Docklands Boat Show - Melbourne

[ausaviator]

The Orana 44 for those that are interested. A very nice vessel indeed.

[Jacana]

Originally Posted by rexd666

Had a quick look around, only went on board the larger cats. Took the wife for her first time aboard a cat, few nervous moments at the edge of dock. I am pretty sure I will be building, so there for ideas and see what production boats are like.
Loved
I think it was the Orana with the offset bulkheads in the owners cabin to rear cockpit, will be pinching that idea.
Rainwater collection on Orana again I think
Elevated helms, but I think I would want permanent protection not just bimini.
Seawind folding door
Not so sure
Bathrooms in middle of hulls, made the walkways very narrow, too narrow for my shoulders.
Galley Down On a Seawind couldn't open the freezer with wife and I in the galley, can't help but think a top entry would work better than the swing out.
Monos

All I can think of for now.
Best thing of all is wife is keen to come to SC show now, so booking that this week.

Last of all thanks to all the owners and companies exhibiting.

Contact me for a sail on my cat. when you come up to the Gold Coast.

[Factor]

Originally Posted by ausaviator

The other cats had the ladders off as they were reversed into the dock and they would have bent if left on there.

The ladders on the seawinds were still there - they live under a cover flap on the bottom step. I think the lagoon 380 has a ladder that attaches to those hoops on the bottom step, dont quote me on this but I think it may live in the engine compartment.

Interesting comment as I think in the 1150 it does have a top opening fridge / freezer, but in the 1250 they changed it

1160 has upright fridge and two top opening freezers, as well as cockpit icebox/fridge. 1250 has the underbench opening freezer. Its the age old story about choices on boats, the 1160 layout may be more suitable to some but means you have to move what may be on top of the flap to open it where as the 1250 may reuire you to move a little but whats on the bench stays there.

The other interesting thing about the show was the clear differential between "sailors" and others. probably 75% came on board and went straight to the accommodation and the majority of those never even looked at deck layout, anchor handling systems, emergency steering access etc etc, then the other 25% had a quick look at the accommodation and spent the majority of the time on the sailing and boat management side of the equation. Neither approach is more right than the other as it all depends on what you are going to do with the boat and what is important to you. It was just an interesting dichotomy that I hadn't noticed quite as starkly before.

[ausaviator]

After spending some time looking at the cats I noticed that the "sailing" part almost seemed an after-thought. The Orana44 for example had the helm up really high, away from everything. It had 3? winches, some basic ropes coming to the helm, a winch handle and some electronics. If you didn't climb up there you'd hardly know that you were even on a yacht. I didn't even notice how one would adjust the mainsheet. (admittedly I didn't look closely)

The Seawind on the other hand seemed more of a "sailors" yacht, with the twim helms at the rear in a more accessible location. It made you realise that you were on an yacht. In my mind this made the Seawind seem more of a performance sailing vessel, versus a floating home like the Orana. Credit to FP for keeping all the ropes central and clear of the deck.

I must admit as a sailor myself, I went straight to the accommodation as I already knew how to sail and figured that the sailing part of the cats was the easy bit.

[rexd666]

Interesting about who spends time where. I would go first to the accomodation as generally those on board were inside, so logical progression was inside to say hello and then down for a look see. I am thinking the whole time, if I live on one of these, this will be the house. After that it is outside for a look around. I always think I will play, poke and prod more all the gadgets, but once on board I tend to just look around in a daze.

Being honest I don't know what I am looking for on a modern large cat for rigging etc. Spent time on beach cats as a teenager and then in my twenties it was on a 40 foot steel mono gaff rig. That thing had 5 separate sails in full rig, with no winches on board. Wooden Blocks and Belaying Pins, it was hard work to go sailing. When looking at modern rigs it looks somewhere between these two in terms of complexity.

Jacana thanks for the offer that is very generous of you and would be fantastic. I will let you know when we are going to be around and hopefully we can organise something.

Steve

[Factor]

Rexd666 - when you do sanctuary cove , most if not all the companies will have test sails available on the Monday or Tuesday after the show, so plan on spending a few extra days, and definitely take up jacana's offer, the maxim is a fine boat.

[rexd666]

Originally Posted by Factor

Rexd666 - when you do sanctuary cove , most if not all the companies will have test sails available on the Monday or Tuesday after the show, so plan on spending a few extra days, and definitely take up jacana's offer, the maxim is a fine boat.

I had seen that they do the test sails now, but given I am not buying for a few years and am likely heading in the Schionning/Oram/Spirited direction, I have not felt comfortable asking to go on out on the production boats. As an agent I would assume you would rather keep those spots for the real sales prospects?

[peterp]

Hello Paul and all, the swim ladder on my Lagoon 400 is standard, it was removed temporarily to make a wider passage way up the steps for visitors, the starboard steps had a mooring line across them no choice due to the wind and cleating problems on the pontoon. Re the chain I haven’t seen any evidence of damage to the fibreglass as yet but I have only deployed the anchor three times in the four odd months I have owned it, so it is early days yet however I tend to agree I think it may well mark the fibreglass over time.
Regards Peter

[paulrack]

Thanks Peter

I was thinking you were a lot more athletic than me in getting out the water! It might be an idea to put a strip of nylon along the bottom of the fibreglass channel to protect it when the chain runs along it. If you ever sell the boat remove the nylon strip and it still looks new.

Cheers
Paul

[ausaviator]

Crude but effective.

[peterp]

Hello Paul, thanks for the tip. Regards Peter