PAGE 2 • SUMMER 2007 THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SAILING ASSOCIATION SUMMER 2007 • PAGE 3
The Charley Noble
FEATURE STORY
Vessel Characteristics
continued from page 1 Once we know how we will use our new boat, we can
The Buying Process
determine the vessel characteristics best for our use.
Vessel characteristics can be divided into three
T
he American Sailing Journal needs you! As we
Buying a sailboat is a multi-step process that involves
categories: sailing, safety and living. Sailing
plan for future issues of your magazine, ASA is
answering three questions. Successfully answering these
characteristics include speed, stability (tendency to heel),
seeking articles written by its members on the
questions will lead you to the vessel that can provide
ability to point, ease of steering (tendency to sail straight)
following: reviews for nautical or sailing books, product
years of joy, while failure to accurately or honestly
and balance. A racer, for example, will want a fast boat
reviews and member profiles. If you are interested in
answer the questions may steer you to the wrong boat,
that can point close to the wind and may be willing to
doing a book review, please
little usage and no fun. The three questions are:
sacrifice some stability and ease to get it. A long distance
contact Kathy Christensen, ASA’s
• How will I use this sailboat?
cruiser on the other hand may be willing to sail a little
Membership Coordinator by email
• What characteristics of a sailboat are best for this type
further off the wind to get more stability and balance.
at kc@american-sailing.com or by
of use?
Sailing characteristics will be determined by the boat
phone at (310) 822-7171. She
• What sailboats have those characteristics?
design, specifically: sail plan, keel type and depth, sail
maintains an inventory of new
sailing books that publishers are
The most important question is “How will I use this
area to weight ratio, and displacement (Table Two).
ASA Events interested in having reviewed by
sailboat?” Getting this question right goes a long way
Our next consideration is safety equipment. The need for
Even as you read this, ASA is just starting its third annual
ASA members. Likewise, we have
toward buying the right boat. The answer to this question,
safety equipment is primarily dictated by the conditions we
American Sailing Week. Like the two previous years, we
a number of brand-name sailing
however, must be detailed. It can’t be a general answer
will face and how far away help might be. If we will carry
are holding the event in Antigua. This year we’ve added
related products that come our way. We’ll be happy to
like “to race” or “daysail” or “to cruise.” If you only
life rafts, EPIRBs, offshore first aid gear and emergency
free Basic Keelboat certification to those interested.
send you one of these to try out and review as well.
answer the use question generally, you are not yet ready to
water and rations, we will need places to securely store
buy a boat and run a high probability of making a large
these items when not in use. In addition, other safety gear
Next year, we will likely host our Members’ Event a little
and expensive mistake. Answering properly means knowing
may include advanced communications devices (SSB radio,
Whether you recently took up sailing or fall into the old
closer to home. Rumor has it that ASA is considering
the details of where you will sail, the weather conditions in
satellite phone, email or fax) power generation (wind
salt category, we’d like to share your story through one of
Abaco in the Bahamas or the British Virgin Islands.
those areas, the length of the trip you will take, number on
generator, genset, and/or solar panels) and items like sea
our member profiles with the rest of the ASA sailing
board and how far you will be from assistance. Table one
anchors and drogues, radar and navigational gear.
community. Some folks have “quit their day job” to go
Speaking of the BVI, since our late fall ’06 flotilla in the
provides some examples of the detail you should know
on extended cruises or fulfill a lifelong dream to begin
British Virgin Islands was so successful, we hope to have
before you consider buying a sailboat.
sailing. Others find that weekend sailing trips are one of
continued on page 22
at least one more this fall. The event is open to all levels
the best ways to spend time with family or friends. We
of sailors, especially since the focus is more on visiting
even have soldiers who recently took up sailing after
the many interesting beaches, coves and bars/restaurants,
returning from duty. Tell us your story.
Detailed Usage Examples Table 1
rather than long hours on the water or heavy-duty sailing.
Fair Winds!
New ASA Courses
Type of Sailing
Expected Cruising Expected Wave Expected Wind Number of Distance
Trip Lengths Grounds Conditions Conditions passengers from help
In response to your requests and those of our instructors Charlie
Buyer 1
Daysail 2-4 hours Local Bay 1-3 feet 5-15 knots 2 1-3 miles
and schools, ASA will be adding several new
endorsement courses this year. Endorsements differ from
Buyer 2
Extended
Cruising
Months Ocean Any 5-50+ knots 4 100+ miles
courses such as Basic Keelboat or Basic Coastal Cruising
“Charley Noble” is the old time nautical name for the
in that they are not part of a sequence of sailing courses.
smokestack over a galley ... So I’ll try to keep any “hot air”
Buyer 3 Weekend Racer 8 hours Lakes & Rivers 1-6 feet 5-30 knots 8 1-6 miles
They also tend to be shorter and provide focused study
in the American Sailing Journal confined to this column.
or practice for a specific topic.
Many of you may already be aware that we have added a
Boat Characteristic and Boat Design Considerations Table 2
Radar Endorsement that provides excellent, in-depth
THE AMERICAN SAILING JOURNAL
Vessel Characteristic Impact
study into the use of this important navigation aid. If you www.american-sailing.com info@american-sailing.com
are interested in taking this new course, please contact Keel Design
• Fin – Easier to maneuver; more difficult to steer straight
Brenda Wempner, ASA’s Education Coordinator, to find
• Full – More difficult to turn and wider relative turning radius; easier to steer straight
the nearest ASA school offering this course. (Since this
ASA PRESIDENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cynthia Shabes
• Deep – More stable (more resistance to heel), greater ability to point (sail close to the wind) but
endorsement course is so new, there are fewer ASA
Keel Depth less access to shallow water
facilities offering it versus our other courses.)
ASA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR . . . . . . . Charlie Nobles • Shoal – Less stable with access to more shallow water, less ability to point upwind
• Sloop – Bigger sails, better upwind ability
ASA EXECUTIVE EDITOR . . . . . . . . Heather Watt
Keep an eye on the ASA website and future editions of Sail Plan
• Cutter – More flexibility in sail options, smaller sails (easier to handle), reduced ability to point
this publication regarding other new courses and STORY EDITORS . . . . . . . . . . . . . Heather Watt
• Multiple Masts (Ketch, Yawl) – More flexibility in sail plan and good reaching performance with
endorsements. In particular, keep an eye out for a
Kathy Christensen
even less ability to point
Docking Endorsement (intensive practice docking and
Charlie Nobles
Sail Area High (SA/D) – More speed with less stability
maneuvering a sailboat under power) and a Weather Displacement Increased displacement delivers more stability while sacrificing speed.
Endorsement.
ART DIRECTOR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kathy Christensen
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