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Coachroof windows: Deciding detail!

• August 3rd, 2024
• Yacht Refit

You may know that there is already a new built Omega 42 sailing which has been done by Mueritz Bootsservice in Germany. Hull #401 called WINDFAENGER , owned by my now dear friend Stefan. He is the one who first acknowledged the potential and excitement of reviving Peter Norlin´s iconic sailing yacht and invested into the project. I am happy to have him on my side for his expertise in both building the boat and of course also sailing her – looking so much forward to our next sailing event aboard his beautiful boat. But there are one or two details which I instantly upon seeing his yacht knew I would do differently. One of those details are the coachroof windows.

As much as I love the sleek design and the approach by Heiner Francke and his team in the shipyard back at Lake Mueritz, I kind of disapprove the window design on WINDFAENGER. For me, it is way too modern, too edgy, too … I don´t know … it just does not really follow the classic lines of the original. The guys decided to go for this design and form maybe to add a modernistic touch to the classy lines of Norlin, and it certainly works, but for me, personally, I want ALPHA to resemble as much as possible what this yacht was originally intended to look like. The coachroof windows are in this a very, very important and deciding detail, at least for me.

Peter Norlin´s original – and many iterations

Heiner and Stefan haven´t been the first to play with the coachroof window-design of the Omega 42. A quick check of Google picture search reveals that there are probably as many windows-iterations as there are boats. Originally, looking at the drawings of the yacht, Peter Norlin intended to have two sleek, elongated coachroof windows for the deck superstructure.

Just very sleek and stretched, these windows follow the lines of the coachroof, taking on the flatness of the whole superstructure and add to the dynamic lines. For me this is a very distinctive feature. For any yacht, the hull windows and coachroof windows in general can be very deciding. Just take Oyster for example – these yachts with their beautiful seascape windows are unmistakably defined design-wise by the three vertical panoramic windows – from the outside as well as from the inside. Back to the Omega 42, I also found one with three of those windows …

If the structural integrity and stiffness of the deck allows for it, one would think to go for as many windows as possible. Of course, we want natural light down below and inside the yacht. Especially in a boat that is as narrow and “flat” as the Omega 42, especially because there are no hull windows whatsoever, it may sound like a good idea to have three instead of just two windows. But I am a classic guy – I want my Omega 42 as “original” as possible.

Luckily, there are very many original boats still sailing and many owners are happy to share. Back in the day when Heiner and his shipyard crew – due to the fact that there are no original Omega 42-plans by Peter Norlin available – visited Sweden frequently to attend regattas and club races, they crawled dozens of Omega 42 yachts to take measurements and thousands of pictures. In the end, Heiner was able to reconstruct and reverse engineer almost all details of the Omega 42 – including the coachroof windows. I´ve made a whole article on this adventure and masterpiece of engineering work .

Being free to choose: Custom boat building!

I still vividly remember when I first came into contact with the whole Omega 42 idea: A good friend of mine, Skipper Wilfried, a very skilled old salt with whom I´ve had the pleasure to not only share my very first Atlantic Ocean sailing experience but also do some other exciting trips, like crossing the Bay of Biscay , told me years ago: “By the way, if you are seeking a story about some crazy people building a very, very special boat … get into your car and drive to Lake Mueritz.” You can read my article here . Anyway, arriving at the shipyard, WINDFAENGER was shortly before marriage between hull and deck …

… just a few building steps more progressed than my boat is now, the deck was hovering above the almost finished and fully fitted hull. You can clearly see the cutouts for the coachroof windows in the pictures above and below. Apparently, Heiner and his crew had used the original lines of Peter Norlin for cutting out the windows, but then went ahead to glue the actual windows from the outside onto the GRP deck. In this they applied modern techniques and materials, this is how it is done in production boatbuilding today: Cheaper, faster and certainly safe.

Talking with Heiner, it is good to know that I can choose for my yacht absolutely free how I want to have the windows. The Omega 42 new build project here at Lake Mueritz is a semi-custom and certainly one-off. Owners like myself can decide for almost all details – excluding structural of course – that´s the beauty of this project. With a production yacht, everything is set for you. The options lists are of course limited and therefore iterations and moreover, customizations, can only be done in a very, very small range. Not so here – I am literally free. Funny enough: I stick strictly to the original.

Fitting the gauge model for my new coachroof windows

Last time I´ve visited the shipyard to deliver some more items for the boat, Heiner and his crew had prepared the boat with the 1:1 gauge model for the windows. In this case, it´s a simple plastic film of thick quality. Here, the exact outlines of the coachroof windows are put on with a black Edding marker. Just like the deck hatches and porthole windows , I want my coachroof windows look “classic”.

That means that I do not want the sleek, frameless modern design, but purposefully want to go for the aluminium frames or the good old times. In this, it´s not just the looks. The frames provide some protection against scratches which are applied frequently by shoes when walking by and touching the windows by chance. The gauge model display the outline of the window, which would be the metallic frame, and the inner line where the actual cutout would be.

Both the forward facing and backwards facing flanks of the windows are angular. The forward facing window is even more radically bent, the backwards facing still a bit. This design can also be seen on many original Omega 42 boats of the first building phase and also on sketches of Norlin. I like the sleekness and elegance of it, very harmonic, dynamic and – yes – also a bit modern.

I am sure that these windows will match perfectly the skylight hatches and porthole windows! A day after my visit I am sending these blue gauges to Holland. You may have read my article on the factory visit at Gebo Marine Glazing in Almere . Since I have only good words for these products Made in Holland (I´ve had Gebo hatches on my first boat, OLIVIA, as well , I went for their classy standard hatches. And lucky me, these guys are producing custom windows as well, like now the coachroof windows for ALPHA. I´m really excited to see them in real life.

Hot summer in the shipyard!

Since we have August now and almost all of the businesses are on summer vacation and bank holidays, I don´t expect to receive the windows until mid-September. But apart from this, it will be a hot summer now for ALPHA in the shipyard and certainly a load of articles on the work-in-progress to follow: Diesel-engine fitting, keel casting and so on. Yesterday I finally ordered the Garmin electronics set-up for the boat as many of it must be installed before marriage – most importantly the auto pilot.

Next week I will try to do a piece on the keel casting as I will be visiting the foundry. You may expect a series of absolutely one-of-a-kind insight articles on this matter as the casting house is one of the very last small companies doing custom casting in full lead. Absolutely amazing stuff coming up! For now – enjoy your summertime, dearest readers.

© Pictures of classic Omega 42 from Batagent.se and facebook

Other interesting articles which are related:

Building commenced: How my Omega 42-project started

Oyster seascape windows & more – signature design features of a great yacht

Repairing hull windows on my King´s Cruiser 33

Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

Sadler 26: the little boat with big attitude

• Rachael Sprot
• September 8, 2022

Is the Sadler 26 the ultimate small yacht or just an overgrown dinghy? Rachael Sprot steps aboard to find out

Most of the Sadler 26s built had twin keels, although deep and shallow fins were also available. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images Credit: Richard Langdon

Product Overview

Manufacturer:.

I’ve always been a fan of small yachts. They’re exponentially cheaper to buy and maintain, the loads are lower, making them safer for new crew, and the shove ‘n’ go boat handling saves a lot of hassle in marinas .

But even by pocket-cruiser standards, 26ft is tiny. And although extraordinary voyages are made on tiny boats, I’ve always thought you’d need an MBA (Masters in Bunk Arrangement) to cope in such confined quarters.

Would the Sadler 26 change my mind?

I joined John Dickson on his Sadler 26, Ella , to find out. John sails Ella on the south coast and English Channel with his wife, Nao, and children, Ollie, 13, and Georgina, 10.

The cockpit is deep and comfortable, with coaming lockers on each side and good leg bracing. Credit: Richard Langdon

He seizes every chance to head out, sometimes just with cockerpoo, Maggie, for company. The first thing I noticed when I stepped aboard Ella in the river Hamble, was that she didn’t baulk at my weight, as I was expecting.

