Grumpy old men and boats.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Gary,

People don't steer their boat like that anymore, Mr. Auto Pilot takes care of it. That chair (drivers seat), wheel and stuff is just in the way taking up valuable cockpit real estate.

People these days only "steer" their boat when inside marinas or docking.

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

That all may be true where you sail.

However, where we sail, often the winds are flukey, and light, and hand steering is much preferred. It must be said, though, when it is nasty out, most of us seek the security that the dodger grants, and so do our sisters, cousins, and aunts. (apologies to those who understand the reference)

"And when the breezes blow, I generally go below, and seek the seclusion that the cabin grants."

But, truly, we generally hang out there and keep watch, maybe we're paranoid?

Ann

Mexico is about as flukey as it gets. I only hand steer when approaching and anchorage or slip. The AP steers the rest of the time. I will also add that when hull speed drops close to 2.0 kts., the engine is started and the AP does an excellent job dealing with that also.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by weavis

Why do manufacturers find the most exposed part of the vessel to put the helm? It requires extra expense to go and purchase wet gear, a lot of time stood their in brass monkey weather and hours of cold wet misery during a watch..

Well clearly manufacturers are supplying what the customers want, that is to say, salt in your hair, sunburn on your face cold water down your neck so folk can go back to their desk job on Monday and feel they have had their monies worth.

Us, well a canvass cockpit enclosure is getting closer to the top of the list. Just a wee problem with the mainsail sheet cross the bridge deck which needs moving.

BTW whilst I can visualise a grumpy old man and I can do a fair impersonation according to SWMBO, what does a grumpy old boat look like?

[weavis]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Please explain how he can possibly see where he's going and see what's ahead or on the port side?

Seems like the most impractical helm.... ever.

This otta be good......

There is a helm on the other side too.
But I guess 99% of people owning this boat will be inside at the helm, with all windows open, the roof open.....or.... the A/c on eating the miles to their next destination...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Pem-4H1qg0

[weavis]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Well clearly manufacturers are supplying what the customers want, that is to say, salt in your hair, sunburn on your face cold water down your neck so folk can go back to their desk job on Monday and feel they have had their monies worth.

Us, well a canvass cockpit enclosure is getting closer to the top of the list. Just a wee problem with the mainsail sheet cross the bridge deck which needs moving.

BTW whilst I can visualise a grumpy old man and I can do a fair impersonation according to SWMBO, what does a grumpy old boat look like?

I used to subscribe to that theory....

At some stage it gets wearing being cold and miserable.
IF CRUISERS use the autopilot for 90% of the sailing as they stated, then a tiny joystick is all that is required with engine control and not this hulking great wheel stuck in the most exposed part of the vessel... Not only that, it could be replaced by a hand held device for docking and close quarter manouvering....

I like tiller steering in nice weather... In cold and miserable like south coast UK sailing last year.... not so much!

Grump grump....

[boatman61]

[QUOTE=weavis;2401833]

I like tiller steering in nice weather... In cold and miserable like south coast UK sailing last year.... not so much!

Grump grump....
QUOTE]
That's why the quayside Pub was invented.. with entertainment..

[sailpower]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

That all may be true where you sail.

However, where we sail, often the winds are flukey, and light, and hand steering is much preferred. It must be said, though, when it is nasty out, most of us seek the security that the dodger grants, and so do our sisters, cousins, and aunts. (apologies to those who understand the reference)

"And when the breezes blow, I generally go below, and seek the seclusion that the cabin grants."

But, truly, we generally hang out there and keep watch, maybe we're paranoid?

Ann

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpJ_IAUs8nI

[Hasbeen]

I guess it may depend on how much you work them, but I've never had an auto pilot you could really trust. On commercial tourist boats, where they run 5 or 6 hours a day, 7 days a week, they have always gone crazy at least once every month or two.


My yacht had a wind vane system that proved totally reliable for 53,000 nautical miles, so I was rarely on deck, unless it was nice, & I wanted to be there. My last long passage, Honiara Solomons to Cairns Oz, 1130 nautical miles was done in 5 days, 226 miles a a day, under a 146 Sq Ft jib only. I had no desire to be anywhere near the cockpit, & only went on deck twice a day to take sights.


I'm not quite sure if this is why it was my last long passage, but it probably contributed. Nasty bit of water that Coral sea. I found it more fun mucking about in the Great Barrier Reef waters, where I could be anchored most nights. Besides there are lots more grumpy old men to share your current bitch with around the reef.

