and don’t you wish you’d paid more attention in your high school French class…
Yann Quenet is getting ready for another circumnavigation with some changes to Baluchon that you might find interesting.
Sailboat design
a quick thought…
I’ve always liked Colvin’s junk rig boats as they were in a sorta/kinda evolutionary step that never really made the jump to the next stage and, as a result, have a lot to tell us about sailboat design. Someone has an idea for a boat or rig and designs a sailboat based on that idea. …
a favorite design…
As much as I love the CAL 34, I’d much rather have a Columbia 34 MK2 SD or Columbia 34 MK2 CB. What can I say but that extra bit of shoal draft makes all the difference. Another reason I like Bill Tripp’s design is its great foredeck that’s big enough for a dinghy without …
just a quick couple of things to consider…
There are actually quite a few rigs that make sense in the VolksCruiser and what works for me may not work for you. That said, it’s important to do your homework and work out what you need so you can make an informed decision. For me, the important factors are viability, performance, and cost. Obviously, …
how size is an interesting thing…
My recent post on the Beachcomber 25 produced some emails of the “A 25-foot boat is too small to cruise or live on” variety and a fair bit of outrage. I get that. A 25-foot sailboat is, after all, a small boat. That said, in my own defense I’ll point out that not all 25-foot …
an awesome shoal draft design…
Offhand, I really do think that real (3′ or under) shoal draft makes all kinds of sense for anyone looking for a VolksCruiser. Having a boat that can anchor in places others fear to tread or navigate, that’s also beachable if needed, and ocean capable is really a no-brainer. For instance, take a look at …
a plastic water bottle and a boat…
The other day I found myself listening to someone going on about their stainless steel bespoke water bottle as a must have for the cruising sailor. I was not impressed. The argument that an expensive water bottle is good for the environment is somewhat dubious in that its fabrication requires energy which is, more often …
OK, I’ll admit it…
I’ve got a bad case of bowsprit envy! While perusing the Craigslist I saw a fifty foot Bugeye going for $16.5K. Now, I’ll be the first to acknowledge that I can’t really afford to cruise on a fifty-foot vessel no matter how much it’s a work of art and sexy as hell. Adding in the …
A plethora of Columbia 26 Mk 2…
Perusing the Hawaii Craigslist I noticed there seemed to be an abundance (four!) of one of my favorite boats the Bill Tripp designed Columbia 26 Mk 2. Which, as it happens, is the little sister of the Columbia 50. Very little sister Now, a lot of people think a 26-foot boat is far too small …
a siren call from afar…
I’ve always had a love/lust attraction to Bill Tripp’s Columbia 50… What’s not to like? It’s salty, sexy, and has that awesome flush deck. Obviously it’s too much boat for a couple on a budget but there is currently one for sale in Hawaii with an asking price of $35K that has me coming up …