Pick of the Day Sailers

"To compare women and the sea is an ancient practice," wrote Carleton Mitchell, winner of many trophies and distinguished chronicler of sailing, when we asked what the sport meant to him. "Those dedicated to both cannot think of wide waters and the craft that ply them as other than feminine. What else could be so fascinating, so capricious, so challenging, so capable of evoking pleasure?

"Sailing can be likened to soaring, to skiing, to surfing: It has the swoop, the surge, the silent glide. There is the elation of being in harmony with the elements, of physical mastery of forces that can overwhelm, should judgment or response be faulty. A wondrous sense of being as free as the wind itself comes once the mooring is dropped. The sailor is quite literally on his own. Even the smallest boat affords an escape from steaming pavements, clogged highways and electronic razzmatazz.

"Perhaps it is this that, in part, makes sailing at any level of competence a delight. Each experience is different and there are always new horizons beckoning. Begin with a (continued on page 120) dinghy on an inland creek: The creek widens into a river and the river empties into a bay, in turn opening onto the oceans of the world. The dinghy becomes a day sailer, a midget cabin cruiser, eventually, perhaps, a racing yawl Bermuda-bound or a sturdy home afloat running down the trades toward distant atolls. At each stage there is a carry-over of skills. Most experienced helmsmen agree that a beginner is better off starting small to acquire the true feel of, and for, a boat.

"Even for the neophyte, the pleasures are immediate and the paths that open are infinite. Once afloat, each individual will set his own course. Rare is the body of water that does not offer competition round the buoys or to the other shore. Launched on a racing career, the day sailor never need worry about what to do with his weekends--nor the rest of his spare time. Those who like their leisure less hectic will discover that the word cruising is as varied in its context as the temperament of its practitioner. It can mean a picnic lunch in the cockpit or swinging to an anchor on afternoons or weekends in a pine- or palm-girt cove, far from familiar haunts.

"In time, memories will run the gamut from lazy drifts on a silver sea to hard windward beats with spray rhythmically cascading aft. There will have been summer dips over the side, body and spirit unfettered, and swathed late-fall dashes for a protected harbor, where the skipper's consolation began with a hot buttered rum in that snuggest of sanctuaries, a small cruiser's cabin or even a tarpaulin-covered cockpit. Recollections of muzzling a flogging jib on a slippery foredeck will be balanced by the quiet satisfaction of threading a narrow channel in fog, the intricacies of navigation mastered.

"In its more extreme forms, such as ocean racing, the urge that drives the sailor has been compared to the compulsion that impels others to climb distant, difficult mountains. No galleries rise to applaud. Only the individual is aware of feats of skill or daring. Sailing is more than a sport. It is a passion."

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The definition of a day sailer is not precise. One man's day sailing may consist of hanging by his fingernails at the end of a trapeze while icy water sluices over his wet suit; another's could just as well be drifting along in a well-appointed bathtub, feet on rim and beer in hand. In general, though, a day sailer is an easily handled boat that is not big--nor elaborate--enough to support life for an extended period of time (seldom longer than overnight). It should be comfortable and offer enjoyment to the seaman who has a feel for how a boat should react under sail. A day sailer isn't primarily intended for serious racing, though a number of classes can and do perform well in competition.

Now, that's a definition that some might compare in scope and daring to, perhaps, being for motherhood and the flag. But it does have one virtue: It allows us to consider a fairly wide range of interesting boats that can legitimately be labeled day sailers. In fact, there is even a boat with the trade name Day Sailer that's so typical of the breed she's virtually a definition in herself. The lady is an l.o.a. (length overall) 16'9" fiberglass sloop, designed by the British nautical wizard Uffa Fox, an old sailing buddy of the Duke of Edinburgh. Her other dimensions are l.w.l. (length on the water line) 16', beam (width) 6'3", draft (penetration of hull below water line) minimum 7" to maximum 3'9", s.a. (sail area of regular sail or sails) 145 sq. ft., plus a spinnaker and a centerboard (a retractable form of keel).

Since the design was introduced in the late Fifties, more than 5000 Day Sailers have been sold. As an indication of the ratio of day sailing to racing, about 700 of these have been registered with a formal organization of owners who want to race. The Day Sailer has a list price of $2115, including sails, which means an investment of about $2300 by the time the owner takes delivery. If he wants an outboard motor, that will add $200--$400 to the price. The Day Sailer is able on all points of sailing without being a hot boat. Although she'd be left far astern by a racing machine such as a 5-0-5 or a Thistle (one-design racing boats in the same general size range), she's relatively dry and stable in breezes under 20 knots, with a comfortable cockpit and a stowage area under the cuddy forward. The Day Sailer is a good boat in which to spend a lazy time, feet up on the coaming, enjoying the sun, the breeze and a beautiful first mate; and, actually, that's what day sailing is all about.

