Saturday, 31 March 2012
Hallberg Rassy 412 Review
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| A sophisticated Cruising Yacht |
The HR 412 was designed by German Frers. Best known for his superyachts and Swan yachts, you might think Frers is an odd choice for a company that in the past has built its brand with fairly frumpy small center cockpit cruisers. I think it's an excellent choice because of all the designers they could have chosen, Frers is one who could imbue this type of boat with that ineffable sense of grace that has been his trademark throughout his career. That is evident in this newest HR and in the recently launched HR 64.
Let's start by taking a look at how this boat might perform. We can deduce a lot from looking at the outboard profile and deck plan, which will give a good idea of the shape of the hull. Combine this with the boat's hull and rig dimensions and we can create a good estimate of what to expect from the HR 412 in terms of sailing performance.
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| Notice the long waterline, wide stern and the step-thru transom. With its tall rig, deep keel and powerful rudder, this boat should be a fast passagemaker. |
Here are some numbers:
LOA ................ 41.42'
LWL................ 37.75'
BMAX............. 13.50'
Draft................. 6.58'
Sail area............ 970 sq ft
BAL/DSP......... 36.2%
SA/DSP........... 18.45
DSP/L.............. 202
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| Heavy construction, deep bilge sump, powerful spade rudder. |
Interpreting the numbers tells us that with a displacement/length ratio of 202, it is a bit heavier than most racer/cruisers But the tall, 3-spreader rig and sail area/displacement ratio of 18.45 provides plenty of horsepower even for relatively light air. We can surmise from the distribution of volume below the waterline that the prismatic ratio is in the .54 range, which is fairly conservative. I would guess that there is plenty of flare in the aft sections of the hull so the boat will be well balanced when heeled in a breeze. With the stem angle at about 14 degrees from vertical, I'm confident that the bow near the waterline is finer than many cruising boats. Couple these features with the deep bulb keel and you have a package that will sail well to weather, with the weight and horsepower to punch into a head sea. The big mainsail and small jibs will enable the boat to reach at high speeds and if you noticed the masthead spinnaker, you know this boat will be quick downwind as well.
Going on deck, we find Hallberg Rassy's trademark windshield wrapped around the forward end of the cockpit. Way up north where they build HR-412, that windshield is a requirement for cruising, but given how much thought they have put into the design of this boat, I would like to see a bit more finesse in the windshield in the form of some radii where the sharp corners are. I like the simple but efficient geometry of the cockpit, with its long seats and broad coamings. I also like the step-thru transom. This is an important convenience for getting aboard from a dinghy as well as fishing...all essential activities for cruisers. The 412 sports non-overlapping jibs but fortunately eschewed a transverse jib track on the cabin top. This makes for a more versatile sailplan and reduces clutter on the foredeck. Aboard the Honcho, I had to modify the stemhead to accommodate a Manson anchor. This type of anchor is a vast improvement over the plows and danforths of yesteryear, so builders should make accommodations for that type of anchor.
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| Notice the Saildrive. They are becoming commonplace even on cruising yachts. This one is fitted with a three blade folding prop. |
Hallberg Rassy offers a wide range of interior options so I scrolled through the various plans and chose the one I think works best for a cruising couple. Forward is a large stateroom with plenty of storage space and a private head. The head includes room for a washer/dryer, very convenient. The main salon includes a basic settee and dropleaf table arrangement. The settees are are big enough to serve as sea berths if fitted with lee cloths. There are deadlights in the hull adjacent to the settees, which add light and visibility. The galley, to port, is adequate but not enormous. A nice touch is the optional separate freezer. Opposite the galley is a smallish nav station. When you're on a cruise, the nav station serves many purposes aside from navigating. It is a desk, work table and sometimes an extra galley counter, so I like mine to be big, with a comfortable seat and plenty of room for all those small things that always find their way into the chart table and adjoining lockers.
Aft of the nav station is another head with space for a shower stall. This will be a great place to hang wet foulies
I like this boat. It meets all my criteria for a good, solid, fast cruising yacht. I give it high marks for striking a finely tuned balance of performance and comfort. Aesthetically, the overall proportions of the boat should be pleasing to the eye, and that's important. Some might criticize the 'springiness' of the sheer on the 412. I think a little more tautness there might improve the boat's looks, but I'll reserve judgement on that until we see the boat. Sometimes what looks good on paper doesn't work out as well in reality.
The Hallberg Rassy 412 is scheduled to be launched later this year. I would put this on my short list of must-see boats.
Thursday, 1 March 2012
Hanse 415 Review
The new Hanse 415 has just recently been unveiled in Europe and will soon arrive in the USA. It is an all-new design by the firm of Judel-Vrolijk, which has a long string of successful racing yachts, as well as a number of production cruising yachts to its credit. The 415 follows the decidedly Teutonic styling of the other yachts in the Hanse lineup and I think there will be many who really like it, while others may find it a bit too quadrilateral. I fall into the second category.
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| Hanse 415 |
With its 13'-8" beam and 20,000 LB displacement, the Hanse 415 has a big, buxom hull with a plumb bow and nearly vertical transom. It�s a beamy boat and that beam is carried well aft. In fact, it�s nearly as wide at the transom as it is at the Bmax point. This hullform is becoming more common in cruising yachts and I think it makes for a very fast hull, but could be a handful to steer in quartering seas. Of course it provides a great deal of interior volume and that is probably an acceptable trade-off. The firm bilges, high freeboard and nearly flat sheer add to the visual bulk of the hull, but those factors also contribute to interior volume. Again, it�s a matter of balancing performance, accommodations and aesthetics.
The keel and rudder of the Hanse 415 are deep and efficient foils and the torpedo shaped bulb is massive. I question the wisdom of such a keel on a cruising yacht. Snagging longlines, kelp and other underwater obstacles is not uncommon in many cruising grounds. More than once we sailed over or around them while cruising in Mexico and I would recommend not having such a keel if you�re headed south. Fortunately Hanse offers a more practical shape in their shoal keel. I must say the bow thruster will be handy for the shorthanded crew when you�re trying to shoehorn your new 415 into a tight berth.
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| Notice the retractable bow thruster. |
The profile view of the 415 shows a nicely proportioned cabin trunk. The ports in the topsides provide light and a nice view from the salon, but there is no disguising the high freeboard. Notice the split bow pulpit, traditionalists may object but it is much more practical than the old style pulpits.
