Crealock 37 heel and sea comfort

swiftibis · #1 10-25-2011

My wife and I have started seriously looking at PSC 37's because they're the same relative size as our current boat (1984 Hunter 31), but they have a sterling reputation for taking care of their crews in heavy seas. We live in the north gulf and frequently our hunter becomes an uncomfortable beach ball. I was wondering if anybody had any info on what your standard heel angle is, or your roll period? We spend a lot of time it seems heeled about 30-35 degrees, and if there's any real chop we have a hard time going upwind. Our boat is very wide, has a ton of freeboard, is light, and the iron keel just doesn't keep us upright I feel. Any thoughts?
Mike of Battleship Nadesico

skygazer · #2 10-25-2011

Have you tried using this site that compares sailboats for various ratios?

Sail Calculator Pro v3.53 - 2500+ boats

I don't know how it's calculated, but the "comfort" value must have some basis, even if not totally accurate I'd guess it would be OK for comparison purposes.

Just search for your boat on the left and compare to any boat on the right. If a boat is not listed there is a place lower down to plug in values and get the same info. You may find some surprising results.

NortenoSailor · #3 10-25-2011

With a fairly narrow beam, they tend to heel early. But I need all sail up and over 20 kts of wind to "bury the rail". With respect to comfort however, I agree with others who say it has a kindly motion. I have yet to experience any of the banging that I have felt with more modern designs. Lastly, and harder to quantify, the boat feels secure. After owning my PS37 for two years, I find myself wanting to test it in ever more trying conditions. Perhaps a sail around Vancouver Island next February will do the trick!

DaveMancini · #4 10-26-2011

Try also Best Cruisers, which provides even more in depth parameters for comparing cruising boats. Download the database if you want to see the actual numbers themselves.

smackdaddy · #5 10-26-2011

I crewed on a PS Crealock 37 cutter for a 500+ mile offshore race/return in the Gulf. She is an incredible boat to sail, sleep in, and drive. Very solid helm and stability.

We had all sail up in 20+ and she tracked perfectly at 7.5 knots, though the rail was in the water a bit (as Nort said above). My guess is that we were heeled 30 degrees when the rail started dipping - but she was as solid as a rock and easy to flatten when we weren't pushing so hard (it was a race after all).

Also, as mentioned, this boat is very well regarded by every knowledgable sailor/broker I've come across. It would be hard to do better.

skygazer · #6 10-26-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveMancini

Try also Best Cruisers, which provides even more in depth parameters for comparing cruising boats. Download the database if you want to see the actual numbers themselves.

Could not download data, "page not found".

On motion acceleration, do you think lower is better? Not specified.

Thanks for the link, wish I could get all the info.

SVArgo · #7 10-26-2011

Mike,

I'll generally agree with Norteno and others on the PS37 seakindliness and also sailed ours in the Regata al Sol from Pensacola to New Orleans. With more V- shaped lines forward transitioning to the larger keel, she tracks better and doesn't slam as hard as a Hunter or similar design. Also, with relatively greater flare and stem rake, she sheds water more easily. Moving aft, the lines at the stern are not flat like most production cruisers, which sacrifices some speed, and in conjunction with the double end, makes it very quiet at anchor, eliminating the infuriating slap against the flat sections under the reverse transom.

I would say, though, not to assume that a PS37 is relatively the same size. The Hunter displaces about 9700 lb, and the PS37 is close to 18,000 lb. So it's almost twice the boat!! Don't let that dissuade you though. It is a fantastic, well constructed vessel.

Also, for cruising in the Gulf, I think that there's something that most of us in small craft are going to have to live with, and as a disclaimer will say that while I had to learn all this in oceanography and ports and harbors classes in college, I'm not an expert. I know enough to be dangerous. The "tuning", i.e. shape of the gulf is such that, combined with the way the fronts move through, the fetch isn't enough for waves to decay into a proper ocean swell. They often just hang in this 4-8 ft wave height with a wavelength that tends to excite anything in the small craft range, and larger if beam to the seas. I honestly think you have to plane (power) or be greater than 75 ft or so to avoid it. The wave climate statistics are out there, but I haven't bothered to look at them.

On the way back from Isla Mujeres (Cancun), we had 22-25kt out on reach with a big southerly Caribbean ground swell of about 8-10 ft running with us. We stayed in the high 7's at a minimum for well over 30 hours, much in the 8's, and was one of the best sails I've ever had in my life. Controllable and comfortable the whole time.

jackdale · #8 10-27-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by NortenoSailor

Perhaps a sail around Vancouver Island next February will do the trick!

I am a big fan of PSC, but I would wait until at least late April to attempt an Around Vancouver Island. I was stopped a year and a half ago in April by hurricane force winds and 6-8meter seas from the SE. I have been around at least 10 times.

brokesailor · #9 10-27-2011

I bought a Crealock 37 this year but with the transport delays, earthquakes, hurricanes haven't had as much time to sail her as I would have liked. But the little sailing I have done on her I have to agree you just feel safe on her. Getting in and out of the slip is much easier singlehanded because she is a heavier boat with a low freeboard so the wind does not move the boat as easily as my Hunter 36 did. At anchor the boat doesn't sail around like the hunter did and the boat being a yawl if you raise the mizzen then she barely moves at anchor.

swiftibis · #10 10-27-2011

Thanks all,
We're going to look at one in Tampa soon. It's the one on YW for 75k which indicates to me it wants a decent bit of refitting. But as we live aboard and cruise every weekend, I'll get any boat up to snuff in a few years. I think I have to agree with SVArgo, that our conditions just get bad for small craft and frequently. Any blow over 20kts kicks up 4-6 'washing machine' disorganized chop in just a half day, and that really rolls us around. My wife is prone to seasickness so a decent ride is very important to keeping her interested and having fun. For myself, I want a boat that's maintainable and worth maintaining (and nice to live on) for at least 10 years. We're also going to try and look at a Cabo Rico 36 in Augustine and a Bayfield 36 in Daytona. A big limiter on my boat choices is a 49'- local bridge (Destin) that would ruin our fun if we couldn't go out scuba in the gulf or hang out in the harbour.
Brokesailor, I read just about all your past posts, nice information you gleaned, and sorry that time hasn't permitted you more fun. The H36 is real similar to my 31, except I think it's more proportioned. I feel my 31 is abnormally tall to give me headroom. A H40' next to me has the same freeboard.
Anyway what I meant about sizing was not displacement, but rather a general measure of sail size. We have the same mast height, and the staysail and main would almost fit my boat. Also I greatly enjoy maintaining then improving boats, so I feel I could handle something this size without straining too hard. We've also looked at things like and Irwin 41 and Pearson 42x and some others, and aside from not being what we want, those are huge boats!
Anyway I'm rambling...