Stern Windows

[Simon Sexton]

Hey Guys,

Good morning everyone! I know I haven't posted in a few weeks because I've been on winter break and on the water and with the girlfriend for most of my time so now I'm back! My remark for today is simply to acknowledge the beauty ot stern windows; although they look cheesy on smaller boats, I am personally fond of them on larger multi-masted vessels like schooners, ketches and yawls.

 

[jssailem]

They give the Skippers cabin a sense of the great past "Sailing, sailing over the bounding main. Where many a stormy wind shall blow 'Ere Jack comes home again."

 

[dscribner]

Looks like Pokemon

 

[Scott T-Bird]

I've seen a few that cause me to pine away for the boat simply because of the stern windows!

 

[Simon Sexton]

I've seen a few that cause me to pine away for the boat simply because of the stern windows!

Mr. Scott,

I do suppose the wrong design of window could very well turn someone away from the overall aesthetics of the vessel; I once saw a French design for a 2017 concept that had two long, narrow stern windows which looked a bit like squinting eyes, and I immediately detested the design because of it (other than the fact that the boat was a 40 foot cruiser with a swing keel...).

 

[Meriachee]

It does look like a happy boat. It would be an odd thought if you fell off and it was happily sailing away from you.

 

[CarlN]

Now if you could have these aft cabin windows! Can you imagine how nice this was at sea - except maybe when some French frigate was lobbing cannon balls in your window.

 

[Jackdaw]

Mr. Scott,

I do suppose the wrong design of window could very well turn someone away from the overall aesthetics of the vessel; I once saw a French design for a 2017 concept that had two long, narrow stern windows which looked a bit like squinting eyes, and I immediately detested the design because of it (other than the fact that the boat was a 40 foot cruiser with a swing keel...).

What do you have against 40 foot french cruisers with swing keels????

 

[danm1]

Mr. Scott,

(other than the fact that the boat was a 40 foot cruiser with a swing keel...).

French 46 footer with centerboard. Looks good to me.

 

[Jackdaw]

French 46 footer with centerboard. Looks good to me.

That was my point. Pogo 12.5. French 40 cruiser with a swing keel.

 

[JohnShannon]

The French are nuts and have designed some fantastic boats.

 

[Simon Sexton]

What do you have against 40 foot french cruisers with swing keels????

I just never learned to trust them; every time I sailed a swing keel sailboat, something went wrong. They also don't point as well as a fixed keel vessel.

 

[Simon Sexton]

French 46 footer with centerboard. Looks good to me.View attachment 145359

I will admit, I quite like the Allures designs, but I just never was a huge swing keel fan.

 

[Jackdaw]

but I just never was a huge swing keel fan.

Why?

 

[Simon Sexton]

Why?

I had a friend who drowned because he was sailing a MacGregor 25 and the swing keel literally fell off and he was knocked unconscious. I don't know exactly how it broke, as the coast guard was close by and took action alongside a few of our chase boats, but some said the pivoting axle sheared. I had sailed with him for years since I was in second grade and never thought something like that would happen. That's why I just don't trust them anymore.

 

[Meriachee]

They also don't point as well as a fixed keel vessel.

Huh?

 

[Simon Sexton]

Huh?

I could never get them to sail upwind as well as a fixed keel boat.

 

[Meriachee]

That's why I just don't trust them anymore

So, applying that logic, you don't trust the pin at the mast of the mast, the shaft holding the rudder in place, the pin holding the tiller to the shaft, the pins holding the cogs in the winches, need I go on?

 

[Simon Sexton]

So, applying that logic, you don't trust the pin at the mast of the mast, the shaft holding the rudder in place, the pin holding the tiller to the shaft, the pins holding the cogs in the winches, need I go on?

Sir, I respect your opinion just as much as anyone else's, and I will say that I do not hate all swing keel boats, as I have never sailed a larger one (30+ feet), and I've heard that the larger ones actually perform quite nicely; those who taught me to sail always told me to stay away from purchasing a swing keel boat because they weren't reliable. The newer ones may be, but I just found it a bit odd.

 

[Jackdaw]

Do you think there is anything that ties the performance and capability of that Pogo lifting keel to one used on a Mac25?

Finot designed boats (Pogo, First, etc) uses a deep, high aspect foil that is controlled by a hydraulic ram. The foil is SS and fiberglass, with a lead foot for very low CG. It is also fused so in a hard grounding, it releases to avoid damage. If you run up on sand, you simply raise the keel and sail away. The ram hold it in place all other times. It allows a very deep keel for excellent pointing, with the ability to retract for motoring into shoal areas. In addition, the keel box creates an immensely strong 3-dimensional structure to hold the keel to the boat. The whole setup add cost and complexity, but is very reliable and very much gives the best of both world.