sailboats with pullman berths

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Pullman Berths

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One of my all-time favorite boats (or at least my dream boat) is a Hans Christian 33. One of my favorite characteristics of the HC33 is the cabin layout with the head/shower all the way forward with a double Pullman berth just behind to port and a hanging locker just behind to starboard. What other modestly sized (less than 40') production boats have Pullman berths or an alternative cabin layout to the standard forward v-berth? IIRC, the Formosa 41 also has a forward Pullman, but it's over 40'. Any others?  

The Catalina 42 original layout was similar (sorry, over 40); I believe one of the Passport 40 layouts have a head forward/pullman, and the Nonsuch Ultra 30 (and perhaps the larger versions) have similar doubles too. It is an attractive option, except for trying to use the head underway; it's at a maximum motion part of the boat. But the pullman berth nicely gets away from the toe wars in a typical Vberth (esp the newer boats where the interiors are so pushed out to the edges that often the V berth cushions literally come to a point) and they are easier to get into/out of.  

two Hinterhoeller boats The Niagara 35 Encore and the Nonsuch 30 Ultra both have pullmans.  

Caliber and Valiants both have pullman berths.  

I've always like the layout as well. The Passport 40 came with a pullman as an option.  

Can someone explain why the head forward with a pullman berth behind is appealing. Maybe its me, but I have never understood the appeal of a pullman berth or having the head all the way in the bow. Underway, there is too much motion to make using the forward head comfortable, and the pullman berth is only a seaberth on one tack. At anchor its hard to get ventilation and headroom in a forward head and one person can't climb into or out of the bunk without having the other person have to move. Respectfully, Jeff  

Jeff_H said: Can someone explain why the head forward with a pullman berth behind is appealing. Maybe its me, but I have never understood the appeal of a pullman berth or having the head all the way in the bow. Underway, there is too much motion to make using the forward head comfortable, and the pullman berth is only a seaberth on one tack. At anchor its hard to get ventilation and headroom in a forward head and one person can't have to climb into or out of the bunk without having the other person have to move. Respectfully, Jeff Click to expand...

Melrna said: Island Packet 37/38 designs are unique in their designs of the forward berth. There is a odd shape queen size bed that can be gotten in and out of on each side. One I favor a lot over a V-berth. Melissa Renee' Click to expand...

Let's face it, unless it's dead-calm, using a head underway is rarely comfortable, whether it's forward or aft. In my experience, the HC33's forward head is actually better ventilated than most heads further aft in the cabin. The HC33 has an overhead hatch and a port for ventilation/light in the head. Many sailors I know use the settees in the main cabin with leecloths as seaberths. Additionally, most pullmans can also be fitted with leecloths. As for disturbing your mate when entering/exiting a pullman berth, well, I find that v-berths on boats under 40' aren't easy to get in and out of without disturbing your mate either. Obviously, every boat is a compromise and we each have our own tastes. But the HC33 and other boats with pullmans are very appealing to me because of the use of cabin space and the roomy, comfortable bed.  

The best part is that you have really utilized you space with a pullman. Rarely would I used the head in the bow underway. Most pullmans allow huge drawer space and hanging lockers on the opposite site, where in a regular profuction style V berth the head is there. Most boats like the Saga 43 you would sleep in the queen aft cabin.  

The pullman berth feels more open to me, more like a small bedroom. I agree with the assessment that underway a forward head might be hard to use, but it does utilize a funny shape quite well. I believe the Islander 36 had a pullman berth. The Pearson 424 has a pullman and a head with a dedicated shower. pigslo  

Just saw this thread. I sailed on Beneteau 393 with a Pullman berth forward and I liked it a lot: - forward head is very comfortable and usable on both tacks. In Adria there is no issue with large waves. - I like the large drawers below the berth. Easy access and a lot of space. - About checking the anchor: Let us admit that one person does it most of the time. This defines who sleeps where. And climbing from traditional V berth guarantees to wake the other person. Here you just leave.  

I had a Taswell 44AS with a pullman forward, 4 large drawers underneath, a nicework station and a large hanging locker. The head was near the forpeak with a large storage locker forward. The only problem was tha you needed a seat belt to use the head in a sea way.  

Saga 43 is a great expample of Pullman also. One advanatage is sleeping further after than in a V berth is less motion at anchor. Most boats with them have a second head which is the primary one while the V head is mainly for anchor. There also seems to be more hanging locker space with pullmans as the bulkhead opposite the bed is usually long and has plenty of run for a hanging locker, where in a traditional V berth this are is usually not much great than the length of the "V". The pullman gives an appearenceof being more wid eupone with more headroom than the V also.  

My Truant 33 has a pullman forward. It is a nice arrangement for coastal cruising but probably not very good for offshore. It allows for standing room beside it to get changed, a hanging locker and some nice drawers underneath it. I am 6'6" tall and the bunk works well for my wife and me. Ventilation is not a problem with an overhead hatch and an opening portlight. It does have a lee cloth so it would be useful on both tacks at sea but I think we would likely sleep farther aft if we sailed overnight.  

I know this is an old thread but in case somebody else runs across it while researching boats with a pullman berth/head forward option I'll add the following to the list. CSY 37 B option layout. Islander Freeport 36 B option layout. Steve T.  

The HC 38 Traditional has a Pullman forward as well.  

Scott's fine, working a rockery job at the moment.  

Once you go with a centerline queen, you will never go back. I actually like V's better than Pullman. Why? Cause with Pullman, somebody's not going to get a good nights sleep. Brian  

Sounds reasonable except I think 7' lee may be tuff.. Unless you are willing to tear apart a stock boat. You may need to do that anyway to get the pullman ..  

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CATALINA 42: A Modern Classic

The Catalina 42 was introduced in 1989 and was one of the first mass-produced American boats to feature both a sugar-scoop transom with a swim platform and a three-stateroom layout with two aft cabins under the cockpit. It was very much a response to similar boats that first appeared in Europe in the mid-1980s, but unlike its contemporaries it stayed in production for over 20 years. Over 1,000 were built, making it one of the most successful cruising sailboats of its size ever created.

Boats like this have long dominated the mass-production market, but what distinguishes the Catalina 42 from more modern boats is its moderation. Where many contemporary mass-production boats now have rather exaggerated shapes to maximize interior volume, the Catalina 42 has a much more balanced form. Its bow is well raked and has a clean entry, but its waterline is not too short. Its beam is carried well aft, but not excessively so, and tapers quite a bit at the transom, so the boat does not gripe too much sailing hard to windward. Freeboard is not too high, the coachroof lines are crisp, and the boat has very clean, handsome profile.

Performance under sail is crisp but amiable. The Catalina 42’s original hull was based on an old Nelson Merek racing design, and the boat is just fast enough and closewinded enough to win club races if appropriately handicapped (a PHRF rating of 105 is typical. It is relatively stiff–-it normally doesn’t heel much past 15 degrees–and can be pressed hard if you like. Loafing along in cruising mode, the boat trims out quite nicely and doesn’t need a lot of fiddling to keep moving well. During a month I once spent skippering a Catalina 42 in the West Indies in moderate tradewind conditions, I found I didn’t have to work hard to keep the boat sailing around 7 knots.

