I'm looking for a good bluewater boat that is somewhere between 42' and 52' or there abouts. I started a couple of months ago and realized that I had quite a long list of boat prejudices. I have been able to overcome most of them. For example, wood, steel, and aluminum can be okay - maybe even very good. Sloops don't necessarily rule the world - I would be much happier with a cutter or a ketch, or even a schooner. Staterooms with sea berths are not a waste of space - they're excellent for stowage, a workshop, and sometimes even for sleeping. Sprits are not passé and ugly, they are very useful and even beautiful. On and on my rehab goes.
The one that is giving me the most trouble is the centre cockpit! I have enough bluewater experience to know that rough seas and high winds gets the helmsman cold and wet even in the aft cockpit of a 57' boat - I can imagine what it would be like in a CC. The CC is more prone to filling with seawater and probably slower to drain. It's probably more ergonomically difficult to eyeball the mainsail. I can go on with why centre cockpits are bad and the only good thing I can think of is that the pitching motion of the boat is kinder to the helmsman.
I had the chance to sail a CC Swan to Morocco, but had to decline so I've never sailed a CC boat in my life. Can someone please fill me in on the virtues (if any) of a CC? Or are they really just bad things for an ocean going sailboat? Remember, I'm talking about bluewater and crossings, not just coastal sailing. I saw a beautiful cold moulded Van der Stadt 52 that I can't buy because it has a CC
Thank you for all helpful insight.
FM
The one that is giving me the most trouble is the centre cockpit! I have enough bluewater experience to know that rough seas and high winds gets the helmsman cold and wet even in the aft cockpit of a 57' boat - I can imagine what it would be like in a CC. The CC is more prone to filling with seawater and probably slower to drain. It's probably more ergonomically difficult to eyeball the mainsail. I can go on with why centre cockpits are bad and the only good thing I can think of is that the pitching motion of the boat is kinder to the helmsman.
I had the chance to sail a CC Swan to Morocco, but had to decline so I've never sailed a CC boat in my life. Can someone please fill me in on the virtues (if any) of a CC? Or are they really just bad things for an ocean going sailboat? Remember, I'm talking about bluewater and crossings, not just coastal sailing. I saw a beautiful cold moulded Van der Stadt 52 that I can't buy because it has a CC
Thank you for all helpful insight.
FM