Here's a Great Read

danielgoldberg · #1 (**permalink**) 12-19-2008

From Jon Eisberg on a delivery he just did from Annapolis to the BVI:

Well, that pretty much suckedâ€¦. (sorry, folks - this is a long one)

It's worth reading.

It also should spark some interesting discussion here about a few things. For one, all these problems on a Trintella? All at the same time I found that quite surprising, yet typical (all boats have problems, no matter what the brand and no matter what anyone says).

Valiente · #2 (**permalink**) 12-19-2008

That is a great read and a cautionary tale of how our conveniences can be traps.

I am going in exactly the opposite direction getting fitted out for world cruising, and after reading this, I feel better about my decisions.

sailingdog · #3 (**permalink**) 12-19-2008

Hmm... The more complicated the boat, the more stuff that can break... and making basic—very necessary—systems dependent on other more complicated ones is just asking for trouble.

Electric heads that can are plumbed to flush with fresh water only—making you dependent on a watermaker to have enough water to flush the heads... not exactly bright.

Electric furling motor died after just one reef... Think it was the main sail furling system, cause he called it a Leisure Furl.

JohnRPollard · #4 (**permalink**) 12-19-2008

What Val said!

Interesting in so many ways. Thanks Daniel.

c40eb · #5 (**permalink**) 12-19-2008

Cope, learn, cope, learn, cope, learn...and come home with a smile.

At least he seemed to keep his sense of humor...

danielgoldberg · #6 (**permalink**) 12-19-2008

Trintellas are real boats, not like Catalinas or a Precision Marine product, so I have a feeling, though I don't know it for sure, that this may have been a sort of shake down delivery.

I do agree with everyone that having critical systems dependent upon electrical or other highly complex systems presents a real risk. I will say this though, the two systems that have been referenced here (heads and furling boom) are not critical systems for a passage. I'm no doctor, but I'm pretty sure a broken electrical head will not preclude a three-guy crew from doing what they need to do. It may not be the most pleasant, but a bucket with salt water will work just fine.

As to the furling boom, you still can use the mainsail, it just becomes like a regular main (a problem with an in-mast system is a different story).

Anyway, the thing I found most interesting is that a $1 million boat with highly experienced crew can have the same exact order of magnitude types of troubles as a $400,000 production boat can have with a schmuck like me at the helm.