Maybe I was wrong. I thought I wanted a trawler.

[ScottC]

Shouldn't we really call them semi-planing instead of semi-displacement?

To confuse things further, the Greenline manufacturer refers to the hull of the GL33 as "super displacement". All marketing, I'm sure...

 

[Nick14]

To confuse things further, the Greenline manufacturer refer to the hull of the GL33 as "super displacement". All marketing, I'm sure...

"Super displacement!" I love it!!!

It's one of the oldest marketing tricks in the book. When all else fails, come up with a new name!

Is it semi-displacement? Or semi-planing? No, it's super-displacement!! 'Super' sounds so much better than 'semi'!

 

[ksanders]

All very good and salient comments. A big factor (at least with me) is psychological. How much margin for error do you want to have in your boat?

We never intentionally have gone out in bad weather or nasty sea conditions. Planning for weather is one thing, and any prudent mariner should do it. For me the question is more, what do you unintentionally get caught in?

Most of the time one can reasonably plan around the weather and sea conditions. Most of the time. Here in New England, sea conditions and weather can change very quickly and often unpredictably.

Out my window there are many days when I see the water go from glass smooth to 4-6 ft whitecaps in less than an hour. Some days Buzzard's Bay is calm and placid, other days not so much. The problem is, it can happen on the same day. Or the same boat trip.

Then there's the Block Island Sound Washing Machine. Some days you could row to Block Island in a $99 inflatable from Ocean State Job Lot. Other times the ferry ride is tortuous enough to make the strongest stomachs heave everything they've eaten for the past 5 years.

Truth be told, in 52 years of boating (gawd I'm old!)(ugly too), the number of times I've been caught off guard by a surprise change in weather and sea conditions, I could probably count on one hand (maybe two). But the psychological value of that can't be easily calculated: how much is one willing to pay for the additional capability if that happens to you?

For me, the highest priority is seakeeping ability. It's not the only priority, but the highest one, in this and most previous boat searches. I want to know that I would give up long before the boat will. Memories of those few times when something nasty caught us, though few in number, are outsized in my (and especially my wife's) minds. I don't need, want, or can afford a true 'bluewater' boat capable of crossing oceans. But for me it's worth the trade-off of spending more and/or getting less in other areas in exchange for a little more reassurance than if (or when...) that happens again, I won't have to seriously be concerned whether or not we'll make it home.

Interesting concept, IE the mental factor.

Like Every boater with sea time under their keel I have been caught in some really nasty conditions.

That said, I never actually considered that I would not make it back to port safely.
Getting caught in bad weather just makes me angry at my decision making.

 

[jbinbi]

I sold my sailing cat 2 years ago right before the pandemic with the thought I would look at trawlers (big mistake on the timing ;-)

While with winds at 12-20 on a beam reach I could do between 8 and 12 kts, when planning for cruises I would count on 6-7 kts. Basically this meant 50 mi days would be from breakfast to dinner.

I decided if I was going to get a powerboat, I wanted the option of averaging at least 10-12 for the entire trip if I wanted to. This put me in the realm of SD boats. Most of these SD boats use the same amount of fuel for the trip within a range of planning speeds , say 14-20 kts.

In certain situations, faster is safer. You can get in before a front comes through. Or too many times I got to a harbor at 5pm only to find no mooring balls left, or only undesireable anchoring spots. Getting in a 2PM would have made all the difference.

I looked at the Bene ST 44, 41, older GB 42, and now looking at FP Powercat 37. All are SD even though the Bene and GB bill themselves as trawlers

 

[mvweebles]

For me, the highest priority is seakeeping ability. It's not the only priority, but the highest one, in this and most previous boat searches. I want to know that I would give up long before the boat will. Memories of those few times when something nasty caught us, though few in number, are outsized in my (and especially my wife's) minds.

What exactly is "Seakeeping ability?"

But for me it's worth the trade-off of spending more and/or getting less in other areas in exchange for a little more reassurance than if (or when...) that happens again, I won't have to seriously be concerned whether or not we'll make it home.

