Lyle Hess 36

[zeehag]

as far as i can see, a bcc is a lot easier to handle in a sea and in weather than the allegedly easy handling performance sloops which will wear ye out very very fast. i was advised by the family owning the one across from me in L>A> that each of the girls could solo her when all the others are sleeping.. if a kid can sail a big boat, so can someone with a bad back. try to handle a performance sloop with a bad back. i watched my sail partner become essentially paralysed from just that as i sailed with him for a year. yes--he has a high thoracic injury. handling a cutter or a ketch is easier than other k sailpatterns as they have more ways in which to control th e movement of the boat. and smaller sails with which to so do. i like ketches--i have injuries to back and neck-- no sweat--and some other disabilities, but who is counting-- we do what we can do. i like a bit of freeboard in seas-- isnt as easy to be pooped by a sea. bcc soesnt have exceptionally high freeboard--is similar in freeboard to a performance cruiser. lower than my ericson.

[Johnathon123]

Thanks Zeehag

I am just getting to the point where I think I can sail again so as you say "we do what we can do"

It saddens me how many of us have back problems, but on the other hand gladdens me to think if the people on the forum can then so can I!

Thanks again

[Cherp]

hey Jonathon...have you seen that magnificent Herreschoff Mobjack on Yachthub for $139k? Bit bigger than the Lyle hess and cheaper too. It appeals to me. They're obviously not getting offers so you may get a deal.

[Johnathon123]

I have seen it Cherp, I did like it and in fact presented both to the management team (wife) she went straight to the Lyle Hess.

Will probably look at both she is nice.

[zeehag]

if a bad back is a big problem, please consider the sail plan options of a ketch -- is with many smaller sails than cutter or sloop and is easier to handle-- they track well and dont have the weather helm i have so often found in single masted sailing as i have cruised. i found much easier to handle more sails as opposed to fewer on a sloop or cutter--
i also found less weather helm with a full keel boat as opposed to a fin keel/spade( or skegged) rudder combo. for what it is worthy, a smy disabilities progressed, i was able to foresee the ned for more sails and deeper keel as i had problems trying to control my friends' sloop we sailed last year in the gulf. incredible weather helm, was difficult to maintain at times, even with a wheel. made exhaustion happen.

[Johnathon123]

Thanks - good points and well worth BIG consideration.

I am going to look tomorrow so lets see.

[zeehag]

jonathon--i have crippling difficulties with my hands--no--NOT ra-- is different kind of problem, and i have managed to be able to sail since age 7, at the same time as onset of this thing. i have sailed with this all my life, so i learned to do stuff my way.... we all adapt to be able to do that which most moves us. there are so many ways to do everything that you shuld be able to get with a program good for ypu if you wish to sail-- might wanna run away from home first and cruise or sail other folks's boats with them before you figger out what to run out and buy-so many different kinds of boats and so many different kindsa folks. there is a proper match somewhere.
if i dont die before i get to caribean/gulf, come out to sAil with me....i can help ye a bit , i think..

[barnakiel]

Hess' designs are believed to be well sailing, seaworthy and pretty boats. Pardeys boat (s?) were Hess designs (I believe).

I would, personally, not be willing to pay this amt of money for a boat built in this technique. I would look for one of the BCC in GRP instead (or else a cold molded wood/epoxy hull). But this is personal and for anyone with deep love for wood (and wood maintenance) a boat like this one is a sure shortlist item.

If the boat is 36 then the fore cabin looks pretty much a joke, but I do like the quarter berths. I also like the white-and-light wood trim - pretty to my eye and easy to spot and smash a vagrant cockroach on.

My other grumbling is that I do not like the way the cockpit is on Hess' boats. I like the fact that it is small and will not likely get the boat badly pooped, but I am not much fan of sitting in the open, unprotected and having my ass wet most of the time. I think a HCh cockpit is a nice compromise - small well, some protection, plenty of comfortable backrest, good visibility too. Our own (Allegro 27) is not bad either, given the wee size of our ship.

So, my personal choice for offshore work would be a slightly modified boat by the same designer. And on the harbour, well ... on the harbour you will have other owners sigh and wish they had the kind of money to get one like yours.

