My New Boat

[Anwen (Deep Joy)]

is a Sun Odyssey 33i. I placed the order yesterday at the Southampton Boat Show, and expect to be commissioning the boat next March. Deep Joy will be taken in part exchange and will be with Network Yacht Brokers in due course.

Here is a summary of the specs:-
Lift keel - this is the main reason for changing from Deep Joy
Preference trim - midship cleats, spinnaker deck fittings, extra domestic battery, shore power, battery charger, cockpit table, 2 aft cabin portlights, electric halyard winch(!), H&C Cockpit shower, Simrad sonic hub sound system with speakers in saloon & cockpit, various other extras.
Simrad tridata and wind
German Mainsheet system
Electric windlass
Simrad NSS7 plotter in cockpit
Simrad autopilot
Wood cockpit floor

We will be adding diesel heating and other misc items during commissioning. The intention is that this boat will see me through until I get too old or decrepit to sail anymore! I'm really excited to have a new boat and will really enjoy the process this time, having been through the process before.

No thoughts on name yet, although Deeper Joy has been considered and dismissed. ;D

[tedp]

Congratulations, Jon - I see you have ordered a number of improvements on the standard specification. A lift keel is a good idea for shallow waters or for taking the ground, something I miss on my SO32, too. I don't yet want an electric halyard winch, but I may have to invest in one in future years. But I decided to stick with my present boat which, funnily, was bought for the same reasons you have ordered the 33i for!

[Zanshin]

Congratulations on the order! I know from experience how diffícult the "gestation" period can be. A visit to the factory to see the boat in production is a worthwhile investment and can break up the waiting period into "before factory" and "after factory".

[Anwen (Deep Joy)]

Thanks guys. In another post I mentioned that I was thinking about the SO30 lift keel, but when I looked at it in detail, the LK option is an RCD cat C boat, which whilst this wouldn't particularly bother me, might be a restriction when trying to sell. While the 33i is more money (which I don't really have) I concluded that finding the extra would be worth it for my particular needs.

Looking at the specs, the electronic systems are going to require a degree in computer science to master. I have spent the evening downloading the various Simrad manuals to try and get a start on this.

[rene460]

Congratulations Jon, I am sure that when the initial pain is past, you will have no regrets. I applaud your list of "extras", especially the centre cleats which you will be thankful for every time you dock.
When you get to that spinnaker you will want to consider a furler or sock as you mentioned you normally sail short handed, but we find our assymetric great for down wind sailing in light (drifting) conditions, it sets like a dream, but I would not like to have to gybe single handed, but I assume that is next years project.
rene460

[MartyB]

I wish I had the ability to go bigger! maybe next year............

as far as gybing an AS single handed. piece of cake! I've done it a few times. Altho I have a tiller vs a wheel, which in my mind would make it slightly easier. I also outside run the sheets, which seems to allow the as to gybe better than trying to get it to go between the forestay and the luff. I just let out the what will be old sheet as far as I can, then turn the boat with the tiller between my legs, pull in on the new side. I will also do a short burst wing on wing if that makes things easier also.

marty

[rene460]

Thanks Marty, that is the best description of the procedure I have seen, despite much searching and reading of many books and magazine articles. Obviously we have been getting the sequence wrong.
When and how do you gybe the main? Single handed, both hands seem pretty busy!
Do you have a little strut "catcher" for the slack sheet ? Or other procedure to avoid the possibility of overrunning the slack line?
We will have the opportunity to try out your method early next week, as our weather forecast is looking perfect - 5 - 10 knots.
Any extra tricks for getting it down dry? We go down wind and haul it in under the boom. Easy, but it is hard to keep it dry.
We have some advantages with a wheel and two on board.
rene460

[MartyB]

Do you have a sock for the AS? If so, that is the easiest way to hoist and drop frankly. Otherwise, if you play your cards right, the main can blanet the AS, yes you can drop it on the foredeck that way.......Otherwise, having a jib raised/furled out will blanket it, then drop the AS from behind/below the foot of the jib.

