02-01-2010, 09:05 PM
Greetings all,
I had a chance to go see Strictly Sail at Navy Pier in Chicago. You get to climb over the latest greatest sailboats and see what's new. Beneteau, Catalina, Jenneau, Bavaria, Hunter, Seaward, J-Boats, and Audi all brought 4 or 5 models each, between 25 and 45 feet in length. As always, my favorite was whatever boat Island Packet brought, in this case it was their new forward salon Estero model.Â
![[Image: ip370us.jpg]](http://www.iyc.vi/images/ip370us.jpg)
If I win the lottery ...
I actually went to look at the smaller boats from American, O'Day, Compact Yachts, Chesapeake Light Craft, and others, specifically to sit in the cockpits and remind myself of what I liked best in the seating arrangements and foot accommodations of all of the small day sailers I have ever been in. CLC had their new Pocket Ship there, and while the cabin was very very roomy for a 15ft boat (three times the volume of a Weekender), in my opinion the boat had too much freeboard for really sexy looks, and my size 12 EEE feet were cramped in the cockpit. That said, she is still a fine looking boat and according to the designer/builder who demands high performance out of his boats, she sails like a witch. They have already sold 20 kits in 2009. She was sporting a $2,200 Awlgrip paint job sprayed on at the local auto body shop that made here look as well finished (maybe better) as any of the six figure cruisers. The Rhodes 22 had cantilevered seats not unlike Spirit Wind's, which made for ridiculous amounts of foot room. Under the cushions, the seats had a nice deep grove cut in the inboard edge of the seat top to catch and brace your heels against while hiking out on the side decks. Nice touch. The new CW Hood 32 day sailer was sooooo sexy sitting there on her cradle next to the Luders and Stars.
![[Image: 4196105010_653a4db3cb.jpg]](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2614/4196105010_653a4db3cb.jpg)
More at ... http://www.flickr.com/photos/cwhoodyacht...7814/show/
While we were there, we saw a neighbor from across the street talking to the sales rep on the 37.5 ft Catalina. He was still there an hour later. Hmmm. Today, the wife asked him how he liked the Catalina, and he sheepishly replied ⦠âI bought it!â Saved about $50,000 at boat show pricing. Yikes.
Cheers,
Tom
I had a chance to go see Strictly Sail at Navy Pier in Chicago. You get to climb over the latest greatest sailboats and see what's new. Beneteau, Catalina, Jenneau, Bavaria, Hunter, Seaward, J-Boats, and Audi all brought 4 or 5 models each, between 25 and 45 feet in length. As always, my favorite was whatever boat Island Packet brought, in this case it was their new forward salon Estero model.Â
If I win the lottery ...
I actually went to look at the smaller boats from American, O'Day, Compact Yachts, Chesapeake Light Craft, and others, specifically to sit in the cockpits and remind myself of what I liked best in the seating arrangements and foot accommodations of all of the small day sailers I have ever been in. CLC had their new Pocket Ship there, and while the cabin was very very roomy for a 15ft boat (three times the volume of a Weekender), in my opinion the boat had too much freeboard for really sexy looks, and my size 12 EEE feet were cramped in the cockpit. That said, she is still a fine looking boat and according to the designer/builder who demands high performance out of his boats, she sails like a witch. They have already sold 20 kits in 2009. She was sporting a $2,200 Awlgrip paint job sprayed on at the local auto body shop that made here look as well finished (maybe better) as any of the six figure cruisers. The Rhodes 22 had cantilevered seats not unlike Spirit Wind's, which made for ridiculous amounts of foot room. Under the cushions, the seats had a nice deep grove cut in the inboard edge of the seat top to catch and brace your heels against while hiking out on the side decks. Nice touch. The new CW Hood 32 day sailer was sooooo sexy sitting there on her cradle next to the Luders and Stars.
More at ... http://www.flickr.com/photos/cwhoodyacht...7814/show/
While we were there, we saw a neighbor from across the street talking to the sales rep on the 37.5 ft Catalina. He was still there an hour later. Hmmm. Today, the wife asked him how he liked the Catalina, and he sheepishly replied ⦠âI bought it!â Saved about $50,000 at boat show pricing. Yikes.
Cheers,
Tom