Hal Roth Interview in SAIL Magazine

[Captain Smollett]

While at my daughter's weekly gymnastics class today, I noticed someone had left a copy of SAIL magazine in the bin.  I have not read an issue in nearly a decade, so I thought I'd pick it up to see "how the other half lives."

It's changed a lot.  Gone were the empty fluff pieces written by female staffers in the publishing house (the beginning of which I noted, years ago, with dread as "ruining the mag").  Gone also was the back page "Things That Work" by Herb and Nancy Payson, and Bob's Broadsides are gone, too.  Too bad.

Some things are the same, however.  For example, The Moorings lavish ads with bikini clad women continue to entice.  The LOA creep seems present as well, with a lot of ink dedicated what seemed to be larger and larger boats with each turn of the page.  When last I read (with regularity), I saw mid 40's as their norm.  The focus has shifted up, with several mentions in the 50's and even one 81 footer lauded.  81 feet.  That's nearly three of my Alberg and 4.5 of my trailer boat.

We also still have the "wow look at this" stuff - a device, kinda like a swage fitting for fibre line, that puts an eye in line so you don't have to splice.  And get this.  You now can order electronic rope - fiber sensors embedded in the rope's fibers with a processor chip on the end (!!) that can warn you when the line's load is getting too high.  Wow.  Just wow.

But the highlight was a little one page, half-dozen question 'interview' with Hal Roth.  He said more in his brief exposure than the rest of the magazine combined.  In fact, what he did NOT say almost spoke as loudly as what he said.

Unfortunately, I recall neither all the questions nor his exact words.  But I'll give the gist and hope you seek this out.  Or better yet, read one of his books.

Hal was asked a couple questions about cruising - why cruise, why make offshore jumps, multi-day sails (like this is a bad thing??), etc.  His answers fit well with the Sailfar spirit.  On cruising, he said it's important to be able to maintain everything on your boat yourself.

But the biggie, in my mind, the one that really grabbed me was the question "what do you recommend in an offshore boat."  I suspect the interviewer was expecting an answer along the lines of what systems, what electronics, what redundancies are suggested, along with "50 feet minimum."  But that's not what Hal said.  His reply was "get a boat by a designer who has designed offshore boats - tough and reliable."  (Again, I'm paraphrasing from memory).

Here's where his 'silence' was loud.  He did not mention one single have-to-have "system" needed to sail offshore.  He said get a boat you can sail, and sail her.  He said too many people get boats then never leave the mooring because the teak is not finished yet.  He mentioned working on 'stuff' underway, because making a passage, you'll have the time.

Thanks, Hal.  Your words were not lost on me.  Get a boat I can sail, and go sailing. 

Maybe someone at SAIL magazine is finally listening, too?

[AdriftAtSea]

Unfortunately, the magazine is influenced by where their advertising dollars are coming from... so you won't see articles about smaller, simpler, older boats as a general rule.  Another problem is that the general demographic the magazine advertisers are interested in are rarely those that are interested in going smaller, simpler and farther. 

I'd imagine that most of the 50'+ and the 81' boat are probably difficult to single-hand.  Some of the newest inventions, like those plastic splices, really have no place on most boats IMHO.  Either do the rope load sensors.  Of course, on a smaller boat, they're really not necessary.

Knowing your boat, and getting it ready... and knowing how she will react under most conditions are really important.  I think many of the sailors that have gotten into trouble over the last few years skipped this step.

[sailorbum]

Oooh!  Leave before your finished.   Maybe I can get south a little earlier.   )

I'll be always working on her, because I don't have the cash to do it all before I leave.   )  x2

TrT