She may only be 26ft long, but with over 9ft of beam there’s plenty of form stability. The real secret behind her feeling of buoyancy, however, is that her double-skinned hull is filled with foam.

John Dickson sails his Sadler 26, Ella with his wife, Nao, and children Ollie and Georgina. A professional jazz musician, John also sails Ella solo from the river Hamble on the UK’s south coast. Credit: Richard Langdon

Scarred by the terrible loss of life of the 1979 Fastnet Race when several yachts sank, Martin Sadler, David Sadler’s son, designed the 26 and 29 to withstand significant water ingress.

Although their unsinkability was never officially established, in one test the 26 was sailed through overfalls under full sail in a Force 5 with the seacocks open and half full of water, which sounds pretty conclusive to me.

Folkboat DNA in the Sadler 26

Like all successful species, the Sadler 26 is the product of evolution. Deep in her ancestry you’ll find the Folkboat, but you’ll have to go via the Sadler 25 and Sadler-designed Contessa 26 to find it.

There’s still a hint of her Nordic origins in the high bow and swoosh of sheer, although the full stern looks somewhat truncated. The underwater profile is sea-kindly and a transom-hung rudder has a full-depth skeg providing protection and directional stability.

The helm is light and responsive, and the cockpit is well set up for singlehanded sailing. Credit: Richard Langdon

There were several keel options. Most were built with twin keels , but there are also deep and shallow-fin keels and lifting keels. The twin keels are relatively fine and deep in order to preserve sailing performance to windward.

Aloft, there’s a masthead rig with large overlapping genoa and respectable ballast ratio of 41%.

The construction technique is quite different to modern balsa or foam-cored hulls. The outer skin is full strength and the inner skin is a moulded lining.

The 9ft 4in beam gives the Sadler 26 a wide deck, with enough room to stand by the shrouds. Credit: Richard Langdon

Apparently the foam wasn’t originally considered essential for strength but it does play an important role in this regard, providing extra stiffness.

The strategically placed pockets of polyurethane foam don’t just provide buoyancy, they also insulate the hull, reducing condensation and noise.

Around fittings such as keel bolts there’s no foam: the two skins meet to form a solid layer of GRP .

The major downside of this construction method is that it could be expensive and complicated to repair if water seeps into the foam, which may become increasingly likely as these boats age.

A pre-purchase survey will be important to identify any problems.

Well-considered cockpit

On deck, the coachroof remains in proportion to the rest of the yacht, the curved top softening the outline.

Two pairs of rounded portlights, one small and one large, are easy on the eye.

A teak handrail accentuates her lines and breaks up the otherwise large expanse of gelcoat. The teak rubbing strake is another attractive detail which also covers the hull-to-deck join, which is bolted and glued together.

The Sadler 26 came with a masthead rig, supported by a forestay, backstay and in-line caps and lowers. The foretriangle is larger than the mainsail. Credit: Richard Langdon

The moulded toerail gives a secure foothold, but the scarcity of scuppers means that water collects on the sidedecks, especially if you’ve slightly altered the trim by adding too much weight in the bow or stern, which is easy to do on a small boat.

The stanchions drop into sockets in the toerail, which seems like a neat solution, but means that if you have any abrupt encounters with the dock you not only bend a stanchion, but might damage the deck-moulding too.

Some boats, including Ella , have fitted bolt-on stanchion bases instead. The sidedecks are wider than you might expect thanks to her beam, with room to stand by the shrouds when coming alongside.

The anchor well is sealed off from the vee-berth. Credit: Richard Langdon

There’s a proper anchor well to keep muddy chain sealed off from the vee-berth. Look closely enough at the cockpit though, and you start to have a sense of where Sadler’s priorities lie. It may look unremarkable, but it’s an excellent working area when sailing, both comfortable and functional.

The square shape of the cut-off transom is a compromise worth making, allowing room for three adults or a few more little people. The benches are the perfect width to brace across when heeling, even for those of us with short legs.

It’s still small enough to reach all the controls when singlehanded though, with halyards and reefing lines led back along the coachroof.

Bolt-on stanchion bases replace the original moulded ones in the toerail. Credit: Richard Langdon

The transom-hung rudder positions the tiller well aft, so that it doesn’t dominate the space.

Standing with the tiller in hand, there’s a clear line of vision forwards even with the sprayhood up. The deep coamings make a comfortable backrest.

The recessed storage cubbies are a useful feature often missing on larger yachts.

When beating to windward, the coachroof gives shelter from a full bombardment of green water.

The only drawback is that the traveller position is directly in front of the companionway hatch. Owing to the small mainsail though, it’s relatively easy to manage.

A good use of space

The starboard-side cockpit locker swallows up gear and houses a stainless-steel fuel tank. Ella had a large removable panel to give better access to the back of the engine , gearbox and stern gland, which is a very practical modification.

A 90-litre flexible water tank lives under the cockpit sole, making good use of otherwise redundant space. Slide back the companionway hatch and you reveal a bright, compact interior.

Immediately to starboard of the companionway is the galley with a small sink, coolbox and boat cooker . The previous owner had dispensed with the full-sized oven and put extra stowage beneath the hob.

Mounting navigation equipment by the companionway makes it easier for John to sail singlehanded. Credit: Richard Langdon

Locker space is minimal here, but if you’re not too ambitious about what you cook, the space is perfectly adequate. The top of the engine box provides additional work surface for food prep.

A spacious quarterberth runs under the port side of the cockpit and a cleverly designed nav table pulls out above it on older models.

John has mounted navigation equipment here which made it easy to reach from the cockpit, a useful feature when singlehanded sailing .

The hanging locker is useful for storing lifejackets and foulies. Credit: Richard Langdon

In a neat metamorphosis, the saloon table drops down to create a double bunk. The starboard-side bench is too short to be a full-sized bunk, unless you push through into the hanging locker forwards as some owners have done.

Beyond the main bulkhead is the heads compartment with wet locker opposite.

The vee-berth gains a feeling of additional space from the raised coachroof and large foredeck hatch above. It’s not a plush interior, but the inner mouldings have aged well and provide plenty of storage beneath.

The transom-hung rudder is supported on a full-length skeg and gives the Sadler 26 good manoeuvrability. Credit: Richard Langdon

The foam insulates each stowage compartment, meaning that items stored under bunks suffer less condensation and mildew.

The major drawback of the interior is headroom. John is 5ft 6in and can stand up in the cabin, but if you’re much taller you’ll be spending most of your time stooped over – many people would find the maximum headroom of 5ft 10in restrictive.

Without totally destroying the proportions, it would be hard to achieve more headroom on a boat of this size and for those with longer legs, the similarly constructed Sadler 29 is worth considering.

Impressive handling

The original engines were 10hp Bukhs and then 9hp Volvo Pentas. Ella had a more recent 20hp Beta Marine.

It’s a tight fit in the engine compartment, but the enlarged access panel in the cockpit locker allows most jobs to be conducted in situ. It gave an impressive 6 knots through the water at 2,000 RPM.

‘I’m really glad of the extra power,’ said John. ‘When the kids have had enough and you’re fighting the tide and you just want to get home, she can do it.’

The 5ft 10in max headroom in the saloon can feel restrictive. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

She was pretty nifty when it came to tight turns in the river Hamble, employing all the leverage of her transom-hung rudder. Although Sadler is renowned for producing yachts that sail well, I confess I was a little dubious about the 26.

There’s a lot of yacht crammed into 26 feet and with the twin keels too, I wondered what had been sacrificed in the quest for interior volume and a moderate draught.

But after hoisting the main and unfurling the 140% genoa on Southampton Water, she set off impressively.

There’s a good view from the cockpit when helming, even with the sprayhood up. Credit: Richard Langdon

Despite only having 7-8 knots of true wind, she made 4 knots with ease and the helm was feather-light.

In fact, she was so well balanced that we gave up helming entirely and just tweaked the sails to adjust the course.

