Quote:
Originally Posted by witchcraft  I love my steel boat... |
Don't we all
? But we mustn't let that get in the way of giving balanced advice should we
?
A steel sail boat that is 50-60% heavier than a moderate displacement fibreglass boat of the same size, and which is gaff rigged and long keeled, such as Colvin's Saugeen Witch design, is never going to make anything like the passage times of more modern lined, fin keeled, moderate displacement composite construction sail boats, and that especially so in the light and to windward.
That is not to denigrate the boat itself, it depends on what one wants from it - no boat is the perfect solution. But if one wants at least moderately fast passage making ability, so not a "slug" as the original poster asked, then a steel sail boat much smaller than 40 foot is not the answer. Indeed, one will be lucky to get one even in the 40-45 foot range that will give such performance as even in the larger boat sizes the scantlings of steel sail boats are often over designed to no useful purpose.
The above comments from an owner of a steel sail boat, so likely also has a kinder view of steel than is good for him
.