This post is exactly my point. Well-built is confused with CE-A/B rating which shows its merits at Force 8+ conditions. Personally, Force 5 is about my limit of tolerance. Not to say I haven't seem 40-kts around a headland, or some washing-machine 14-footers (at least they seemed that big), but I just won't leave or continue with weather that is sustained Force 5 or greater. Fortunately, Force 6 conditions and above are pretty easy to avoid.

Bottom line - if you're crossing oceans, you're right to worry about being surprised by outrageous weather - Nordhavn makes a lot of sense. If you don't mind the slow speed but like the well-built and well-equipped nature of a Nordhavn, by all means. Makes perfect sense if you can afford it.

But if anyone thinks there's magic about a Nordhavn being significantly safer in coastal conditions they will encounter (vs Perfect Storm nightmare), they are mistaken. Nordhavns are well built and have some great safety gear (such as stabilizers and wing engine), but the Class Rating is essentially meaningless unless the owner is either (a) crossing an ocean; or (b) clueless about trip planning/weather routing.

I don't mean to pick on Nordhavns. I don't even mind that they are marketed as a patch for lack of experience and skills. They are an exceptionally well built boat and in many ways a good choice for the "honey, let's buy a boat" crowd. Just feels like the bleachers are full of people chanting how bad the weather is and you gotta have a Nordhavn when there are other affordable mitigations - such as route planning and weather forecasting skills. They really aren't that difficult.

Peter

 

[rslifkin]

In a coastal setting you also sometimes gain methods of mitigating the conditions that aren't available offshore. I've willingly departed for a run in sustained F6 conditions knowing that it was an off-shore wind, so I could just hug the windward shoreline tighter (instead of making a straight line to my destination) and avoid any significant sea state (worst I saw from the wind was barely over 1 foot, although we had some 2-ish foot swell about 90* off that left over from the previous day). So it was a somewhat sloppy ride, but not too unpleasant for a couple of hours and perfectly safe without pushing the limits of the boat (which is absolutely no more than a coastal cruiser). Given a different wind direction, that same wind would have been enough of a problem to be a solid no-go.

 

[Hippocampus]

I’m with Nick on this one. Yes, you need a BWB for ocean passages. And even with that occasionally you get real beat up and wonder why in the good Lords name you keep doing it. But overall I think coastal is more dangerous. Pop up T storms, the occasional rogue or microburst do happen. On a Pearson 424 we put 3/4 of the stick in the wate on a pleasant 10-15k day with all the rags up going cuttihunk to Stonington. Block island sound can be a backstabber. It occurred midday on a background of 2-4’ with minimal wind wave chop on top.
Been called overdue going Southwest Harbor to Duxbury. NOAA said nothing. We saw sustained Beaufort 9.
Buoy racing (phrf) just outside Plymouth a pop up Tstorm took out several boats. We ripped a mainsail.
The idea that microbursts and rogue waves are extremely rare events has been debunked. As has the idea they’re mid ocean events.

 

[mvweebles]

I’m with Nick on this one. Yes, you need a BWB for ocean passages. And even with that occasionally you get real beat up and wonder why in the good Lords name you keep doing it. But overall I think coastal is more dangerous. Pop up T storms, the occasional rogue or microburst do happen. On a Pearson 424 we put 3/4 of the stick in the wate on a pleasant 10-15k day with all the rags up going cuttihunk to Stonington. Block island sound can be a backstabber. It occurred midday on a background of 2-4’ with minimal wind wave chop on top.

Been called overdue going Southwest Harbor to Duxbury. NOAA said nothing. We saw sustained Beaufort 9.

Buoy racing (phrf) just outside Plymouth a pop up Tstorm took out several boats. We ripped a mainsail.

The idea that microbursts and rogue waves are extremely rare events has been debunked. As has the idea they’re mid ocean events.

What do you suppose caused sustained Force 9 if there was not sustained duration and fetch, the other two ingredients behind intensity required to produce such seas?