She made 35°AWA when the wind held, slipping off to 40°AWA when it decreased.

It was a slack tide and the chartplotter showed crisp, right-angled tacks. She was a pleasure to sail.

Compact but clever

Tacking a boat with a big foretriangle is harder work than modern, fractional rigs, but she’s small enough that most of the genoa sheet can be pulled in by hand.

Downwind there wasn’t enough breeze to put her through her paces, but she ghosted along at 3 knots in only 5-6 knots of wind. It’s a fairly modest sail area, but she still felt responsive and moved with a sense of purpose.

For singlehanders and families alike, you don’t want too much power anyway.

Interior mouldings have aged well, including in the galley, where the engine box provides an extra food preparing area. Credit: Richard Langdon

Underpinning all of that, there’s a feeling of seaworthiness and the design is well-proven. Sadler 25s and 26s have been used successfully in short-handed events such as the AZAB and OSTAR .

One of the pleasures of small boat sailing is that you’re more likely to sail the boat to its full potential. It’s much less arduous to play with the control lines so you can experiment with twist and car position without breaking into a sweat. But the boat needs to be responsive to sail in the first place.

On the Sadler 26, performance has been preserved to the right level: she’ll reward an ambitious sailor and take care of a novice.

In the summer, John and the family use the boat for hybrid sailing holidays. He’ll deliver her to the West Country or Channel Islands alone or with friends, and then they’ll join him for a week of cruising, perhaps taking a holiday cottage for a few days to give themselves a bit more space.

Continues below…

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As the children grow up they might consider upsizing, but John is pragmatic about the fact that they may not share his passion for sailing. If not, he’ll continue to enjoy the solitude of solo sailing without the stress of handling a larger yacht.

The compression of space on a small yacht means that every centimetre matters and each element of the design has to be carefully weighed.

I was impressed by how little was missing from the Sadler 26. Things work harder by multi-tasking and ingenious transformations turn chart tables into sleeping areas and bunks become dinner tables. So you can have it all on a 26 foot boat, just not at the same time.

There’s a can-do attitude to the Sadler 26. It’s a boat that can be sailed solo or with a family. The inherent buoyancy inspires confidence for those venturing further afield, or you can creek crawl and escape the marina scene locally.

The large forepeak hatch makes the vee-berth feel spacious. Credit: Richard Langdon

She has all the facilities of a bigger yacht, albeit not simultaneously. The accommodation is well-laid-out and will just about allow for the routines of normal life. I wouldn’t attempt a Sunday roast on board but knowing the kind of people who sail these boats, it’s probably been done.

For all her merits though, it’s the sailing performance that stands out for me.

How many boats out there can accommodate a family of four and offer safety and seaworthiness at only 26ft? Not many. And how many of those will be fun to sail? Even fewer.

Overgrown dinghy? Absolutely, in the best possible way.

Expert opinion on the Sadler 26

Ben Sutcliffe-Davies, Marine Surveyor and full member of the Yacht Brokers Designers & Surveyors Association (YDSA) www.bensutcliffemarine.co.uk

Back in the day I used to own a Sadler 25, and my friend’s dad ordered one of the 26s off-plan and was certainly not disappointed with the level of fitout. Whilst many have stood the test of time, there are some niggles you need to be aware of.

In my view, and the view of many other surveyors, the infill foam is actually an essential part of construction, bonding the outer hull moulding to the internal moulding.

Unfortunately, one of the biggest challenges with the 26 today is where the foam has absorbed water. This causes softening of the structure, both externally and internally, and should not be ignored.

Like the Sadler 29, the Sadler 26 is double-skinned, with polyurethane foam between the outer hull and interior moulding boosting buoyancy even when flooded. Credit: Richard Langdon

This is common with twin-keel versions that have taken the ground regularly, which will result in softening around the keel root externally and movement of the internal framing near the keel fastenings.

I’d strongly recommend seeing the craft lifted and tip tests undertaken on the keels to see what deflections are occurring, both inside and outside.

Other issues include moisture in the deck pad due to the wiring of deck instruments, rotten ply where the chain plates have been fitted internally, seriously worn fastening points on the stem cap for the forestay, and the overloading of the rudder skeg on the twin-keel versions, where there has been repetitive grounding.

Alternatives to the Sadler 26

Contessa 26.

The Mini Cooper of the sailing world, there were almost 800 of these little yachts built over a period of almost 30 years and they’ve gained a cult following.

A mould was exported to Canada where several hundred more were built as the Taylor 26, after a trademark dispute.

Remarkably, the lines were never drawn as such, but a mould was made from a Folkboat hull and a few adaptations made to give a higher freeboard and slightly more internal volume.

A deep forefoot makes motion smooth on the Contessa 26. Credit: Rupert Holmes

Unlike the Folkboat, the Contessa 26 has a masthead rig and large overlapping genoa. The cockpit is small, even for a boat of this size, but having the mainsheet at the aft end of it makes the space there more usable.

Sail area-to-displacement ratio is low but a lot of that weight is in the keel. They aren’t renowned for their light airs performance, but the wetted surface area is less than you might imagine, thanks to the short waterline length and narrow beam.

In fact, the Contessa 26 often features in podium positions for Round the Island Race and has won a few too.

The encapsulated long keel and transom-hung rudder are attractive features, and the solid deck eliminates the problem of a soggy core.

The price you pay for an attractive boat that sails well is accommodation. There’s only 5ft of headroom except directly under the raised companionway moulding.

The sheets are in easy reach of the helm, making the Contessa 26 good for singlehanding. Credit: Graham Snook

There were three original layouts, A, B and C. All had two 6ft 6in saloon berths and 6ft 3in vee-berths.

The main differences were that there was no heads compartment in layout A; the loo was positioned between the vee-berth. This brought the vee-berth aft and created space for a proper anchor locker. On B and C configurations, a starboard heads compartment pushed the vee-berth right forward. A and C have the galley amidships; it is aft by the companionway on layout B. There’s no room for a saloon table and it’s minimalist-style living.

The Contessa 26 is incontestably pretty and has proven to be a bulletproof offshore cruiser boasting many high-profile circumnavigations.

They command a premium because of their deserved reputation, but won’t suit everyone.

Very much of their time, they’re nonetheless sought-after for 21st century adventures.

Trapper 300

Until recently, I’d never heard of Trapper, but when my sister bought a Trapper 500 a few years ago, I wondered why they weren’t better known.

They produced several pokey performance-cruisers in the 70s and 80s with nice lines and a good turn of speed. The 300 was designed by Bruce Kirby, who also drew the Laser dinghy (enough said), and based on a successful Quarter-Tonner, but they were aimed at the cruising market.

The 300 is a fin-keeled, masthead sloop with a semi-balanced spade rudder. The bow is razor-sharp and there’s a neatly tapered stern.

The saucer-shaped hull profile is much wider at deck level than it is at the waterline, creating space on deck and increasing buoyancy when heeled, but with minimal wetted surface area in light airs. The cockpit is compact but deep and safe.

A deep cockpit on the Trapper 300 provides security. Credit: David Harding

The traveller location right in front of the companionway hatch might be frustrating on long passages if you’re often going in and out, though it’s less of an issue when coast-hopping.

The internal layout varies between the Mk 1 or Mk 2 but both have comfortable saloon seating and a saloon table.

On the Mk 1 version the galley is by the companionway, on the Mk 2 it occupies the port side of the saloon.

There’s a standard heads and hanging locker arrangement forwards of the mast and full-length vee-berth. Largely composed of interior mouldings, the insides of many remain in good condition.

If you want something that’s rewarding to sail, looks pretty and has enough space for minimalist cruising, they’re a really good option, and often better value than higher- profile designs.

Westerly Griffon

The Griffon is unmistakably Westerly , with a high coachroof and square-cut transom utilising every inch of boat length.

She was the first Westerly designed by Ed Dubois, and has a more streamlined look than the older Laurent Giles models.