The sailplan of the 415 is excellent for cruising, especially if the main carries full battens and a �stackpack� system as shown in the drawing, although I prefer the battens to be parallel to the boom so they fall perfectly into the pack when dousing or reefing the main. On the other hand, I�m not so fond of the bridle system in lieu of a real traveler. You can tweak this system to drive hard upwind, but a traveler is easier to manage. I struggle with the idea of mid-boom sheeting. It�s not efficient, it requires lots of muscle, and it puts enormous loads on the boom and cabin top. On the other hand, it allows for a full dodger-bimini arrangement, which is very desirable in the tropics.
All of my recent designs have outboard chainplates, which limits the headsails to about 105%. The Hanse 415 also incorporates this feature. The working jib on this boat actually sheets to a traveler just forward of the mast so it can be self tacking. I like that, as long as there is enough horsepower there to make the boat go in 5-8 knots of wind. Fortunately, the sailplan also shows a slightly larger headsail that sheets to tracks mounted on the cabin top. Self tacking is cool, but I prefer pulling in a bit of jib sheet on a slightly larger jib.
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| Hanse 415 carries its beam well aft. |
Judel and Vrolijk did a nice job with the cockpit. The very wide beam aft allows for spaciousness and sailing efficiency. Twin wheels mean that the helmsman can sit well outboard and drive the boat like Cayard while the rest of the crew relaxes in comfort behind the dodger. The cockpit seats are nearly long enough for a snooze and the cockpit table is big enough to manage all the refreshments the cruising crew might desire. Alas, the coamings, which appear to be broad and comfortable, are not. Someone down at Hanse, or possibly in the JV office thought it would be a good idea to lead the halyards and lifts right over the coamings to a gang of rope clutches at the back end of them. This was done ostensibly to make working the vessel more efficient for a shorthanded crew. Unfortunately this is a mistake. People sit on coamings. They put their drinks on them. They stand on them and use them for all manner of other purposes. If Hanse absolutely has to have those lines led aft to the back end of the coamings, why not put a cover over them? As they are now, they are worse than useless.
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| Inconvenient cockpit coamings, but a nice back porch |
The rest of the deck plan is fairly well thought out. There is a good-sized anchor locker with what appears to be a stout bow roller up forward. Again, I am amused that Hanse thoughtfully provided covers over the halyards and lifts on the cabin top, but not on the coamings. I wonder what they were thinking.
Let�s go below. Hanse offers a plethora of alternatives in the accommodations plan and I studied them all and chose the one I like best. It incorporates a large forward cabin with plenty of room to maneuver and storage space. The berth is pushed so far forward that it is quite narrow at the pointy end. I�d prefer to have it another 6 inches aft. This would allow for a larger anchor well and a more spacious berth at the cost of some closet space.
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| One of many possible accommodations plans. |
The main cabin offers a spacious dinette to starboard and settee/desk to port. This apparently doubles as the nav station as well. I�m not fond of this arrangement. I think any yacht this size should have a dedicated nav station. It should have a good size chart table, plenty of space for navigation and communications equipment, and a comfortable seat. I also prefer it to be near the companionway.
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| Spacious Galley |
The galley is spacious, with lots of counter and storage space. For a crew of two or three a single sink might be adequate, but I would prefer a double sink. Like the rest of this boat, the galley appears to be well finished with satin-varnished wood and faux granite counters. But the sharp corners and square lines remind me more of an apartment that a sailboat. This squared-off theme is carried throughout the boat and, while it�s clean-lined and simple to build, it seems a bit cold and uninteresting to me.
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| Designer appointments in the head. |
I really like the large cargo hold aft of the galley. It is accessible from there and I presume from the cockpit too. It appears to have a small workbench and space for sails, spares and other gear. This kind of space is very valuable on a cruising yacht.
The head is spacious and includes a separate shower stall. I like the location near the companionway, and that shower will make for a convenient wet-locker at sea. The apartment house theme is evident here, with the designer washbasin and lack of fiddles on the rather large counter.
Aft of the head, the large quarter-cabin incorporates what looks like a king-size berth and plenty of storage space. Notice the companionway steps. The engine lives under and behind them. It looks like access to the engine compartment is excellent. This is another thing that is very desirable on a cruising yacht. Easy access to filters and pumps is vital because you very often find yourself having to service them while underway, and it�s annoying at least, and possibly dangerous when the only real access to the engine involves moving the companionway steps.
I like this boat and think that with a few modifications it could be a comfortable cruising yacht. While the interior styling doesn�t work for me, for those who prefer a more cosmopolitan living environment, it could be just the ticket.
Sunday, 29 January 2012
Beneteau 423 Review
One thing we noticed while on our cruise in Mexico is that people cruise aboard an astonishing variety of boats, from sophisticated luxury yachts to clunky old wooden double enders, and all manner of boats that lie somewhere in between those ends of the spectrum.
On a scale of one to ten, with one being the luxury yacht and ten being the wooden double-ender, we are looking for about a number five: Our next boat will have some luxury but not too much, and be reasonably priced but not cheap in any way. We want a boat that is big enough to be comfortable but not too big for a couple to handle. We want it to be fast and weatherly under sail, yet capable of motoring three hundred miles. It should be good-looking and not too deep of draft, nor too shallow. We want a solid boat that can stand up to a blow, yet is not so heavy that it�s no fun to sail. We want a boat with a good engine and a simple and reliable rig. Down below, our boat should have a nice, big galley with a reefer and a freezer. We want a big double berth with plenty of ventilation and we want at least one good sea-berth that�s snug and warm in all conditions. We want a head with a separate shower and plenty of crystal pure hot water. We want a boat that is easy to operate and to maintain. Finally, we want a boat that's beautiful inside and out. In other words, we want our ideal boat. Over the last year we've spent a good deal of time searching the Internet, walking docks and studying new boat brochures. We have settled on a length of 40 to 44 feet as the optimum and have a few boats on our short list of contenders. Let's see if the Beneteau 423 makes the cut.
In my opinion Yachtworld.com is by far the best place to look at boats without actually going aboard them and it is from there that all of the photos in this review come from. As of today, there are 25 of these boats listed there, all built between 2003 and 2007 and ranging in price from $159,000 to $293,000.
In my opinion Yachtworld.com is by far the best place to look at boats without actually going aboard them and it is from there that all of the photos in this review come from. As of today, there are 25 of these boats listed there, all built between 2003 and 2007 and ranging in price from $159,000 to $293,000.
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| Beneteau 423. |
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| B423 Two Cabin Version |
The salon includes a storage locker above the forward end of the port settee. Several of the 423's we looked at had flat screen TV's mounted there which was convenient for watching while lounging at the dinette. The table can be lowered, converting the dinette to very nice double berth. There is a seat opposite the table with a hinged lid. One of the 423's we looked at had this area converted to a wine cellar. The Honcho has small windows in the hull that provide a surprising amount of visibility. The 423 has a pair of good sized windows adjacent to the dinette area, providing a good view of the outside world from the settees.
