC < 1,051 (previously the max allowed was 1,074). That means that boats that were preciously allowed like the J122, Opium 39, Pogo 10.50 are not allowed anymore.

Besides that the boats have to be class A, a hull length between 8,50 m and 12.50 m, having a fixed engine able to push them at 5K and be in accordance with Special Offshore l'ISAF, cat. 1.

Some of the boats that will be competing: Sun Fast 3200 (several), Sunfast 3600, A 35 (several), JPK 10.10 (several), J109, Pogo 30, Elan 350 (several), JPK 9.60 (several), Grand Soleil 37, A31 (several), First 30, Mat 10.10, Dehler 36, Mistral 9.50, Malango 8.88, Sormiou 29 (several), RM 10.60, Bongo 9.60, First 40.7, Azzure 40, Fabulo 36

Only one SF 3600 and none JPK 10.80. Maybe they will appear later. Anyway, lots of interesting boats;)

http://www.transquadra.com/documentations/AVIS DE COURSE TQS 2014 2015 mai 2012.1.pdf

Transquadra 2014-2015 | Transat solitaire et double r?serv?e aux amateurs.
There is one SF3600 and not a single 10.80 built up to now: How could they register without (really) knowing wether they will have a boat or not?

I did not know the Opium is rated so high...
 
#5,658 ·
dudley dix and his crew from Black Cat is back to cape town, after they have lost there rudder, rigged a jury rudder and tried to make there way to saldhana bay it got even worse:
Sean, a surfer like me, says that he suddenly felt the same feeling as when caught inside the impact zone of a big surf break, where you have no way of escaping the beating that is about to be dealt to you and you just have to take it on the head and cope with it. In the darkness he did not see the wave coming but became aware of it as it loomed over the boat. It was very large and broke as a hollow tubing wave copmpletely enveloping "Black Cat". She rose up the face of the wave, rotating as she rose until she was hanging from the roof of the tube. Then she fell or was thrown down the face of the wave with the mast going in first. The crash that I heard inside the boat must have been the cabin and deck hitting the water. While this was happening I also looked into the cockpit for Sean and he was hanging from a winch or whatever he had been able to grab as the wave reared up. I required that all crew be hooked on with safety harnesses before going on deck but Sean was hanging on so tight that his harness had no work to do.
they did not loose their mast apparently, so i guess that the wave must have been a real monster lifting the boat high enough so that the forces on the mast were bearable for it...
full story hear:
Dudley Dix Yacht Design
 
#5,659 · (Edited)
Dudley Dix - Didi 38

They had almost no ruder, lost previously and were rolled on that wave.

Dudley Dix gives another view, from the inside of the boat:

....
Feeling a bit over-powered in the squalls we were reefing the mainsail when a squall of somewhat over 40 knots hit us. We were now entering the SW winds behind the front, so I changed from our westerly course to a NW heading, taking pressure off the sails. Despite that, the wind over the deck increased to over 50 knots and shredded our new carbon jib, leaving us under main only.

While changing from the #1 jib to the smaller #3, we were running before and gaining speed rapidly. Wavy was standing on the foredeck at the forestay, hauling down the tatters of the jib when we took off down a wave, accelerating to about 20 knots. The waves were very short and steep and we ran stright into the back of the next wave, washing Wavy aft against the shrouds, spraining his ankle and inflating his automatic life-jacket. At the same time the tiller went sloppy in my hands. Although "Black Cat" was running fast and straight down the wave she was doing it on her own, we had no steering.

We dropped all sail and elected to sit out the worsening conditions before setting up a jury rudder to take us back to Cape Town. "Black Cat" was comfortable and in no danger. While we waited we saw the German entry "Iskareen" sail past from behind. We thought that this very fast boat was ahead of us so it came as a surprise to see them come past.

The wind and sea moderated quite quickly from that first storm and we put our minds to making a jury rudder. Sean Collins went over onto the sugar-scoop to screw and strap it to the stub of the rudder that remained below the pintels. It worked reasonably but we treated it gingerly for fear of breaking it. We motored on a heading for Cape Town but as the day progressed the conditions slowly deteriorated as a second storm started to move in. I saw that we were not going to lay Cape Town so elected to rather head for the closer and easier Saldanha Bay.

