Yachting Monthly - November 2015

The Eclipse

is more of a

sporty deck

saloon yacht

than a

ponderous

motorsailer

NOVEMBER 2015 http://www.yachtingmonthly.com 79

The UK’s most comprehensive yacht tests USED BOAT TEST

At the helm
She has a sizeable aft cockpit with a
keyhole-style cut-out around the wheel,
which just about offers access to the
coaming-mounted primary winches, but
not the mainsheet, which is mounted on
top of the coachroof.
The outside helming position is no
different to that of any aft-cockpit yacht,
but the high coachroof restricts the view
forward a little when heeled. Geoff has
modified the helm seat so as to provide
more height when sat behind the wheel.
Our Mk 1 model had the internal
steering wheel and linkage, which makes
the steering somewhat stiff. However, it
isn’t at all heavy under sail, even when
over-canvassed as we were later in the test.

Design & construction
Although Moody wouldn’t say so at the
time, the hull for the Eclipse 33 is pretty
much identical to the 336, which was in
fact quite a quick yacht. To compensate

for the negative effect of the raised deck

saloon on the boat’s displacement, centre

of gravity and stability, her ballast was

increased and her sail area reduced.

Around half of the Eclipses built had bilge

keels, making them more versatile and

better for shallow creeks and harbour

navigation. The quality of lay-up and

joinery were good there’s an abundance of

solid teak and smart veneered plywood.

Sailplan

She has a masthead rig, comprising a

Kemp spar with twin straight spreaders,

a mechanically adjustable backstay,

continuous cap shrouds, inters and

forward and aft lower shrouds.

The Eclipse models were designed for

easy handling so they were given quite

conservative sailplans, which were further

diminished with the incorporation of an

in-mast mainsail furling system and its

inevitably small sail. The headsail was a

125 per cent cross-cut genoa, sheeted to

relatively short tracks on the side decks.

All sail controls are led aft to the cockpit

(apart from the kicking strap) with Lewmar

two-speed non-self-tailing primary winches

and cleats on the coamings, and a single

Lewmar 16 winch on the coachroof, with a

cleat for the mainsheet. The main traveller

is manually adjusted off load.

Deck layout

She has a good-size cockpit with excellent

stowage in one hull-depth locker to port.

A two-leaf teak cockpit table hinges up on

a permanent binnacle mount, providing al

fresco dining space for four with ease.

Coamings are high and flat, but the side

decks rather narrow and cluttered with

tracks and chainplates. The long stainless

steel handrails on the coachroof are

superb, though.

PHOTOS: COLIN WORK

In cold, wet,

horrible weather,

deck saloon

yachts come into

their own

The owner

Geoff Elkins used to run Elkins Boatyard

in Christchurch. He’s now retired with

the business handed over to his son, but

he still keeps Mi Amigo at the bottom of

his garden! Geoff and his wife started

with a series of 36ft motorboats, but

were turned to sailing when he bought

an old Westerly Konsort to restore.

After a couple of years and the need

for extra accommodation they moved

up to a Moody 31. Then three years ago

they started looking for a boat that was

easier to handle and would keep them

dry in a typical English summer. Mi

Amigo came along, which was perfect

for their needs. Geoff has carried out a

lot of work on her including fitting a bow

thruster and electric windlass.

Geoff keeps Mi Amigo at the end of his

garden in Christchurch harbour