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| TV works better mounted above the forward end of the port settee. The three skylights have shades, a must in the tropics. |
The galley is large enough for a true long range cruising yacht, with plenty of counter space and room for a microwave oven. This is one of the few boats of this size that features a top-loading freezer and a separate front loading refrigerator, making life in the galley much easier. Along with the big reefer/freezer, the 423 features substantial pantry space so finding room for a couple month's provisions is not a problem. Overall, I give this galley high marks.
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| Lots of light, space and ventilation in the galley. |
The nav station, opposite the galley, is rather small but well designed. There is room for a laptop, radar, VHF and SSB, along with a bank of breakers for the electrical system. Aboard the Honcho we used a Garmin 440 plotter in the cockpit and a laptop with Maxsea software connected to a GPS receiver in the nav station. These worked well but in Mexico they both interface with what are essentially digital versions of paper charts. The GPS can locate the boat within a few feet of its actual position, but then overlays that position on charts that were created before the advent of satellite photography and are not always accurate, especially with regard to longitude. We found that our I-Pad with Navionics software was superior as it projected our position onto perfectly accurate satellite earth photos. Very cool.
Aft of the nav station is another head with access to the aft stateroom as well as the main cabin. The quarterberth is cavernous. Since there isn't a good sea berth in the main cabin, I'd rig a lee board in this berth to create a snug place to sleep while under way. Though there are sleeping accommodations for only two couples, I think that's about right for a boat of this size.
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| Clean lines and nice proportions. |
I like the design of the deck of this boat much better than the current offerings from Beneteau. The new boats are, to my eye, not very pleasing to look at. The 423 has a low, well proportion cabin trunk and a large and well designed cockpit. Never a fan of built-in cockpit tables in the past, I find myself liking them more and more if they are well designed and don't hinder the crew too much. Let's face it, we're not going to be short-tacking up to a weather mark, or engaged in jibing duels in this boat. Tacks and jibes will invariably be casual affairs in a boat like this so the table shouldn't be a problem. The cockpit itself is spacious and well designed for relaxing as well as sailing. There is a step-through transom with a large swim step equipped with a shower. Fishing is important and that swim step will make getting a fish aboard fairly easy.
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| Big cockpit. Here the drop-leaves have been removed from the table. |
The Beneteau 423 is a fairly husky boat, which is a good thing for a cruising yacht, with a long waterline and a moderately shallow canoe body. Notice in the accommodations plan above that it is rather full in the bow and carries its beam well aft, resulting in a wide and powerful stern. Here are some numbers:
LOA: 43'-2"
Beam: 12'-11"
Draft: 6'-11" (deep keel)
Disp: 19,797 lb
Ballast: 5,865 lb
Sail area: 860 sq ft
SA/D: 18.8
D/L: 154
As you students of yacht design know, the SA/D (sail area/displacement ratio) is an indicator of the power in the rig relative to the weight of the boat. At 18.8, this is a moderately powerful rig which would provide reasonably good performance in light air, yet is not so large as to be difficult to handle in typical tradewind conditions. The D/L (displacement/length) ratio is interesting. At 154, the B-423 is considered a moderately light boat. But in studying the hull, the fullness in the ends of the boat combined with the relatively shallow hull (not including the keel), along with the powerful stern indicates that the 423 has a fairly high prismatic ratio (Cp). The prismatic ratio is an indicator of the hull shape. Without getting too technical, we can say that a high Cp is indicative of a boat with more wetted surface, resulting in more parasitic drag than a boat with a low prismatic ratio. On the other hand, it would also generate a flatter wake, that is to say smaller bow and stern waves as it passes through the water. This is referred to as induced drag or wave-making drag. All of this means that the Beneteau 423 might be a bit sticky in light air, but should trundle along quite nicely at or near it's hull speed in a bit of a breeze. I want a boat that handles well and shows good speed when the wind is up, and I'll take the trade-off of possibly motoring more in light air.
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| This is a long, fairly slender boat for a cruising yacht. The displacement is pushed out toward the ends of the hull and the ballast is concentrated near the bottom of the keel. This boat will show a good turn of speed in a breeze. |
Notice the sailplan of the 423. It is fairly short with a long "J" and "E" dimension. This is not what you'd choose for a racer but I think it's a good compromise for a cruising yacht. The main traveler is on the cabin top so the dodger and bimini can be deployed all the time, whether at anchor or under sail. In the tropics protection from the sun is vital. The mid-boom sheeting is not as efficient as end-boom, so you'll want powerful winches and at least 6:1 purchase on the traveler and mainsheet. If those controls are not easy to adjust, they won't get adjusted much and overall performance will suffer.
The long, uncluttered foredeck will be handy for carrying a dinghy and the big anchor locker can handle plenty of chain and rode. I'm a fan of oversize ground tackle and will outfit our next boat, as I did the Honcho, with a powerful windlass and big anchors. I think the overall proportions of the deck, coupled with the moderately sprung sheer and short overhangs give the B-423 a respectable, offshore capable appearance. We've been aboard several here in southern California and were pleased with the looks, quality of construction, and engineering of this boat and have added it to our list for serious consideration whenever the Honcho sells.
Saturday, 24 December 2011
Summit 35
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| Summit 35 Nice Profile |
One of the best things about being in the market for a new boat is checking out the newest designs, going for test sails and pondering cruising to distant places or collecting trophies. When I started looking at the Summit 35, I quickly forgot about the distant coves and palm trees, and instead, thought about racing and collecting pickle dishes.
Mark Mills designed it for Summit Yachts and Edgewater Boats builds it in Florida. The Summit 35 is really a buoy racer with enough accommodations for a couple to spend a week or so cruising, or for longer coastal races. Mills describes the boat as being designed to excel under the IRC. The IRC is a handicapping rule that is in some ways like PHRF and some ways like other measurement rules such as the now defunct IOR rule. I say that because to get a rating you must have your boat measured or have the builder certify the dimensions of the boat. Then you submit all the required information to the Rating Authority, which has a secret formula that they use to calculate the boat's handicap rating. The PHRF aspect comes from the fact that the Rating Authority may use subjective judgments as well as the boat's measurements to give a boat a final rating. The idea behind the secrecy of the rating formula is that designers and builders aren�t supposed to know what it is and therefore can�t tweak their designs to take advantage of the rule. Some of you may recall the goofy designs that came out of the IOR rule, where speed producing factors were penalized and credit was given for speed reducing factors.