As the night went on this storm grew progressively more violent. We were in the SW quadrant of the storm about which the weatherman had warned us. We had no desire to be in that position at that time but we had no choice in the matter. Fate had placed us there and we could only do our best to cope with the situation as it developed.

Around 3am there was a massive bang, a noise that sounded like the boat being ripped apart. Sean shouted a warning from the cockpit that I can't repeat in present company. Suddenly we were upside down and the cabin was filled with flying bodies and objects that were loose in the cabin and also those that were inside closed and latched lockers. I had been sleeping on the starboard saloon settee and had only a few seconds earlier stood up to walk aft to the cockpit. I was still in the saloon and was hit on my face and top of my head by unidentified flying debris, leaving me with cuts and a black eye.

The noise of this impact was so great and our up-turned position so alarming that I thought that the keel had come off. I was on the cabin roof and looked up at the bilge, all cabin soles having fallen out. I saw no gaping hole as I expected but shouted "Everybody out!!", still thinking that we had no keel. This all happened in a few seconds, then suddenly she was upright again and I knew that we still had a keel. We were left with an awful mess of food packages, cabin sole panels, tumblers, containers and anything else that managed to find its way out of its alloted place. And there was water everywhere. There had been some in the bilge but a lot more had come in through the companion hatch and a hole that we had no yet identified.

With no instruction from anyone this very capable crew automatically set about sorting out the chaos, first picking up anything that could block the bilge pumps before starting to pump out the water. The day fridge, which had been bolted into the saloon table, had relocated itself to the settee on which I had been lying only 30 seconds earlier. Three fire extinguishers, mounted in brackets from which they are removed vertically, all fell out when we were inverted and flew across to the starboard side of the cabin. Only two of the five onboard were in steel straps with locking mechanisms that held them firmly in place, the other three fell out and became lethal missiles.

Next we discovered what the hole was that had appeared in the deck. During the inversion process the tail of the mainsheet went over the side and attached itself to the propeller and wound itself up to the point that it stopped the diesel motor. It had so much tension in it that the force downward on the upper guardrail wire punched the nearest stanchion through the 12mm plywood deck. That left a hole about 75mm diameter into the locker below, where my clothes were. From there the water spread itself all over the starboard aft cabin, soaking everything that Wavy and I had in that cabin. That was all of our clothes, bedding, camera bags etc.

Of more consequence, the volume of water that came into the boat spread itself over the chart table, the lid of which had ripped right off, and into the electrical panel and electronics. The two satellite phones and main VHF radio were drowned, leaving us with only a hand-held VHF of limited range with which to communicate. Smelling smoke, Wavy opened the electrical panel to see smoke coming out but it didn't develop into a fire.

Time stands still in these situations. I have no idea how long it took us to clean up the boat but she was back to a semblence of ship-shape before too long. The hole in the deck was plugged as well as possible with some muti that we had brought onboard the day before the race start.

In the midst of all this Sean came down from the cockpit and described what had happened. From inside the boat we had no idea, it was just massive noise and upside-downness.

.....

This wave was much bigger and more violent than any others we had felt or seen. If that one could clobber us there may also be others, so we streamed warps from the bow and deployed the storm jib as a sea anchor to try to hold her bow-on to the waves. These did not seem to help much because the underwater current seemed to be pretty much the same speed as our drift. We didn't get her to lie more than about 20-25 degrees from broadside-on to the waves but it seemed to be enough to ease the motion a bit and cause other breaking waves to roll past the port quarter instead of hitting us amidships.

The worsening storm and loss of major communications prompted us to ask Cape Town Radio to put out a Pan-Pan message on our behalf to warn of our location in the shipping lane and to ask for the NSRI (National Sea Rescue Institute) to be called to our assistance. We advised that we were in no immediate danger but would appreciate assistance when it could be provided....

