What boat would you use?

With this years Race to Alaska just kicking off. I have been doing a lot of daydreaming. What boat would I want for an expedition race like this. Can't have a motor, sails and oars only. It needs a nice snug dry cabin. I took a really hard look at the “Faering Cruiser”. The combo of Sail and sliding seat rowing would be perfect. But you cannot sit up in the cabin. If you tossed you anchor out in a nice bay and wanted to have a meal, and it was raining and windy. Bummer dude, I sure wouldn't want to try and eat laying down. You would have to rig tarps or just land and set up a tent. I think “Autumn Leaves” would be a better choice. It might be a bit of an issue with having to stand to row. And I bet with a little thought and ingenuity something better could be achieved. But that nice little cabin with plenty of headroom and room to stretch out. I think that is the way I would go. Now if John completes "Joy Springs", I think I would have to re-think a few things!!  I guess I need to set up a go fund me page to raise the capital!!


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RE: What boat would you use?

As a Faering Cruiser owner who has camped out in it on the water, I must respectfully disagree.

In case of too much wind, anchor by the stern. The boat faces away from the wind and the hatch cover acts as a wind screen. If the wind's too boisterous, polyethylene sheets unfolded from inside the hatch cover and attached to the coaming make nice flexible windows that also handle when the wind is full of stuff. If the stuff bites and sucks instead of just splashing, no-see-um screen material is used instead of polyethylene.

BTW, a tarp is really easy to rig. Just furl the sail, raise the boom above head leve, disconnect the lazy jacks using the snazzy Brummel clip modification, drape the tarp over the boom and secure the corners. The main reason I use a tarp is for privacy when answering nature's calls, rather than weather protection. It's more pleasant to do so out on the deck - less acrobatic and no residual effluvia in the sleeping space.

Laszlo

 

RE: What boat would you use?

I always appreciate the opinions of an owner!

   

RE: What boat would you use?

   The relatively sleek profile of the Faering Cruiser should make it much faster if you have to row into a headwind -- or in no-wind conditions (where the boat's motion creates a headwind). I think it would be a hard boat to beat in the race to Alaska . . . and Laszlo has a duty to compete!

RE: What boat would you use?

I agree that the Cruiser would be superior for a rowing craft. But will all the sails that Autumn Leaves carries it looks like it would scream across the water.

   

RE: What boat would you use?

Birch,

In a no-wind condition with the mast up and the sail furled I can do 2 -3 mph as an all-day pace, especially if there's no turns. With a wind, it gets very iffy, very quickly.  In the picture below it took almost 1/2 hour to go 1/2 mile, most of that for the 1/4 mile into the wind. And there weren't even whitecaps (yet).

And you're right about my duty to compete, but darn it, I missed the deadline.

Mike, you may be surprised. The AL only carries 62 square feet more sail area than the FC, the FC is 4 feet longer on the water line, has lower wetted area and slices through chop instead of slapping it. I'm thinking that it would come down to the skill of the skippers. I hope John pops in to say a word or two.

Laszlo

 

RE: What boat would you use?

   Laszlo, I remembering watching you row into that gale at Okoumefest. As I recall you just got your boat out of the water before all hell broke loose. . . . The whole episode gave me respect for your boat . . . and for you! It took good back and arms to make any headway at all into that wind!

RE: What boat would you use?

Mikeflys said,  " .........0 If you tossed you anchor out in a nice bay and wanted to have a meal, and it was raining and windy. Bummer dude, I sure wouldn't want to try and eat laying down. You would have to rig tarps or just land and set up a tent........"

.

My recollection of expedition racing has little stopping and even less comfortable conditions. Seems that stopping usually is accompanied by exhausted sleeping and eating in any configuration.  Sleep deprevation and constant movement seems to be the rule.

RE: What boat would you use?

   Autumn leaves for that race, that waters cold and rough the al looks much more seaworthy and dry. As for rowing  ,I'm guessing that areas got plenty of wind and neither boat is going to make much headway into the wind. if it came down to rowing upwind Id rather take a strategic rest 

RE: What boat would you use?

Greg,

In rough water and higher winds  I'd agree that you're probably right. The AL would handle it better because of the greater weight. Once that boat is heeled, it would slice through the waves instead of slapping them and the inertia would keep it going.

Having done no expedition racing, I was not endorsing the FC over the AL. The only thing I said above was that it is possible to shelter sitting up, that the speed difference between the 2 boats might be less than a quick look would suggest and that rowing it into the wind is not easy.

That said, if John Guider does well in the R2A in his Expedition Skerry, that indicates to me that the FC, in the hands of somebody equally skilled (not me) would probably do at least as well.  Don't know how the AL, also in skilled hands, would do by comparison. I'm sure it would do at least as well.

>>take a strategic rest 

Smartest idea of all.

Laszlo

 

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