Summer Cruise Pictures

Last week was the first really hot, 90+ degree weather we've had in the Northeast this summer, and of course I was taking the week off to go cruising. We didn't let the weather get us down though, and it was actually a great trip!

After a short sail to Port Washington to raft-up with some friends (and a lot of fenders, thanks to a storm in the middle of the night), it was off to Oyster Bay, Port Jefferson, Huntington, back to PJ, back to Oyster Bay, then home. Some friends joined me at different intervals along the way, and I did two days solo days as well. Very peaceful.

There were quite a few minor equipment failures but I'll save that post for another day - in the meantime, here are some pictures.

J/95 First Sail

Last week I finally had the opportunity to sail the J/95 here on Long Island Sound, on a beautiful evening with 7-11 kts of breeze.

The sea trial was for the benefit of a J/80 owner who is considering moving up, and we had the whole family onboard - mom, dad and two grown sons. The client currently uses their J/80 as a daysailor, with a very minimal amount of racing. However, they do enjoy using the asymmetric spinnaker and love the excitement it brings.

In short, the J/95 is a perfect fit for the way this family sails. For the first time, the client's wife was able to relax and not feel "in the way" as the rest of the group tacked, hoisted the kite, jibed etc. This is where the ergonomics of the cockpit design really paid off: with the traveller on the cockpit sole and the primary winches well aft, there was plenty of room for "non-sailors" to sit back and enjoy the ride. It's a very functional and comfortable lay-out.

We experimented with the board up and down while going upwind, and in the light breeze we could barely tell a difference. Leeway might have been a bit more board up but in both cases you could trim the sails and simply let go of the wheel. A great feeling!

The only thing about the boat that isn't a fit for this particular client is the keel/centerboard arrangement. His sailing venue has plenty of depth, so a fixed keel drawing 5'6" wouldn't be a problem. J/Boats is considering making this an option, and personally I think it would be a great move.

New Listing: 2008 Beneteau 46

Referrals are a broker's best friend, and I was very flattered to secure an excellent listing for this 2008 Beneteau 46 through a referral from an existing client.

I'm very familiar with the boat and sail past it all the time, so it was great to finally get onboard and see the interior. Unlike many of the larger Beneteaus, this boat has a traditional mainsail with an electric halyard winch and a "StackPack" for the main - exactly what I described as the ideal set-up in one of my first posts here. Not only does this offer a significant performance boost over in-mast furling, but the StackPack also eliminates the need for sail ties and cumbersome flaking - the main just drops right into the bag. Very civilized, and no anxiety about a furler that could jam at the worst possible moment!

Check out the full listing here.

J/95 Update

Rod Johnstone's J/95 is arriving at our docks this Sunday, and we've been busy lining up sea trials for the week. I'm eager to sail the boat myself and will of course make a full report here. She recently took first place in the Off-Soundings Spring Series with a PHRF rating of 109, so we're excited to take her out for some Thursday night beercan racing.

Pricing on the J/95 varies with some of the bigger options like a carbon rig, the asym package and interior amenities. The ultimate "sailaway" price is very marketable, based on the versatility and performance the J/95 offers.




Principal Dimensions:

LOA 31.20
LWL 28.40
Beam 10.00
Draft (board up/down) 3.0'/5.5'
Displacement 6,000 lb
Ballast (Fixed Lead Keel) 2,250 lb
Cast Bronze Centerboard 200 lb
100% Sail Area 450
STL 15.34
Dspl/L 117
SA/Dspl 22
Bridge Clearance 44.8
Aux Diesel Engine 14 hp

Newport in Photos

I rolled into Newport on Wednesday evening just in front of a classic summer squall. Here are some pictures from Newport Shipyard and the Hinckley facility in Portsmouth. Click on any picture for the larger version.

Incoming! Crews were scrambling to put on extra dock lines as this storm cell approached. The cranes in the foreground are on the deck of a private expedition-style motor vessel.
Roger Sturgeon's STP-65 Rosebud, drying out after Block Island Race Week.
I wish there was a better sense of scale here; the radar/satellite dome on the first spreader is about three feet across, if that helps.
Big.
Fast.


Pretty.

Busy Post-4th Week

Three surveys/sea trials lined-up for this week, including a Hinckley Picnic Boat in Newport on Thursday. Day trips to Newport are getting a little old (8+ hours in the car, round trip) so this time I'm going to spend the night and hopefully go for a ride on Adirondack II.

Let's see - Newport in July (without the weekend crowd), cocktails on an 80' schooner, sea trials in a Hinckley... Tough gig, right?