Best Pilothouse Sailboat?

[Geoduck]

Check out a C&C Landfall 48

[mikereed100]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Boatman, that's a sweet ride. What is it?

[mikereed100]

My wife had a Nauticat 45 schooner when I met her. Not saying that's why I married her, but it didn't hurt.

Probably not what the OP had in mind, but not to forget that there are several very nice pilothouse multihulls. The design lends itself to a pilothouse since there is already a beast of a cabin with too much windage. Turning it into a pilothouse adds no windage and in fact may decrease it by eliminating the need for a bimini for the helmsman. Speaking of windage, some of the newer Hunters that I see have dodgers that look more like spinnakers with far more windage than typical pilothouses.

Having had 2 pilothouse boats now I am a solid convert. In the near arctic waters of Southern California it's great to be able to shut the doors and turn the cabin into a nice, warm greenhouse while the spray flies outside. In the tropics you just open all the doors and hatches and you have a cool refuge from the sun and wind. Our autopilot died recently and we had to steer by hand for 1500 miles. Rain and night watches were a lot easier in the shelter of the pilothouse.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by mikereed100

Boatman, that's a sweet ride. What is it?

That's a Fisher. Nice boats, well made, but not the best sailors. Some of the Nauticat designs (like mine) are Sparkman and Stephens designs that are great sailors. Very well built, and they produced a ton of them, which means you can often find a good deal on one.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by mikereed100

My wife had a Nauticat 45 schooner when I met her. Not saying that's why I married her, but it didn't hurt.

Probably not what the OP had in mind, but not to forget that there are several very nice pilothouse multihulls. The design lends itself to a pilothouse since there is already a beast of a cabin with too much windage. Turning it into a pilothouse adds no windage and in fact may decrease it by eliminating the need for a bimini for the helmsman. Speaking of windage, some of the newer Hunters that I see have dodgers that look more like spinnakers with far more windage than typical pilothouses.

Having had 2 pilothouse boats now I am a solid convert. In the near arctic waters of Southern California it's great to be able to shut the doors and turn the cabin into a nice, warm greenhouse while the spray flies outside. In the tropics you just open all the doors and hatches and you have a cool refuge from the sun and wind. Our autopilot died recently and we had to steer by hand for 1500 miles. Rain and night watches were a lot easier in the shelter of the pilothouse.

Don't forget the AC! Not only can we sit warm and dry in the pilothouse while others sit in the rain in their foulies, but we can also drive the boat from a nice cool buttoned up pilothouse with the AC cranked while others roast in the heat of the tropical sun.

[westsail374]

Surprised not to see discussion of the various Nauticat models - some are traditional motor sailors with full keels (like the Fisher photo Boatman posted). See first photo - Nauticat 44. Others are sailboats with pilothouses. Of the latter, some are S&S designs that reportedly sail very well. The later Nauticat designs are "sunken pilothouses" that have relatively low windage and rear entries as well as low wetted surface and divided underbodies. See second photo - Nauticat 385.

[minaret]

The N44=not so great performance. The N43 is an S&S design and a great sailor. It can be confusing. Been aboard the newer "sunken pilothouse" designs, and I certainly wouldn't trade my boat for one. Much less visibility from the house, no raised quarterdeck aft, resulting in no massive aft cabin with transom windows. All for a little bit less windage on a big heavy boat. Much easier to maintain due to much less teak though.

[westsail374]

Minaret, the NC 52 is also an S&S design, is it not? How does it perform?

[westsail374]

Originally Posted by minaret

That's a Fisher. Nice boats, well made, but not the best sailors. Some of the Nauticat designs (like mine) are Sparkman and Stephens designs that are great sailors. Very well built, and they produced a ton of them, which means you can often find a good deal on one.

Hi Minaret

For some reason I am not getting your posts before mine go in - so I am not ignoring yours when I post. It might sound that way, as it seems you are answering questions before I ask them!

Bill

[minaret]

Originally Posted by westsail374

Minaret, the NC 52 is also an S&S design, is it not? How does it perform?

It is. I may be just a bit biased, but I think she performs like a champ! For a big heavy boat, she is remarkably easily driven. Nauticat acquired the hull mold from Nautor, it was originally a Swan, also designed by S&S. Olin Stephens spent 3 1/2 years doing design for this boat, and it really shows.

Presently deeply involved in a massive refit on mine, and it's awe inspiring how well built she is after having peeled the hull, removed all rigging and hardware (including all the hatches), and removed the teak decks. Only reason I'm online is because it's New Years Day, and I'm nursing a hangover! Been working fourteen hour days for eleven days straight now, it was time for a break anyway. We removed all the deck hardware and demo'd the teak decks completely in two days! Shattered all previous records...

[minaret]

Originally Posted by westsail374

Hi Minaret

For some reason I am not getting your posts before mine go in - so I am not ignoring yours when I post. It might sound that way, as it seems you are answering questions before I ask them!

Bill

Lol! Old Jedi mind trick.

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

I think opinions are meaningless without a set of priorities and parameters, so this is my basic list for a good pilothouse design.

Good inside visibility, ergonomics and actual control from Pilothouse.
Large skylight so that I can monitor set of sail from inside
Efficient motor sailor, easily driven and sea-kindly

If I may add, EZ access in/out of the house has been important to me. If there is a rush to get up on deck, a free access helps to avoid injury.

[tommyh]

The Force 50 would be my choice for a pilot house. The lines on that boat are salty and the inside has a great lay out. The ones iv seen sailing on the SF bay look to be decient sailors.

[sailr69]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

Many pilothouse designs I have seen are too boxy for my tastes, but I think that is again, a function of size and LOA to keep the lines balanced.

Personally, I have never seen a pilothouse sailboat under 40ft which did not look like an add on.

I guess that you may never have seen a Corbin 39, most people would never have guess it is a pilothouse boat. I do not consider myself an expert on yacht design but I am an expert in automobile design. asthetics applies to most products.
I have owned my Corbin for 19 years and still have a hard time considering when to sell her. she is fast, roomy, and pleasing to look at. not to mention a great live aboard boat.

[Cheechako]

I always liked the Islander Freeport 36 Pilot. My friends had a Panasiatic 46 pilothouse. http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_id=3660

It was the most comfortable I've seen. Inside the pilot was a big sea berth to starboard (extends under the side deck)and steering and a chart table to port. The engine room hatch was on the floor, creating a huge engine room you could go into and sit. I really liked that design. The off -watch could sleep right there next to the on-watch for safety etc. Frankly, I think I would have slept up there all the time!
I think one of the key things for a pilothouse is that it have a raised floor in the pilot.... there are some out there that have the cabin top, but essentially you are down real low. (Gulf?)