If you want a little more privacy, the latest model of the Day Sailer (Day Sailer II; $2115, including sails) has been altered to make the cuddy into an enclosed cabin that sleeps two. Given the boat's over-all dimensions, this doesn't exactly resemble a suite at the Plaza, but the desire to step up and improve is a strong one and even day-sailing devotees are thinking more and more of combining daytime activities with nighttime fun and games afloat.

Sailboats make up the fastest-growing category in the boating industry. (In the slowdown year of 1970, only sailboats and canoes continued to show sales gains.) Many of these boats are classed as racing craft--and only on occasion are they used for something other than serious racing, even though many of the most popular racing classes, such as the aforementioned Thistle, the Lightning or the Snipe, were originally intended as combination racer--day sailers. Boats in the Olympic category, notably the Flying Dutchman, Finn, Star, Tempest, Dragon and Soling, and other hot-shots such as the International 14, OK Dinghy, Comet, M-16, M-20, Fireball, Windmill, Y-Flyer and many catamaran classes are meant strictly for racing. There is no law to prevent you from taking one out and day sailing to your heart's content, but very few people do. They are almost all dry-sailed; that is, stored out of water between races to prevent the hulls from soaking up moisture and to keep their bottoms smooth, slick and shiny.

It's a nuisance to launch a boat and extremely tiring to haul it out after a sailing afternoon of sun, dunk and drink. Thus, many of the boats that are classed as day sailers first and possible racing boats second are those that can be moored. This doesn't mean they have no racing potential; when campaigned, they're usually handled with all the expertise of an Olympic class, but the between-races potential of these boats is much greater. Whether racing or day sailing, they provide fun with a minimum of fuss and preparation. And though they are usually sailed from "wet storage," most small day sailers can be trailed behind a passenger car for a quick change of horizons.

Besides the stock boat, there are a few things to consider in the area of additional equipment. Every boat should, of course, have the basic gear required both by law and by common sense. Life jackets or buoyant cushions for every passenger, foghorn, lights for night operation and a fire extinguisher if you use an outboard--all are required. The laws vary according to local area, size of boat, type of auxiliary power and the body of water. In addition, at least one anchor, mooring lines, boat hook, bucket, swab, paddle, first-aid kit and a basic set of tools are necessary on all but the simplest type of board boat. A good radio for receiving local weather reports while out on the water is also recommended, as well as a Government chart of the waters you're sailing. Binoculars are helpful in picking out navigational aids and landmarks--and for checking out the first mates on nearby craft.

Many a day voyage has been saved by proper protection from too much sun and by a light jacket or a foul-weather coat for that late-afternoon change in weather. Few day sailers are large enough to have built-in ice chests, so a portable cooler will add to your joys afloat. It is also wise to note that very few have toilet facilities and some provision for (continued on page 171)Day Sailers(continued from page 120) this--there are many models on the market--can make a long day much more civilized. Of course, you'll want to take plenty of good food and drink to satisfy the voracious appetites and thirsts whetted by a day on the water. Whatever else you take will be dictated by your own tastes and by those of your shipmate, keeping in mind that a happy crew can make day sailing a nighttime sport.

All the boats included here are of fiberglass construction, a big plus for easy maintenance. In making our selections from the many excellent craft available, we concentrated on models that seem to embody the characteristics that make day sailing one of the most popular and fastest-growing pursuits in the entire field of pleasure boating.

Hobie Cat 16

l.o.a. 16'7"; beam 7'11"; s.a. 218 sq. ft.; by Coast Catamaran, $1695, with sails, trapeze and harness rigging.

Hobie Alter is an enterprising outdoorsman who had a bright idea and developed it. As an expert surfer and surfboard manufacturer, he came up with the notion of combining surfing and sailing. The result was a little catrigged catamaran called the Hobie Cat 14 ($1195). In three years, almost 8000 of these sporty but simple boats were sold, making sailors of thousands who had previously never thought twice about the sport. Not originally a sailor himself, Alter brought an elementary approach to the supposedly complicated art by providing the buyer with a manual that progressively details in simple, direct terms how to become an accomplished sailor.