Cheers,
b.

[Johnathon123]

Thanks for comments Well I going to have a look tomorrow.

I agree. A bit expensive but worth a good look

Thanks Zeehag. Maybe one day we can hit the water together.

[Jim Cate]

G'Day James,

In general I am not a fan of Hess's, but this looks like a really nice boat, and well worth a close inspection. It is definitely dissimilar to the Pardey's boats, being both a fin keel and strip plank epoxy composite construction. This construction method is possibly the very best for a one-off builder. Light, very strong, not subject to worms or osmotic blistering and relatively easy to repair if breached. It is NO HARDER to maintain than a normal GRP production boat, and (as above) won't get blisters. One possible drawback is that it must be painted rather than gel-coated, and paint is surely less long-lived than good gel coat. I think that I can speak with some authority, since Insatiable II is of this identical construction... and she's now 20 year old and has done well over 100,000 sea miles... and still looks like new (with the help of a new LPU job last year!). No structural issues whatsoever, still tight, quiet and beautiful. Not many production boats could match that record.

Now, as to her suitability as a cruiser -- don't let folks tell you that ya gotta have a full keel ketch to go offshore, or that you will have weather helm if you buy a fin keeled boat. Nonsense... and, if my opinion doesn't count on this, see the many posts here on CF from Bob Perry, whose opinions should carry some weight.

This is not to say that this boat couldn't have some issues... without sea trials, no boat is beyond suspicions, but Hess's boats generally do sail well.

Let us know how she strikes you when you've had a look.

Cheers,

Jim and Ann s/v Insatiable II lying Towler's Bay, NSW, Oz

PS She seems to be unusually well equipped for offshore cruising... lots of useful and expensive goodies

[zeehag]

jonathon-- i am looking forward to that--i will live for a bit longer yet---whatever you find, make sure ye sail her to see if you like her features....

[barnakiel]

Yep. Here too - PLS post your findings and impressions. Looking forward.

b.

[Johnathon123]

Went and had a look today.

First impression. HUGE. Not in length but height and width. My son thought it was a ship.

Down below. Very nice, solid, good hand grips, quarter berths are good sea berths. Amazingly clean in the bilge, great storage. Enclosing the head is a Definate problem, at the moment you need to squat on the toilet to get a shower into the sump. Definitely need ideas here that don't enclose the quarter berth.

On deck: great looking rig, well maintained, new canvas, lots of cool gadgets. The coachouse needs a repaint. No biggie.

The deck is beech, glued down. It needs to come off. I would prefer to rip it off, fair it and then paint it. Is this OK. There are no screws so I thought it would be??

All the running rigging looks good

The owner tells me she is a pain to reverse out of a pen. I know there are tricks and so on but he suggested a feathering prop would cure all evils. Never heard this before. Is he correct.

Is it the boat for us. Maybe, I would be interested to hear your thoughts on the above. She would probably be the best built boat I have ever seen ( except for the head) attention to detail everywhere

Let's see what the management team thinks when I get home

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Johnathon123

The owner tells me she is a pain to reverse out of a pen. I know there are tricks and so on but he suggested a feathering prop would cure all evils. Never heard this before. Is he correct.

Many boats are. The only boat that I know that reverses well is a LD with fine foils and a saildrive sitting way fore.

Most 'classic' hulls are horrible in astern. But quite magnificent in FORWARD.

Do NOT get discouraged but DO test this during a test ride - so that you know what the devil really is all about.

I found all claims of reduced prop-walk for feathering props pure marketing. The design of the hull and where the prop is placed is what IMHO counts.

Our boat suffers from the same shortcoming but the only limitation we do suffer is that we will dock bow-to while many owners will dock stern-to. Having a double-ender ;-) I could not care less!

b.

[Johnathon123]

Thanks Barnakel - that was exactly what I thought but the owner was very convincing!

Management team seems impressed but a little concerned because the next 2 - 3 years will be coastal and bay sailing before we "head out" anywhere that might take advantage of the boats build and design.

Suggestion was to buy a different boat ore suited to coastal and bay work then in a couple of years look at a boat like this?

My head hurts!