Sixty-Two Feet of Sailing Simplicity

"I resolved to have a thoroughly good sailing boat -- the largest that could be well managed in rough weather by one strong man, and with every bolt, cleave, sheave, and rope well-considered in relation to the questions: How will this work in a squall? On a rock? In the dark? Or in a rushing tide? A crowded lock? Not to say in a storm? She was to be first safe, next comfortable, and then fast."
-John MacGregor from The Voyage Alone in the Yawl Rob Roy, 1867

While we were docked in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin this past summer, we ran across a very interesting cruising sailboat. At first glance you may say that Falcon II is simply large, but then question what makes her so interesting? And to that I would volley back with several responses. First, Falcon II is an aluminum hull from one of today's superyacht builders, Palmer Johnson. Next I might mention her trio of helm seats, complete with wedge-shaped cushions that can be adjusted to compensate for either a port or starboard heel. But what I find most interesting about Falcon II is her boom-less rig. That's right, this 62-footer features a mainsail without a boom. She was designed this way to keep things simple and safe for a short-handed crew. Her accommodations below deck are also designed with a small crew in mind, perfect for a couple with three kids! But alas, even though she's currently on the market, Falcon II will escape our loving ownership because of a price tag that dwarfs my mortgage. Oh well, at least it was free to check her out on the dock.

Now those are comfy helm seats!
All lines led to the helm...in a very organized manner.
No boom!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Top 10 Favorite Affordable Bluewater Sailboats

Image
I've always said that my favorite boat is whichever one I currently own. Being able to call it "mine" makes it my favorite by default. My first boat was a $400 derelict that I loved (still love) deeply. And she loved me back. However, that doesn't mean there aren't other boats I love that I'd like to call "mine" someday. The following is my personal ranking of my favorite affordable (available for ~$50k) sailboats. I've rather arbitrarily set the price limit around $50k and called it "affordable" in hopes that one day one of these boats might fit my budget and help my family and I to sail far and live free. Also note that other than the top 3, these rankings change in my head almost daily and I really struggled to narrow the list down to just 10.   As you peruse my list, you'll notice that they're all bluewater cruisers . You won't find any modern designs, fin keels, spade rudders, sugar scoop transoms, carbo...
Read more

Go Small and Go Now! 5 Pocket Cruisers to Take you Anywhere

Image
"Go small, go simple, go now!" -Lin & Larry Pardey Iconic cruisers Lin and Larry Pardey are well-known among cruising enthusiasts for the above statement. Can it really be that easy? Grab yourself a small boat, outfit it properly but simply for offshore work, and get going while your dream and your body is still alive! Lin and Larry not only made the statement, they lived it. If you're looking to do the same, maybe some of the micro- or pocket-cruisers I've listed below can serve as your "go small" portion of the equation. Going small and choosing one of these or several other pocket cruisers will lead to trade-offs. Of course first and foremost you'll be giving up length, both on deck and at the waterline. This often leads to less storage space, less weight capacity, and slower sailing. But the upside is presumably less maintenance (less paint, less wood, fewer systems) and more affordable expenses. For example, replacing the s...
Read more

Escape to the Sea: How to get from the Great Lakes to the Caribbean

Image
Let's say winter's chill was something you could no longer take as a Great Lakes sailor. Or perhaps you just want to extend your sailing season beyond the boundaries of summer. What options do you have?  You could just opt for a bareboat charter somewhere in the Caribbean and consider the itch scratched. But then you'd miss out on all the adventure of moving a boat between the Great Lakes and the Caribbean. And you wouldn't be sailing  your  boat. I'm here to convince you that the best option is to sail your own boat south. What follows is an overview of the route you could take to get you and your boat to warmer water and weather from the Great Lakes. Route 1: St. Lawrence Seaway (including Lake Champlain shortcut) You're adventurous if you choose this route. From most starting locations in the Great Lakes, you'll also be seeing the most scenery and passing the ...
Read more