Many Catalina 42 owners have raced their boats hard. Here’s one sprinting round the buoys in Sydney Harbor

There were two keels available–a shoal-draft (4’10”) wing keel and a deeper (6’8″) straight fin keel–and the deeper one, of course, helps the boat point and track better. There are also two different rudders, both installed behind shallow partial skegs. On earlier Mark I boats (477 were built between 1989 and 1995) the rudder is rather short, and on the later Mark II boats it was replaced with a deeper, more elliptical foil that improves handling. On some Mark I boats the deeper rudder has been retrofitted.

Aside from the rudder, the only real difference between the two versions of the boat is that the Mark II has a rounder transom and more cockpit storage, plus a fixed, rather than collapsible, cockpit table. Otherwise, the cockpit on both boats is quite roomy and comfortable with 6’8″ long seats that are great for stretching out on. The one drawback to the large cockpit is that the mid-boom mainsheet is led to the coachroof and cannot be reached by the helmsman. Without an effective autopilot, it is therefore not easy to singlehand this boat, though it is quite easy to sail doublehanded.

Example of a cockpit on a more recent Catalina 42

The Catalina 42 was very much a mass-produced boat and was constructed accordingly. The hulls are solid hand-laid fiberglass and though there have been some reports of blisters, both before and after Catalina started applying vinylester barrier coats in 1995, most blistered hulls were repaired at Catalina’s expense. The hull is stiffened with a large molded fiberglass liner/pan that incorporates furniture foundations as well as the cabin sole. The liner, as on many mass-produced boats, does limit interior access to the hull. Also some storage compartments are not segregated from the space behind the liner, so gear can get lost back there if you’re not careful.

The deck is balsa-cored with plywood substituted in places where deck hardware is installed; the deck joint is of the shoebox type, bonded with adhesive sealant and through-bolted with stainless-steel fasteners on 8-inch centers. Quality overall is good compared to most other mass-produced boats. Though it was designed primarily for coastal cruising, several Catalina 42s have been used for bluewater cruising in tropical and middle latitudes. On many of these bluewater boats, aside from the usual systems upgrades, the only significant modifications have been the addition of extra fuel tanks and handholds below.

There are three different accommodations plans. The original three-stateroom layout, the only one installed in the first 238 hulls, can comfortably sleep three couples (or a couple and a large bunch of kids who don’t mind sharing double berths) for a reasonably long period of time. During my month-long West Indian cruise I shared this layout with five other people. We were a bit pressed for storage space, but we were definitely happy campers. Bulkier, more modern three-stateroom boats in this size range may offer the illusion of more space, but in practice it usually doesn’t amount to anything terribly useful.

The saloon looking forward on a three-cabin boat

Port aft cabin on a three-cabin boat

There are also two two-stateroom plans, one with a Pullman double berth forward (as in the three-stateroom layout), the other with a centerline island double. To my mind, the Pullman layout is superior. It affords more storage space and a larger forward head with a separate shower stall, plus the berth itself is a bit farther aft and can be fit more easily with a leecloth, thus is more likely to be habitable in a seaway. The biggest advantage of the two-stateroom layout, regardless of which forward stateroom you prefer, is the super-sized galley aft with a cavernous pantry space that is great for systems installations and serious gear storage.

The saloon looking forward on a two-cabin boat

Pullman berth in the forward cabin

Gerry Douglas, Catalina’s inhouse design maven, considers the Catalina 42 one of his better efforts, and I’m inclined to agree with him. It is one of the best cruising sailboats of its type ever produced in North America and represents an excellent value. The youngest examples compare well to current models and sell at a premium. Older examples are very attractively priced and make great project boats, both because the 42 offers a reasonably sound foundation on which to build and because Catalina, unlike many builders, works hard to support owners of older boats.

Specifications

LOA 41’10”

LWL 36’0″

Beam 13’10”

–Shoal wing keel 4’10”

–Deep fin keel 6’8″

Ballast (both keels) 8,300 lbs.

Displacement 22,500 lbs.

Sail area (100% foretriangle) 797 sq.ft.

Fuel 46 gal. Water

–3-cabin layout 131 gal.

–2 cabin layouts 111 gal.

D/L ratio 215

SA/D ratio 15.97

Comfort ratio 27.65

Capsize screening 1.95

Nominal hull speed 9.3 knots

Typical asking prices $85K – $230K

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• Sailboat Guide

Passport 40

Passport 40 is a 39 ′ 5 ″ / 12 m monohull sailboat designed by Robert Perry and built by Passport Yachts between 1980 and 1991.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

From BlueWaterBoats.org :

The Passport 40 comes from the first generation of performance cruisers for which its designer, Robert Perry , has generally been credited with when he introduced his groundbreaking Valiant 40 . The Passport 40 has a similar underbody to the Valiant but most strikingly different a first glance is the use of a transom over Perry’s usual double-ended stern.

Introduced in 1980, the Passport 40 has become one of Perrys more successful 40-footers. With their sensible interiors, quality Taiwanese build and sailing characteristics described as nimble, fast and sea-kindly, it’s no wonder.

The Passport 40 project was kicked off in 1978 when Wendell Renken of Passport Yachts wrote from Taiwan to Perry commissioning a design for a 40-footer. The request as Perry recalls was for an interior based on his previous work on the Freeport 36 with Islander Yachts. It’s interesting to note that Perry accepted the commission by asking for a hefty upfront fee instead of the usual designer’s fee and commission arrangement after noting the dubious nature of the letter’s stationary, “Yacht Builders, Frozen Foods, and Eel Farms.”

The fee proved no impediment and the boat was duly penned and then built by King Dragon boatyard in Taiwan. It was after all the boom years for Taiwanese boatbuilding with exchange rates and cheap but good quality craftmanship favoring the exchange. The Passport 40 was introduced in 1980 and production continued for just over a decade through to 1991 with a final tally of 148 boats built before the design was tweaked into the Passport 41 with an extra foot incorporating a reverse transom and swim platform. The design was eventually massaged into the Passport 43 which had the stern extended even further and five extra feet added to the rig which was revised to two spreaders. Including the Passport 41 and Passport 43 at total of 163 boats were built.

Configuration

Perry has penned some fantastic boats in his career, the Passport 40 shares company with the Valiant 40 and the Baba 40 as being his most popular in the 40-foot range so it’s interesting to note all three share the basic hull lines which the Valiant 40 pioneered. Where Perry makes a departure from his usual formula of that era is the choice of a standard transom instead of his normal canoe stern.

The sheerline line is sweeping and handsome. Below the waterline a cruising fin keel drawing 5′ 9″ and a skeg hung rudder, their profiles looking very similar to the Valiant 40. There is a shoal draft option that draws a useful 5′ 3″.

Passport 40s came with a sloop rig as standard equipment, though almost all boats have been fitted with a inner stay, usually the removable type producing a double headsail cutter style rig more suited for crossing oceans. John Kretschmer mentions in Sailing Magazine that the original design objective was to allow the boat to be sailed under a single mainsail alone.

Above deck the Passport 40 has a sensibly designed cockpit for seagoing action, there’s room for up to four with wide seats and a coaming that’s trimmed in teak, large cockpit drains, and plenty of cockpit locker space. All the sail control lines are fed back into the cockpit and the main winches within easy reach of the helm to ease single handing.

The side decks are relatively wide with a molded in bulwark that provides for a secure feel when moving to the fore-deck. You’ll notice a fair amount of teak; from the caprail to handrails to the eyebrows on the coachroof. Deck fittings tend to be solid and of top quality, the original boat had a single bow roller as standard, but many have opted for double rollers and have since updated with a electric windlass.

