Quote:
Originally Posted by Landlubber77
Mercy for your replies, Francois!
I've got a lot of questions, may you can answer them.
At first about the material of the hull: I've seen a video log from "Sitting Bull" - which Shpountz 44 was sailing around the World - with steel hull.
- Is it possible?
- Which material the best, the safest, the most valuable for a Shpountz?
- Am I right, a steel hull is cheaper, then wooden ships? But what about the performance?
Ocean crossing: I've red a few reports about it, but I have some questions:
- Are these boats are really sailing well in high seas or storms?
- Have you ever been in a heavy weather with your boat?
- What about the handling them on rough seas?
- What about the speed (travelling/cruising)?
I am just thinking about a Spountz 38-40, because the look is fantastic - it is "love at first sight". But there are a lot of practical views, which can influence my decision.
I thinking about a boat, which is:
- great for living on it;
- great for travelling (anywhere, anytime);
- valuable, not so expensive, affordable.
If I decide at a Bombigher Shpountz 38-40, I would like to build a new one (that's why I asked you about the material). How much will it cost? Who can make it (or can help in it)?
Sorry for the "questiontsunami" - thanks for your advices!
Best regards!
Landlubber Z
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I have a talk with Mr Coutand, a disciple who was handling Mr Bombigher's designs not too long ago, my inquiries are about Ti-Shpountz, Dixie Girl and Spray Dream in particular. So I just browse this site and saw this post, I register to post this here.
Mr Coutand mentioned to me that the Shpountz are conceived in the 80's where the cost of
insurance is expensive and there is a
school of thought would think that heavier boats would be safer at sea, the Shpountz are build in the traditional way and hence it is a heavier and more comfortable boat at the sea, but building by Shpountz this way is very expensive today and heavy to go fast, earlier of this thread you mention the possibility of singlehandling Shpountz 44, Mr Coutand told me that a Canadian does this and it would be very difficult for a
single person without experience does this.
Now as I learn it would be difficult for a common person to sail a boat more than 30 tonne in
displacement and an average person could handle max about 500 Sq Ft of main in Gaff and 400 Sq Ft in
Bermuda, you might consider if you wanted a smaller boat. A larger boat say in the 15 meter on
deck would be expensive to
dock in
Europe as the charges are higher, I think 10-12 meter would be ideal for a person to singlehandle, but if you really had to travel extensively or a liveabroad you would need about 42 feet or 12.5 or 13 meters above, despite what many cruisers here done on smaller boats, anything smaller would be uncomfortable to live on for average person. You also have to consider the fresh
water carrying capacity, smaller boats carry less
water for
extended cruising.
The Ladies design is conceived to be build with
plywood and is cheapest to build out of his 3 line of design, building the
blue water variant of Dixie Girl can cost under 180k Euro I last ask, if you like
classic looks you might consider Lady of
Bermuda in his gaff rig variant, and Mr Coutand would be glad to offer his
service of alteration anyway you like for a fee. The Girls design are lighter and faster than Shpountz but had a hard chine design underwater, some don't like the design, but I think it is not visible.
The Dream line is conceived after criticism of his boats are heavy and slow, they are the lightest of his design, build of cold molded, and featured the largest sail area, I think the Merry Dream can be build in lapstrake which is even cheaper and faster to build but I don't know how much it cost, the sail area would be too large for me to handle. For reference a Spray dream cost about 200k Euro depending on
equipment.
I suspect that 40 feet over boats you are considering would cost about more than 200k Euro build new, at this
price you can buy a new Hanse, Elan or
Beneteau depending on tax though these factory boats wouldn't look as nice as wooden ones, the wooden ones also allows you to customize the design, and layout according to your needs. I like Mr Bombigher's designs since he had one of the most comfortable layout with plenty of spaces you can actually use, like U shape
galley instead of the straight one, real shower/toilet for a boat at such size, and
bed at a more comfortable position than at the fore, but you also have to consider it have to take a year or more to build your boat by a professional
builder when you can immediately buy one.
Wooden boat can be easily and cheaper repaired as well as modify, but are susceptible to
maintenance issue, ship worm, and wood
rot etc, but they can be repaired, some boats over hundred years old are still sailing when they are put into shape, and there is a sense of
membership if you are in the classic wooden boat world rather than production boats.
While steel is cheaper in the depressed
price now, building in steel can be heavier and to me makes more sense for larger boats, say 45 feet or 50 feet above. They can be build much faster with just pieces welded, together and easy to repair with welders available around the world, but can be even more difficult to maintain for non
commercial boats, since the boat are susceptible to
electrolysis with steel on sea water and you cannot stop rust and the common rust tears you see on steel boats, you have to sand and
paint them regularly.
Now in order to find out which is the right boat, you can figure how many times you are going to handle solo or taking how many guest, if you need a lot of fresh water for cruising or something lighter and easier to handle. You can feel free to contact Mr Coutand, and the plans can be flexible, its your boat, you can build it the way you wanted.
Currently, Ultramarine Yachts builds a few Bombigher's designs in
India.
Traditional boats
)
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