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| The S-35 has a displacement of 10,930 lb with 5,300 lb of ballast, most of which is in that massive bulb. |
Enough of the handicapping jargon�Let�s just evaluate the Summit 35 based on common sense. I should say out front that I haven�t had an opportunity to sail one yet and all the information I have on the boat was taken from Summit-yachts.com and yachtworld.com. I like the overall proportions of this boat. The very slightly raked stem and transom make the hull more visually attractive than if they were vertical, as does the slightly sprung sheer. Below the waterline we see a fairly shallow hull with a narrow waterline beam and lots of flare in the topsides. The keel consists of a vertical fin with a slightly raked leading edge coupled to a massive lead bulb. Notice in the photo that the bulb extends a long way forward from the fin. There doesn�t appear to be a kelp cutter on the keel so that bulb could be a problem in areas with lots of kelp, like southern California. On the other hand, the bulb will keep the boat on its feet in a breeze.
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| Big cockpit, square corners and German mainsheet system |
I like the deck on this boat. It has a beautiful cabin trunk and a nice big cockpit with seats forward and plenty of room for the crew. The options list includes twin wheels instead of the standard tiller. I would choose that option in spite of the extra weight and cost. The wheels are smallish, but allow the helmsperson to sit well outboard, and leave plenty of room for the crew. Notice that the main traveler is located well aft on the cockpit floor, with the sheet led forward along the boom, then down under the deck and back to a pair of winches just aft of the short cockpit coamings. This arrangement is known as a �German� or �Admirals Cup� system. With 2:1 purchase and the ability to trim the main quickly, it can be an excellent arrangement for a racer, and has some benefits for the cruising yachtsman who understands the strengths and weaknesses of this system. On the Summit 35 with tiller steering, the helmsperson sits forward of the main trimmer, on or outboard of the coaming, with the main trimmer sitting aft. It doesn�t look too comfortable for the helmsman. With wheel steering, the helmsman will be aft of the main trimmer, but it�ll be a tight fit for the trimmer. This will be fine on the upwind legs, but could get complicated on the downwind legs jibing in heavy air and at the leeward mark where the main trimmer will be ripping in the mainsheet and the helmsman is busy getting around the mark and avoiding flying elbows and mainsheet tail. It�s not a big deal, but will take some practice for the helmsman and trimmer to work out how to do their jobs without getting in each other�s way.
In studying the cockpit, notice that everything is pretty well squared off and all the edges and corners have roughly the same radius. There is nothing wrong with this and it is quick to tool straight lines and squared edges, but this very nice looking overall deck design could have been more artfully sculpted. Of course boats have a way of getting prettier if they win a lot of races, and I have no doubt that the Summit 35 will do that.
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| Compact galley is suitable for sandwiches and MRE's |
It�s hard to fault the interior of this boat. The layout is just about perfect, with a good sized galley and nav station as well as a positively luxurious head for a boat this size. The interior drawing shows a big dropleaf table in the main cabin, but I'm sure few Summit 35�s will sail with it, as it looks heavy and takes up space needed for packing chutes. The galley is fitted with a gimbaled Origo two-burner alcohol stove. This is a very good unit that eliminates the need for a gas bottle and its attendant locker, solenoid, etc. While the galley is too small for cruising, it�s quite adequate for the racing crew that expects sandwiches and MRE�s instead of �meals�.
I was surprised to see that the Summit 35 is equipped with an aluminum mast instead of carbon fiber. This may be due as much to the IRC rule as to economic considerations. The boat carries non-overlapping headsails and can be fitted with symmetrical or asymmetrical spinnakers. There are some advantages to symmetrical spinnakers in tactical situations, especially at the leeward mark, but these are outweighed by the simplicity and efficiency of asymmetrical kites. Unless you plan to race your boat under IRC rules, which apparently favors symmetricals, you�ll want to set your Summit 35 up with a short bowsprit and asymmetrical kites.
If I were in the market for a racer, I�d consider the Summit 35. It�s a nice looking and fast boat with reasonable accommodations and, inspired by Barry Carroll, a good pedigree. I like the fact that it�s built here in America. I think that, regardless of whether the IRC rule really gains much traction in the USA, the S-35 will be a very effective PHRF racer as well. It's interesting to compare this boat to the J-111. It's very close, but I think I like the J just a little bit more. Of course neither is well suited for the kind of cruising we're planning, but it would be interesting to see these boats matched against each other in a buoy race and in a long distance race.
Inasmuch as we're in the market for a used cruising boat, my next review will be the Beneteau 423. In the meantime I invite you to visit www.summit-yachts.com if you'd like to learn more about the S-35.
Saturday, 19 November 2011
J/111 Review
Now that the Honcho is up for sale, we're beginning to look for another boat and another adventure. I've always liked J Boats, so I couldn't wait to see the new J/111, which we thought might be a fun high performance cruiser that would suit our needs. Well, after checking one out, we decided to keep looking because it's not quite big enough for the voyages we are contemplating. But that doesn't mean it's not a great boat. In fact, I think it's one of the better boats J Boats has produced.
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| J/111 Outboard Profile |
The J/111 is, in my opinion, a continuation of the J/35 theme...A fast, seaworthy boat that is offshore capable, but is most comfortable as a racer that a couple could easily spend a week at the island aboard. This is a type that J Boats excels at, so I though it would be fun to do a review of this design. A few years ago I spent some time cruising aboard a similar boat, an Aerodyne 38 called "Matador" and really enjoyed sailing across the southern reach of the Sea of Cortez from Cabo to Mazatlan aboard her. In 2003 we won our class in the Newport - Ensenada race in the same boat. I'll add some photos of both boats for your viewing pleasure, and I'll take this opportunity to credit Yachtworld.com for all of photos of both boats. I also encourage you to visit www.rodgermartindesign.com if you're interested in learning more about the A/38.
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| J/111 |
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| Aerodyne 38 |
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| J/111 Keel The Aerodyne's keel has a more torpedo-shaped bulb than this. |
Both the J/111 and Aerodyne 38 have deep carbon fiber rudders and wheel steering. The wide sterns of these boats demand deep rudders to keep them from stalling when the boat is heeled at speed. Rudders on boats of this type are usually large relative to the keel as they not only steer the boat but help generate lift to weather as well.
I really like the aesthetics of both boats. The 111 looks more modern but that is to be expected. The cockpits are large and incorporate seating forward and wide open space aft. This is efficient for racing, but makes for a surprisingly friendly place to be if you're cruising, provided that the seats are long enough for an occasional snooze.