Down below the interior feel is really nice. The joinery, finished in teak, is superb, though the sheer quantity of teak can be a bit dark for some. It’s said most Passport 40 interiors were semi-custom in nature so expect some variation here, roughly half of the boats were configured with a pullman berth placed forward with a head at the forepeak and the other half with a traditional v-berth layout. The pullman berth arrangement tends to be more practical as the berth situated a little back is more comfortable and the head at the forepeak doesn’t mind if it gets seaspray from an open forward hatch. All boats feature a seagoing quarter berth sleeping two in the starboard aft cabin.

The U-shaped galley to port is large and dominates the main saloon area. It’s functional with plenty of pantry space, large refrigeration bins, and features twin sinks not too far from the boat’s centerline. The nav station to starboard varies between boats and can be found facing in forwards, aft, or outwards.

Further forward, the living space includes a large L-shaped settee (U shaped on some) surrounding a large teak table to port and a single settee opposite, again, there is plenty of storage behind the settees.

The engine is located under the saloon table and provides good access. Owners have reported the engine removal and replacement is particularly easy on the Passport 40.

Construction

Like most GRP boats built in Taiwan of that era, the Passport 40’s hull was built strong and heavy with lots of polyester resin and glass. Renkin in particular had the hull built thicker than Perry’s design spec, arguing the solidity was what buyers loved.

The ballast was of iron encapsulated in GRP. Decks were originally cored in marine ply with resin barriers to limit potential for rot damage from leaks. Later boats moved to Airex foam coring. The hull-to-deck joint is bonded and through-bolted on an inward flange on the raised bulwark, there’s also a steel strip embedded into the bulwark for mounting the stanchions. Over time this strip has been made refitting more difficult. On most boats the mast is keel stepped. Bulkheads and internal furniture are fiberglassed into the hull.

The Passport 40 has all the sailing characteristics of a good passage-maker. They are beautifully balanced, fast, yet preserve crew energies by being seakindly with a soft easy motion. They perform quite well in light winds and really come to life when the weather picks up, especially on the beam. Downwind they track well enough for the speed lovers to fly spinnakers under self steering with no problems. You can expect routine 130-140 miles days in the trades, but with fair winds and 24/7 hand steering we hear of numbers as high as 190, even 200 miles per day have been clocked.

Buyers Notes

The Passport 40 has held its value well since its introduction, testament to its original build quality and owner appeal. Many boats on the market have been well looked after. That said, there are some standard things to inspect for on the Passport 40:

• With most teak decks of significant age, the screws holding them down are often a source of leaks and deck rot.
• Standing rigging should be inspected and replaced as necessary.
• The original stainless steel chainplates were of lower quality and subject to leaks, inspected for leaks and signs of corrosion.
• The fuel tanks are of black iron, which on other boats have been a weak point, in the case of the Passport 40 they have been glassed over externally to help mitigate corrosion from the outside. They are worth an inspection in any regards. Later models switched to aluminum tanks.
• It’s been reported that mild steel was used in the rudder cage as well as the mast step and both have been sources of corrosion, inspect closely.
• Look closely at the joinery for signs of creep and movement, it’s been an issue on a few boats. The consensus is that this is probably caused on boats that have had their rigging tensioned really tight in the past.

For further research it’s worth contacting other owners on the Passport 40 email list run on Google Groups.

As of 2010, the asking price of Passport 40s are in the range of $110k-$190k USD.

Links, References and Further Reading

» Passport 40 owners email list on Google Groups » Sailing Magazine’s review of the Passport 40 by John Kretschmer » Yacht Design According to Perry: My Boats and What Shaped Them , by Robert H. Perry (Ch 9) » Sailing Magazine’s review of the Passport 40 by John Kretschmer » Passport 40, Evolution of the Valiant 40 by Jordan Yachts

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Bluewater Sailboat – Passport 40

The Bluewater Sailboat Passport 40 is part of the first generation of performance cruisers, which its designer, Robert Perry, is widely credited for pioneering with his breakthrough Valiant 40. The Passport 40 shares an underbody with the Valiant, but the most noticeable difference at first appearance is the use of a transom rather than Perry’s traditional double-ended stern.

The Passport 40, introduced in 1980, has become one of Perry’s most successful 40-footers. It’s no surprise, given their rational interiors, quality Taiwanese construction, and sailing characteristics rated as nimble, quick, and sea-friendly.

• LOA: 39′ 5″
• LWL: 33′ 5″
• Beam: 12′ 4″
• Draft, standard: 5′ 9″
• Draft, shoal: 5′ 3″
• Ballast: 8,500 lbs.
• Displacement: 22,771 lbs.
• Sail Area: 931 sq. ft.
• Fuel: 128 US Gal.
• Water: 135 US Gal.
• Designer: Robert H. Perry (Design #112)
• Year Introduced: 1980
• Year Ended: 1991
• Builder: King Dragon, Taiwa

The Passport 40 project began in 1978, when Wendell Renken of Passport Yachts wrote to Perry from Taiwan, seeking a design for a 40-footer. According to Perry, the request was for an interior design based on his prior work on the Freeport 36 with Islander Yachts. It’s worth noting that Perry accepted the contract by demanding a large upfront price rather than the standard designer’s fee and commission agreement, despite the dubious nature of the letter’s letterhead, “Yacht Builders, Frozen Foods, and Eel Farms.”

The fee was not a barrier, and the boat was duly written and built by Taiwan’s King Dragon boatyard. After all, it was the boom years for Taiwanese boatbuilding, with exchange rates and low-cost but high-quality craftsmanship favoring the exchange. The Passport 40 was developed in 1980 and produced for over a decade until 1991, with a total of 148 boats manufactured before the design was altered into the Passport 41, which added a foot and incorporated a reverse transom and swim platform. The design was subsequently reworked into the Passport 43, which had the stern extended even further and five extra feet added to the rig, which had been reduced to two spreaders. A total of 163 boats were produced, including the Passport 41 and Passport 43. 

The Passport 40’s hull, like most GRP boats manufactured in Taiwan at the time, was sturdy and heavy, with a lot of polyester resin and glass. Renkin, in particular, had the hull made thicker than Perry’s design spec, claiming that consumers preferred the robustness.

The ballast was made of iron that was encased in GRP. Decks were initially cored in marine ply with resin barriers to reduce rot damage caused by leaks. Later, the boats used Airex foam coring. The hull-to-deck junction is bonded and through-bolted on an inward flange on the raised bulwark, and the stanchions are mounted on a steel strip buried in the bulwark. This strip has become more difficult to repair over time. The mast on most boats is keel stepped. Internal furniture and bulkheads are fiberglassed into the hull. 

Perry has designed some excellent boats in his career, and the Passport 40 joins the Valiant 40 and the Baba 40 as his most popular in the 40-foot category, so it’s worth noting that all three share the fundamental hull lines pioneered by the Valiant 40. Perry deviates from his regular formula of the time by using a standard transom instead of his usual canoe stern.

The sheerline line is elegant and sweeping. A cruising fin keel drawing 5′ 9″ below the waterline “and a skeg-hung rudder, with profiles comparable to the Valiant 40. There is a shoal draught option that produces a useful 5′ 3” draught “.

