Cruising World - February 2016

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FEBRUARY

2016

cruisingworld.com

PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS and TECHNIQUES

FEBRUARY 2016

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BOATBUILDING

E

rgonomics is the science

of optimizing effi ciency

and safety between people and

the spaces and implements

they employ. On cruising

boats, safety and perfor-

mance are mostly determined

by major criteria like hull de-

sign, materials, and rig and

deck layout. But it is the daily

litany of little things that ulti-

mately determines the overall

success and utility of a cruis-

ing boat. When done wrong,

these things are constant

irritants, like burrs in a blan-

ket; when addressed correctly,

they’re like a fragrant fi eld of

wildfl owers.

The fl eet of entrants in this

year’s Boat of the Year contest

(see “A Foreign Legion,” Jan-

uary 2016), for which I was a

judge, showcased numerous

small but clever innovations

for everyday tasks aboard the

contemporary cruising boat.

MORNING ABLUTIONS

Upon waking, the fi rst task of

an average day aboard is exit-

ing your berth. To do so with-

out doing a fl ip over your mate

is a small but signifi cant ex-

ercise. Increasingly trendy is-

land queen berths, seen on the

new Hallberg-Rassy 43, provide

side access to the berth for

easy entry and exit, and ease

the chore of getting to all the

corners when making up the

berth.

Next on the schedule is per-

sonal hygiene. By nature, boat

heads are compact, and any-

one approaching 6 feet tall

usually has to do a deep knee

bend to see his mug in the mir-

ror. The Italia 13.98 solves this

problem by mounting the mir-

ror on a simple tilting mecha-

nism that accommodates sail-

ors of all sizes.

GREAT GALLEYS

We then stumble forward to-

ward the galley for the day’s

fi rst cup of coff ee. A single-

level sole makes this a smooth

and safe journey, provided that

handholds are strategically

placed. But a sole split into

many levels with tiny footwells

requires total concentration,

especially in a boisterous sea-

way. Bulkhead doorways cut

fl ush to the sole, as seen on the

Oyster 475, enhance the ease

of movement, whereas even a

1 SIMPLE IS AS SIMPLE DOES

3

DIY: Headsail Furler

PAGE 72

4

Flush Out Corrosion

PAGE 76

2

Med-Moor Like a Pro

PAGE 70

1

K.I.S.S.

PAGE 67

When it comes to the creature comforts aboard contemporary cruising boats, attention to small

details can pay major dividends. BY ALVAH SIMON

Boat of the Year judge Alvah Simon discovers a simple way to take notes aboard the Grand

Soleil 43. Simply pop this nifty cockpit table into upright mode, and you’re in business.

BILLY BLACK