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| J/111 accommodations |
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| J/111 interior Light and open spaces abound |
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| Aerodyne 38 main cabin Engine is under the sinks |
The Aerodyne, by contrast is oriented more for offshore racing or cruising. The layout incorporates a head aft to port and large quarterberth to starboard. The galley has plenty of counter space, with the Yanmar engine under the double sinks. The forward cabin is spacious and has a berth big enough for two.
The sailplans of both boats are similar. Big main, non-overlapping jibs, asymmetrical spinnakers on retractable poles, carbon fiber mast. What's not to like here?
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| Aerodyne 38 High speed cruising |
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| J/111 Under sail Sweet! |
I have not yet had an opportunity to sail the J/111 so I can only speculate on how the boat handles, but it is similar enough to some of my own designs and to the Aerodyne 38, which I have sailed, to expect that it will be very quick, with a light helm and fast acceleration out of tacks. The deep, high aspect ratio keel and fine bow combined with the lightweight and efficient sailplan will make it fast upwind. The high sail area/displacement ratio means it will be quick to heel in puffs and will require close attention to sail trim in windy conditions, but it will reward you with high speeds downwind. Overall, an exciting boat to sail. I can say the same for the Aerodyne, athough it will be a slightly more comfortable ride. My guess is that the J/111 will be slightly quicker in light air buoy racing and downwind racing. The Aerodyne would likely be a better choice for the longer downwind races like the Transpac.
Sunday, 30 October 2011
The Beneteau 36s7
Now that the Honcho is back home in its berth in Long Beach, I've had some time to reflect on the boat and how well it performed as a cruising vessel on this voyage. First and foremost I should say that we had a fantastically enjoyable time while we lived aboard the Honcho. We set sail fully aware of the small size of the boat and planned the outfitting, provisioning and sailing route accordingly, and so got along very well aboard the Honcho throughout the voyage. Still, it would be valuable to anyone who is planning such a voyage as ours to consider some of the lessons we learned along the way. So I'll begin with the design and construction of the boat, then the outfitting and provisioning, and finally the sailing of the Honcho.
Given the size of the boat, the galley worked really well. I built a cutting board to fit over one of the sinks to expand the counter space, which is always in short supply on a small boat. The galley is equipped with a two burner stove, which is adequate for the cooking we did. When we stayed in marinas we dined out regularly, but it was almost always easy to find plenty of high quality fresh food in the local markets or big-box stores. Costco was our favorite of the big stores, though it was more fun to visit the smaller stores and bargain for fresh picked fruits and vegetables.
The Beneteau First 36s7 is designed as a racer/cruiser, with the emphasis more on cruising than racing. This results in a moderately lightweight boat that performs well enough under sail to make the sailing fun. It�s also important to be able to sail your way out of trouble, especially upwind, so you don�t have to rely on the motor if the weather turns nasty. The Honcho performed well whenever called on for such duty.
After living aboard the Honcho for nearly a year, I�ve had ample time to ponder her accommodations. I guess the fact that we never felt the desire to change anything speaks for the basic accommodations plan. We really like the large drop-leaf table in the salon, with its built-in wine storage, and the auxiliary wine locker over the port settee. One thing I would have changed if we had spent the summer in the Sea is the hot water heater plumbing. It uses engine cooling water to heat the freshwater. That�s good most of the time. But the heater is located under the quarterberth and when it�s blazing hot out and the water temperature is over eighty degrees, it makes for a very warm berth. If I had it to do over, I�d rig a bypass line, so that I can bypass the heater when I want to.
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| The Honcho on the hard, getting an epoxy barrier coat |
Given the size of the boat, the galley worked really well. I built a cutting board to fit over one of the sinks to expand the counter space, which is always in short supply on a small boat. The galley is equipped with a two burner stove, which is adequate for the cooking we did. When we stayed in marinas we dined out regularly, but it was almost always easy to find plenty of high quality fresh food in the local markets or big-box stores. Costco was our favorite of the big stores, though it was more fun to visit the smaller stores and bargain for fresh picked fruits and vegetables.
We would have preferred a built-in freezer, but that�s not practical on a boat this size. The little freezer compartment in the icebox could be relied on to make two trays of crystal clear ice cubes, and that was enough for four tall cold drinks everyday regardless of the temperature outside.
One improvement we would have liked was a bigger cockpit. There is ample room to have designed a longer, wider cockpit with an open or step-through transom. As built, it was fine for a crew of two, but it gets tight with four or more. On the other hand, the transom extension was an invaluable addition.
When cruising as we did in Mexico, you�ll spend about 85 percent of the time at anchor or in a marina. Over a span of about nine months, we sailed a total of just over 5,000 miles. At an average of 5.5 knots, that works out to about 38 sailing days out of 270. Pretty good for a 36-foot boat. We would like to have gone further during the voyage, and would have if we could have gone faster. We missed some interesting places in the Sea of Cortez because we ran out of time. Of course we could have spent more days sailing, but we always enjoyed being where we were. So the lesson we learned is that in the future we would like to have a faster boat, which translates directly to a longer boat.
Cruising in Mexico involves a lot of sailing dead upwind or dead downwind. The Honcho is a pretty good upwind boat, but most of the time when our destination was upwind, we motor-sailed. Having raced thousands of upwind miles I had always thought that cruising sailors were a bit on the wimpy side for motoring when they could sail. However, it�s much quicker and more comfortable to motor-sail a hundred miles upwind than to spend thirty hours heeled thirty degrees in a twenty-knot headwind. So the lesson here, for us at least, is that our next boat will be one that motors well and has plenty of fuel capacity. The Honcho has a nice three bladed feathering prop that proved itself many times, especially on the long bash up the Baja coast. Our 24-gallon fuel tank, adequate for local cruising was not enough for the longer passages we made, or for cruising in the Sea of Cortez where fuel docks are few and far between. We usually carried two 5-gallon jerry jugs of diesel on deck, and added four more for the passage between Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada.
Mexico has to be one of the world�s great cruising grounds, with literally hundreds of beautiful, remote anchorages in addition to many fine marinas. We always preferred to anchor whenever we could, and stayed in marinas only when there was a compelling reason to do so. Two things make riding at anchor a pleasure or a trial. Your ground tackle, and how the boat rides at anchor. I prefer to have big anchors and all chain rodes, so I fitted the Honcho with a 35lb Manson Supreme and 120 feet of quarter inch high-test chain. For backup, we had two Danforths of 22 and 12 pounds, with a 20� chain and 150� nylon rode. We also took another 150� foot nylon rode for just in case. I�ve read the Internet arguments about the Manson vs. Rocna and the other brands�That�s mostly just wind in the rigging. But there is no doubt in my mind that the basic design of the Manson/Rocna type is superior to the plow and fluke type anchors. Ours never dragged, always popped free when we wanted it to and never gave us any trouble.