Passport 40s came equipped with a sloop rig, but practically all sailboats have been fitted with an inner stay, usually of the removable variety, providing a double headsail cutter style rig better suited for crossing oceans. According to John Kretschmer in Sailing Magazine, the initial design goal was to allow the boat to be sailed alone with a single mainsail.

Above deck, the Passport 40 boasts a well-designed cockpit for seagoing action, with capacity for up to four people and teak-trimmed coaming, huge cockpit drains, and lots of cockpit store space. To facilitate single-handing, all sail control lines are fed back into the cockpit, and the main winches are within easy reach of the helm.

The side decks are relatively broad, and there is a molded-in bulwark that provides a secure feeling when moving to the foredeck. There’s a lot of teak, from the caprail to the handrails to the eyebrows on the coachroof. There’s a lot of teaks, from the caprail to the handrails to the eyebrows on the coachroof. Deck fittings are typically robust and of high quality; the original boat came with a single bow roller as standard, but many have upgraded to double rollers and an electric windlass.

The interior design is pretty stunning down below. The teak joinery is excellent, albeit the sheer amount of teak may be too dark for some. Most Passport 40 interiors are stated to be semi-custom, so expect some variety here; around half of the boats were arranged with a pullman bunk forward with a head at the forepeak and the other half with a standard v-berth layout. The pullman berth layout is more practical because the berth at the forepeak is more comfortable and doesn’t mind getting seaspray from an open forward hatch. In the starboard aft cabin, all boats include a seagoing quarter sleeper that sleeps two.

The huge U-shaped  Sailboats Galley  to port dominates the main saloon space. It’s practical, with plenty of pantry space, huge refrigerated bins, and twin sinks near the boat’s centerline. The starboard nav station differs between boats and might be positioned facing forward, aft, or outwards.

Further forward in the living area, there is a wide L-shaped sofa (U-shaped on some) encircling a large teak table to port and a single settee opposite, with lots of storage behind the settees.

The engine is positioned beneath the saloon table and is easily accessible. Owners have stated that the engine removal and replacement of the Passport 40 is exceptionally simple.

Performance

The Passport 40 possesses all of the sailing attributes of an excellent passagemaker. They are superbly balanced, quick, and seakindly with a smooth effortless motion, preserving crew energies. They operate admirably in light winds and really come to life when the wind gets up, particularly on the beam. Downwind, they track well enough for speed enthusiasts to fly spinnakers under self-steering with ease. In the trades, you may expect to average 130-140 miles per day, but with good winds and 24/7 hand steering, we’ve heard of numbers as high as 190, even 200 miles per day.

Quick Notes

Since its release, the Passport 40 has kept its value well, owing to its original build quality and owner appeal. Many of the boats on the market have been carefully maintained. Having said that, there are some standard items to look for on the Passport 40:

• The screws that hold most teak decks together are frequently a cause of leaks and deck rot.
• Standing rigging should be inspected and, if necessary, replaced.
• The original stainless steel chainplates were of poor quality and prone to leaks; they were thoroughly inspected for leaks and signs of corrosion.
• The fuel tanks are made of black iron, which has been a weakness on other boats; however, in the case of the Passport 40, they have been glassed over on the outside to assist prevent corrosion from the outside. In any case, they are worth investigating. Later variants used alumimum tanks.

Mild steel has been reported to have been used in the rudder cage as well as the mast step, and both have been causes of corrosion; inspect carefully.

Look for signs of creep and movement in the joinery; this has been a concern on a few boats. The general belief is that this is caused by Bluewater Sailboats that have had their rigging tightened in the past.

If you are interested in learning more about the specifications and details of a sailboat, we recommend visiting the page Sailboat data . This page provides comprehensive information and is an excellent resource for anyone seeking detailed information about sailboats.

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• By Tim Bittel
• Updated: February 18, 2009

Honest 160-mile days, a comfort-able motion offshore, and liveaboard load-carrying capacity are hallmarks of the LaFitte 44, a Robert H. Perry design with a long fin keel and a skeg-hung rudder. Between 1980 and 1989, Chung Hwa Boatworks in Taiwan built 56 of these. Many have circumnavigated, and at least one has been sailed around twice.

The hull and deck are hand-laid fiberglass with a foam core. The hull is massively reinforced with foam-filled frames and longitudinals and with glassed-in bulkheads. A stainless-steel plate mounted on the hull frames carries the step for the Sparcraft mast. The external lead-ballast keel is solidly secured with stainless-steel bolts.

Our LaFitte 44, Tevai, was one of the few built without teak decks. On most of the boats that have them, the teak was fastened from below with screws. After 20 years of wear, the screw tips will become exposed, leading to cut feet and leaks. On some later boats, the teak was screwed down from above and the holes bunged, but this system, too, has proven prone to leaks.

Well-placed handholds serve the 2-foot-wide side decks, and the flush deck, which extends more than 22 feet forward of the deckhouse, provides a platform for offshore dinghy storage, sail changing, and anchor handling. On Tevai, the addition of a mast pulpit has greatly enhanced our security when working at the mast.

Twin bronze anchor rollers are mounted at the stem, and a locker in the foredeck contains the windlass, a wash-down spigot, and storage for deck gear. There are two chain lockers, one directly under the windlass and another farther aft, under the V-berth. Many boats have been refit with a hawsepipe to allow chain to run more freely to the after locker.

Two companionways, one amidships and one aft, give access to the interior, which is both elegantly fitted out in solid teak and functional at sea. Four hatches and eight opening ports admit light and air. Ventilated lockers and drawers abound, and deep storage is provided in lockers outboard of the settees and in two levels under the V-berth. The engine warms the wet locker.

The U-shaped galley to port features deep double sinks inboard, large work surfaces, and, between the top-loading freezer and separate fridge, 15 cubic feet of cold storage. A bin and numerous drawers and lockers provide volumes of dry storage.

Opposite is a spacious nav station. In the saloon, both the U-shaped settee to port and a straight settee to starboard convert to sea berths.

The forward stateroom has an en suite head and shower. In the aft stateroom, a queen Pullman berth to port and a settee to starboard convert to sea berths. The head/shower compartment serves as a walk-through to the saloon. Early LaFitte 44s were delivered with a 60-horsepower Lehman diesel, later ones with a Perkins. Tevai has been repowered with a 75-horsepower Yanmar. Depending on conditions, motoring range can exceed 800 miles. LaFitte 44s rarely come on the market. Recent listings have had prices ranging from $90,000 for a “needs work” boat to more than $250,000.

Tim Bittel and his wife, Pattie, have sailed Tevai, their LaFitte 44, from the Great Lakes to the southern Windward Islands.

LOA 44′ 4″ (13.51 m.) LWL 35′ 6″ (10.82 m.) Beam 12′ 8″ (3.86 m.) Draft 6′ 4″ (1.93 m.) Sail Area (100%) 927 sq. ft. (86.1 sq. m.) Ballast 11,310 lb. (5,129 kg.) Displacement 28,000 lb. (12,698 kg.) Ballast/D .40 D/L 279 SA/D 16.1 Water 110 gal. (417 l.) Fuel 115 gal. (436 l.) Engine 60-hp. Lehman or Perkins Designer Robert H. Perry

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Catalina 470

Although it conforms to ce ratings for ocean sailing, this boat is better suited for coastal cruising in comfort and short offshore passages. it's got a great set of layout options for living aboard..

