Looking at a ketch

[HVYJimmy]

what's the pros , cons of a ketch rigged 42 footer ?

[DumnMad]

Well I don't know much but ketches do sail very well in gales force 8 & 9 with storm jib and mizzen

[monte]

http://books.google.gp/books/about/S...wC&redir_esc=y
https://books.google.gp/books?id=tvk...ed=0CB8Q6AEwAA
https://books.google.gp/books?id=M_2...%20way&f=false

[beneteau-500]

It wouldn't happen to be a 1988 boro ketch your looking at ?

[HVYJimmy]

Originally Posted by beneteau-500

It wouldn't happen to be a 1988 boro ketch your looking at ?

yes it is , do you know the boat ????

[SkiprJohn]

The forum has had this discussion a few times so if you do a search for ketch vs sloop you might find something.

Ketch has more rigging to worry about but smaller sails to handle in a blow. They don't quite point as high generally as a sloop of the same design. They can be very pretty if you have jib, staysail, main, mizzen staysail and mizzen flying all at once.

[Hudson Force]

The most clearly definitive advantage of a ketch is the ability to clear lower fixed bridges for the overall vessel length.

[autumnbreeze27]

Ketch = more flexible sail plan, easier to handle sails, and they're much prettier than a sloop

Disclaimer: i own a ketch

I wouldn't buy a ketch under 40' though, sloop is simpler in that size.

[Jubilee39]

Been sailing a ketch for 30 years. In Caribbean great rig. Sailing off the wind its fast and comfortable. Down wind across Pacific mizzen basically mount for radar and wind generator and limits pointing in light equatorial winds of Malaysia. I built the boat with taller main mast so tend to not use mizzen.

[Arthur Garfield]

Wow- $49K seems like great vessel !



All the Best

[markwesti]

SOUTHERN CROSS - W42
Cons ? What could go wrong ?

[HVYJimmy]

thanks to all , I do appreciate the feed back.
safe sailing

cheers

jimmy

[UNCIVILIZED]

The above perks already sited, one needn't look far to see the successes of Steinlager II, as well as the Dashew's boats. There were, of course a LOT of other very successful ketch rigged ocean racers in that era. And the Dashew's, as well as Brion Toss, devote a lot of text to espousing ketches.


Upwind vs. the same boat, but sloop rigged, you'll lose a bit. But fall off some, & a ketch with decent sails is a nicer ride.
Lower center of effort, less stresses on the hull, rigging, & sails. Easier to fly more, & smaller (easier to handle sails).


I think they kind of fell out of favor, when the materials & tech made it easy to build monstrously sized sloop rigs. Which, when coupled with a good hull & foils design, and a rock star crew... well, naughty's faster. Not even something with "unlimited" power, a US Navy submarine with it's own nuclear power plant... up to & including in a circumnavigation.

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by Hudson Force

The most clearly definitive advantage of a ketch is the ability to clear lower fixed bridges for the overall vessel length.

What did this mean?

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by autumnbreeze27

Ketch = more flexible sail plan, easier to handle sails, and they're much prettier than a sloop

Disclaimer: i own a ketch

I wouldn't buy a ketch under 40' though, sloop is simpler in that size.

why

I have a 36 foot ketch. But I don't know enough about the mizzen yet to have experienced the benefits. And my mizzen mast needs overhauling and two of my mizzen chain plates need replacing. So, to date I've not wanted to push the rig with too much work just yet.