Last year, after many hours of personal research off the beach near his San Juan Capistrano, California, plant, Alter developed the Hobie Cat 16. While the 14 performs better as a single-hander, the 16 is meant for a crew and, therefore, is a more socially oriented boat. Although some are being raced, the Hobie 16 is primarily meant to be enjoyed for the sheer exhilaration of speed and motion. Like many other hot catamarans, and like a good sports car, she provides rewards through performance; stimulation enough without competition. The rig can be reduced for single-handing by the dedicated loner, but sharing speed thrills is the joy of this boat. It's recommended that you wear a swimsuit and not attempt to drift and drink when sailing her, though the canvas trampoline between the hulls will easily allow a couple to stretch out in a light breeze. The term high performance has become a much-abused cliché in the sailboat field, but the Hobie 16, with speeds up to 22 knots, is one boat that deserves this appellation.

Flying Scot

l.o.a. 19'; l.w.l. 18'4"; beam 7'1"; centerboarder; draft 8" min., 4' max.; s.a. 190 sq. ft.; by Gordon Douglass Boat Co., $2495, not including sails.

Sandy Douglass, who originally designed the popular Thistle and Highlander after long experience in the International 14 class, branched out on his own with the Flying Scot, a design that embodies the performance characteristics of both boats but is better adapted to day sailing. Furthermore, a Flying Scot is stable enough to be handled by a captain and shapely crew of one--even in a stiff breeze--though the cockpit is large enough to accommodate up to eight people comfortably. The Flying Scot, in other words, offers an optimum combination of performance and comfort for those who may like racing but don't want to limit themselves to it.

Sanderling

l.o.a. 18'2"; l.w.l. 17'6"; beam 8'6"; centerboarder; draft 1'7" min., 4'4" max.; s.a. 253 sq. ft.; by Marshall Marine Corp., $3990, not including sail.

The catboat is a truly American craft. Its history goes back to Colonial days along the Atlantic Coast, and a distinctive variety known as the Cape Cod cat was developed for commercial work by fishermen of that New England outpost about 120 years ago. The Crosby family in Osterville, Massachusetts, became the best known of the local builders, and "original" Crosby cats, following the traditional lines and practices, were built until the Forties. Some antiques still survive, lovingly preserved by proud owners, but the type, always an excellent boat for day sailing, has undergone a modern revival of modest proportions through fiberglass construction.

In 1963, Breck Marshall, an experienced builder of ocean racers and an avid catboat enthusiast, began production of a modern adaptation of the classic cat. Two sizes are manufactured--a 22-footer, which is really a complete cruising boat, and an 18-footer known by the class name of Sanderling. Although she has a small cabin with two bunks, a head and a galley shelf, the Sanderling is basically a day sailer, with a roomy, comfortable cockpit that holds six adults with ease.

Sanderlings preserve the traditional catboat look--stubby, shoal-draft hulls, flat-transom sterns and no-nonsense "barndoor" rudders. Where possible, Marshall has employed modern materials both for ease of maintenance and for additional strength. The mast is of lightweight, hollow aluminum rather than of heavy hardwood. The reduced weight gives the Sanderling greater stability and aids in eliminating some of the bow-heavy temperamentalness of her predecessors. The result is a lively performer, good enough for racing yet comfortable enough for partying, able in rough water yet shallow-draft enough for gunkholing (sailing in shallow water with the centerboard up).

Buccaneer

l.o.a. 18'; l.w.l. 16'8"; beam 6'; centerboarder; draft 7" min., 3'11" max.; s.a. 175 sq. ft.; by Chrysler Marine Products, $2315, including sails.

This boat, which made an impressive debut when a wooden prototype placed second in her division in Yachting magazine's 1969 One-of-a-Kind Regatta in Chicago, has been put into fiberglass production by Chrysler Corporation. The Buccaneer combines racing potential with day-sailing comfort. Designed through the combined efforts of Rod Macalpine--Downie of England and Dick Gibbs of Michigan, she has an easily driven hull that handles well in the chop of open water. With an optional spinnaker, the Buccaneer can keep abreast of the hottest racing classes and challenge a serious crew, but many nonracing features have also been included in the design: Provision is made for an outboard motor, which can be stored under a hatch in the afterdeck, and foam flotation has been incorporated into the spars and deck. Remote furling gear on the jib--to quickly shorten sail in heavy weather--is an advantage in both racing and lazy day sailing. With this trend setter, it's possible to have the best of two worlds.

Lido 14

l.o.a. 14'; l.w.l. 13'1"; beam 6'; centerboarder; draft 5" min., 4'3" max.; s.a. 111 sq. ft.: by W. D. Schock Co., $1295 not including sails.

