Moody 45 DS the missing link ?

[scarab]

I have to agree with Catty here. You can only achieve this average in perfect conditions with a lot of downwind surfing and during a short time. In a previous thread Gideon said : " ..Mostly the article is right however it looks at races only but not at courses chosen for the wind and current tracks , for instance when sailing from Cape Town to Barbados with the wind during the day at 120 to 140 degrees at 15 to 18 knots and during the night same course but wind between 18 and 24 knots the crossing speeds go up a factor 1.3 or well over 200 miles per day. In a straight line we averaged 8.95 however with pointing taken into account the speed over ground was 10.95 faster is possible but than one really has to work hard and I sail for pleasure.

Koen

[swagman]

No its not a missing link twix mono and multi - it is a motor sailor...........

I'm with some others and think this boat will fill a needed slot for a modern motor sailor yacht. It is rather special down below and has a lot of volume for a 45 footer.

It is clearly not meant for anyone wishing to cruise the globe - but in its place would be a nice thing to have. I can easily see how one might enjoy air conditioned luxury when parked up in some hot hot hot marina, and still have a 360 degree view of what’s going on sippin chilled chablis……….

But it might help if people were aware:

1. Moody is British by name - but this boat is built by Hanse - German firm owned by Olymipic racer Michael Schmidt. Hanse began building in 1993 and are now a major player in the EU. They floated on the German exchange not long ago, and purchased the Moody name a year or so back for this, their entry to a motor cruiser market.
2. No one should try to compare this new mono with a catamaran. No ones going to win an argument on what's best in this forum, are they now? As stated before – it was designed to compete with other motor cruisers.
3. The hull design is a variant of the Hanse 461 /470. Drawn by Judel / Vrolijk. I have a 461 and can vouch foot for foot, they are quick sailboats. We'd easily outpace say an Oyster 50. So I'd expect this to be quick also - especially remember, for a motor cruiser.
4. The 75HP turbo diesel we have drives us at 9.3 knots flat out. I suspect a 100 hp would see this thing move out faster still - although its flat forward sections would see it slamming at speed into anything other than flat water.
5. This prototype does not point well – mainly due to its shallow keel. Hence the proposal to bring on a swing keel version. That makes sense to me. Down when sailing – up when motoring.
6. Our transom is equally open as this one, and factually we've never been pooped in 15,000 miles cruising. As the other guy explains, Hanse have catered for the risk by having a washboard rise from the floor as the wide doors are opened. It can be de-activated when parked up.
7. The Jenneau Atoll was designed to cater for handicapped sailors. It has one open deck level both exposed and under cover. I guess they made enough to fulfil the then market need and even if they don't build them any more - I still think that was innovative and worth doing.

I wish Moody / Hanse well with this innovation also. IMHO if it helps to get more people out of motor boats and onto sailboats like this – then that’s good enough for me!

Cheers
JOHN

[fastcat435]

Originally Posted by Joli

Personally this type of boat is not my cup of tea. Large windows are not something I'm comfortable with when things go pear shape. I do believe though that for the most part passage times will be dependent on water line length and a 45 foot boat will mostly sail like a 45 foot boat.

Gideon much as I like you and your boats the proof as they say will be in the pudding for passage times. I do not consider a factory transport or a speedo snapshot representative of real life passage times by cruisers.

Joli

Hallo Joli . the passage from Cape Town to Miami was not with a factory crew but with 4 people on board , my wife with very limited sailing experience and 2 friends , a couple with similar limited sailing experience.
It was first test sail with the prototype FastCat 435 loaded to the maximum limit of 13255 kilo and we certainly did not rush in any way.
I am sure that we can improve on the crossing in a big way if we really went for it with an experienced crew and a standard factory FastCat 455
Given the same conditions we should be able to get an 11 knots average speed .

Greetings

Gideon

[David_Old_Jersey]

A big Macgregor?

"Missing Link" is an appropriate term - an horrendous absence of taste. RV meets Catamaran minus one hull.

They will sell 1000's.

[avazquez]

It is horrible indeed...whoever did the drawings needs to go back to design school. The idea is to make beautiful and functional things. This might be functional but it is not pleasing to the eye. I think it will not last long in the market.....it will fade away and be remembered as one of those odd inventions of the past.

[scarab]

It's designed by Bill Dixon, founder of Dixon Yachtdesign.
It's one of the world’s leading yacht design studio’s, with yachts in build on five of the world’s seven continents.
His recent catamaran design is the Discovery Spirit 50.

Koen

[Whimsical]

Originally Posted by scarab

one of the world’s leading yacht design studio’s

Design studio? Maybe styling studio. Lots of things that I would not have such as the vertical hull windows, the transoms right on the waterline or the funny little slit for a front window. The side decks also look woefully inadequate again.

Mike

[avazquez]

Everyone makes a mistake once in a while.........maybe he had a bad day....

[Nordic cat]

Or doesn't know much about designing cats??? But probably good at marketing and will therefore sell some.

Alan

[scarab]

You can watch a nice video-impression about the Moody 45 on YACHT online ( in German ) Moody 45: Der Film zum Test - YACHT: YACHT tv

Koen

[avazquez]

Originally Posted by scarab

You can watch a nice video-impression about the Moody 45 on YACHT online ( in German ) Moody 45: Der Film zum Test - YACHT: YACHT tv

Koen

It looks a lot like one of those RV's that travel in the US highways. Even the color is similar. I guess it is teargeted to the same clientele. Or the same clientele as Oldsmobile. I guess every product has its own target.

[Rollo]

Having seen and actually been aboard the boat, I was quite impressed. Everything has its up and down side. I will reserve my opinion on the sailing characteristics until I sail one. As far a the practical, liveability and features I was impressed. I see no reason to knock her seaworthiness. I have been told by two friends who have sailed it that it is not a motorsailer, more sailboat. This boat, if nothing else, will be a boon to those who after a lifetime of sailing no longer want the hassle. She has all the sailing features that work well on Hanse, self tacking jib, large mainsail, electric winches, etc. Add to this features found on trawlers, well protected walk around deck with SS rails, opening transom, large windows, ability to operate from inside in bad weather. I say it my not be "my cup of tea" yet, or maybe it is. I will reserve my final decision until I sail one!

[scarab]

Keep us posted ! I'm curious to read about your sailing experiences with this exciting new cruiser.

Koen

[sandy daugherty]

Guys! reality check!! its got one hull, lead ballast, deep draft. It leans. Its NOT A CAT. It cost E800,000, at has as much wetted surface as four Lagoons, each of which could sail circles around it.

I don't think it want to be though of a cat, and its does not appeal to this cat person. Why even bring it up here? Oh, never mind; its for sale....

[sabray]

I have to wonder how todays builders are bonding in the coach roofs. Beefing up all that glass and keeping the back porch doors aligned when these boats are exposed to high stress. My feeling is these are not blue water boats but I am trying to be open minded.
I think I would not be happy thinking about those exposed surfaces in unpleasant weather. I sailed a swan 58 in 70 to 80 knots the water crashing onto deck and random wave catching the hull broad side was twisting the hull. this on a swan which I would consider a top built blue water boat. My Perterson would be a close match for this boat at the posted speeds and although the boat heals it is comfortable in a head sea and doesn't ship water. That entry profile is important to look at. A fast down wind speed usually means a flatter section up forward and that means slamming. It is a compromise and so we have lots of boat designs to choose from. The most unpleasant sailing I have done is into short wave length choppy seas with a flat entry 40 footer that was great down wind. I think I will do some home work on how these boats and similar designs are keeping all this together.