Although she’s still a bit boxy to the eye, the rewards are reaped below where there are two-and-a-half double bunks and 5ft 9in headroom all the way forward.

There’s the usual vee-berth arrangement, generous saloon with pull-out seating that converts to a double, and an almost double bunk in the port quarterberth.

High topsides on the Westerly Griffon and a chunky coachroof offers ample headroom down below. Credit: Bob Aylott

The Mk 1 version had a fold-down saloon table and sapele joinery. The Mk 2 had a sturdy fixed table with folding leaves and teak woodwork.

The galley occupies the starboard side as you come down the companionway and beneath the starboard side of the cockpit there’s a large locker. On deck, the cockpit is larger than average with the mainsheet position aft.

It will comfortably accommodate four for sailing, and six for cockpit drinks with the tiller up. Halyards and reefing lines lead to the cockpit, making her suitable for singlehanded sailing .

Most of them were bilge-keelers but a few had fin keels. They are reported to perform well for this keel configuration and have plenty of sail area, but pointing probably won’t be their forte.

If creek crawling and getting away from it all is more your thing than haring round the cans, and you’re looking for a boat with a nice temperament that’s comfortable for longer periods of time and gentle on the crew, here she is.

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How we converted our wooden sailboat into a charming motoryacht

• Top stories

When Charles and Gillian Taylor decided to make the move from sail to power they couldn’t bear to leave their custom-built sailing boat behind. The solution was simply to transform it into a gorgeous little motor boat.

Soon after they got married, in 2007, Charles and Gillian Taylor commissioned Dick Phillips to build them a sailing boat, “as a sort of wedding present to ourselves,” Charles tells me.

The boat in question was a Nigel Irens-designed Roxane which was intended to be “halfway between” the sailing boats that Charles and Gillian had each owned previously.

At that time, the Roxane was being built in GRP in Holland. The Taylors, however, decided theirs should be timber or, more specifically, western red cedar strip planking over a Douglas fir backbone and frames, all sheathed with epoxy resin and glass cloth.

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Roxanne of Restronguet was launched in May 2009 and for several years the Taylors raced and cruised her in the West Country while keeping her on a drying mooring near their home in Restronguet Creek.

Although Nigel Irens had designed the boat with a two-masted lugger rig with unstayed carbon masts, Roxanne initially had a gunter sloop rig, but this was soon converted to a cutter rig with a bowsprit and then to a more powerful rig with an integral topsail.

Roxanne in her former sailing days

After a few years the Taylors became less enthusiastic about using the same boat for both racing and cruising . About four years ago they took the first step to solving this problem by buying a Piper, a 24ft day-sailing boat to use purely for racing in a growing fleet at St Mawes Sailing Club.

Meanwhile they continued to cruise Roxanne but found they only really enjoyed sailing her – especially when they were trying to get to a specific destination – when it was blowing Force 3 to 4, at most other times they preferred to motor.

During this time a new idea “developed slowly”, that at some point they would get a motor boat, not least because Charles was finding that the arthritis in his neck was worsening. That idea then morphed into another one, that they would convert Roxanne into a motor boat.

Owners Charles and Gillian were too attached to sell so converted it instead

This became more than just an idea sooner than they might have expected when they were approached by someone who was building his own Roxane and was keen to buy their rig.

Charles and Gillian then had a breakfast meeting with Nigel Irens to sound him out. “He just said to us that ‘it’s your boat and you can do what you want’, ” said Charles.

“But he also pointed out that, however much power we gave her, she wouldn’t go any faster than her theoretical maximum hull speed for a displacement boat.”

With the coachroof removed the transformation to a motor yacht can begin

Work began in October 2019 at Penpol Boatyard where Roxanne ’s stern was modified. Originally, she had a transom-hung rudder, with the transom itself raked aft and flat. The length on deck was now extended by just 6in but with a new transom – vertical and slightly curved – her waterline length was increased by 2ft 6in.

The rudder stock is now in a rudder tube inside the hull – in approximately the same relative position as it was – and the tiller has been replaced by a small wheel mounted on the aft bulkhead of the cockpit footwell.

The main reason for this alteration was for appearances sake – “to make her look more like a motor boat” – but it has the further advantage of providing a useful lazarette locker where before there was none.

The new plywood superstructure gradually starts to take shape

The only other change to the hull was to remove some internal ballast (which had been installed when the third, more powerful rig was added) and the 90kg centreplate. The fixed external lead ballast keel of about 1.5 tonnes was retained.

Perfecting the design

Roxanne ’s modified hull was then moved to Restronguet Barton where local boatbuilders Phil Austin, Hans Jolivet and Holly Latham – all of whom had done boatbuilding work for the Taylors previously – could carry out the rest of the work.

By far the most significant change to the appearance of the boat (apart from the absence of a sailing rig) is to the superstructure. The final design was the result of “nearly three months of plywood templating” by the Taylors, Phil and Hans to ensure it looked right and worked ergonomically.

The coachroof was previously low and short, with coamings about 9in high and extending from the forward cockpit bulkhead to just short of the mast position. It is now significantly higher, has a substantial overhang over the forward end of the cockpit (incorporating the sliding companionway hatch), and has a lower section extending further forward.

The new plywood coamings were fitted to the outside of the old ones. The coachroof beams are laminated Douglas fir with plywood on top and then epoxy glassed.

The slightly curved side windows are 6mm polycarbonate while the flat ones forward (which have Vetus windscreen wipers) and aft are 6mm laminated glass. The cockpit layout is more or less as it was.

Further adjustments

The height extension to the coachroof is mainly to allow an inside steering position which is located aft and to starboard where previously there was a chart table. Aft of this is a quarter berth which has been retained but is used more for storage than for sleeping.

The galley in the port aft corner has also been retained. This now seems strangely low down with the coachroof so much higher but, as Gillian said, “you kind of adapt to it, and it is practical and robust enough so if you want to stand on any of it you can.”

The port side settee/berth has been shortened in order to extend the heads compartment and allow the installation of a proper sea toilet to replace the previous chemical one, but the starboard settee/berth is unchanged.

Previously, the centreboard case had a permanent table on top of it but now that this has been removed, there is the opportunity to fit slats between the two settee/berths with the back rest cushions on top of them to form an athwartships double berth.

A new table stowed on the forward bulkhead folds down onto a vertical support and a folding leaf allows it to also be used from the starboard settee. This can also be used as a chart table, while the charts can now be stowed vertically on the aft saloon bulkhead. The forward cabin is largely unchanged but it does now have significantly better headroom, albeit not standing.

Roxanne ’s original Yanmar two-cylinder YM15 diesel engine was upgraded to a three-cylinder Beta 25hp in 2017 to allow longer distance cruising, and this has been retained. Her 50-litre stainless steel fuel tank has also been retained but supplemented by the addition of a second one of similar size.

The gear and throttle changeover system between the two steering positions has been giving some problems so there is a plan to change this to a Kobalt system, which will have the main unit outside and the slave inside, and won’t require any action when changing position. The steering system is Vetus hydraulic.

Roxanne originally had just 24 litres of fresh water capacity, with a 12-litre tank under each settee/berth. One of these has now been removed while the other has been moved to the forward cabin and has a 12-volt immersion heater element.

The new inside helm at the aft end of the saloon

Two new 65-litre tanks have now been installed high up under the side decks amidships, with the intention of dampening any roll the boat may have. Their height also has the advantage of allowing a gravity feed to the galley sink.

Ready for relaunch

Roxanne has an intriguing safety system designed to keep her afloat in the event of hull damage. Under the quarter berth is a compressed air tank which, when its valve is opened, inflates two buoyancy bags (of a cubic metre capacity each) stowed behind the settee backrests.

“The hull and deck would float anyway as they are built of timber,” said Charles, “so the bags only really need to float the engine and ballast keel. This means we don’t need to carry a liferaft.”