The new loose sheet, its usually a hope it can stay above deck level per say. That is where DH helps, as the 2nd person can then walk around and get the lose sheet to the top. With a crew, the old one can stay in that persons hand until the new sheet is set then tie off so it will not get loose and drag below etc.

Then the main, If crewed, we gybe together per say. If in DH mode, daughter is usually forward, I'm in the cockpit, Usually the main will go first, then the AS. I also sheet in the main sheet to when it goes it is not a full 180 or so violently. That can break a boom.......do not ask me how I know this.........

Not sure frankly, if wheel is an advantange, as I steer with the tiller between my legs, leaving both hands available to work with lines etc,. On the other hand, if you have a self steering option, then that is best in SH mode. If done correctly, 2 in the cockpit should be able to gybe easy enough. I do find slower is better than to quick. Too quick, not letting the old sheet out far enough seems to cause the AS to wrap around the forestay, or the as will try to go inbetween the forestay and luff causing issues if set for an outside gybe. So getting the old sheet line out far enough is the mian key/trick before actually going from port to starboard or vice versa.

Marty

[rene460]

Hi Marty, No sock, we just turn down wind, blanket behind the main, let the halyard down a little so crew can reach clew under the boom ( from the cockpit). Only release tack line when all pressure is definitely off, no flapping etc. Another "don't ask"! But sail proportions mean it gets a bit wet if we do not get order and amount of easing just right. We have a boom brake which is like magic for preventing those slam gybes, but we still prefer to initiate the gybe rather than wait until it goes.
We will try again next week. You have provided some useful points for us to try, thank you.
Rene460

[reverie]

Guys,

Before we outside-gybe our gennaker (which we only do in sub-10 knot breezes), we sheet the mainsail in tight - almost to the centerline. This accomplishes two things: 1) It prevents the boom from thrashing across the boat in the gybe, and 2) allows clean air to fill the gennaker right through the entire gybe - preventing it from collapsing as the boat is turn deep downwind.

In winds over 10 knots, we "chicken-gybe" the gennaker by dousing it with the sock, gybing the boat, moving the sock around the forestay, then relaunching the gennaker on the new side. Admittedly, not brave, and I'm sure with more experience I'll be properly gybing in stronger winds.

Separately, my North G2 gennaker has a horn-like device near the bottom of the luff that catches the new lazy sheet as the boat gybes and prevents it from getting keel-hauled. Seems to work about 90% of the time. When it doesn't work, the typical cause is that we simply didn't sheet in the new sheet quickly enough.

Hope this helps. Btw, the boat is a SO35.

Cheers,

John

[pbunning]

We took delivery of 33i (performance version) earlier this year (previously owning 34.2). Only use her for cruising, but wanted many of the extras (folding prop, rod kicker etc) which came with performance version.
Delighted with performance and handling. She is much quicker than my last boat.

I was not sure what instrumentation to use when we ordered, so ordered first and decided later - allowing dealer to fit. Downloaded all the manuals (Simrad and Raymarine) and chose Simrad mainly because we could control auto helm from NSS7. We had number of problems with Simrad (still not all resolved) - main outstanding problem is with auto helm, which switches off periodically when it loses rudder position. In mitigation, the boat handles so well that she remains on course.

[Anwen (Deep Joy)]

Well, the latest news is that we have changed our order. After a lot of discussion and number crunching, we have gone up another size to the 379. Still the lift keel version, and much the same spec as the 33i in my first post, but with an in-mast furling mainsail. If I was excited before, I am bonkers now! Slightly nervous about learning to handle a bigger twin rudder boat under power in the marina, but I am assured by the owner of the 379 LK already in our marina that it isn't a tricky boat to manoeuvre. Mind you he used to have a 32i LK, so he has already had practise! If all else fails, I will install a bowthruster, but the dealer is almost insisting that I try it without first.

Zanshin, I have spoken to our dealer and he will be putting in a factory visit request, hopefully for January when I might get to see my hull in production. Thanks for the tip.

