Wow, quite a diversity of answers one receives.
My wife and I live on an older Dean 400 in
Florida and have for the past 4 or so years. Prior to that we sailed it from
Grenada in a year that had
weather similar to what this year is shaping up to be, front after front of cold
wind from the NE. I have to agree with the comments of built like a tank. We have crossed the tongue of the ocean in large swells that kept others nestled in at Chub Cay, doing double digits over the ground while eating cereal in the
cockpit quite comfortably. We left the
Dominican Republic a couple days after the earthquake that devastated
Haiti on the same island, 14 foot swells off the starboard all day, a few washed over the starboard bow and
cabin roof and soaked me trying to catch a few winks on the port side of the
cockpit. It is tough and safe, no doubt.
Due to the age of the vessel, we have put a small fortune in a seemingly constant
refit and if I had ever built anything with the type of fit and finish that seems to be acceptable in boat building I would have been ashamed but I think it worthy of it as it keeps us safe and comfortable. When I was looking for a vessel the criteria for me was solid
fiberglass below the
water line, no sandwich, and tons of bridge clearance, this has those and I could afford it. Getting info from anyone regarding what the
mast rake should be or what the tension on the
rigging should be given the moment of the
mast and all that is near impossible so you're pretty much on your own with details.
Any manufacturer pretty much only lays down the solid structure of the vessel and everything else added is made by someone else.
I'd be happy to answer any questions you can come up with regarding this vessel and that I am able to answer. I'm still
learning about it myself.
Dave
bikerbych(at)Hotmail.com
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