Bluewater Cats with 'Sliding Doors' and Hard Bimini

[HobieFan]

Interesting.

I'd been told that deploying a drogue (or even a parachute anchor) over the bow leads to the boat tending to slide down heavy waves backwards, putting a great deal of shear pressure on the rudders, and causing them to tend to swing to their extreme side positions, sometimes causing the boat to turn slightly as it slides down the waves, with the possibility of getting beam-on to a breaking wave as a result and other times, just snapping them off.

Maybe the forward pull from the bridle and anchor is sufficient to keep it nose to the waves. Never been there, just imagining how it might affect a boat in those conditions.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by HobieFan

Never been there, just imagining how it might affect a boat in those conditions.

A drogue will allow you to move.
A parachute will not.

Assuming sized correctly.

http://www.maxingout.com/abbott_drogue.htm

http://www.katiekat.net/Cruise/Katie...chorIndex.html

http://www.maxingout.com/storm_management.htm

These are a couple who have done it, not just read about it.

[Intentional Drifter]

Originally Posted by Therapy

These are a couple who have done it, not just read about it.

While prepared to be one of the former, I'd just as soon stay being one of the latter!

ID

[Cheechako]

It's really a matter of your confidence in the slider and your confidence in your weather planning. I've never heard of water in a cat cockpit really. But if your tolerance for the slightest possibility occurring is low, then maybe install a heavy bulkhead in place of the glass slider with one of those "big ship" oval shaped "submarine" doors you can dog down. Or Diamond Sea Glaze and others make real Marine sliders also. (Bring $!) Many commercial fishing boats use sliders, but a lot of them are heavy duty ones.... and I agree the ones on cats are pretty "kitchen patio" like! Diamond Sea Glaze

[Event_Horizon]

If you mistrust the sliding glass doors. I suggest you check out Chris White's Atlantic series.

[neilpride]

Hi Hobiefan, you right!! after delivery 3 lagoons from France to the Caribbean in winter, the last one a lagoon 380, my confidence in sliding doors is 0, nothing, this doors are BLS , and yes i cacht water in the cockpit in following seas, not to much but enough to think whats going on with this doors in breaking weaves, nice for the low latitudes , bad for hig latitudes...

[HobieFan]

Fair enough. Sounds like a mixed bag. The doors are probably good enough, but maybe not for a North Atlantic Winter, or a hurricane.

Of course, I don't plan to be in either, but it's something worth considering.

Thanks all!

HobieFan

[Talbot]

Originally Posted by Event_Horizon

If you mistrust the sliding glass doors. I suggest you check out Chris White's Atlantic series.

Personally, if I distrust sliding doors when under a series drogue, I would be hardly likely to trust a forward cockpit boat when under a parachute anchor.

[Event_Horizon]

Originally Posted by Talbot

Personally, if I distrust sliding doors when under a series drogue, I would be hardly likely to trust a forward cockpit boat when under a parachute anchor.

I think if you were in seas that bypass 25+ feet of two hulls and break on the forward cockpit...you'd pretty much be screwed no matter where you had the door

[Talbot]

You are welcome to your obvious preference for these boats. They do not rock my boat! but these differences are what make sailing so interesting, so good luck to you.

[freetime]

YouTube - Seawind 1160 Catamaran

Seawind Catamarans

If you want to see a unique door contstruction..... watch the video.... And the boat are also good.....the rest of it...

[Event_Horizon]

I've always wondered about the seawind 1160. Being from the US, I've yet to have a chance to board one. I'd be worried how the bottom half of the doors are fixed to the door frame. I wonder if it rattles...

[Factor]

Originally Posted by Event_Horizon

I've always wondered about the seawind 1160. Being from the US, I've yet to have a chance to board one. I'd be worried how the bottom half of the doors are fixed to the door frame. I wonder if it rattles...

No rattles (Ive done a couple of thousand miles on 1160s) and the door folds down against a strong lip and is then drop bolted to that lip. Its rock solid when its closed.

[freetime]

Look at the homepage or ask them, maybe the will have a boat at miami boatshow in februari?? I saw in multihullmag they will show it or have been in europe this year...

by the way, i like the seawind very much, maybe the look from the side is little strange, atleast in the pics. Never seen or sailed one.