Question for current or former Ketch owners (only)

[patrickstickler]

If and when you might consider moving to a new boat, would you prefer one with a ketch rig?

If so, why? If not, why not?


(Please, please, please, no comments and opinions from folks who have not or do not own a ketch and do not have extensive intimate personal experience, not merely second hand knowledge, or based on lots of research and logical deduction, etc. etc. etc. Thanks.)

[WanderingStar]

I'm happy with my ketch. Her rig allows me to singlehand a large boat (16 tons) and provides plenty of sail combinations for balance or strong winds. Plus, she looks great. If I raced I would want a sloop.

[sailingdog]

Just curious, are you looking at buying a ketch??

[klem]

I think that it really depends on what you are trying to do. For example, around the buoys racing would be better in a sloop. Whereas long tradewind passages with lots of reaching is great in a ketch. In my opinion, they are no harder to handle than a sloop (and actually do provide some extra maneuverability) even when single handing. However, it does take a bit longer to get underway. It is also more costly since the number of sails, standing rigging, running rigging etc increases. For larger boats and people who don't like powered winches, they make a lot of sense but boats smaller than 40' or so, I don't see this as a major advantage.

One of the biggest benefits in my mind is the ability to balance the boat with the sail plan. Almost all of the ketches that I have sailed have not needed an autopilot when reaching as their sailplan and rudder can be balanced well enough. Sometimes this means that one of the sails is not drawing optimally or that you need to reef one a bit early but it really does work quite well.

I happen to really like ketch rigs but if I were only daysailing or racing to windward a lot, I would pick a sloop.

[patrickstickler]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

Just curious, are you looking at buying a ketch??

Yes. Looking at two almost identical boats (same hull, roughly same features). One has a ketch rig, the other a sloop. Will be using it only for cruising. No need for speed. No racing. Will be singlehanding most of the time. Need to be able to handle wide range of conditions (Baltic and North Sea).

[DwayneSpeer]

I don't own a ketch, nor do I have extensive experience with one but I do have a good friend that does own one and his won't point worth a darn. It could be because his main isn't on a traveler, nor is his mizzen.

[sailingdog]

While not a ketch owner, have sailed on a few, and would think that the ketch rig would be better for cruising. The sails are smaller and easier to manage. It is often easier to balance the boat's sail plan, especially in heavy weather. It is slightly more work and maintenance, but that is probably more than offset by the advantages the ketch rig brings for a cruiser. However, the sloop rigged boat will probably point a bit higher...

[christyleigh]

Hi Patrick,
Since you come from my boat's homeland I have to wonder if you are looking at a couple Nauticats. Since my NC 331 is so drastically different from my last 2 boats which were Catalina Sloops and all the previous ones also I can't really give you an A - B comparison. I do like the extra options the 3rd sail gives me though. If it's an extra breezy day ..... or it's going to be later.... which is usually the case on Narragansett Bay I won't even bother with the Main since the furling genoa is easy to deal with and the small mizzen to balance things off is also easy to deal with. I even shrunk my Mizzen a bit to add the Bimini so there really isn't much driving power there....... BUT... way back there it acts like a 2nd rudder so it does accomplish the balancing act fairly well if it's driving at all.
As for your question about 'doing it again' I'd say (after hitting the lottery) and I was moving up to the 38-42 Nauticat range I would move away from the "Traditional Motor Sailors" (like mine) and go with the "Pilothouse Sailboat" Nauticat line most being SS designed and Much Better Sailers. And if I had option (of course I'd have the option since I just hit the lottery ) of the of Sloop or Ketch I would stick with the Ketch.

[sailingdog]

I'm guessing you didn't win last night's Powerball drawing....

Originally Posted by christyleigh

Hi Patrick,
Since you come from my boat's homeland I have to wonder if you are looking at a couple Nauticats. Since my NC 331 is so drastically different from my last 2 boats which were Catalina Sloops and all the previous ones also I can't really give you an A - B comparison. I do like the extra options the 3rd sail gives me though. If it's an extra breezy day ..... or it's going to be later.... which is usually the case on Narragansett Bay I won't even bother with the Main since the furling genoa is easy to deal with and the small mizzen to balance things off is also easy to deal with. I even shrunk my Mizzen a bit to add the Bimini so there really isn't much driving power there....... BUT... way back there it acts like a 2nd rudder so it does accomplish the balancing act fairly well if it's driving at all.
As for your question about 'doing it again' I'd say (after hitting the lottery) and I was moving up to the 38-42 Nauticat range I would move away from the "Traditional Motor Sailors" (like mine) and go with the "Pilothouse Sailboat" Nauticat line most being SS designed and Much Better Sailers. And if I had option (of course I'd have the option since I just hit the lottery ) of the of Sloop or Ketch I would stick with the Ketch.

[christyleigh]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

I'm guessing you didn't win last night's Powerball drawing....

Nope....... if so I'd be sitting with Kaj Gustophson in Finland going over the modifications I'd want to my new 515