I used for crew on a Star on Lake Dillon near Breckenridge Colorado. Wild afternoon weather wasn't uncommon - I seem to recall 50 mph for 20 mins a couple times. One afternoon was extreme. We were literally flattened. Another non-Star was rolled and one person drowned. Not saying it can't be intense, just saying to get to extreme seas takes some time and fetch.

The reason the Beaufort Scale is still relevant is it combines wind and seas. Seeing high winds is relatively common, especially near headlands as hippocampus notes. Getting seas above 8-feet or so takes some serious and sustained energy.....and some time . Not saying 8-feet is easy (awful in anything); just that to get surprised is hard.

Peter

 

[Hippocampus]

Two reporting buoys were out. They said nothing. System said to be headed for Halifax decided to turn around and joined another coming in from the east. They predicted fresh breeze moderating as time went on. We started on a just restored Hinckley pilot in mild wet snow with intentions of going non stop to Duxbury. Came into Situate 8 days later. Had a milkcrate of unused chain crack the engine intake through hull and blew out every sail on the boat. Think some people use the word “storm” indiscriminately. In 35 y it was the only true “storm” not just gale I was ever in. Before computer modeling and gribs but not so for the other events. People tend to forget even now forecasting gives probabilities not certainties. All weather for a boater is hyper local not a GRIB field. In the ocean other than microbursts and such you shouldn’t be ever taken unaware. Think there are places along the coasts,particularly in certain seasons, that may occur.

 

[rslifkin]

Thinking about it, there's one big difference between power and sail in unexpected coastal weather. For sail, a dramatic, sudden, unexpected increase in wind is an immediate problem. For power, it's not nearly as bad unless it continues long enough to produce a dangerous sea state (which doesn't necessarily take long in some places, but it's not instant).

 

[mvweebles]

Thinking about it, there's one big difference between power and sail in unexpected coastal weather. For sail, a dramatic, sudden, unexpected increase in wind is an immediate problem. For power, it's not nearly as bad unless it continues long enough to produce a dangerous sea state (which doesn't necessarily take long in some places, but it's not instant).

Amen. I remember delivering a mid-40 ft Hunter center cockpit from SF to Ventura (SoCal). It was mid-night and I was on watch ghosting south towards Pt Arguello on a broad reach in unusually peaceful conditions. Had one reef in. Within 3-mins wind went from 10-kts to 25-kts, totally overpowered Scared the hell out of me. I yelled down the campanionway at the top of my lungs "BRIAN!!! I NEED YOU!!! NOW!!".

I stopped delivering sailboats shortly thereafter.

Peter.

 

[Nick14]

I’m with Nick on this one. Yes, you need a BWB for ocean passages. And even with that occasionally you get real beat up and wonder why in the good Lords name you keep doing it. But overall I think coastal is more dangerous. Pop up T storms, the occasional rogue or microburst do happen. On a Pearson 424 we put 3/4 of the stick in the wate on a pleasant 10-15k day with all the rags up going cuttihunk to Stonington. Block island sound can be a backstabber. It occurred midday on a background of 2-4’ with minimal wind wave chop on top.
Been called overdue going Southwest Harbor to Duxbury. NOAA said nothing. We saw sustained Beaufort 9.
Buoy racing (phrf) just outside Plymouth a pop up Tstorm took out several boats. We ripped a mainsail.
The idea that microbursts and rogue waves are extremely rare events has been debunked. As has the idea they’re mid ocean events.

Amen. Thank you Hippocampus. Your observations are exactly my thoughts. One can't be 100% prepared for 100% of possibilities 100% of the time. Not even with Elon Musk money. But where to draw the line, what degree of margin of error and safety one is comfortable with, is a personal decision. As I mentioned, for me it's largely psychological.

It's the fundamental risk question. Everyone has a different risk tolerance (maybe seen most vividly and entertainingly in the stock market). Some people are thrilled to speculate day trading penny stocks, others comfortable only with blue-chips and the long term. Most are somewhere in between.

How concerned one is with things like microbursts (which I've experienced more than once) or rogue waves (haven't had the pleasure yet) depends both on personality and risk tolerance, and the waters one boats in. Those probably shouldn't be major considerations for river or small lake boating. But the New England coast, at least for me, is another matter.