[Zanshin]

Jon - I'm certain you won't regret going up one size! I like in-mast furling and so far I haven't been on a Jeanneau with significant prop walk so you should be fine maneuvering in close spaces in your marina. You'll also enjoy the factory tour - it is an impressively organized place

[glow=red,2,300]Factory Tour report[/glow]

[MalcolmP]

Sept 30, 2012 8:31:32 GMT Anwen (Deep Joy) said:

Well, the latest news is that we have changed our order. After a lot of discussion and number crunching, we have gone up another size to the 379. Still the lift keel version, and much the same spec as the 33i in my first post, but with an in-mast furling mainsail. If I was excited before, I am bonkers now! Slightly nervous about learning to handle a bigger twin rudder boat under power in the marina, but I am assured by the owner of the 379 LK already in our marina that it isn't a tricky boat to manoeuvre. .

Jon
Congratulations - the 379 is a quick boat I am sure you will be delighted, with the two wheels the visibility is really good for close quarters manoiuvering . Coincidentally we sailed over to Cardiff yesterday and had lunch at the Mermaid Quay, it is a great harbour and the weather was also quite hot for end of Sept, we are pleased we are now based on the West Coast for a a season or two. When will you take delivery? would be good to meet up start of next season - I want to shoot the bridges and get up to Gloucester if my nerve holds
Malcolm

[MalcolmP]

Jon
Coincidentally we sailed over to Cardiff yesterday and had lunch at the Mermaid Quay, it is a great harbour and the weather was also quite hot for end of Sept, we are pleased we are now based on the West Coast for a a season or two. When will you take delivery? would be good to meet up start of next season - I want to shoot the bridges and get up to Gloucester if my nerve holds
Malcolm

At risk of wandering off subject this is a picture of us moored off the Welsh Assembly

[rene460]

An update on gybing the asymmetric. Sorry I seemed to have diverted from topic by introducing the topic above. Had perfect forecast for the week but the weather did not read the forecast. Running around 150 deg with 14 knots TWS when our speed increased to over 8 knots and I saw too many 3's on the wind scale. Not surprisingly we rounded up and found ourselves lying side on, but no damage other than dinner on the floor! Forereaching at about 2 kts. Rolled in the jib to about 50% of LP, and had no trouble pulling in two reefs in the main. Got to love that Selden single line reeling and the bat cars on full length battens. Got moving, made a tack and headed to more sheltered area. Rolled jib totally away, but GPS still showing 9.0 on the waves, same as log. She still wouldn't let me put up the Asymmetric! Boat steered beautifully and instruments recorded max of 10.8 kts and 38 kts TWS. 270% of the normally good forecast. Obviously surfing waves rather than planing in a 30i.
You blue water sailors are probably laughing at us, but please appreciate that when we were pulling in the reefs, the shore was less than a mile away, and most of that would be less than one metre depth. And though two up, we are still a very light weight crew.
Our little boat carried us home safely. We will continue to avoid going out in such conditions, but we have more experience in case we are caught out.
Rene460

[Anwen (Deep Joy)]

Thanks very much for the positive messages. I keep on thinking that five months is a long time to wait, but hopefully it will fly by.

Malcolm, Cardiff Bay is an excellent destination in my opinion, and I have sailed down from Swansea a few times, and enjoyed staying there. A few weekends ago, they hosted the UK round of the Extreme 40 series, which by all accounts was successful. It was great fun watching the fast cats scooting around Mermaid Quay at very close quarters. One of the advantages of Cardiff is that you can have a decent sail in sheltered conditions, all year round. I have friends with boats at Cardiff Bay Yacht Club, and they seem to be very happy there.

[Anwen (Deep Joy)]

PS. Yes I'd like to meet up at some point in the New Year. Lets stay in touch through the forum and arrange something to suit.

[MalcolmP]

Sept 30, 2012 8:31:32 GMT Anwen (Deep Joy) said:

Well, the latest news is that we have changed our order. After a lot of discussion and number crunching, we have gone up another size to the 379.

Something to watch - this will be you in 5 months

[Anwen (Deep Joy)]

Mmmm, looks great. Noticed that it has the wood upgrade to the cockpit table and the NSS-8 plotter. NSS-7 seems to be the standard fit over here, which means that I will have to have my reading glasses handy to see anything on the screen!