As for how the boat rides at anchor, the hullform of the Honcho, rather full in the ends and relatively light displacement, meant that it had a tendency to sail around quite a bit while on the hook. We didn�t over-burden the boat with a lot of extra stuff on deck so it didn�t roll much though, and I�ll take the sailing over rolling any day. With a chain rode, it was always prudent to rig a nylon snubber to keep the boat from being jerked as the chain went taut in windy conditions. I usually rigged a double snubber about 10�-15� long led to the port and starboard bow cleats. This arrangement helped to dampen the yawing as the boat sailed around the chain, but a narrower, heavier boat would certainly have ridden to the anchor better.
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| The honcho at Catalina a week before departing for Mexico |
The Honcho�s rig is a fractional sloop. When we bought it, the boat had a roller furling jib and lazy jacks on the mainsail. The main on this boat is quite big, and set up with slab reefing. In heavy air, it was easy to reef and we did so quite often. The boat sails well under main alone with the apparent wind at 40 degrees or more and we often sailed that way. Before we left, I took the roller furler off the boat. It was worn out and I thought it would be just as well to just hank the jib on the headstay. That way it would be easy to shift gears from the big jib to the little one. This system worked well, but it was labor intensive to set, douse and stow the jibs. Hanks are foolproof and furlers are not. But I found myself on the foredeck wrestling a jib more often than I would have liked, so in spite of the efficiency and safety of the hanks, our next boat will be fitted with a roller-furling jib.
As for safety gear, we took plenty of it and wore self-inflating life vests at night and whenever it was rough out. We carried a MOM and a LifeSling and thankfully never had to use them. Our jacklines were polyester webbing led to heavy-duty padeyes on deck. We carried a Switlick Rescue Pod instead of a full-fledged liferaft. It was a good compromise given that we were only going down the coast and not crossing any oceans.
No one should leave without a good EPIRB with integral GPS. We used an ACR Globalfix.
Wherever cruisers gather, the conversation eventually turns to communications and navigation equipment. Some argue that with Sat-phones, there is no need for a single sideband radio. I�m not convinced. We used our SSB regularly for weather reports and forecasts as well as to talk with friends who were hundreds of miles away, for free. We liked to get away and were always glad to find a hidden anchorage with no other boats around. But it was also nice to know that we could get in touch with someone almost instantly with the SSB. Could the same be done with a Sat-phone? Possibly, but I liked the ability to broadcast when I wanted to, while the phone only enables you to call a certain phone number.
We did not carry AIS or Radar. The AIS is a great piece of equipment and we won�t leave home again without one. There were times when Radar would have been handy. The Mexican coast has plenty of fog and more than once we waited for fog to lift a bit before entering a bay or anchorage. The newest models use less energy than before and we�ll install one on our next boat.
Finally, the sailing: We always enjoyed sailing the Honcho. She handled well in all the conditions we encountered, giving a good turn of speed reaching and running, and always well balanced and easy to steer. With her wide stern, I first thought the rudder would be too short to give good control when the boat heeled under sail, and I thought I might add some depth to it. But time ran out as we prepared to leave and I never got around to it. It was just as well because it proved to be just fine as is. We used the autopilot a lot and it worked flawlessly the entire trip. In my opinion it�s a good idea to get one that�s rated for a bigger boat than you have, and ours never strained or complained. Upwind in light conditions, I could skip the autopilot and just lock the wheel and the boat would sail along for miles with nothing more than occasional attention to the traveler in the puffs and lulls.
Before we left I went through the boat from keel to masthead, and made sure she was ready in all respects for the conditions and adventures we expected to encounter. Good materials and workmanship served us very well throughout the trip. We never had a serious breakdown and spent virtually no time on repairs except for routine maintenance and, once, a corroded connection at the windlass. That left us free to enjoy the wonders of Mexico, and share a leisurely and mostly carefree voyage along the coast and in the beautiful Sea of Cortez. I�m pleased to report that the Honcho arrived home after a voyage of some 5,000 miles in excellent condition, as did we.
When planning this trip, we decided to find a smallish boat that would be capable of handling the voyage we were contemplating with a minimum financial investment, yet still provide the comfort and safety we desired, and the Honcho filled that requirement beautifully.
Saturday, 27 August 2011
A Season in Mexico Part 2: Marinas
The Honcho took berths in ten Marinas in Mexico and found them comparable to American marinas in many ways. Each of those marinas is listed below, along with a summary of our experiences there.
Cruiseport (Ensenada) http://ects.enseit.com/ecpvmarina/
Located just past the Naval Base in the port of Ensenada. The entrance channel is well marked and easy to navigate.This is a modern marina with good facilities and excellent staff. Cruiseport Marina is the ideal place to officially check into Mexico. They will assist you with all the necessary paperwork and drive you to the Port Captain's office at no charge. If you're not fluent in Spanish, Jonathan will translate and assist you with all the necessary forms and documents. There are many marine stores, restaurants and tiendas within walking distance, but you'll want a cab to get to the local Costco or Walmart. I think this is the best marina in Ensenada because of its central location and low cost. One downside is that there is no fuel dock there, but Jonathan offered to drive me and four jerry jugs to a gas station downtown that sells diesel at no charge. Very friendly and helpful.
Marina Cabo San Lucas (Cabo San Lucas) http://www.igy-cabosanlucas.com/
This is a very well equipped marina in the heart of the tourist area in Cabo. It is expensive (we paid $125 USD/night in November, 2010 but I think they have lowered their prices somewhat recently). The staff was friendly and the marina offers clean showers and laundry facilities and even a small swimming pool for guests. The central location was nice because nearly everything is within walking distance, but there are at least a dozen nightclubs within shouting distance, so we were serenaded every night until around 0400 by a dozen bands. The music and high prices drove us out of Cabo after only two nights.