A cockpit wheel replaces the former tiller

Roxanne of Restronguet was relaunched in her new configuration in August 2021. During the course of the summer Charles and Gillian used her as often as they could but didn’t get the chance to go as far afield as they would have liked.

I was interested to know if the position of the cockpit wheel caused confusion in that it is aft of a sitting position with the top of the wheel having the opposing effect of the tiller to which they had become accustomed. “It was a bit confusing at first,” Charles admitted.

“It isn’t very intuitive and we found ourselves referring to the Raymarine rudder angle indicator quite often. But we soon got used to it and it is very neat and out of the way.”

The double height galley to port

I also wondered if they had considered having the inside helm station at the forward end of the saloon close to the forward windows. They said that they had but that “we couldn’t work out how that would affect the interior layout and the access to the forepeak.

“The visibility from the aft position is perfectly adequate, and very often we will let the autopilot do the steering and keep a lookout by standing in the companionway.”

Rolling in the deep

I talked to Nigel Irens about “roll theory” with particular regard to a sailing boat without a mast. “All boats have a natural rolling frequency,” he told me. “The combination of the keel and mast on a sailing boat tends to result in a slow natural rolling frequency but, by removing the mast, the roll frequency is likely to be quite quick and snappy.”

Extending the aft deck with a new vertical transom helps balance the extra height of the coachroof

He also told me that removing the external ballast keel and replacing it with wood would be a terrible idea as the boat would float much too high and may even take up a settled position heeled over to one side or the other (and he also advised Charles and Gillian of this at their breakfast meeting).

Meanwhile Charles and Gillian have experimented in various sea conditions with their side water tanks full and empty. “The roll is noticeably less with them full,” said Charles.

Charles confirmed that Nigel was right about the boat’s maximum speed. At the maximum engine speed of 3000rpm she has managed 7.8 knots but they usually run her at about 2300rpm which gives 7.5 knots in flat water, while at the tickover of 1000rpm she does 5.5 knots.

Gillian takes full advantage of the raised aft helm station while Charles sits in the companionway

Roxanne ’s conversion included the addition of a Vetus tunnel bow thruster with joystick controls at both helm stations. “People forgive you if you make a bit of a mess coming into a marina in a long-keeled sailing boat,” said Charles, “but they might not if you do it in a motor boat! I am delighted we fitted that, it is really helpful.”

The combination of an extended stainless-steel pulpit – made by local fabricator Keefe Engineering – and teak handrails on the coachroof “makes it feel very safe getting between the cockpit and the foredeck,” said Gillian.

There is a new anchor locker with room for 40m of chain and 50m of anchor plait on the foredeck, with no windlass for now but the installation of one is being considered.

The winches mounted on the cockpit coamings and formerly used for the headsail sheets have been retained as they are found to be very useful when mooring up.

Charles and Gillian are clearly very pleased with Roxanne ’s conversion. They were both heavily involved throughout and are greatly indebted to Hans, Phil, Holly and Penpol Boatyard. “We wouldn’t have wanted to take on this sort of project without such talented people,” said Charles, “they have all got a really good eye.

“We knew we were destined to get a motor boat,” Charles says, “but when it came to it, selling Roxanne was never going to be an option.”

First published in the March 2022 issue of MBY.

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Beneteau Oceanis 51.1 – tested and reviewed

Beneteau’s oceanis 51.1 features a radical hull shape with ‘champagne glass’ sections. but does that lead to the sailing equivalent of lambrusco sam jefferson finds out.

C hines. Back in the days before yacht designers got hold of them, chines were generally steep coastal valleys – or in fact a method of taking cuts of meat from the spine of an animal (preferably dead). Anyway, once yacht designers got hold of them, they took on an entirely new meaning. In the world of yacht racing a chine – essentially inserting a hard angle into the profile of the hull shape – can provide a yacht with a performance boost in certain circumstances. In the world of yacht cruising, they are generally used to give a yacht a dramatic look and provide yet more internal volume aft.

Yet, in recent years, designers have begun to move away from the hard chine aft. To my mind this is no bad thing. From a purely aesthetic point of view I have always favoured a curved backside over an angular one. That’s just me though. You might feel differently: different strokes for different folks, as the Americans might say. Anyway, whatever the reason, chines are on the way out – or at least that seemed to be the case until the Beneteau Oceanis 51.1 turned up. She’s designed by Berret Racoupeau and the team. Evidently they were scratching their heads to try and work out how they could gain the internal volume of a chined hull without bucking the trend of a shapely, curved behind. Their answer was simple: stick the chine at the front of the boat.

I had to smile when I first viewed this; the last time I saw a boat with a chine at the bow it was a Westerly Centaur which, for all its admirable qualities, is not necessarily the easiest thing on the eye. In fairness, those in the world of racing will be familiar with this concept of a forward chine which was used to good effect in the Rambler 88 fairly recently; a yacht which, unlike any Westerly Centaur I’m familiar with, won the Voiles de St Barths regatta. In common with Rambler 88, the Oceanis 51.1 carries off this forward chine with aplomb. The yacht looks smart and purposeful – a cunningly thought out two-tone paint scheme also offsets her relatively high freeboard and the coachroof is low and sleek; the chine runs from the bow about two-thirds of the way down the hull and when you view the yacht out of the water it really is a very distinctive step that adds a huge amount of volume to the hull forward. Back aft the chine melts away and the stern swells out to a nicely rounded and shapely transom with twin rudders tucked beneath. It’s an interesting new take on things and this is always exciting as cruising yachts are rarely revolutionary; yet there is something almost daring about this new yacht.

Chine on you crazy diamond

Beneteau appears to have gone a bit bonkers when it comes to branding up the range too, and there is a slightly bewildering choice of configurations comprising ‘First’ for a racier option, ‘Comfort’ for a more out and out cruising option and ‘Easy’ for a nice simple set up featuring a self-tacking headsail. Indeed, the main difference between the three iterations is in the rig and keel with the ‘First’ version available with a carbon mast, 35 per cent more sail area and a deep bulbed keel as standard. In addition, the deck hardware is upgraded. This was the model I tested. In contrast, the Comfort version features that distinctive giant arch over the cockpit which Beneteau introduced across its range a few years back now. Meanwhile, the Easy version comes with a self-tacking headsail, as already mentioned, plus in mast furling. Combine that with keel options of 9ft 2in, 7ft 7in (the standard version) and 6ft 1in for the shoal draft version and you have a versatile and flexible yacht. I stepped aboard the yacht via the electric drop down bathing platform with a second step that flips down obligingly and beckons you aboard. Having negotiated this, you find yourself in a comfortable and carefully thought out cockpit. The 51.1 has plenty of beam aft and that makes for more than ample room.

In common with many of the latest cruising yachts, Beneteau has opted to create two very separate areas in the cockpit. Forward of the twin wheels is entirely devoted to the important business of lounging and there is a substantial single cockpit table which has room beneath for a liferaft, plus excellent handholds. Other than that, it’s all about masses of lounging room with yet more cockpit cushions set into the aft section of the coachroof itself. The only drawback I could see is that it did mean that the mainsheet traveller was very far forward which might make it somewhat heavy in strong winds. Move aft, and you get to the technical end of the yacht; the coachroof is entirely devoid of winches and clutches and instead all of the running rigging has been set in channels underneath the cockpit coamings, which all emerge right in front of the helmsman’s binnacles and can be dealt with via two pairs of winches which service both helming positions. There is also a huge lazarette back here and the dinghy is deployed via those fiddly telescopic pull up davits that personally I have never managed to deploy without getting them jammed or something mysteriously falling off.

The binnacles were somewhat on the small side I felt, and the result was that the throttle lever didn’t fit and was instead set low down and not in the ideal position for a spot of close quarters manoeuvring but other than that, this is a very efficient and ergonomically well thought out yacht which proved a breeze to handle. Wandering up forward, there was adequate deck width and decent handholds. The bow terminates in a sprit with an integrated anchor roller. There is the option of having the forward bow locker as crew quarters if required and this space is surprisingly pleasant compared to the dank dungeons that I have personal experience of.