In the morning conditions again subsided. Wavy went over the side in his diving gear to free the mainsheet from the prop, which allowed us to restart the motor. A new and improved version of the jury rudder was fabricated from plywood cannibalised from the lazarette and we continued on our journey toward Saldanha Bay at 4-5 knots under our own power. Early afternoon the NSRI Rescue 3 arrived from Cape Town. They offered us the choice of continuing under our own steam to Saldanha Bay or accepting their tow back to Cape Town.

We took the tow and headed for Cape Town at 10 knots. Manoeuvring into the RCYC basin proved to be more difficult than anticipated because the jury rudder boards added to the starboard side of the rudder severly limited rudder movement in that direction. Add a pomping SE gale and we sorely needed the welcoming hands on the dock to catch us as we came in at rather high speed and with negligible control.....

My big question out of all of this was "Why did the rudder break?". It had a solid Iroko spine nearly 100mm thick and 150mm wide, extending top to bottom, with plywood fairing to leading and trailing edges. That is a massive piece of timber that really should not have been broken by a 20 knot surf. The answer came from the owner, Adrian Pearson.

He told me that when "Black Cat" was squeezed between the steel marinas a few weeks ago when the mooring chains broke, it was not only the hull and keel that were damaged. He said that the rudder was also "graunched". If that is so, it may have started a fracture of the rudder spine that culminated in the blade shearing off at high speed.....

And a big thank you must also go to our Didi 38 "Black Cat". She took a hammering on our behalf and came through with negligible damage."

Dudley Dix Yacht Design

Great story...tough sailors on that boat and fast ones too. They said that they were ahead of that M34 that is making a fantastic race. T:)

Rogue waves seem to be more frequent. Two days ago, with a forecast prevision of 40 to 50m waves on the shore, two giant waves come in and made a huge havoc on the Portuguese shore. Entire restaurants disappeared in the sea, boats were town to land others sunk.
 
#5,661 · (Edited)
Rescues

Two of the boats rescued and towed by SA rescue services. The main problem with both sailboats seem to be engines out of order.





An interview with the crew of the Didi 38. The boat seems very nice and tide, considering it was rolled.



The crew from Black Cat talk about the NSRI from Steve Searle on Vimeo.

They also rescued another boat that was not making this race, Ideafix 2. The boat was abandoned by the two French that crewed it but I don't know what type of yacht or the nature of the problem.

http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-afr...escues-almost-complete-1.1629637#.Us133NJdV8E
 
#5,662 ·
there has been an explicit warning issued to avoid the SW quadrant of that storm...
well in this quadrant the wind works hard against the bengueala current and i am quite certain that that is a an almost 100% guarantee for big breaking waves...
but i sure cannot say where it happened and which direction the waves or them were going...
there is a good image on the race homepage showing the weathersystem:

and he stated also that they had SW winds which would fit to the picture so the wave should have run the same way and that is against the current there...
 
#5,663 · (Edited)
Cape 2 Rio

That had happened only two days after race start and was pretty much predictable and raises the question about why the race direction did not postponed the race. Pretty much unbelievable if we take into consideration that this is an amateur race with many old or small boats racing and not professional crews.

Recently a highly professional transat with much bigger and seaworthy boats with professional crews was postponed for several days till the race direction considered that conditions were safe to all.

Regarding the race nothing new, Maserati on the lead and the old Open 60 catching Scarlet Runner, that TP52 with a cruising interior. That M34 continues to make an absolutely incredible race and looks to me to be ahead of the Class 40, just behind the three big boats.

Those guys are crazy to be doing this on that type of boat but fact is that they passed by a big storm without problems and keep pushing. I have to post a picture of the boat for you all understand why I say it looks madness to me:





Yes, this is the boat, a regatta boat. They have made the Tour de France and finished on the last places. No they are not bad sailors, the Tour de France has just incredibly good professional sailors. They are very good, as we can see by their fantastic performance on this race, even if a crazy one:D.
 
#5,666 · (Edited)
Status
Not open for further replies.
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top