We’ve been soaked to the bone while racing Catalina’s most popular model, a 27-footer on which we crewed in a San Francisco one-design fleet. We’ve raced down the Baja coast steering a squirrelly 38-footer under a masthead kite while winning class honors in the Newport-Ensenada race. Over the years, we’ve sailed and reviewed quite a few Catalinas, and have noted two central characteristics of these boats: They have a pretty good turn of speed and spacious accommodations. We’ve also noted that the company’s mass production techniques occasionally reflect a lack of attention to detail in the fit and finish of joinery.

It has also been impossible to miss the fact that Catalina owners are a ferociously loyal lot who tend to shrug off minor shortcomings by saying “Hey, it ain’t supposed to be a Rolls Royce.”

With the introduction of the Catalina 470 in 1998, the company announced an effort to upgrade the quality of the fit and finish without changing its pricing practices. It also added a legitimate performance cruiser to dealer showrooms. More than 200 of these boats have been delivered already. That’s an amazing production run for a boat of this size in an economy this wobbly. Price-wise, Catalina can keep competing when other, higher-end boatbuilders are startting to duck and cover.

Company History Frank Butler, who founded Catalina Yachts 30 years ago, has always contended that his boats provide owners with good value, and this is true. The company’s product line spans the sailing universe; it offers boats ranging in size from the Capri 22, a daysailor, to the 47-footer described here.

Mindful of the occasional barb about quality control, Gerry Douglas, Catalina’s vice president, chief engineer, and Butler’s right-hand man for two decades, says, “Our owners don’t mind adding that extra layer of varnish. They’re very hands-on, and like to tinker on their boats. I like to think that we’ve given them a stable platform on which they can safely sail anywhere at an affordable price.”

While conducting an inspection and test sail of the 470, Douglas said, “We’ve gone up a notch with this boat, and introduced features that we’ll begin adding to all of our boats 38 feet and longer. There’s also a higher level of sophistication in systems, construction, and finish.

“We designed the boat to appeal to fairly experienced sailors who are comparison shoppers. For many, this will be a crossover boat—for people moving up from 40-footers, and people switching to Catalina from other brands. The typical buyers are 55 to 60 years old, perhaps semi-retired. They want performance, to cruise under sail, not power. They have a wish list with regard to accommodations. Systems are very important.”

Design/Appearance Overall, the hull is nicely proportioned, with a nearly flat sheer that runs to the down-curved stern sections. The 14-foot beam is moderate for a modern 47-footer, and runs well aft, almost to the transom area. This adds some initial stability as well as interior volume aft. The straight sheerline works well with the house, which carries long, narrow ports to produce an illusion of movement. Though she carries huge interior volume, she does not appear clunky.

According to Gerry Douglas, the hull is easily driven with the moderate sailplan, and doesn’t pound in a seaway. We weren’t able to sail her in lumpy enough conditions to confirm that, but she did behave well during our test sail.

Underbody appendages are a 7’10” fin keel or optional shoal draft keel with winglets 30 percent aft of the leading edge. Rudder and keel are elliptically shaped.

“A cockpit should be long enough to sleep in,” says Douglas. As a consequence, seats in the 470 cockpit are 6’2″ inches long, with 11″ backrests. The 39″ long cockpit table seats four, and has a built-in storage bin and molded cup holders.

Unlike any other arrangement we’ve seen, the electrical system for shore power is split between three separate connectors. According to Douglas, this is “so that owners can use smaller cords than those heavy, unwieldy brutes.”

Deck Layout The deck layout is designed for couples who prefer to sail alone without having to maintain a physical fitness routine in order to manage the 1,010 square feet of canvas she flies. Most boats are equipped with furling mainsail systems and oversized electric winches for halyards and mainsail controls. “I don’t think we can have too large a winch,” Douglas says.

Add the Dutchman sail flaking system that comes as standard equipment, and the boat could even be singlehanded in a pinch.

The layout of deck gear is typical of the today’s production boats and the fact that older sailors don’t want to work forward of the cockpit in unruly seas. Internal halyards and sail controls are led aft to Harken 44 two- speed winches and Lewmar rope clutches. Primary winches are Harken 66 two-speed self-tailers.

Catalina continues to rely on Garhauer to provide most of the boat’s blocks, as well as a stainless steel vang. The roller furler is a Schaefer 3100. Standard equipment also includes a Maxwell 1200 windlass.

In addition to contributing to the boat’s appearance, ten Lewmar ports, including two in the cockpit, allow light and fresh air to penetrate spaces belowdecks. Deck hatches are Lewmar low-profile Ocean series.

Despite the boat’s size, and potential use on blue water, the double- spreader rig is stepped on deck. To avoid damaging the deck coring, it sits atop a 1/2″ thick aluminum plate welded to the top of a 5-1/2″ inch diameter compression post. “It’s all metal to metal,” Douglas says.

It’s true that there are plenty of boats with deck-stepped masts sailing successfully offshore, including the Hallberg-Rassy 42, which we reviewed in May of this year. Every time we say we prefer keel-stepped masts for offshore work, we get angry letters—not from the boatbuilders, but from readers who have deck-stepped masts. So be it. We believe keel-stepped masts are ultimately safer, even if they’re noiser, leakier, and more obtrusive belowdecks. Offshore, if something fails, they’re less likely to topple over wholesale—the “buried root” tends to preserve them—and if they do break, they usually leave something sticking through the deck to which a jury rig can be attached. As we noted in the HR42 review, the butt of a keel-stepped mast needs to be secured to the step.

From the standpoint of comfort and safety, handrails recessed below the cabintop prevent bruised legs when the crew is seated without impairing their ability to find a handhold. Three pre-molded indexes under the boom are designed to house an eight-person life raft in a handy, out of the way location. Stanchions are 29″ high, and shroud bases are set in close to the cabintop, which allows close sheeting angles and makes travel between cockpit and foredeck easier.

On boats this size, Douglas considers redundancy in major systems a key element of the design. As a result, the two-wheel steering system is a product of a collaboration between Catalina and Edson. “The entire system is redundant,” says Douglas. ” There are no shared cables or wheels. Each steering wheel has a separate cable system, so if one is lost the other will still function.”

Accommodations Though there’s nothing earthshaking about the general design of spaces belowdecks, the 14-foot beam produces 11 feet of room amidships, continuing Catalina’s tradition of maximizing living spaces.

Improvements in the quality of the interior are subtle. Multiple layers of smooth satin varnish are hand-laid on wood surfaces. The edges of cabinetry, doors and corners, where wear or abrasion may be noticeable, are made of solid teak to prevent blemishes. Lockers and cabinets are fitted with lights that automatically turn on when doors open. Since Catalina now builds cushions in-house, berths are supplied with 7″ thick residential-grade mattresses with powder-coated springs that prevent rust marks on bedding. All of the cabinetry hardware is provided by one company, so replacement of damaged equipment is a small task.

Owners can select stateroom layouts from three optional configurations. In the standard two-stateroom configuration, the forward cabin houses a Pullman berth and shower compartment in an area large enough to house a washer and dryer combination. Aft is a queen-sized bunk on an island. As an alternative, layout No. 2 splits the aft section of the boat into two cabins, each with its own head compartment. An island berth in the forward cabin is an option in this configuration. The third layout offers the option to remove cabinetry from the port stateroom to convert the space into an enclosed workshop. Nice idea!

Headroom in the saloon is 7′ 4″, and length on the centerline approximately 11′ 6″. Seven ports on each side of the hull, and 11 Halogen lights in the saloon and galley, produce a bright space, even on foggy day.