Rise and chine 

Step down below via an extremely carefully thought out companionway which has been thoughtfully angled and features plentiful handholds and you’re in for a surprise. There’s just so much space. You can’t help but feel like going straight back up on deck to look on the side of the hull to check that this genuinely is a 51ft yacht as the label suggests. There is an awful lot of volume down here and this is particularly obvious forward where that chine really does open up the opportunity for what has to be class leading amounts of volume. There is also an awful lot of light. This is partly due to the vast amount of portlights and skylights, but it also helps that Beneteau has introduced a new finish, termed brushed oak, that the test boat was decked out in and gave the yacht a very pleasant ambience. There are four different layout options with anything up to four separate double berths with various permutations on this theme.

The choice favoured by most cruisers will probably be one large master cabin forward and a pair of doubles aft. If you choose this arrangement you get a positively palatial master bedroom with separate shower and heads. Meanwhile there are en-suites for both aft cabins. In the main saloon area the galley is C-shaped and compact with an excellent bracing point should you be cooking up a storm in a storm.

Forward of the galley there is an L-shaped seating arrangement which segues in to a seating area abaft of the chart table. The chart table is actually far more generous than many of the 51.1’s rivals and it is testament to the vast amount of extra internal volume that this is possible. All in all, the interior felt lighter and noticeably different to many other production yachts and I must say I stepped back into the cockpit feeling deeply impressed with the manner in which Beneteau appear to have upped their game.

All of this is all very well, but there is absolutely no point in managing to create all of this extra space if the boat sails like an absolute stinker. I tested the yacht off the Catalan coast and conditions were pretty modest with the breeze varying between 10-15kt.

I was interested to see if she might be a bit sticky in such conditions as that flare forward might start to drag as she heeled to the light winds. As previously mentioned, Beneteau had very wisely presented us with one of the ‘First’ models of its range which came equipped with the extra sail area, upgraded sails and a carbon mast. This doubtless all helped in the modest conditions and I have to say that the yacht behaved impeccably.

On the wind she was achieving a comfortable 6-7kt and she was light on her feet with a really impressive turn of speed. As if to back this up, I followed up a sail on the 51.1 with a quick spin in the Beneteau Oceanis 55 and – admittedly minus a gennaker and with the breeze easing – this big yacht felt much more like what she was – a big, heavy cruising yacht. All in all, the 51.1 was also exceptionally easy to handle and I have to say that all manufacturers have made real leaps and bounds when it comes to the leads of running rigging to ensure it all runs smoothly and is placed in precisely the right spot for short handing. If I had one minor niggle it was that the helm felt a little stiffer than I expected.

Under power, the yacht behaved well and there was plenty of grip from the deep keel. Marry that with bow thrusters and you could turn the yacht on a sixpence and ease her into a tricky berth with the minimum of fuss.

Sam’s verdict

The Oceanis 51.1 left me pleasantly surprised. I often come away from yachts from the ‘big four’ manufacturers – Beneteau, Jeanneau, Hanse and Bavaria – impressed with the sheer competence of them, but sometimes struggling to differentiate one from the other. That wasn’t the case with the 51.1; she had an individuality to her that genuinely made an impression on me.

The champagne glass forward sections seemed to simply provide her with masses of increased volume, yet she remained slippery in light airs. I would have loved to see how she performed pounding into a heavy head sea but in the conditions we did get she was excellent, and once you get your head around the ‘First’ ‘Easy’ and ‘Comfort’ options they do actually keep things nice and simple and make this a massively versatile yacht. Likewise, the interior feels far less bland than many of her predecessors and contemporaries and I found it a genuinely pleasant and incredibly roomy space to be in.

What also left me impressed is that Beneteau is using its financial muscle to try to push the boundaries and that is good news for consumers.

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Coach-roof vs Companionway Mainsheet traveler location—which is best for single-handing?

• Thread starter GregL564
• Start date Feb 26, 2017
• Forums for All Owners
• Ask All Sailors

Folks, When single-handing a boat say, 27’-33’, how much more difficult is it when the mainsheet traveler is across the coach-roof, rather than the companionway? I’m thinking about the next boat, and I often single-hand, so wondering if mainsheet traveler location should be a criterion. Or whether other things (i.e. autopilot, mainsheet led back to the edge of the coachroof) offset any disadvantages of having the mainsheet traveler farther away from the helmsman. Thoughts? Best, Greg  

Michael Davis

I've always preferred a traveller on the coach roof. However our last boat had it on the companion way and was tiller steered. Very convenient for single handing but I always felt it was in the way. With a wheel I think it would be better on a Samson Post or a traveller in front of the wheel (again in the way). A good autopilot will make any arrangement work better.  

Stu Jackson

Michael Davis said: A good autopilot will make any arrangement work better. Click to expand

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John

Michael, I am working on this process. I have the traveler set in the seat in front of the companion way. Single handed I move in front of the wheel to make adjustments. Just converted the 2-1 rig to a 6-1 system. 6-1 is untested, but should address the issues I had with handling the sail in 20knt winds. The location while not perfect is convenient (can grab the main-sheet as a hand hold getting out of the cabin). It keeps the boom attachments near the end of the boom improving Main sail management and reducing the strain that coach top rigs put on the boom attachment points. Companion way traveler does impact the type and size of a dodger you can put on the boat. Also need to consider the size of the cockpit. Mine is considered spacious by friends. Room for 4 people with out kicking each other. My friends cockpit is small, stand on seats to get past wheel. Room for 2 or 3 if racing and everyone is agile, getting to the winch while the main needs attention can cause conflicts. So you have size, desired coverings (dodger), spacing of winches, and type of traveler all influencing the issues of location. All of which leads to compromise. The nature of a sail boat.  

What you want is kinda a non starter. The geometry of the sheet and boom connection determines where the travler ends up. If the boom can sustain a mid boom load then it can be more forward. If it was engineered for an end boom connection you are kinda stuck with where the boom ends. if you are asking which "kind" of boat you should buy I'd go for a coach roof traveler. The companionway location is always in the way even if you use the AP all the time.  

any traveler or sheet you can reach without leaving the helm is a plus.  

For most people, what they have now is best. And thats what they will rightly say is best. However. If you look at at boats DESIGNED for single handing: 1) They will have boom-end sheeting brought down to a boat width traveler 2) Be tiller steered. 3) Have a non-overlapping (jib) fractional rig This is not a discussion point. They are all now like this. The closer they are to the hand of someone who might be helming, the better. This allows one person to control the boat sitting in place, on the high side. On hand on the tiller, one hand on the mainsheet or traveler. High side because weight is important when there is not a lot of it on the boat. As other note, most of this time the boat will be steering its self. Nobody self-steers while single handed for very long. But even then, if you are actively trimmming or resting, you want to be on the high side. Every existing boat is diffferent, so you have to approach this sensibly with regard to modifications. But thats the ideal setup.  

JS writes compromise is the nature of a sailboat. I think that means you get the one that makes you happiest and live with the things you don't like!  

