Cruising World – May 2018

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HANDS-ON SAILOR

58


may 2018

cruisingworld.com

years, some designers have
aimed to separate those spaces
according to their function.
Three catamarans in this
year’s fl eet employ inside work
stations, which gather the
helm and most sailhandling
functions in pods behind glass
inside the cabin. These are the
Maine Cat 38, the HH55 and
the HH66.
The cockpit of the Oyster
745 places all sheets, winches

and electronic navigation aft
of the cockpit settees and di-
vided by a coaming. The social
gathering place is still near the
action, but no one reading a
book on deck should have to
worry about becoming tangled
in the sheets.
Likewise, the Beneteau
Oceanis 51.5 achieves a
clear division between the
sailing cockpit and the
lounging cockpit, and it

does so with an easy traffi c
path down the cockpit
centerline from the opening
transom right through to the
companionway.
Finally, the Fountaine Pajot
Saona 47 provides the most
complete separation between
those functions with the work-
ing cockpit raised one level
up on the fl ybridge. The out-
side space under the cockpit’s
hardtop is defi ned by its

barbecue grill, spacious fridge
and dinette seating.
In later issues, we’ll take a
look at how this year’s yacht
designers arrange interior
space: galleys, nav stations and
heads. Stay tuned.

Tim Murphy, a CW editor-
at-large and a longtime Boat of
the Year judge, is fi tting out a
1988 Passport 40, Billy Pilgrim,
for long-distance cruising.

The car track for the self-tending jib on the Discovery 58
has adjustable stops at each end that can be moved to bring
the sail closer to the centerline (top). The Dufour 520’s
chainplates are located on the side of the hull, clearing the
side decks and removing the possibility of water leaking
through a hole in the deck (above left). The adjustable fair-
lead on the Gunfl eet 43 can be set using a line that leads
back to the cockpit, eliminating the need for a crewmember
to go on deck to unset a locking pin.

While twin helms are all the rage for cockpit layouts, the
Maine Cat 38 takes another tack, with the wheel and
winches located inside on the bridgedeck (above). The cock-
pit on the Southerly 540 keeps the work of sailing aft of the
wheels, while the crew lounges forward of them.

JIB TRIM STEERING

TIM MURPHY; JON WHITTLE (BOTTOM LEFT)
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