 

[ksanders]

I love these threads.

Guys, I'm here to tell you that there are ZERO unforecast events in coastal cruising that will sink any production cruiser/trawler.

To even consider the necessity of off shore capability in a coastal cruiser is beyond my comprehension.

If you indicate that you prefer, and are willing to pay for that capability that is fantastic, but to even infer that it is necessary to travel safely along a coastline anywhere on this planet, is just simply misinformation.

 

[Hippocampus]

PS did it for a living. Multiple people here have a different opinion. Be interested in PS’s opinion. Have nearly no experience in east coast Florida but friends there live in fear of Tstorms. Wonder if people in different areas have different appreciations of hyper local events.


Offshore is a totally different animal. Not even the same genius let alone species. Agree with that statement.

 

[psneeld]

PS did it for a living. Multiple people here have a different opinion. Be interested in PS’s opinion. Have nearly no experience in east coast Florida but friends there live in fear of Tstorms. Wonder if people in different areas have different appreciations of hyper local events.


Offshore is a totally different animal. Not even the same genius let alone species. Agree with that statement.

If you are referring to me, what exactly is the question?

I agree with Kevin in that less than 3 day passages really don't require more than most production vessels with a good prep and skipper.

Almost any type vessel has crossed the Atlantic and Pacific. Ultimately it's the skipper in pre trip planning and reaction to what comes along that means more than anything. Seaworthiness of a vessel can certainly meet certain standards and if you can afford it great...but whether those vessel standards are ever required or are what saves a boat/voyage is always just a bet.

Thunderstorms are creations of different weather patterns. Knowing which will do what helps but all can create high winds for a short period of time....usually buildup tstorms are short duration and with some skill are easily survivable....frontal tstorms are a bit trickier as the various other weather phenomenon including tornadoes are more common and do cause a greater threat. These though are predicted days in advance as opposed to pop ups. Old school stability index usually refers to pop ups (at least my understanding) and I am guessing most TV weather stations use it and broadcast the probability of afternoon storms (take heed). Maybe models now are sophisticated enough to include info that even pinpoints areas where this is most likely to happen (I am still skeptical of that kind of prediction).

As far as saying a boat and a skipper are safe going to sea... sure checklists help...but having flown into storms and fire and ice...gotta tell you...the best equipment, training, supports, etc...etc...still boils down to how people react when the dodo hits the fan. Oh, I forgot.... luck I hate to say plays a huge role.

If you survive the first couple threats to your life (and I don't mean a couple storms on a boat offshore that just about everyone survives)...chances are as long as you don't get complacent...you might survive the next.

I wasn't kidding in one of my other posts that basically said, every time you go to sea, if you think you have a 100% chance of going home you are just kidding yourself.... more dangerous than driving to the grocery store? I really can't answer that with any certainty either.

 

[mvweebles]

Have nearly no experience in east coast Florida but friends there live in fear of Tstorms. Wonder if people in different areas have different appreciations of hyper local events

They are likely most concerned about lightning strikes which if BoatUS stats are correct, decimate several hundred boats each. Lightning strikes are not totally avoidable, but there apparently are some things you can do to reduce likelihood and severity of a strike. Steve d'Antonio has some excellent articles on various mitigations. In my opinion, a much more worthy expenditure of brain cells that game-theory around surprise hurricanes. While not cheap, lightening protection is definitely affordable.

Peter

 

[Hippocampus]

I’m curious how you define storm? Using the Beaufort scale or common parlance? Have watched coastal boats get overwhelmed or sink in pop ups so will agree to disagree.
Before we went off cruising wife was into “disaster porn”. Watched every maritime mishap she could find on the internet. Wired her up to no purpose. But we trained and had a well found good boat. Now coastal and early days but but definitely see a cavalier attitude very unlike my experience when interacting with long term international cruisers. Yes the crew is every bit as important as the boat. Most catastrophes are a chain of multiple small events or missed opportunities for preparation. But I still contend that string of events is more likely to occur coastally then offshore due both to the vessels involved but more importantly crew preparation. Even offshore you see vessels abandoned floating and intact because crew became exhausted, terrified so incapable of action or incapable to actuate remedial interventions.