GorillaToast

GorillaToast said: I moved mine to the companionway for ease of use while singlehanding. The control lines are easily within reach on the cockpit seats. The only complaint is from my dog who hasn't yet figured out how to go over it to get down the steps so she has to squeeze under. View attachment 133562 Click to expand

Jackdaw said: The way God intended man to single-hand. ;^) View attachment 133563 Click to expand

rgranger said: I'll give you Saint Brendan but if it had been God you would have a beer in one hand and a cigar in the other. I would have added a babe on your lab but then you wouldn't be single handing ..... (I had to work real hard for that one ) Click to expand

Jackdaw said: See that Blue Performance sheet bag by my knee? Ask @cb32863 what thats really for. And yes, Jodi counts as double handing! Click to expand

Jackdaw said: For most people, what they have now is best. And thats what they will rightly say is best. However. If you look at at boats DESIGNED for single handing: 1) They will have boom-end sheeting brought down to a boat width traveler 2) Be tiller steered. 3) Have a non-overlapping (jib) fractional rig This is not a discussion point. They are all now like this. The closer they are to the hand of someone who might be helming, the better. This allows one person to control the boat sitting in place, on the high side. On hand on the tiller, one hand on the mainsheet or traveler. High side because weight is important when there is not a lot of it on the boat. As other note, most of this time the boat will be steering its self. Nobody self-steers while single handed for very long. But even then, if you are actively trimmming or resting, you want to be on the high side. Every existing boat is diffferent, so you have to approach this sensibly with regard to modifications. But thats the ideal setup. Click to expand

weinie said: I think you are 100% correct, but keep in mind that some modern boats have certain have things like twin wheels and german mainsheeting, not to mention the elimination of the traveler which allow a helmsman to sail pretty darn well without running around the cockpit like a banshee. This seems to be a general trend among some of the European cruising boat builders who understand having a dedicated crew is often hard to get. Click to expand

@Jackdaw Is non-overlapping just for ease of tacking? Or am I missing something else about sail trim? You have mentioned that a few times and I was not following. Occasionally my genoa sheets will snag something on the way around but most of the time it is not an issue so I would not count non-overlapping as a big solo-sailing plus.  

rgranger said: @Jackdaw Is non-overlapping just for ease of tacking? Or am I missing something else about sail trim? You have mentioned that a few times and I was not following. Occasionally my genoa sheets will snag something on the way around but most of the time it is not an issue so I would not count non-overlapping as a big solo-sailing plus. Click to expand

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The SW105 yacht is a high-performance cruiser with exceptional sea-keeping characteristics. It provides all the comforts of a modern superyacht, while also excelling on coastal or bluewater race courses. The yacht is the result of the long-standing collaboration between SWS, Nauta Design and Farr Yacht Design. The aim of the yacht designers when conceiving the SW105 yacht project was to incorporate a modicum of race boat features into a cruiser racer while keeping a beautiful aesthetic and a high level of comfort.

SW105’s naval architecture has been conceived to host three different keel configurations (fixed, telescopic, lifting) to satisfy the requirements of different owners. The displacement to yacht length ratio has been optimised for top performance. SW105 features generously wide aft sections and an open transom which ensure an ample deck area and abundant interior volumes. These elements are a real plus for any performance cruiser. The modern design of SW105 emerges strongly on the single level deck: on top of comfortable and safe passage, this layout creates a continuous line from stern to coachroof that makes the yacht look longer and sleeker.

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“The last in the miniseries is the SW105#04. The yacht will have a completely new deck layout, carefully conceived by Nauta Design to meet the owner’s brief. The yacht will stand out for the sleek and sexy lines of her carbon coachroof. Compared to SW105 DS and RS versions, this new GT version has a wider cockpit area on a single level.”

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Coachroof mounted mainsheet and Single handing

• Thread starter davidwf
• Start date 24 Oct 2009
• 24 Oct 2009

Active member

Been looking a boat with a coachroof mounted mainsheet. I've always had a cockpit mounted main that was easy to get at should the boat start to broach. Boat has a wheel so I'll be stuck behind that as well. I see plenty of single handers sailing with this mainsheet arrangement so I'm guessing it must be OK, but thought I'd ask how do others cope with this arrangement?  

What's the question? A forward-sheeted boom places more stress on the bits it's attached to, but the tail comes back to wherever you want it...= anywhere on the boat. "Stuck behind the wheel" sounds like a lot of boats I've seen and wouldn't buy - it's a trade between 'sitting out in the elements and being in charge of all you see', and a more sheltered and comfortable place, but less aware of the 'wind on the back of your neck'. So we're back to horses for courses -sailing 'in the groove' and pointing higher than the boat beside you, or just sailing reasonably well and getting a bit of pleasure.  

Well-known member

Aft sheeted is probably easier . I like a boat where I can reach all the controls from the helm. On a wheel steered boat this means a small wheel you are not stuck behind, a main sheeted (usually) aft of the wheel and genoa winches that can be reached from the helming position. Coachroof sheeted mains are often found on the type of boat that is more likely to broach anyway. It is usually a 'comfort over performance' design feature. - W  

Deleted member 36384

Assumption: You have multi use halyard winches mounted behind jammers on the coach roof. If the halyard winch is on the mast ignore this suggestion. Mount a cam cleat just behind the jammer. Once the correct halyard tension is set, empty the winch as normal. Place the halyard into the cam cleat and open up the main halyard jammer. Have the tail of the halyard near to your helm position. A quick flick up should allow the halyard to be dumped. You could do this with the kicker as well allowing the boom to sky in the case of a leeward broach.  

saltwater_gypsy

If you are really going to sail singlehanded then you will have to plan the mainsheet layout with great care. This harken datasheet shows all the main types http://www.harken.com/rigtips/mainsheet.php  

Bav34 said: I've had the four basic track arrangements: 1. Across the companionway ... easy to 'snap' the mainsheet off but potentially dangerous for crew accessing the cabin. 2. Across the cockpit ... best for sail control but always in the way. 3. Behind the tiller ... easy access but can take your head off in a gybe 4. Mounted on the coachroof. This is by far my favoured location as it keeps the cockpit clear and is the safest. We have self-tailing winches behind the jammers. In my first season, if I though there was a risk of a broach I released the jammer and held the sheet tension on the self-tailer. It would have been easy to whip that off the winch had it been necessary, but it never was. To be honest if you are single handed in possible broach conditions a reef woul be the answer ... if the wind is that strong you'll probably be going just as fast. Standing by to be flamed as usual Click to expand...

Bav34 said: 1. Across the companionway ... easy to 'snap' the mainsheet off but potentially dangerous for crew accessing the cabin. Click to expand...

davidwf said: . . . should the boat start to broach. I see plenty of single handers sailing with this main sheet arrangement Click to expand...

• 25 Oct 2009

As Fireball and Lady in B have said, I had this on a Bav, no problem. Downwind I used twin headsails and no main, upwind if over powered (first you reef) but with a good AH, you set steer to wind and angle and can sit in front of the weheel and play the main if you want to push the boat harder. Most of the time if you are anywhere near dumping any sails you've got too much up. You stop/heave to and re asses. Often the boat is the more important choice than the rigging set up.  

Many thanks for the replies from the single handers it's reassured me that ths arrangement will be OK, I have mostly sailed single handed for the past 20 years so yes I do know when to reef and yes I do use the AP a lot, although a Wheel AP is a lot easier to flick on than faffing about aligning the pin on my current tiller pilot. Looking at the arrangement I reckon I can fit a spinlock cleat after the clutch or perhaps use it instead of the clutch and then if I need to winch I can winch through it and then release the sheet off the winch so I can flick the main up to release if I want to. However I doubt I will need to winch the main much if I have correct amount of sail set. Current boat is great but whilst I can reach the main from helm I struggle to adjust the headsail whilst still being able to hang onto the tiller as the winch's for that are on the coach roof. As usual life is full of compromises. Sorry if I have opened up the debate on where its best to keep a main sheet that was not the purpose of the post.  

I have been considering the same issue for my next boat. At present my mainsheet is just forward of the wheel so I can reach round to it easily if SWMBO is below etc. and find this overall very good from all aspects except it gets in the way when dining anchor. Discussing this with some friends who have a Sweden yacht they showed me how their track is on the coach roof and sheet seems to come down on coachroof but actually the tails (yes tails) come down each side of the cockpit to a winch each side. So helmsman can easily adjust without moving and the cockpit is completely free of mainsheet. Looking round at the Boatshow recently and discussing it with various yacht makers a few said this was an option on their boats (at some extra cost) and was called the German sheeting system. It also seems it could be retrofitted to many boats. Looked very good to me!  

fishermantwo

I sail my quarter tonner singlehanded all the time. Tiller thats nice and long so I can steer with my butt tacking etc. Main sheet is on the cabin top. When I am standing its about shoulder height, very awkward angle to pull and inefficient. Its about half way along the boom so the whole unit is rigged to disadvantage. If you are pulling in the mainsheet by hand then you have to be pulling up, therefore the best position is either across rear of cockpit, across centre of cockpit or across bridge deck. I always like the mainsheet in front of me so the absolute best is across the centre of the cockpit, it certainly will be on my next boat.  