[topmast]

Pathetic how nearly all sailors today and the boats they sail have no class and depend on big money and devices to conger up some pride and accomplishment. My vessel self steered under sail due to the helpful presence of the 'Pilot of the Pinta' .Since he was more familiar with square riggers I would have to man the wheel occasionally for a few minutes if pointing close or tacking. This left me time to stroll the wide decks ,conversing with passengers ,regaling them with the merits of a gaff rigged ketch and the pride of sailing a natural wooden vessel from the past when men were men and knew it to be so .More grumpy every day ,dagnab it!

[Sandibar]

Originally Posted by South Bound

Try autopiloting here



This is what our home waters are like, and here I much prefer steering with a tiller extension so I can sit under the sprayhood. But as soon as we're out of the archipelago the autopilot takes over.

Yep. Most boats here dont even have an AP, I'd say. And don't venture out of the archipelago

[ArmyDaveNY]

Originally Posted by weavis

Grump grump.... baah.

Broadblue Rapier 550 Catamaran helm.. Also has exterior steering.

This isn't sailing! This is operating a vessel. You might as well be in a simulator! It's akin to having an automatic gearbox in a car. When you have three pedals, you're DRIVING! When you only put it in D (for dummy), then you are just operating a motor vehicle.

A bigger complaint is this: It should be mandatory for anyone who designs and builds a vessel to have to actually perform maintenance and repairs on the vessel! One of my boats has no access to the where the cables connect to the throttle and transmission levers in the cockpit! I had to cut an access panel into the bulkhead aft of the quarter berth. It took me longer to cut the panel and make it look acceptable than it did to change the one cable.

[Souzag818]

Originally Posted by weavis

Grump grump.... baah.

Broadblue Rapier 550 Catamaran helm.. Also has exterior steering.

Does that come with a horn and turn signals????

[Valmika]

Originally Posted by UNCIVILIZED

Yes, that's an utter design FAIL. As are those tiny wheels. Or worse, the yet smaller ones with extending spokes to steer with straight out of Gilligan's Island.

I'll give you a amen on this. got hired to take one of these to the islands. Terrible forward view. What were they thinking!!

[UNCIVILIZED]

(One of) My big boat Grumps.
Heads situated so that you're sitting athwartships insteadd of fore & aft. You're always fighting the boat's heel to remain on the bowl in the right spot. And the water in the bowl is either dampening your backside, or trying to soak the inside of your foulie bibs, & the layers inside of them, down by your feet.
Why is it not mandatory to have all heads facing ahead/astern? Makes SO much sense, & makes boat shopping so much easier!

And if the builders are going to go to the trouble of putting a shower into a boat, then spend the extra $50, & build the compartment for it as a walk through, in the passageway in between where the door to the head is, & the V-berth. That way it gets good ventillation, is a seperate space, & makes it easy to keep everything else in the head, including the TP, dry!
It ain't like it takes a degree in rocket science to build such a thing. DAMN!!!

[boatman1]

Hope that this post doesn't constitute a hijack: it's pertinent in that I qualify as a GOM ( who let's one of two electric pilots and A Monitor vane gear do the work whenever possible) . Last spring after wintering down south, bringing the boat north solo, I pulls in to the free town docks @ Great Bridge, Va feeling all sorry for myself 'cause I don't have a nice girl crew to accompany me. Another northbound boat pulls in: another single-handing GOM. Yet another boat pulls in: yep, yet another lone GOM. By the time it got dark, there were five boats there just south of the Great Bridge bascule, all skippered by solo GOM. One has/had to wonder if that's why we were grumpy.

[Smokeys Kitchen]

Originally Posted by ArmyDaveNY

This isn't sailing! This is operating a vessel. You might as well be in a simulator! It's akin to having an automatic gearbox in a car. When you have three pedals, you're DRIVING! When you only put it in D (for dummy), then you are just operating a motor vehicle.

A bigger complaint is this: It should be mandatory for anyone who designs and builds a vessel to have to actually perform maintenance and repairs on the vessel! One of my boats has no access to the where the cables connect to the throttle and transmission levers in the cockpit! I had to cut an access panel into the bulkhead aft of the quarter berth. It took me longer to cut the panel and make it look acceptable than it did to change the one cable.

This! Not being able to effectively do the maintainence on the boat is my biggest gripe. Granted all boats are compromises, and I own one with a pointy stern, but a little more thought about access would go a long way towards easing the constant boat yoga!