 

[rslifkin]

Even offshore you see vessels abandoned floating and intact because crew became exhausted, terrified so incapable of action or incapable to actuate remedial interventions.

Crew capability is a big one. I know I can handle a lot at the helm for a short period of time. But over a longer period of time, my ability to manage the boat without becoming exhausted would likely be limiting before the boat becomes a limiting factor. On my boat that's partly a ride quality problem. With the rather full bow and other design factors the ride becomes miserably unpleasant long before the boat is in any danger. That full bow does have 1 big advantage though. Given adequate fuel and sea room, running downwind with liberal use of the fuel consumption levers is almost always comfortable and easy to manage.

There is also a definite level of boat capability needed. I regularly see boats out on Lake Ontario that leave me thinking that I'd never take that boat out even on a perfect day. I've had ugly weather come out of nowhere, or come past a point into 20+ kts of local wind that's not occurring anywhere else (just experienced that again a few days ago).

But once you get away from the poor quality weekend boats, open bows, etc. most decent powerboats will take more than many people realize provided the operator knows what they're doing. Stability angle concerns are different compared to a sailboat, as you don't have to worry about a wind induced knockdown. It's sea state that's mostly the issue.

 

[Art]

I’m curious how you define storm? Using the Beaufort scale or common parlance? Have watched coastal boats get overwhelmed or sink in pop ups so will agree to disagree.
Before we went off cruising wife was into “disaster porn”. Watched every maritime mishap she could find on the internet. Wired her up to no purpose. But we trained and had a well found good boat. Now coastal and early days but but definitely see a cavalier attitude very unlike my experience when interacting with long term international cruisers. Yes the crew is every bit as important as the boat. Most catastrophes are a chain of multiple small events or missed opportunities for preparation. But I still contend that string of events is more likely to occur coastally then offshore due both to the vessels involved but more importantly crew preparation. Even offshore you see vessels abandoned floating and intact because crew became exhausted, terrified so incapable of action or incapable to actuate remedial interventions.

One day [fall season in mid 60's] it suddenly became rough water during passage to Block Island. Four in our family were in a very well constructed, SD hull, 38' one-off sport fisher, raised deck sedan with flying bridge. Co-boaters, a retired couple [he'd been an airplane pilot] we'd over the years become waving-friends with, were seen once about midway of that day's crossing in their 36' Egg Harbor... a nice boat for sure! I clearly recall looking closely at their boat as it passed us. Dad had slowed to hull speed. They continued pushing forward on plane with considerable spray happening off the bow and onto the trunk cabin as well as hitting into the salon windows. Both boats were being piloted from inside their salon. We were told to NOT go outside the enclosed salon. As the boat passed on our port side; I noticed the elderly wife standing in starboard cockpit and holding tightly to a SS metal post that went from cockpit side up to salon's roof corner edge... where one could step up onto the side deck, for walking toward bow. I also recall the wife was getting quite wet form the spray. I wondered what the heck an older women would be doing in that position. Well - Soon they disappeared ahead of us.

Did not see them again after that. About a year later we heard report that the wife died that day. MOB, lost at sea. Many times that circumstance comes to mind. This post is one of them!

Moral of the story: To stay alive and in good health - Be Careful On Boats!!

 

[Hippocampus]

Amen. I’ve yet to see a PFD that will accept a tether on a coastal power boat (except ours). Folks don’t commonly lash their anchor (or remove it as is common on passage). Rather there’s one retaining line used to take pressure off the windlass or nothing. Should that get loose someone is going on the foredeck if the windlass can’t do it or the boat has no in pilot house controls. Even then if it happens once it may happen again so foredeck work may be required. People are supposed to pray to Neptune to leeward. Puking in the head usually predicts further seasickness. I prefer a bucket for crew and keep them inside. Still other than alcohol and rail peeing I think absence of tethers for the rare occasion they’re needed is a not uncommon preventable cause of death.