Seven companionway steps cover the engine. Since the cover is a bulky fiberglass box with an aluminum frame, the addition of a gas piston spring that holds the section upright is a helpful addition. Once that’s elevated, access to the sides and front of the Yanmar engine, fuel and water filters, is excellent.

“To prevent contamination, and monitor consumption, boats are equipped with two separate fuel systems and five water tanks,” says Douglas. “If one goes bad, no more than 20 percent of the supply will be lost. There are two independent waste systems. Tanks, hoses, and through-hulls operate independently.”

Though the boat is not intended for use in a charter fleet, tanks are thick enough to meet charter regulations. “We did that because it would be more difficult to change in the future.”

Creature comforts in the main cabin include a C-shaped settee with seating for six to eight adults around a highly polished table. Stowage below the settee is in a watertight compartment, eliminating the risk of bilge water penetrating stores.

Depending upon owner preference, seating to starboard may be on a 6′ 6″ bench with space below for 50 gallons of fuel, or on two upholstered swiveling chairs.

On a boat of this size, there should be plenty of room for the navigator, and Catalina does a good job in this regard. The 470 is equipped with a proper chart-sized table and room for electronics. Forward of the nav table there’s a slide-out table for a TV/VHS combination, radio, and Sony CD changer, all of which are standard equipment. Circuit breakers on the electrical panel are illuminated—a real plus after sunset.

It’s axiomatic that bigger boats have bigger galleys, and the 470 is no exception. Located to port, it offers a chef plenty of elbow room, counter space, and a portlight outboard that provides a view. Counters are constructed of Grancoat®, a tough fiberglass material that’s easy to maintain. A dry locker that could be converted to a refrigerator is located outboard to port, and a cabinet with glass doors is located on the aft bulkhead. The stove is a three-burner Princess with oven and a stainless steel hood fitted with halogen light. A microwave stored in a cutout will accelerate prep time of hot drinks for the midnight watch crew.

In all, living quarters are spacious and well-organized, and fit and finish are a cut above her predecessors.

Construction This Catalina is built at the company’s Florida factory. A completed boat consists of four components: the hull; a structural grid liner that absorbs and diffuses chainplate and mast loads and houses the engine bed; a liner running from bow to stern that does not provide any structural support but forms furniture, beds and cabinets; and, finally, the deck.

The hull to a point 6″ above the waterline is solid fiberglass impregnated with vinylester resin in the skin coat. The lamination schedule calls for hand-laying 2-oz. chop and 8 layers of mat and roving to produce a 1″ thick bottom. Topsides are cored with Baltec AL 600 balsa. A collision bulkhead at the aft end of the anchor locker fills the area between the deck and bottom of the hull; it is glassed to the hull.

The deck is constructed of layers of chop, mat, and roving cored with 1/2″ thick balsa. Pre-tapped, 3/8″ thick aluminum plates are bedded in areas where deck hardware will be installed.

Chainplates also show a new design, not used on any other Catalina models. Says Gerry Douglas, “It’s a ball- and-socket arrangement that locates chainplates through a round hole in the deck, rather than a slot. This method spreads loads, and they are perfectly bonded so there’s no problem with leaks. They are also self-aligning.” (Leaky chainplates have been a common source of criticism for Catalina yachts.)

Despite being a relatively complicated boat, most wiring and plumbing runs are easily accessible under floorboards and seat covers, and color coded for identification. Wiring runs are in half-round PVC bonded to the hull. A 118-page owner’s manual provides schematics of all of the boat’s mechanical systems, and should help to make most things clear even to those who may be “mechanically challenged.”

Performance Invited aboard by Douglas and Seattle dealer Carl Rafello, we tested the 470 on a fall afternoon in which predicted 10-15 knot winds did not materialize. However, we did ferret out the 470’s personality in 6-8 knot winds. In that light air she performed well enough to sneak into our definition of “performance cruiser,” although that phrase is amorphous enough to include a lot of boats in different conditions.

Her rated sail area of 1,010 square feet (100% foretriangle), combined with her wing-keel configuration displacement of 26,500 lbs., gives her a SA/D ratio of 14.01—in the lower ranges of what we might hope for in the horsepower department. Change to a fin keel and she immediately drops 1,800 pounds of displacement; add the optional taller rig for sailing in predominately light winds, and SA increases to 1,092 square feet. This combination allows a SA/D of 18.9, a much more blood-stirring figure. In that configuration, the D/L drops to 160, and she actually ends up in the upper reaches of the light-displacement category.

Sailing with the standard rig and fin keel under a 135-percent genoa, we recorded 5-6 knots of boatspeed off the breeze. Upwind, when pressed, she could sail within about 40 degrees of the apparent wind without loss of speed. Our upwind and downwind boatspeeds were about the same in that breeze. The helm is light, sight lines from both wheels are excellent, and our test boat tacked easily through about 90 degrees.

The limit of positive stability (LPS) of the 470 is listed at 126 degrees, which is within the acceptable range for offshore boats, and in fact she’s rated as a Category A (“Ocean”) cruiser under CE requirements. While we don’t doubt the boat’s essential structural integrity, or that she could cross an ocean in the right hands, she’s really not set up for that. (For example, aside from the mast issue, there are no sea berths, which might be OK on a downwind sail to Hawaii, but wouldn’t be too great on a long starboard tack to Bermuda.)

Conclusion Our test provided, at best, a hint of the performance potential of this boat. Nonetheless, given proper conditions we would expect her to sail at her calculated hull speed of 8.5 knots.

A prospective buyer must carefully evaluate typical conditions in the area where the boat will be sailed, and match sail area and keel configuration accordingly. The deep-keel, tall-rig combination will certainly maximize the boat’s performance. (Those are big jumps in both SA/D and D/L numbers up there.) Given deep enough home waters, this would be the way to go. With that set-up, we could expect her to record 150-200 mile days off the wind under a cruising kite.

Well-conceived mechanical systems make the 470 easy to sail. Be aware, though, that there are of lot of these systems, from the dual steering to the rather complex lighting and entertainment wiring. The harder you sail this boat, the more scrutiny and maintenance these systems will require.

In terms of creature comfort, the boat is excellent—spacious on deck and gracious below. Her list of standard equipment is extensive; add electronics and a 150% genoa, and stores, and she’ll be ready for a coastal cruise. Add electric winches and a mainsail furling system, and the task becomes easier (although more complicated).

Following the company’s philosophy, the 470 is moderately priced at $265,510 (FOB Largo), in the ballpark with similarly sized production boats like the Beneteau 473, priced at $231,000. (Close scrutiny of the list of standard gear is necessary for a complete comparison of pricing.)

The strengths of the 470 lie exactly where Gerry Douglas placed them for his potential market: She’s set up very intelligently for coastal cruising, living aboard, and the occasional coastal hop of a few hundred miles in offshore conditions. That’s plenty to ask of a production boat of this size and price, and the 470 seems to answer those demands nicely. She also comes with a devoted support network of owners.

Contact- Catalina Yachts, 818/884-7700, www.catalinayachts.com .

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Experienced sailors know the added safety that comes with good sailing performance: the ability to sail off a lee shore, to fetch a safe harbor that is dead upwind or to complete a passage within the available weather window. These are key safety factors that should not be overlooked when selecting an offshore passagemaker. Evensong , an Outbound 46 (hull # 30), speaks to each of these requirements while also acknowledging the value of a comfortable environment in fighting fatigue when offshore and in enjoying new surroundings in a far off anchorage.