This extremely popular West Coast sloop--about 3500 have been built to the design of Bill Schock, her creator--makes a comfortable day sailer in the lower price and smaller size range and, again, one that combines racing and day sailing. Lido fleets are active in many states and in some foreign countries, particularly Mexico. And the wide-beamed Lido offers ample cockpit space for relaxing, plus a sturdy hull that can take plenty of pounding. There's also room to store picnic gear or snorkeling equipment and you can easily attach an outboard mount to the stern to round her out for a day of good fun. Named after an island near Newport Beach, California, Lidos are found over a wide area--always an advantage from a resale point of view.

Corinthian

l.o.a. 19'7"; l.w.l. 14'6"; beam 6'6"; draft 2'9"; s.a. 186 sq. ft.; by Bristol Yacht Co., $2995, not including sails.

Carl Alberg, a veteran nautical designer, has a talent for turning small boats into very handsome, scaled-down versions of larger vessels without sacrificing such important features as cockpit room and stowage space. The Bristol Corinthian, a shallow-draft keelboat, is an excellent example of his expertise. The skipper who likes to cruise in shallow waters and doesn't want the bother and space-wasting bulk of a centerboard and its obtrusive trunk will find her especially appealing. The Corinthian's neatly formed overhang recalls an earlier day, but she's thoroughly modern in rig and materials. A responsive performer, she can be used for racing, although the lady is primarily a day sailer. The emphasis is on the well-planned cockpit, which seats four comfortably. With an outboard, she becomes a versatile craft for poking up creeks and rivers or venturing into open waters when the weather is right--and there's stowage under the seats and in the cuddy for the makings of meals and parties.

Rhodes 19

l.o.a. 19'2"; l.w.l. 17'9"; beam 7'; draft with fixed keel 3'3", with centerboard 10" min., 4'11" max.; s.a. 175 sq. ft.; by O'Day Co., $2495, not including sails.

Phil Rhodes, one of the giants of the yacht-designing profession, put it all together when he designed the rugged Rhodes 19, a craft that comes with the purchaser's choice of keel or center board. The Rhodes is supported by a loyal class-racing organization that's active from coast to coast. (A 300-sq.-ft. spinnaker adds to the boat's challenge and versatility.) Lighter boats in this size range have beaten the Rhodes 19 in moderate air, but in heavy seas, when more delicate craft fade, the Rhodes really comes into her own and gives her crew a hell of a ride.

The Rhodes has all the elements needed for a very pleasant day of sailing under a variety of conditions. The cockpit is comfortable, the cuddy is good for stowage and there's no need to worry about rough water should the wind begin to rise. The design also comes in a cruising version known as the Mariner 2+2 ($2770), which features a two-berth cabin. Both models have roller reefing, a well for an outboard and--like all of the boats in this article--can easily be trailed behind a car. And they're virtually un-sinkable.

Newport Holiday

l.o.a. 19'1"; l.w.l. 17'6"; beam 6'7"; centerboarder; draft 8" min., 4'6" max.; s.a. 173 sq. ft.; by Browning Newport Boats, $2495, including sails.

(concluded overleaf) The Newport Holiday, a sloop with a cuddy cabin, is the day-sailing version of a hot racing boat. Harry Sindle, a former U. S. Olympic Flying Dutchman skipper, used his familiarity with that high-performance class to incorporate some of its best features into a beamier, more stable boat, able to give her crew plenty of swift action while they relax in a commodious cockpit. The slender, knifelike bow is angled to deflect spray and particularly resembles the original Dutchman; but by the time your eye roves back to the cuddy and the generous seats in the cockpit, the Holiday's similarity to an Olympic class has disappeared. The cuddy is a handy stowage area for day sailing and provides sleeping room for two. There's also stowage space aft for an outboard and other ship's gear, and a five-hp long-shaft outboard can be mounted on the transom. The cockpit easily seats six with plenty of footroom, and the long centerboard trunk makes a good foot brace. The heavy centerboard and ample beam ensure stability and, in the highly unlikely event that one should capsize, the positive flotation and self-bailing cockpit make her easy to right. The roller-reefed mainsail is an added convenience and safety factor, making the Holiday a most complete and enjoyable day sailer.

Cape Dory 14

l.o.a. 14'6"; l.w.l. 14'3"; beam 4'3"; centerboarder; draft (6" min., 3' max.; s.a. 85 sq. ft.; by Cape Dory Co., Inc., $799, including sail.