 

[rslifkin]

Amen. I’ve yet to see a pdf that will accept a tether on a coastal power boat (except ours). Folks don’t commonly lash their anchor (or remove it as is common on passage). Rather there’s one retaining line used to take pressure off the windlass or nothing. Should that get loose someone is going on the foredeck if the windlass can’t do it or the boat has no in pilot house controls. Even then if it happens once it may happen again so foredeck work may be required. People are supposed to pray to Neptune to leeward. Puking in the head usually predicts further seasickness. I prefer a bucket for crew and keep them inside. Still other than alcohol and rail peeing I think absence of tethers for the rare occasion they’re needed is a not uncommon preventable cause of death.

I might be another rare exception in that we do carry tetherable PFDs. In general, nobody goes forward or on the side decks at all outside of low speed in protected water.

For the anchor, I keep a line on it to secure it and I also leave the chain tight in the windlass with the clutch engaged. So unless both fail, it'll stay put in the roller. So far, I've never had either one move or loosen at all.

 

[psneeld]

One trick also is to boat in fair weather and/or stay inside on the ICW.

 

[mvweebles]

The attached takes a bit of digestion to understand, but in short, shows the relationship between duration, fetch, wind speed, and the resulting sea state. For example, 50-kts blowing for 1-hour with at least a few miles of fetch (a very hairy squall - the most I've been surprised with is about 40-45 kts and that was for under an hour) will deliver 6-7 foot short choppy seas on top of whatever else is going on. Mind you, these are "significant wave heights" meaning 1/3rd could be higher. Super uncomfortable conditions, but not beyond Force 5-6 or so, mainly because the duration isn't long enough to develop truly mountainous seas. The same 50-kts with at least a couple hundred miles of fetch blowing for 24-hours will develop 8-meter (25-foot) seas, approaching Perfect Storm conditions that would keep any sane boat in port, including cruise ships. And would be well-forecast with ample warnings.

All I'm saying is you have to differentiate between squalls and storms. You can either learn this stuff and figure out how to apply it to your cruising style and aspirations. Or you can ignore it and buy a Nordhavn as meteorite insurance. As I've said, great boats and well laid out. Plenty of reasons to buy one. But if you're afraid of the ocean and think you need a Nordhavn to coastal cruise/passage,, well, think again.

Peter

 

[psneeld]

Hey, like many say here on TF.... amchor every single time as if you will be hit by a hurricane.

 

[Hippocampus]

Thanks for posting that Peter. Saw similar in a prior weather course. As they say

There’s old sailors
There’s bold sailors
There’s no old, bold sailors.

I was taught having tension on the chain ain’t good for the windlass. Hence snubbers and a retaining line when not deployed. For me the windlass is one of the few critical no fail devices. So I’m kind to it and it’s kind to me. I’ve had lashings get loose. Usually after days and days but with no serious weather. Agree no need to lash on short coastal transits but still think a retaining line is wise.
We do wait for weather windows. Feel it’s a luxury coastal boating provides and schedules kill. On our usual passage line squalls occur every single time due to season you’re traveling. Agree they aren’t a biggie. You see them both visually and on radar miles off so you can prepare and usually get on the “correct” side or dodge. You don’t see stuff coming off land until it’s on you. You never see microbursts. Rogues you see when they strike.
Peter quotes how wave heights are determined. In many places in the northeast due to the interaction of ocean and coastal weather and therefore wave trains with added wave trains from defraction and reflection it’s not infrequent that a additive effect occurs. In the Caribbean compression zones are a common concern but they are much less frequent in New England. Still even on a sailboat let alone power “it’s the waves that kill you not the wind”. Most SD hulls have their engine air intakes on their sides. Rarely more than a few feet up. So regardless of B rating which implies you have room to run DWW or beat into the wave face have absolutely no desire to see force 5-6 let alone the rated 8. What’s interesting is occasionally the > then mean wave is not from the direction of the predominant seas.