Designed by the late Carl Schumacher, Evensong has the solid construction and displacement that give a yacht an easy and forgiving motion, her lines and design specifications define those characteristics. Her long waterline, moderate beam, high righting moment, proper weight distribution and efficient foils make for wonderful cruising platform. Her elegant handcrafted interior and semi raised salon fill the cabin with natural light and comfortable accommodations and superb load carrying capacity ensure the comfort of all who venture from the confines of protected waters.

Evensong has been professionally maintained by her owners since new. Her cherry interior shows as a much newer boat. Her exterior is clean and glossy, her bilges clean and mold free. Her exclusive use in the Pacific Northwest means that her gelcoat is not oxidized and her metals are corrosion free. Evensong has the Outbound designed and manufactured davit installed as well as a substantial solar array. Her anti-fouling has recently been renewed and she is ready for her new owners to begin straight away. She is located in Poulsbo, WA and ready for her next adventures.

EVENSONG’s  interior is beautifully furnished in american cherry with a satin varnish. All hatches and screens are finished this way as well. There is a teak and holly cabin sole and locking drawers and cabinets can be secured. Large salon windows fill the living areas with natural light. Opening ports and hatches with screens provide excellent ventilation. There are plenty of handholds to make passage easy and safer when the \seas kick up or you are heeling over. She can sleep six comfortably in two separate cabins and the salon. The forward cabin has a spacious pullman berth with head and shower. There is a head with separate shower forward and a head with integral shower aft.

The  master stateroom  is located at the forward end of the boat. The comfortable pullman berth is on the port side. Drawers below the berth provide excellent storage space. There is a hinged space outboard to port for additional storage.  Above the berth is a full length shelf with sliding doors. Opposite to starboard are two large lockers, divided in the center by a bureau of five drawers, including a vanity and mirror. Forward of this cabin is the private head with  fully separate shower stall.

The  main salon  is aft of the master stateroom. There is a seven foot long U-shaped dinette to port with a drop leaf table with a straight settee to port. The mid section of the backrest of the starboard settee drops down to become a small table perfect for playing cards or having a drink. There is a wine cabinet behind this table. Book shelves with adjacent lockers are above and behind both settees. The settee coverts into a  generous sea berth when underway. There is a 900 amp/hr battery bank below this settee for easy access to the batteries. The cushions are covered blue ultra-suede. There are lee cloths available as well.

The  U-shaped galley  is located to port and aft of the main salon and includes Corian counters, forward facing double stainless sink and Scanvik faucets. There is a dish storage rack above the sinks. There are two large access hatches to the fridge and freezer on the port side as well as a three burner gimballed Force 10 stove with oven. There is generous storage including a pantry with generous open storage and two deep drawers behind the navigation station.

Across from the galley to starboard is the  navigation station . Situated adjacent to the companionway the navigator will be in close proximity to those on watch allowing communication with the helm. The top opening chart table easily accommodates all the necessary navigation equipment. There are drawers and lockers for tools,winch handles and binoculars. The Raymarine E-120 Radar/Chartplotter screen is here as well as VHF. The electrical panel is on the aft side of the nav area and allows for full access to the back and wiring.

The  guest stateroom  is aft of the navigation station and is comprised of a comfortable double berth. Louvered lockers are above and outboard of the berth with additional storage in cabinets along the aft bulkhead. There is a large hanging locker a book shelf as well as two drawers below the berth. Hatches and ports provide light and ventilation including into the cockpit.

Aft of the galley on the port side is the aft head finished in molded surfaces that are easy to clean and impervious to moisture. This head is close to the companionway for excellent access to the on watch crew or storage of foul weather gear. The stainless steel sink is set into a counter and there is a mirror above. The integral shower is handy to the aft cabin on the opposite side of the companionway. There is also internal access to the garage from this head.

ABYC approved marine wire throughout

Custom AC & DC panels at nav station with full access

XANTREX MS2000 Inverter/Charger with remote

(8) 6v Trojan T-105 “golf cart” batteries

Group 27 start battery

(5) 160 Watt Solar panels with Vitron Energy MPPT 100/50 Controllers

Guest Galvanic Isolator

Force 10 three burner stove with oven

(2) 20 lb propane tanks in cockpit locker

Frigoboat Refrigerator & Freezer with separate compressors

EVENSONG is rigged for shorthanded sailing with all lines led aft to the cockpit. There is an electric main halyard winch at the forward end of the cockpit. All sailing hardware is oversized and well suited for ocean passagemaking.

I : 57.33 ft J : 17.50 ft P : 53.75 ft E : 20.00 ft Working Sail Area : 1083.00 sq ft

Achilles 3.0 Rigid Hull Inflatable (2018)

Suzuki 9.9 Fuel Injected Outboard (2018)

Outbound provided dinghy davit system (2018)

The Sailboat Cruiser

The Sailboat Cruiser is the occasional newsletter of sailboat-cruising.com and sets out to bring you the news, views and general musings of the writer - Dick McClary, a sailboat cruiser and creator/owner of sailboat-cruising.com.

If you enjoy this newsletter and feel that any of your friends might too, please feel free to forward it to them.

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The Sailboat Cruiser #74 October 2022

What's in this issue:.

• The Pullman Berth;
• Key Performance Indicators for Catamarans;
• SkipperBlogs;
• The Winch-E-Bit;
• Download Our eBooks!
• This Month's Mystery Boat;
• Used Sailboats for Sale;
• Used Sailing Gear & Equipment;
• Back Issues of The Sailboat Cruiser;

The Pullman Berth

• Quarter berths, which are located under the outboard edge of the cockpit. Whilst out of the way of cabin traffic, they tend to be poorly ventilated and can be particularly hot and noisy when under power. Getting in and out of them requires a degree of gymnastic ability.

A less well-known variety is the Pullman berth. So what's a Pullman berth, and which sailboats have them?

Well, the Pullman berth is a double berth cabin between the saloon and the forepeak. Usually a head is installed in the forepeak just aft of the anchor locker. In a lumpy sea only a skilled rodeo cowboy would be at home in a head in this location, which means that such a layout is only successful in a sailboat large enough to have a second head further aft.

The berth is not on the centreline, butting up to one side of the hull. Only the inboard occupant will have easy ingress and exit meaning that, in the interest of social harmony, the occupant with the most capacious bladder should take the outboard side.

• the Hunter 41.

Key Performance Indicators for Catamarans

The Bruce Number = A 0.5 /D 0.33 , where A is the sail area in ft 2 and D is the displacement in pounds, which can be written as

The Bruce Number (BN) = The square root of the sail area divided by the cube root of the displacement.

• a catamaran with a BN of 1.6 or greater will need to be reefed often in offshore cruising conditions.

The sail area is calculated as the area of the 100% fore-triangle plus the triangular area of the mainsail. Mainsail roach is normally ignored as is the additional area of an overlapping headsail so it's immediately obvious that this metric has its limitations.

Neither does the BN take account of waterline length so it can only predict relative performance - not actual hullspeed.

But the Kelsall Sailing Performance is another performance indicator which does take account of waterline length and therefore predicts hullspeed, ie

Kelsall Sailing Performance (KSP) = 0.5 x (L x A/D) 0.5 which can be written as

Kelsall Sailing Performance (KSP) = One half the square root of the product of the waterline length and the sail area divided by the displacement.

