Old truths

[SeaHusky]

In the journal of the Swedish cruising association I read the following notes from a meeting over 70 years ago.
I have used on line translation and only clarified some bits.

It seems vaguely familiar...

Summary from the record that the Stockholm circuit meeting November 14th, 1940. Present were about 100 people.

After dinner, we discussed how the long distance cruising boat should be.

Engineer Rusk started: There are as many opinions about how the long distance boat should look as there are sailors. It is not easy to give advice that will satisfy all.

Eng. Rusk felt that the following requirements should be:
First It should be habitable with some comfort
Second It should be seaworthy
Third It should be able to proceed if the wind is strong or if it does not blow at all

The boat has to be dry inside, have heating and equipped with closets and drawers so you do not live in a suitcase. The galley should be well planned and you should be able to move without crawling on your knees.
Comfort of a boat should not be of luxury, a boat should be an article for use.
The boat should be designed to withstand rough weather and sail decently in stormy weather. The boat should be able to be sailed by one man and also shift and reefing sails operated by one man. Engineer Rusk does not like roller reefing. The engine can be installed so it does not smell or be visible. The outboard motor is difficult and unreliable.

The next speaker was the Director Gosta du Rietz:
Dir Rietz put great value in a fast-sailing boat. Competition desire is for us all and it's not fun to be passed again and again. Ocean racing has been of great valuable when it comes to combining good sailing with comfort.

Dir Rietz said that a boat should not have too much ballast That creates rigid boats. Lost masts is usually due to excessive keels. The sail area should be adjusted so that it can be full even in high winds.

Dir du Rietz was strongly opposed to motors in boats of less then 10 - 12 tons displacement, better to not to sail when there is not any wind.

Importance of convenience, it is important to be able to sit upright in a boat rather than to be able to stand erect under the deck. The galley be arranged so as to allow cooking during sailing. For long-distance races, this is of paramount importance for pleasant atmosphere and working on board.
That the boat can be heaved to is a requirement and that it can be sailed singlehanded.
Ocean racing is a means to obtain good cruisers, and that ocean racing is a premier sports and train good sailors.

Mr. E Preisler pointed out the small boat, and its benefits. Engine was necessary especially during the races over the weekend, when we know that the motor means to come home Sunday night.
Long distance boat should be long keeled. It should be 6 m over all and about 1.90 wide. Roller jib sail is a practical but have certain disadvantages.
Spinnaker (?) is worth a having and can be produced easily without a lot of braces and other cordage. Its principal property is that it is able to lift the boat and get it to float high above the water with reduced wetted surface.

Engineer (Ake) Am?en stressed after having heard the previous speaker: What is cruising?
There are many ways to sail so he does not believe in any standard boat, there must be a highly personal creation.
The buyers requests can not always be met by the designer, the whole design can be ruined to meet any of the customer's design requests.
The modern touring boat has evolved over the past 25 years. Increased seaworthiness in direct relation to the boat's width comes from that old seaworthy boats were usually large compared with other boats from the same time. Wide boats are hard on the rudder in rough weather.
These days we have seen more and more frequently using large foresail. Long-distance sailor has come to realize that benefit from these sails.
The sails are too primitively made. Sheet points are often positioned wrong. A sheeting point should be experimented and no hardware for sheeting to be fixed permanently until you found the correct sheeting position.
The inboard engine is essential in a cruiser.

Thereafter, Professor Welander said that a sailor never finished either his boat or sailing before he forever stops sailing. Prof Welander advocates rollerreefing provided that the sheet is on the boom end. He is able to self-manage the rolling reef of 52 square meter mainsail and describes how he does. Furthermore, he maintains that one should carefully study ones boat which will lead you to clarity and achieve proficiency.
The engine is invaluable in the doldrums. Prof Welander also talked about safety, lifelines should be around the boat and a rack of pipes on the foredeck, this range provides greater opportunity to move around on deck in heavy weather and railing prevents glen go out into the lake
Important that you yourself deviate your compass. There are plenty of compass lines in the archipelago. With the help of these it is easy to make a deviation curve. Radio direction finding device is necessary for long-distance boat. New cheap combinations of broadcast receivers and direction finding equipment will arrive.

Doctor Ohnell considered the yawl to have excellent properties for a cruiser.

A few brief comments before the Chairman declared the meeting closed and thanked everyone for a rewarding evening.

Naval Officer Herlin made those present thanks to the club master for his efforts.

[jpfx]

 I appreciate the inference about not making a tender boat more rigid by adding ballast. My boat is quite tender but it hadn't sunk in that adding ballast and 'stiffening it up' would just move the strain in a blow to the mast and rigging.
I know my boat's safe but getting used to heeling without crapping a brick.. I still have along way to go. getting better though.
thanks for the post.