Puerto Los Cabos (San Jose del Cabo) http://www.puertoloscabos.com/about_the_marina.php
This is a new marina and is part of the Puerto Los Cabos Resort. As of June, 2011 the slips were completed but not all had electrical outlets. Prices were much better than at Cabo. We got a slip for $40 USD/night in a slip without electricity, which was fine with us. The same size slip with electricity was quoted to us at $80/night. Restrooms and showers were in trailers but there are plans for more permanent facilities. The harbor at San Jose del Cabo did not show on our Maxsea electronic charts nor on our GPS, but the Navionics app on our I-Pad showed it. It's a moderately long walk to downtown San Jose so you'll want a taxi to get to the local (new) Walmart. There is a restaurant and gift shop at the marina. Prices are high, but the burgers were good. This marina is about 16 miles from Cabo San Lucas and is, in my opinion, a better place than Cabo to stay while waiting for a weather window for boats that are headed north along the Pacific coast of Baja.
Marina Palmira (La Paz) http://www.marinapalmira.com/
Located just outside of downtown La Paz, Marina Palmira is our favorite place to stay in La Paz. While not a new marina, it is well maintained, with electronic gate locks on the gangways and plenty of security. It is affiliated with the Hotel Marina so we had free access to the large hotel pool, a necessity from May through October. There are a couple of good restaurants at the marina, and it's a pleasant 3 mile walk to downtown La Paz from there along the beautiful malecon. We provisioned twice in La Paz, visiting the Soriano and Walmart. They are both too far to walk, but taxis are inexpensive in La Paz. Like most of the other marinas we visited, Marina Palmira offers free wifi, and like the others, it was spotty at best. We always relied on our Telcel 3G cards in Mexico and were seldom disappointed by them.
Marina de La Paz (La Paz) http://www.marinadelapaz.com/
This is the main marina in downtown La Paz. Older that the others, it has a character of its own that makes it hospitable to many long-time live-aboards. For us, the key attraction of this marina is its location in the heart of downtown La Paz. There are several marine stores as well as hardware stores, shopping mall, immigration office, restaurants and other services all within walking distance of this marina. Being downtown, it's noisier and more crowded than Marina Palmira. This marina is also home to Club Cruceros de La Paz. This organization offers all sorts of services and information for cruisers in the Sea of Cortez http://www.clubcruceros.org/. We stayed in this marina in the month of May, and it was quite hot, with little wind during the day and the surrounding buildings and geography blocking much of the cooling Coromuel winds at night. The local year-round liveaboards assured me that you get used to the heat. I'm not sure I want to do that myself, but it's clear that many American and Canadian expats have found a home here.
Marina Mazatlan (Mazatlan) http://www.marina-mazatlan.com/
Located about 10 miles north of downtown Mazatlan, most charts don't show this marina very well so I recommend using the Pacific Mexico Cruising Guide by Shawn Breeding and Heather Bansmer for accurate navigational information. The channel entrance is narrow and sea conditions can sometimes make entering or leaving tricky. The channel entrance requires constant dredging to keep it navigable and it is occasionally closed due to ongoing dredging operations. If in doubt, hail the marina on the VHF to check on conditions.
Mazatlan is an important commercial port and you can find almost anything you need here. There are good restaurants, a shipyard and other conveniences within walking distance of the marina, but it's too far to walk downtown, which is where you need to go for provisions. You can take a bus, taxi or pulmonia for a few pesos. The pulmonia is unique to Mazatlan. It is a small open vehicle with a canvas top. It's cheaper than a regular taxi and in Maazatlan's warm climate you don't need doors and windows, so whenever possible we took a pulmonia, which was more fun than a bus or taxi.
There has been some drug related violence in Mazatlan and at the time we were there cruise ships were not calling at the port of Mazatlan, so the town was a bit quieter than normal. We enjoyed the beautiful old city of Mazatlan and could have stayed there longer if we'd had time.
Marina Riviera Nayarit (La Cruz de Huanacaxtle) http://www.marinarivieranayarit.com/
This was our favorite marina in Mexico. Nearly new and very well maintained, Marina Riviera is probably as good as it gets. It is located in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, on the north shore of Banderas Bay. La Cruz is a picturesque town with just the right combination of old Mexico charm, yatistas and an interesting mix of expats from around the world. The marina sports a yacht club with an excellent restaurant and bar, fuel dock, shipyard with 150 ton travelift, convenience store and laundry. There are plenty of good restaurants within walking distance, ranging from high end Italian to funky outdoor places with live music. We especially enjoyed Philo's, Ana Bananas and Frascati. If I could visit only one marina in Mexico this would be it.
Paradise Village Marina (Nuevo Vallarta) http://www.paradisevillagemarina.com/
Located in Nuevo Vallarta, about 10 miles from downtown Puerto Vallarta, Paradise Village marina is built on an estuary, so bring your bug screens. This marina is a bit older than the one in La Cruz, but it is well maintained, with good facilities and friendly help. It is part of the Paradise Village resort, so visitors have access to the hotel pool and beach. This place reminded me of Marina Del Rey in California. So if you like Del Rey, you'll like Paradise Village Marina.
Marina Vallarta (Puerto Vallarta) marvta@prodigy.net.mx
Located in the port of Puerto Vallarta, this marina was once a fine place to stay while you visited the city of PV, but when we visited, it was fairly rundown. Security was so-so, and the noise level was only a few decibels this side of Cabo San Lucas. It does have the benefit of close proximity to downtown PV, which is a wonderful city.
Marina Ixtapa Nautica (Ixtapa) www.marinaixtapa.com
Like Paridise Village Marina, Marina Ixtapa Nautica is also part of a larger resort. As such it offers good facilities, access to fine restaurants and shops, and a nice beach. It is located a short bus or taxi ride from the beautiful city of Zihuatanejo, where there an excellent anchorage for when you tire of marina life. Isla Ixtapa is less than five miles away by boat and is a perfect place to anchor for the day and snorkel or lounge on the beach. While anchored there I cleaned the bottom of our boat, which is prohibited in the marina due to the large crocodiles that occasionally swim through.
Cruiseport (Ensenada) http://ects.enseit.com/ecpvmarina/
Located just past the Naval Base in the port of Ensenada. The entrance channel is well marked and easy to navigate.This is a modern marina with good facilities and excellent staff. Cruiseport Marina is the ideal place to officially check into Mexico. They will assist you with all the necessary paperwork and drive you to the Port Captain's office at no charge. If you're not fluent in Spanish, Jonathan will translate and assist you with all the necessary forms and documents. There are many marine stores, restaurants and tiendas within walking distance, but you'll want a cab to get to the local Costco or Walmart. I think this is the best marina in Ensenada because of its central location and low cost. One downside is that there is no fuel dock there, but Jonathan offered to drive me and four jerry jugs to a gas station downtown that sells diesel at no charge. Very friendly and helpful.
