OK, there are, or course, many reasons . . . . But winter is draging on here, no sailing in sight, and I am about to strangle that dang groundhog . . . So I look at sailing magizines and dream going places that my hunter 170 wont take me. Anyway I showed my wife the Com-Pac Eclipse review in Small Craft Advisor. I told her it was my current dream boat. Her response was, "kinda small, isn't it?" I would think we should go with something closer to 30'. I have a savings account and a dream, and probably a few years to read boat reviews. john
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My wife is an excellent first mate. She is the finest diesel mechanic I know and extreme weather with hard-over healing only gets her hot. She has a feel for the helm that I can only dream to match. She doesn't know all the nautical terms for everything on the boat but she nows intstinctivly what they are for and is quick in a crisis with none of the female hysterics we have all seen from time to time. I am a very linear thinker and she is an abstract one so we are a good team when tackling repairs and crisis. I always ask her advice before tackling any modification or fix. She is cautious but not adverse to risk if it can be done with a degree of safety and there is some skill to be learned. When making repairs she modifies my slap dash attack with her own penchant for perfection and thinking things through. Although I taught her how to sail she has made a better sailor out of me. After 18 years together I wouldn't trade her for Jan Mundy or Don Casey fine sailors that they are.
spouses sailing skills
We both started sailing about 5 years ago, and it's more my thing than hers. She does not take the boat out by herself, but will sail with me or with my daughter (who is a pretty capable 11 year old skipper). She does not freak out the way she used to when the wind kicks up, but I think she would enjoy sailing more on a flatter boat, which is why I thought of the Eclipse. My daughter on the other hand says it wouldn't feel like sailing if she weren't hiked out as far as she could with water gushing over the rail every now and then . . . so pleasing both the women in my life might prove difficult! My wife has several skills that I lack - dispite my obsessive reading of books and magizines! For example she can gauge much more accurately than I then angle of our tack. When approaching a mooring from upwind I will always tack too soon and have to make one or more corrections, she hits it on the button every time! Also, for the first several years of our sailing she was in charge of playing with the kids while rigged and launched the boat, so I have more rigging experience - but it goes so much faster when she helps, she is very organized, and is never going to be walking around saying, "OK, you know that pin that holds the rudder on?????" What about you women out there??? How do your spouses handle the boat? john
We both started sailing about 5 years ago, and it's more my thing than hers. She does not take the boat out by herself, but will sail with me or with my daughter (who is a pretty capable 11 year old skipper). She does not freak out the way she used to when the wind kicks up, but I think she would enjoy sailing more on a flatter boat, which is why I thought of the Eclipse. My daughter on the other hand says it wouldn't feel like sailing if she weren't hiked out as far as she could with water gushing over the rail every now and then . . . so pleasing both the women in my life might prove difficult! My wife has several skills that I lack - dispite my obsessive reading of books and magizines! For example she can gauge much more accurately than I then angle of our tack. When approaching a mooring from upwind I will always tack too soon and have to make one or more corrections, she hits it on the button every time! Also, for the first several years of our sailing she was in charge of playing with the kids while rigged and launched the boat, so I have more rigging experience - but it goes so much faster when she helps, she is very organized, and is never going to be walking around saying, "OK, you know that pin that holds the rudder on?????" What about you women out there??? How do your spouses handle the boat? john
Eclipse 21 !
John, The Eclipse 21 is a beautiful boat especially if your going to be towing her. only an inch or to wider and 3 feet 9 inches longer than the H-170 but a lot heavier at about 2,200 lbs, 700 lbs of keel, and stainless steel center board too. she is easy to set up, about the same amount of time for the Hunter 170. If your not going to be towing, and can afford the boat slip, dry dock storage, launch fees, and general yearly maintenance cost, than may be your wifes suggestion of a 30 footer is worth pursuing. I think there has been 50 new Eclipse sold since 2004 when they went into production so there hard to find used but are some available. used would be a good way buy. a big cost saving and most likely the previous owner added a lot of neat stuff that you pick up at a reduce cost. Glenn, Eclipse owner and former H-170 owner.
John, The Eclipse 21 is a beautiful boat especially if your going to be towing her. only an inch or to wider and 3 feet 9 inches longer than the H-170 but a lot heavier at about 2,200 lbs, 700 lbs of keel, and stainless steel center board too. she is easy to set up, about the same amount of time for the Hunter 170. If your not going to be towing, and can afford the boat slip, dry dock storage, launch fees, and general yearly maintenance cost, than may be your wifes suggestion of a 30 footer is worth pursuing. I think there has been 50 new Eclipse sold since 2004 when they went into production so there hard to find used but are some available. used would be a good way buy. a big cost saving and most likely the previous owner added a lot of neat stuff that you pick up at a reduce cost. Glenn, Eclipse owner and former H-170 owner.
thanks Glenn
I have come back around to the Eclipse. I think the advantages are numerous. I think my good lady wife's head is easily turned by teak trim and an oven (I wonder how many folks are out crusing and get an urge to bake a cake?). I think the ability to trailer rig and launch quickly is more than a compensation for the oven and shower. The Hunter 240 is on my short list as well, folks knock it for being too tender, makes me think my crew would like it no more than they like the 170. Thanks for the input, for now I am happy as a clam with my little boat, my savings account, and my dream! john
I have come back around to the Eclipse. I think the advantages are numerous. I think my good lady wife's head is easily turned by teak trim and an oven (I wonder how many folks are out crusing and get an urge to bake a cake?). I think the ability to trailer rig and launch quickly is more than a compensation for the oven and shower. The Hunter 240 is on my short list as well, folks knock it for being too tender, makes me think my crew would like it no more than they like the 170. Thanks for the input, for now I am happy as a clam with my little boat, my savings account, and my dream! john
Dreams !
John, Dreams are what keep us going, for without dreams, we have nothing. I'm sure you and your crew will be happy with what ever boat you will end up with. The Eclipse Has a fair amount of teak inside and out to give the boat that rich look to her without too much work to be done to maintain the teak. As for baking a cake, how about a stern rail Bar B Que ? Happy Sailing. Glenn
John, Dreams are what keep us going, for without dreams, we have nothing. I'm sure you and your crew will be happy with what ever boat you will end up with. The Eclipse Has a fair amount of teak inside and out to give the boat that rich look to her without too much work to be done to maintain the teak. As for baking a cake, how about a stern rail Bar B Que ? Happy Sailing. Glenn
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