From
shopping myself I think the Elite was grown from the Original Goose. Certainly the older goose has narrow berths, the hulls come up above
water line at the rear (exposing the rudders) and leave virtually no wake.
The original is the fastest of the Prouts. The
mast can be raised to 40' by adding a splint at the foot. Re-rigging with modern light weight 'plastic' balances the extra weight and light winds performance is improved. Ron Underwood, MD at Prout and now with BB, had a taller rig on his own goose and describes them now as under rigged, but adds that never a one
pitch poled or rolled or sank. So far as I've seen none have to-date.
Nearest to your Elite 34 is the later Event 34 which has a taller
saloon, much more (plastic) glass full size rear bunks but otherwise very similar. The extra
headroom, glass and a bit more beam make it seem the same size as the Elite and certainly less claustraphobic than the old goose.
Many thanks for this excellent thread. I'm treading the same path at the moment and as we are both tall the old goose is not for us, reluctantly. We were out on a rear masted BB385 the other day and found sailing her dry, warm and safe inspite of the f6 and short sharp chop.
I fail to see why the french insist on eyebrows over their windows and such vertical prows on their boats. The first adds aero drag the second fails to add fore and aft reserve. I looked closely at the Mahe but the foredeck
mast work, lack of a stay sail, and the wave piercing bows just don't compare with the Prouts. Hope I'm right.
Now, how's Exposure doing on the
water? Photo's please?