Alberg 37 or Ingrid 38 ?

[Tim_H]

With a deck stepped mast shouldnt you have a compression post anyway?

[witzgall]

What is it like in practice sailing, docking, owning a boat with a long, pronounced bowsprit?

Chris

[clausont]

Originally Posted by witzgall

What is it like in practice sailing, docking, owning a boat with a long, pronounced bowsprit?

Chris

Chris, The bowsprit on our Ingrid is not the issue when docking. We make the 90 degree turn into our slip with our Ingrid just fine with no bowsprit interference at all. The real consideration with docking our Ingrid is forward motion to keep steerage. The huge rudder on our Ingrid has a large propeller cutout so slow speeds trying to use the propwash has minimal effect if the wind is blowing much at all. Backing out of the slip is the same situation. I must get a bit of forward or rearward motion before the rudder has much effect. In a tight area, that can be a bit of a challenge - although entertaining for the onlookers... (Don't ask me how I know that one...).

Regarding the Ketch vs Cutter Ingrid, I couldn't say much there as I have never sailed the Ketch. There were two Ketches and Two cutters (Ingrid 38's) in our marina. Each seemed to like their rig quite well with little opinion expressed about the other type of rig. I do like the sea kindliness of our Ingrid. Even crossing our bar is not rough most of the time like it was in our Cal. The roll on a cross swell is not abrupt as was our Cal either.
It is interesting that while most of the Ingrid's had deck stepped masts, ours has a keel stepped mast.
We don't often have much "in between" light air and heavy air. On the Oregon coast, it seems to either be blowing hard of not at all. But so far, I have not found air that bothered the Ingrid at all.

[roverhi]

The bowsprit on our Westsail 32 was no big thing. The bowsprit with its upward cant was very easy to see and judge clearance. It just means you are maneuvering a 42' boat with the displacement to match in the case of the W32. The rudder on the W32 was quite effective once you had a bit of way on and is actually easier to maneuver than my much lighter and shorter Pearson 35.

The big problem, as alluded to above, is maneuvering a full keel boat with 20,000 or more displacement. These boats don't turn on a dime and often require prop torque as well as rudder to put them where you want them to go. It's not a big deal once you master the art of engine torque and rudder orientation.

[Tim_H]

Anyone have an extra ketch rig for an Ingrid ketch laying around would ya?

[Tim_H]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

You might want to read Moitessier's book about sailing from Morea to Cape Horn in his 39 ft steel ketch, and the weather he encountered in the Eastern Pacific below 40 degrees of south latitude.

Reading it right now. Great book. Just ordered more of his books to.

[Lin Pardey]

I just happened to notice the comment about light airs not being a problem around Cape Horn. Interestingly, we used our nylon drifter almost as much as our storm trysail when we sailed from Mar del Plata in Argentina through the Straits of Le Mair then down past Cape Horn and on to Puerto Montt in Chile. Yes we did hit some really blasting winds, but we were glad Taleisin performed well in the lulls between. Interestingly, when we did research on the routes taken by square riggers round The Horn east to west like we did, they all complained about the light winds they encountered, which, combined with a strong east going current, and usually foul bottom, meant they often couldn't hold on to the ground they gained when the winds were fresher. (You can read more about this on our website where we posted the stories we wrote about that voyage at www.landlpardey.com/cape-horn-to-starboard)

Our preference has always been for the cutter rig, because it goes to windward better and has less maintenance. from our delivery experience we have found the ketch rig comes into its own at about 45 feet in length.

But either boat could do a fine job and both seem affordable on the second hand market. Guess Í'd look for good examples of both then compare condition, ease of getting around on deck etc. Best bet of all, try to get out sailing on similar boats. See which one you like best.

Best of luck,

[Larry]

I would agree with Lin on the Ketch. We had a 42 foot ketch for many years and found the benefits did not out weigh the advantages of a single stick. Unless you want to be able to take a larger boat up and down the ditch.
Cheers
Larry

[clausont]

Originally Posted by witzgall

What is it like in practice sailing, docking, owning a boat with a long, pronounced bowsprit?

Chris

Just a bit more on the bowsprit. The bowsprit on our Ingrid was about 2 feet short of the plan design for the Ingrid cutter rig so it was really not very much of an issue although we did notice a bit more weather helm than we would have liked at times.
We spent the last two days replacing the bowsprit to bring her up to design specs. Now I am excited to get her out and see just what the changes in her sailing characteristics really are.
I have a few small items left to finish on her such as whisker stays and all but I can at least get her out for a sail when I have those installed.
There are a few pictures on our blog of changing the bowsprit.
http://www.seven-cs.net

[Tim_H]

Well my Ingrid is 38 on deck and something like 45 or 46 overall. Puts me in a gray area I guess.