 

[mvweebles]

I really like what Nordhavn has done with engine room ventilation. It has been a design consideration from their first N46 and has carried through the fleet. Especially as boats get bigger and designed to go faster (with bigger engines), getting adequate airflow into the ER is a tradeoff of interior space. For Hippocampus's NT42 with 540hp engine (from memory - could be wrong), it needs a lot of air. That said, quality ER vents are designed like a dorade box and can take an enormous amount of heavy spray without becoming inundated. What they can't take is a roll-induced immersion, which is why they are so important to CE Rating compared to Beaufort Scale.

I spent 4 days headed into solid Force 5 seas (25-kts and roughly 8-ft seas) from Panama to Florida. Unsafe? Not really. Uncomfortable? Hell yes! It's hard on the boat in a way because stuff gets dropped and dings nice surfaces, fridge becomes a jack-in-the-box, sleep is hard to come by. Constant spray means the boat is buttoned up and no going outside. While those wind conditions are relatively common along the central Pacific coast of North America, it's usually not sustained for more than 10-12 hours (usually 6-8 hours on the afternoon) so the seas just don't build past about 5-feet or so. Not optimal, but doable for a few hours to keep the boat moving. And that's only if you're headed to weather. Headed downwind is a much easier story. The caution as mentioned before (and reinforced by Hippocampus) is there are a few asterisks. Seas rarely come from just one direction. Wind waves are compounded by swells. And about a third of the waves are bigger.

In the end, I agree with KSanders - for the vast majority of cruising itineraries, people tend to over-think the boat. It's a comfort item, and should chose whatever makes you happy. But if happen to own a 42-foot motoryacht or Taiwan trawler and want to coastal cruise but think it's the wrong boat, think again. There is a LOT you can do to supplement your skills for a safe and comfortable cruising itinerary and enjoy the boat you already have (or the boat you can afford if you're looking). A Nordhavn is a great, great boat that is well built for long-term live aboard comfort. But if you think it materially reduces weather risk along a comfortable coastal cruise itinerary, you're wrong. The skipper and crew have infinitely more impact on vessel safety than the vessel itself. And the knowledge isn't difficult to come by.

Peter

 

[rslifkin]

i was taught having tension on the chain ain’t good for the windlass. Hence snubbers and a retaining line when not deployed.

I've heard the same. But with the clutch not cranked down tight (so it'll slip when the anchor docks in the roller) I can't imagine the bit of tension present being enough to hurt anything. It's far below the pulling force the windlass is rated to endure when in use, and because it keeps your anchor docked tightly against the pulpit (tighter than I can get the retaining line), there's no movement or shock loading, just steady tension.

 

[koliver]

I've heard the same. But with the clutch not cranked down tight (so it'll slip when the anchor docks in the roller) I can't imagine the bit of tension present being enough to hurt anything. It's far below the pulling force the windlass is rated to endure when in use, and because it keeps your anchor docked tightly against the pulpit (tighter than I can get the retaining line), there's no movement or shock loading, just steady tension.

I started tying my anchor down after I had been using the windlass drum to wind in a line, so the anchor chain was no longer in the gypsey, and naturally, when I encountered rough conditions, the anchor jumped out of its roller. It only happened once.
I still rely on the windlass pulling everything tight, and now, I have the tie down as a backup, in case another brain fart occurs.

 

[psneeld]

I only tied my anchor down in case of something going wrong, slipping, etc.

On both of my windlasses, there was a lever you could throw to engage the wildcat so no pressure could be imposed on to the internals.... so maybe I could have even forgone the safety line as long as the chain was in the wildcat.

I think there is way too much thinking about how fragile windlasses are.... sure constant slamming of the gears is one thing, but a normal sized anchor reeled all the way in with only some motion but a little tugging in average sea conditions should not be trashing a decent windlass.

 

[Hippocampus]

Would note although a belt and suspenders guy I’m not a omg this could happen. However, can’t shake the way I was trained so will continue to take that extra step that allows me to have one less thing to have to think about. If you have routines that you just do every time when things aren’t moderate or the unusual occurs you’re prepared. Ounce of preparation….
We’re a mom and pop have had one of us get distracted or hurt or sick. Having a shorter list to contend with has greatly lowered stress on more than one occasion.