• 26 Oct 2009

davidwf said: Been looking a boat with a coachroof mounted mainsheet. I've always had a cockpit mounted main that was easy to get at should the boat start to broach. Boat has a wheel so I'll be stuck behind that as well. I see plenty of single handers sailing with this mainsheet arrangement so I'm guessing it must be OK, but thought I'd ask how do others cope with this arrangement? Click to expand...

haydude said: I have such an arrangement which is what can be found on 34+ft size cruiser yachts. Mine is 36ft and I sail single handed most of the time, even with family and friends I am often the only one competent on board. I hardly ever stay at the wheel, actually I find it quite tedious, unless conditions are challenging. Autopilot: that is the answer. I even let the autopilot to tack, and I take care of the sheets. It would be impossible otherwise. When it comes to gybing the autopilot does not do it (my Raymarine at least doesn't), but again that can be done, by sheeting in the main first, 5-6 clicks on the +/-10 degrees button and taking care of the genoa sheets. Easy! Click to expand...

I sail my 43 footer AWB pretty much signlehanded with this coachroof arrangement for the mainsheet, halyards etc...., everything except jib sheets. No problems so far, including F7's etc...... This arrangement would be my preference.  

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The must-see sailing yachts at the Monaco Yacht Show 2024

As the excitement for the Monaco Yacht Show 2024 builds, BOAT takes a look at the top sailing yachts that will be making an appearance this year – from the latest launches to the finest yachts currently for sale .

Norfolk Star

Builder: Perini Navi Year: 1996 (2020) Length: 37m

Pedigree sailing yacht Norfolk Star was designed and built by the Italian shipyard in 1996 and had a "multi-million euro refit" in 2022, according to her broker. The revamp included a new main engine room, two new generators, PLC system, Inmarsat VSAT dome, 505 Williams tender, Doyle sails and Reckmann rigging. With accommodation for six guests, the yacht boasts a family-friendly layout comprising a full-beam master cabin on the lower deck along with two twin cabins – with the option of an additional pullman berth. 

On deck, guests can benefit from the comfort the split cockpit area affords, where relaxed seating around a circular coffee table awaits as well as a dining area for eight.  The cherry wood interior also welcomes a bright upper saloon with panoramic views and a more formal main saloon with two sofas and dining area featuring an extendable walnut table.

Norfolk Star is listed for sale and will be exhibited by Burgess and Northrop & Johnson.

Builder: Wally Year: 2024 Length: 36.2m

Having hit the water in June this year, the first wallywind110, Galma , will make her global debut at this year's Monaco Yacht Show and is recognisable by her "luminous light metallic blue" carbon hull paint job "that changes slightly as the light hits her". The sailing yacht's naval architecture comes from German studio judel/vrolijk & co , while interior and exterior lines are designed by Wally in collaboration with Santa Maria Magnolfi . The design demonstrates the comfort of a cruising yacht while maintaining the spirit and performance of a racing boat, and is characterised by her 6.9-metre telescopic keel. 

Highlights include an 80-square-metre full-beam cockpit with seating and dining for up to 15 people, as well as an open-plan raised saloon. The yacht also benefits from natural light thanks to a skylight that runs the full length of the coachroof. Accommodation on the wallywind100 model can be a three-cabin layout with a full-beam master suite, or a four-cabin standard layout.

Galma will be exhibited by Wally .

Builder: Vitters Year: 2017 Length: 32.6m

Delivered in 2017 to experienced sailing yacht owners, Ribelle has recently joined the market following a refit, which included a repaint of the hull, mast and boom, and a brand new suit of cruising sails. The sailing yacht is built of carbon fibre by the Dutch yard to a design by Malcolm McKeon and can be sailing with a small crew in cruising mode or, thanks to a self-tacking jib, can be transformed into a true racer. 

She is a regatta regular and can often be spotted at some of the world's most prestigious events – including the Maxi Rolex Cup, Giorgio Armani Superyacht Regatta, Les Voiles de St Tropez and Palma Superyacht Cup. Her Rémi Tessier interior accommodates six guests in three cabins comprising a master suite, VIP suite and a twin cabin.

Ribelle is listed for sale and will be exhibited by Burgess.

Dreamcatcher

Builder: Nautor Swan Year: 2024 Length: 28.8m

With her diesel-electric propulsion, the Swan 88 is the Finnish shipyard's first hybrid sailing yacht and is based on an evolution of its previous yachts. Sitting at the entry point to the world of maxi yachting, the yacht was delivered earlier this year and will make her worldwide debut at the Cannes Yachting Festival .

Dreamcatcher has been described as a "no-compromise cruiser with a racer soul" with a draught of four metres, with options for a shallow-draught, telescopic and performance keel. The yacht is also designed for comfort with a maximum heeling angle of 20 degrees and sports "feminine exterior lines" penned by veteran Swan designer German Frers . Her warm, classic interiors have been styled by Misa Poggi with accommodation for 10 guests.

Dreamcatcher will be exhibited by Nautor Swan .

Builder: Baltic Yachts Year: 2018 Length: 26m

Delivered by the Finnish shipyard in 2018, Mini Y is a Baltic 85 model designed by UK naval architect Dixon Yacht Design . Her silver hull and superstructure were built of carbon-fibre composite and the owner opted for a telescopic lifting keel that can reduce the draft from 4.3 metres to 2.95 metres when required. Mark Whiteley Design handled the  yacht's interior décor , with accommodation for up to four guests split between an owner’s cabin and a guest cabin.

On deck, the cockpit has a fold-out table for guests to enjoy, while the helmsman has the choice of two wheels. The guest cockpit can be completely covered for protection while racing, the navigation instruments still visible on the aft face. Mini Y joined the market earlier this year.

Mini Y is listed for sale and will be exhibited by Baltic Yachts and Edmiston.

Builder: Yonca Year: 2019 (2023) Length: 26.8m

Tuzla-based shipyard Yonca officially entered the leisure marine market with the launch of Mishi Yachts earlier this year. The new brand made its debut with two sailing models, measuring 26.8 metres and 31 metres – the first of which is the Mishi 88, which will be on exhibit at the Monaco Yacht Show 2024. Osman Tanju Kalaycıoğlu , Özgür Terzioğlu and Taka Yacht are responsible for the naval architectecture and exterior design, while interiors are the work of Aylin Örs .

The sloop's defining features include a spacious aft deck with a dining space which can comfortably seat ten guests. Offering shelter from the elements, the large cockpit features a carbon composite hard-top aft, while the swim platform has enough room in its back for a 3.5-meter inflatable tender. Accommodation is for six guests across a master cabin and two guest cabins, with further space for the captain and crew.

Mishi 88 will be exhibited by Mishi Yachts.

Builder: Yyachts Year: 2024 Length: 23.9m

German yachtbuilder YYachts is bringing its Y8 model to the Monaco Yacht Show. Javier Jaudenes of Surge-Projects worked alongside the in-house design team on naval architecture to create the model's new silhouette with a Scandi-inspired interior by Danish designer David Thulstrup. YYachts offers four pre-designed interior styles where owners can tailor the saloon area to their tastes. 

A particular highlight is the owner's suite, which includes a separate saloon and can be located either in the bow or in the stern with direct access to the cockpit. In terms of technical details, the Y8 features a standard carbon mast, hydraulic main sheet system and all winches close to the helm stations. These features, along with the self-tacking jib and a lack of a backstay, enhance the yacht's performance and ease of handling.

Y8 will be exhibited by Yyachts.

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