This is getting down to the minimum of what could still be called day sailing as opposed to dinghy sailing--and the 14's smaller sister, the Cape Dory 10 ($599), is just about at the bottom rung of the category. Both these boats perform well and offer room to move about a bit. You can venture into something more than pondlike waters, though not too far from the harbor, and there's enough space to take along gear and supplies to make life afloat more pleasurable for a few hours. One great advantage of boats of this size is their portability. They can be car-topped even more easily than they can be trailed--thus opening up a wide range of launch-site locations that are not easily accessible to more cumbersome boats. One day a mountain lake, the next a coastal bay and, for a vacation, a whole new horizon in some distant area. You can beat variations in weather and change in seasons when you travel light with a Cape Dory 14 or 10.

Sunfish

l.o.a. 13'10"; l.w.l. 12'6"; beam 4'; centerboarder; draft 6" min., 2'11" max.; s.a. 75 sq. ft.; by AMF Alcort Div., $580, including sail.

Undoubtedly, more people have taken to the water under sail on this board boat than on any other design in history. Shortly after World War Two, two young men, Cort Heyniger and Alex Bryan, had the idea of making the simplest kind of sailboat possible, primarily for the kit-building trade, out of a plywood surfboard and colorful lateen rig. A public newly interested in leisure pursuits took to their small Sailfish in unprecedented numbers. The Sailfish design was eventually enlarged to a Super Sailfish and then refined to the present-day fiberglass Sunfish. Over 100,000 Sun fish and Sailfish have been built in all, and the original idea is still going strong, although there now are many imitations on the market. Sunfish are kept for the use of guests at almost every resort area in southern waters and they abound on most bodies of water big enough to support any kind of pleasure boating.

The addition of a small foot-well cockpit to the original Sailfish concept makes the newer Sunfish more comfortable for spending some time aboard, but this is still swimsuit sport--really a combination of swimming and sailing. Capsizing holds no terrors, as you are wet anyway and the boat is easily righted. In fact, many people enjoy the flips as much as the straight sailing.

A Sunfish performs well enough to provide serious racing for members of more than 275 racing fleets, and a world-championship regatta annually attracts top-ranked skippers. When the breeze is strong, a good planing reach in a Sunfish can be a real challenge to the skipper to balance the boat correctly and get the most out of each puff. For simple fun afloat, for knocking around in a carefree way, for painless familiarization with the art of sailing and for genuine thrills when it blows, the Sunfish fills a unique role.

It's been said that there is nothing--absolutely nothing--half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. Once you know the ropes, the thrill of cutting across a body of water at full tilt in a day sailer can compare to topping a Ferrari out at 160 or taking Sun Valley's Exhibition run in a single swoop. But don't take our word for it. See for yourself. Good sailing!

Sailing Books and Schools

In probably no other sport is the phrase "learn as you do" more applicable than in sailing. To become a proficient sailor, you must sail. But before you hank the jib and weigh anchor, we recommend some background reading from the selection of books listed here:

Sailing for Beginners, by Moulton H. Farnham, from Macmillan, $8.95; Wind and Sail, by John Muhlhausen, from Quadrangle Books, $7.95; The Lure of Sailing, by Everett A. Pearson, from Harper & Row, $7.95.

If you have the time, also consider taking a course in sailing from one of the organizations listed below. Some are intended for the neophyte yachtsman, while others offer advanced instruction that will be more of interest to the seasoned salt who has already acquired his sea legs. Further information on price and time, etc., can be obtained by writing to the schools at the addresses provided.

Offshore Sailing School

5 East 40th Street

New York, New York 10016

(Courses include both classroom and water instruction on 27' Solings provided by the school and moored in four locales--Nassau, Martha's Vineyard, New York's City Island and Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.)

Annapolis Sailing School

Box 1669

601 Sixth Street

Annapolis, Maryland 21404

(Weekend, month and vacation courses for novices on a variety of boats, plus classroom instruction.)

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Coast Navigation School

418 East Canon Perdido

Santa Barbara, California 93102

(Correspondence courses in navigation, seamanship and boat handling.)

United States Coast Guard Auxiliary

Write or call the local Coast Guard Station for information on courses in your area. Or write:

U. S. C. G. Headquarters

400 7th St. S.W.

Washington, D. C. 20591

("Dry land" classroom courses in sailing, piloting and seamanship.)

United States Power Squadrons

Box 345

50 Craig Road

Montvale, New Jersey 07645

(Free classroom piloting instruction to the public; sailing courses available to members.)