Cape Henry 21

摘要

I'm a sucker for traditional boats, and especially English-cutter types. I love plumb stems, long decks, small cockpits, lapstrake planking, gaff rigs, reefing bowsprits, tumblehome transoms with massive rudders, and massive tillers. They look purposeful, tough, and seamanlike.rnBut I was brought up on fast, easily handled, lightweight racing boats. For me, hard-mouthed cutters with the acceleration of a half-tide rock become rather tedious in short order. Even the small ones are way too heavy to dry-sail; and, weight aside, the planking would dry out and the boat would leak if anyone tried this. Yes, I'd love an Itchen Ferry cutter in theory. But in practice, not so much. For however fine a boat such a traditional cutter might be, it would not satisfy a performance-oriented sailor wishing to dry-sail.