The higher the KSP number the faster speed prediction for the catamaran. A catamaran with a KSP of 0.6 is likely to sail at 6 knots in 10 knots of breeze, whilst a catamaran with a KSP of 0.7 is likely to sail at 7 knots in 10 knots of breeze.

SkipperBlogs

SkipperBlogs is still under development but already boasts some impressive functionality. For example, from this one platform you can

• and much more...

There is a free Basic Version and a paid Premium Version. I've subscribed to the free version for the moment whilst I'm evaluating its capabilities.

If you'd like to give it a try you can do so at www.SkipperBlogs.com

The Winch-E-Bit

• The single speed cordless drill wasn't easy to control. Unless the crewman operating it was gentle with the trigger, the drill did its very best to wrestle itself out of the operator's hands.
• The winches weren't self-tailers. The operator needed both hands to hang on to the drill, so another crewman was needed to tail the sheets and halyards. Even so the possibility of a riding turn was apparent.

We then tried the 'Winch-E-Bit' on a Dehler 36, which was fitted with selftailing winches - and this time we used an 18v 2-speed cordless drill.

The combination of the 2-speed drill and selftailing winches completely transformed the useability of the 'Winch-E-Bit'.

Sheeting-in the headsail after a tack was quickly and efficienly completed by a single crewman.

The Dehler 36 was fitted with a fully battened mainsail, the weight of the sail was too much for the 18v drill to haul it close to the masthead. Final tensioning of the headsail had to be done by a crewman armed with a winch handle. This though, was no fault of the 'Winch-E-Bit' - a more powerful cordless drill could possibly have got the job done.

Although we didn't try it, I've no doubt at all that the spinnaker could be hoisted rapidly and sheeted-in using the 'Winch-E-Bit' with no trouble at all.

The skipper confirmed that the 'Winch-E-Bit' would be a useful device to have available in the cockpit of a cruising boat with selftailing winches, particularly one with a shorthanded crew, and I agreed with him.

I could see a couple of further uses for the 'Winch-E-Bit' on 'Alacazam', providing I get a more powerful drill than the rather puny one that is currently aboard.

• Our lightweight, inflatable-floored Avon dinghy is powered by a 5hp 2-stroke Yamaha outboard, which is stored on the taffrail when not in use. Getting it there involves Mary winching it aboard via the gantry crane and me standing in the dinghy keeping it clear of the hull - a balancing act not entirely without risk. I'm pretty sure that the 'Winch-E-Bit' would enable me to get the outboard aboard singlehanded from the safety of the cockpit.

More than once an unexpected gust of wind has taken charge leaving the dinghy cavorting gaily aloft - huge entertainment for the rest of the anchorage, but much less so for the hapless skipper trying to regain control of the situation.

I think that the 'Winch-E-Bit' would get the job done more quickly, providing less opportunity for an errant gust to get involved.

Thanks to Tom I've already got my 'Winch-E-Bit', but you can get yours from Recovery Marine .

Take a Look at Our eBooks!

This Month's Mystery Boat

If so, please let me know by clicking here... And remember, the first person to convince me of the correct identification of the boat, gets a free eBook of their choice!

Cruising Boats for Sale

Used Sailing Gear & Equipment

• Stainless Steel Swim Ladder

Take a look at these and all the other stuff at used cruising gear for sale...

And finally...

And this newsletter can be a two-way thing. If you've read anything you'd like to comment on, or perhaps there's an event you'd like to see announced in a future newsletter, then please let me know.

See you next month!

• Data Analysis
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Pullman Berth

Pullman beds, named after creator George M. Pullman, have been originally used during the late 1850s in the sleeping compartments of trains. Despite the fact that the beds were deemed luxury at the time, they are now acknowledged to be smaller and less pleasant than regular beds. There are generally weight restrictions with pullmans, because there isn’t much space between both the top of the covers and the roof. As a result, the bunks are great for toddlers and people who are shorter and lighter than average and don’t want to knock their heads when getting out of bed.

Since the mid-nineteenth century, Pullman berths have been used to refer to the pull-down/out beds that were seen on Pullman railroad carriages. The berths were mainly singles, and a section would normally contain four. During the day, the upper bunk is normally pushed against by the wall to provide extra room in the cabin. To transition from seating to resting, the bottom bunk was taken out. Pullman rooms, which function in a similar way, are now available on several cruise ships.

Table of Contents

What is a Pullman on a boat?

Space is limited in every cruise ship stateroom, regardless of the type of vessel you’re traveling on. In a two-person room, this usually implies movable twin beds that may be put up individually or placed together to make one huge bed. For those booking triple or quad cabins or even bigger family-size cabins, you may be confronted with the Pullman bed.

A cruise liner cabin with a pullman cot is one that extends out of the wall or lowers down from the roof, letting more people sleep in a smaller area. In principle, these fold-out,  pull-down mattresses are perfect for families with kids including those on a tight budget who wish to fit more people into a single cabin.

Your room attendant will keep hold of making the beds every evening and rising those back each day if you ask. The layout of pullman beds varies per vessel, so make sure to verify the deck blueprints or consult a travel specialist prior to booking if you require an additional berth on your cruise ship.

What sailboats have a Pullman berth?

Forward of the saloon, the forward cabin includes a dual berth with an en private bathroom and shower. It was a little sparse, as most European designs were, however this might have been due to the fact that the yacht was built for bareboat chartering instead of full-time floating docks. Under the cabin, there were two additional double sleepers, however they were a little crowded for users. Roomy and light, the master suite, lounge, and galley were all well-equipped, and the freezer functioned nicely.

Rounded companionway stairs (safe at any degree of foot and comfortable to rest on), rolling furling genoa plus metro roads, and all lines leading back towards the cockpit were all wonderful improvements. As far as there’s not too much turning, this boat could readily be handled by a couple or even singlehanded. Some designs are sailboats featuring pullman berths, including the Catalina 42 and Hunter 41. Hans Christian, Baba 38,  Hunter 420,  varied, Tayana, and Catalina 42.

What is an upper Pullman on a Carnival cruise ship?

A cruise ship stateroom with a pullman sleeper is one that extends out of the wall or lowers down from the roof, letting more people sleep in a smaller area. There are generally weight restrictions with pullmans, because there isn’t much space between both the baser of the covers and the roof. A pullman bed can be a singular bed, a dual bed, a king bed, or the carpet. It can also be called a “bunk bed,” “top bed,” or “pull down bed.”

In some of our cabins that accommodate 3 or more passengers, companies employ Pullman beds, which are beds that are reached by a ladder and drawn down from the roof then out of the wall just above the primary bed. The term “upper” alludes to an upper cabin on a cruise ship. A couple of  twin beds press together to make a king-size bed in most ordinary cruise rooms, whether that’s an interior cabin without any windows, an outdoor cabin with a window, or a room with a terrace.

What is a pilot berth?

A tiny berth tall in the cabin’s rear, generally over or behind the rear of the couch and immediately beneath the deck, typically over or behind the sofa cushions. Aside from being “closed in” up to the person’s chest, there may also be tiny cabinets or compartments on the partition, allowing the bed to be “hidden behind the furnishings.” 

The name “pilot berth” comes from the fact that they were initially so tiny and unpleasant that no one slept in these almost all of the period; only the pilot would be provided it because he’d have to stay the evening on board.

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