A very needful read, an idea or two, and over in the “stupidity appendix” department…
Of late, I’ve been thinking a lot about the Peugeot UO-8 bicycle. Partly because it has the best touring frame anyone has ever built and partly because my mind keeps asking what sailboat would fill that “best” niche in cruising boats.
Peugeot built the UO-8 as a cheap, bare-bones bike. Still, having rode thousands of miles on one, it never let me down and was a dependable ride. Sure their were a few bits that you could upgrade in the components department but nothing that would break the bank.
Looking for a cruising boat design equivalent to the qualities of the UO-8 is no easy matter. The frame’s “feel” punched above its weight and belied its low cost, which is the main attraction.
You can still pick it up for somewhere between $100 to $300. Bare frames for around $50. Considering a bottle of coke now costs $2.99 and a hundred-dollar bike from 1972 is a pretty good deal at $250.
Anyway, something to think about. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be looking into cruising boats that resonate with that UO-8 vibe and ‘feel’…