Marina Cabo San Lucas (Cabo San Lucas) http://www.igy-cabosanlucas.com/
This is a very well equipped marina in the heart of the tourist area in Cabo. It is expensive (we paid $125 USD/night in November, 2010 but I think they have lowered their prices somewhat recently). The staff was friendly and the marina offers clean showers and laundry facilities and even a small swimming pool for guests. The central location was nice because nearly everything is within walking distance, but there are at least a dozen nightclubs within shouting distance, so we were serenaded every night until around 0400 by a dozen bands. The music and high prices drove us out of Cabo after only two nights.
Puerto Los Cabos (San Jose del Cabo) http://www.puertoloscabos.com/about_the_marina.php
This is a new marina and is part of the Puerto Los Cabos Resort. As of June, 2011 the slips were completed but not all had electrical outlets. Prices were much better than at Cabo. We got a slip for $40 USD/night in a slip without electricity, which was fine with us. The same size slip with electricity was quoted to us at $80/night. Restrooms and showers were in trailers but there are plans for more permanent facilities. The harbor at San Jose del Cabo did not show on our Maxsea electronic charts nor on our GPS, but the Navionics app on our I-Pad showed it. It's a moderately long walk to downtown San Jose so you'll want a taxi to get to the local (new) Walmart. There is a restaurant and gift shop at the marina. Prices are high, but the burgers were good. This marina is about 16 miles from Cabo San Lucas and is, in my opinion, a better place than Cabo to stay while waiting for a weather window for boats that are headed north along the Pacific coast of Baja.
Marina Palmira (La Paz) http://www.marinapalmira.com/
Located just outside of downtown La Paz, Marina Palmira is our favorite place to stay in La Paz. While not a new marina, it is well maintained, with electronic gate locks on the gangways and plenty of security. It is affiliated with the Hotel Marina so we had free access to the large hotel pool, a necessity from May through October. There are a couple of good restaurants at the marina, and it's a pleasant 3 mile walk to downtown La Paz from there along the beautiful malecon. We provisioned twice in La Paz, visiting the Soriano and Walmart. They are both too far to walk, but taxis are inexpensive in La Paz. Like most of the other marinas we visited, Marina Palmira offers free wifi, and like the others, it was spotty at best. We always relied on our Telcel 3G cards in Mexico and were seldom disappointed by them.
Marina de La Paz (La Paz) http://www.marinadelapaz.com/
This is the main marina in downtown La Paz. Older that the others, it has a character of its own that makes it hospitable to many long-time live-aboards. For us, the key attraction of this marina is its location in the heart of downtown La Paz. There are several marine stores as well as hardware stores, shopping mall, immigration office, restaurants and other services all within walking distance of this marina. Being downtown, it's noisier and more crowded than Marina Palmira. This marina is also home to Club Cruceros de La Paz. This organization offers all sorts of services and information for cruisers in the Sea of Cortez http://www.clubcruceros.org/. We stayed in this marina in the month of May, and it was quite hot, with little wind during the day and the surrounding buildings and geography blocking much of the cooling Coromuel winds at night. The local year-round liveaboards assured me that you get used to the heat. I'm not sure I want to do that myself, but it's clear that many American and Canadian expats have found a home here.
Marina Mazatlan (Mazatlan) http://www.marina-mazatlan.com/
Located about 10 miles north of downtown Mazatlan, most charts don't show this marina very well so I recommend using the Pacific Mexico Cruising Guide by Shawn Breeding and Heather Bansmer for accurate navigational information. The channel entrance is narrow and sea conditions can sometimes make entering or leaving tricky. The channel entrance requires constant dredging to keep it navigable and it is occasionally closed due to ongoing dredging operations. If in doubt, hail the marina on the VHF to check on conditions.
Mazatlan is an important commercial port and you can find almost anything you need here. There are good restaurants, a shipyard and other conveniences within walking distance of the marina, but it's too far to walk downtown, which is where you need to go for provisions. You can take a bus, taxi or pulmonia for a few pesos. The pulmonia is unique to Mazatlan. It is a small open vehicle with a canvas top. It's cheaper than a regular taxi and in Maazatlan's warm climate you don't need doors and windows, so whenever possible we took a pulmonia, which was more fun than a bus or taxi.
There has been some drug related violence in Mazatlan and at the time we were there cruise ships were not calling at the port of Mazatlan, so the town was a bit quieter than normal. We enjoyed the beautiful old city of Mazatlan and could have stayed there longer if we'd had time.
Marina Riviera Nayarit (La Cruz de Huanacaxtle) http://www.marinarivieranayarit.com/
This was our favorite marina in Mexico. Nearly new and very well maintained, Marina Riviera is probably as good as it gets. It is located in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, on the north shore of Banderas Bay. La Cruz is a picturesque town with just the right combination of old Mexico charm, yatistas and an interesting mix of expats from around the world. The marina sports a yacht club with an excellent restaurant and bar, fuel dock, shipyard with 150 ton travelift, convenience store and laundry. There are plenty of good restaurants within walking distance, ranging from high end Italian to funky outdoor places with live music. We especially enjoyed Philo's, Ana Bananas and Frascati. If I could visit only one marina in Mexico this would be it.
Paradise Village Marina (Nuevo Vallarta) http://www.paradisevillagemarina.com/
Located in Nuevo Vallarta, about 10 miles from downtown Puerto Vallarta, Paradise Village marina is built on an estuary, so bring your bug screens. This marina is a bit older than the one in La Cruz, but it is well maintained, with good facilities and friendly help. It is part of the Paradise Village resort, so visitors have access to the hotel pool and beach. This place reminded me of Marina Del Rey in California. So if you like Del Rey, you'll like Paradise Village Marina.
Marina Vallarta (Puerto Vallarta) marvta@prodigy.net.mx
Located in the port of Puerto Vallarta, this marina was once a fine place to stay while you visited the city of PV, but when we visited, it was fairly rundown. Security was so-so, and the noise level was only a few decibels this side of Cabo San Lucas. It does have the benefit of close proximity to downtown PV, which is a wonderful city.
Marina Ixtapa Nautica (Ixtapa) www.marinaixtapa.com
Like Paridise Village Marina, Marina Ixtapa Nautica is also part of a larger resort. As such it offers good facilities, access to fine restaurants and shops, and a nice beach. It is located a short bus or taxi ride from the beautiful city of Zihuatanejo, where there an excellent anchorage for when you tire of marina life. Isla Ixtapa is less than five miles away by boat and is a perfect place to anchor for the day and snorkel or lounge on the beach. While anchored there I cleaned the bottom of our boat, which is prohibited in the marina due to the large crocodiles that occasionally swim through.
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