A good point where Puerto Rico is concerned, some needful watching, and in the "Policing for profit" department...
I'm not sure if I'm blessed or cursed where my thoughts on boat design are concerned. I mention this because I've just read some stuff on Sailing Anarchy that surprises me.
The boat in question is the Dufour 32 and at first glance it is a pretty interesting boat with a few minor bells & whistles in the mix that really seem to offend a lot of folks.
Now, personally I like the inflatable boom bits as an idea that makes a lot of sense. I suspect that the inflatable structure will have longevity issues in the long run but it is still a good idea and I'd like to see how it works out.
One obvious issue is that appears that the design team responsible for the Dufour 32 were in two minds about how the boat was to be rigged and, I suspect, that down the line there will be a different rig option available but for the meantime there's a foredeck traveler that is currently surplus to requirements.
Another bit of apparent outrage is caused by not having a dedicated sheet winch for the foresail but I sort of like the idea of dispensing with a couple of winches in favor of a simple block and tackle sheet arrangement.which is super simple and very cost effective and something I've been meaning to try on the jib with "So It Goes".
As far as the three sleeping cabins with three heads on a 32-foot sailboat that makes a lot of sense for bareboat charter and I expect to see a lot of these boats in various bareboat fleets. There is however another accommodation plan floating about which has one head and two sleeping cabins that would make a great small cruiser.
The thing is, I don't really expect or even want any production boat to be exactly what I want in a boat. A production boat, by its very nature, is going to be a grand exercise in compromise. In the case of the Dufour 32 which is being marketed as a something for everyone concept it's going to bother a lot of people who want a more specific sort of ride. Maybe it's time to consider that the world doesn't revolve around your wants and needs.
Listening to some music from 1972
So it goes...
