Issue 19 : Jul/Aug 2001
Several years ago we defined the niche for this magazine as “cruising sailboats more than 10 years old.” We elaborated by saying that, for our purposes, a cruising sailboat is a boat with a head, galley, and bunks . . . any design, any size, any material, any number of hulls.
More than one sailor has pointed out that within that definition are boats that have attributes that are “not so good.” Some are very lightly built and clearly designed to appeal to beginning sailors. Others sail so poorly they can hardly cross a starting line on either tack.
Not often mentioned is that racing boat designs have influenced cruising boat designs, frequently to the detriment of cruising boats. This follows from the difficulty of writing a rating rule that does not confer the advantage to freak boats and from the human tendency to imitate even when it is less than appropriate.
More frequently mentioned is that many more modern designs emphasize dockside living space rather than either sailing qualities or aesthetics. Earlier in these pages we said, “The real validity of traditional designs was that they were built ‘to a price’ in terms of valuable labor and precious materials ‘to do a job.’ ” Does that suggest that only pleasure boats that are inspired by workboat designs are good old boats?
The term yacht was originally used to distinguish a pleasureboat from a workboat, the former more finely finished, the latter more functional. The usage now is a little fuzzier. Perhaps it carries with it some elitist connotations that make some sailors uncomfortable while appealing to others.
At the really big money and gold-chain end of the docks, we find vessels that are lavishly decked out above and below to spend as much money as possible. For these sailors, length on deck and purchase price are critical status symbols, perhaps the major reason for owning a boat. These craft certainly claim status as yachts. Could they be good old boats?
These issues are sent to us often, with the suggestion that we exclude some craft for one reason or another. We have not done that. Boats designed for beginners are fine for some beginners, racers are fine for racing, and some, once they’ve been put out to pasture, make acceptable cruisers. Craft inspired by workboats offer an evolved design, even though most recreational sailors do not intend to spend weeks on the Grand Banks and come home with a hold full of tons of fish.
The reality, albeit not politically correct to say openly, is that the would-be male sailor is often confronted with the need to woo his mate to share his passion for sailing, and she may, particularly at the beginning of her sailing experience, be more interested in accommodations than sailing characteristics. This will pertain as well to beginners of either gender who try to judge a vessel while she is sitting upright and at rest in the calm sea of a boat show.
Experience will change the tastes and priorities of a sailor, but even common experiences will not create common tastes and priorities. We sailors vary in what we want and need from our boats, and the boats available vary in response to this.
So what is a good old boat? The definition varies with the sailor. For us, she is an older cruising sailboat that has a head, galley, and bunks. Any material, any size, any design. For you, the definition should be different, certainly more refined.
All we can say is when you have a good old boat, you will know.
Thank you to Sailrite Enterprises, Inc., for providing free access to back issues of Good Old Boat through intellectual property rights. Sailrite.com
