Beneteau 423 Rig Conversion

Now that weve had the boat for a couple of weeks and Ive been able to dig deeper into the systems and construction of the Finisterra and Im able to start putting together a serious to-do list. Our purpose is to outfit the boat for long distance cruising so the number one item on the list is to lose the in-mast furling system. There are two basic ways to go about this. The easiest is to simply pull the roller furling main out of the mast, put slides on it and run it up the luff groove that is built into the mast. The other option is to chuck the entire roller furling (RF) mast and sail, and buy a new rig. Of course there are a few options between those two extremes, but they arent worth talking about.

Beneteau 423 close reaching under a 140% jib and RF main

After pondering the alternatives and doing the math, we chose to go all the way and put a new rig in the boat. Youre probably wondering why someone would take a perfectly good rig out of a boat and exchange it for something that is usually more work to set trim and douse. My answer is that RF mains work well for many things, but they can fail in ways that could be inconvenient at best and dangerous in some circumstances. They also cant deliver the performance that a full battened main can. In terms of danger, all you have to do is visit the B423 message board to read about a range of problems people have had with their RF main sails. Sails jammed in the slot, batten pockets torn, more jammed sails, maintenance issues on the furling system, etc. Dont misunderstand me, most B423 owners seem to love their RF main sails and have very few problems with them. But if youre planning for offshore cruising to remote places with a shorthanded crew, you want your rig to be 100% manageable in all conditions. So its out with the furling rig.

As it turns out, we can do the conversion for a very reasonable price if we manage it well. US Spars, the company that built the original B423 rigs happens to have some mast extrusions left over from the production days, and agreed to build a new classic rig for us at a very attractive price. We found a local rigger here in SoCal who will take the old rig on consignment and we can surely sell the sail at Minneys, our local marine surplus store. So with the new rig, modifying the boom and buying a new mainsail, I estimate that the entire project will cost around $15.000.

423 with classic main and stackpack

We will include a Battcar system, lazyjacks and a Stackpack to make sail handling easy. With full battens the sail falls neatly into the pack, eliminating the whole flaking exercise. More importantly, the sail can be reliably reefed in all conditions. Ill keep you posted on the progress for this project.

Mainsail neatly stowed. 

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 thats beautiful inside and out. In other words, we want our ideal boat. Over the last year weve 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. Lets 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. 

Beneteau 423. 

Cruising is to a large extent about living aboard your boat in exotic, or perhaps not so exotic, places. So I thought Id start with the living spaces on this boat. Beneteau offered a two cabin and a three cabin layout in the 423. The three cabin version appears to be designed for the charter trade with the galley arranged lengthwise along the port side of the main cabin. I think this makes it unsuitable for passagemaking so Im going to focus on the two cabin version, which is the only one wed consider buying.

B423 Two Cabin Version

I really like this arrangement. There is a spacious owners suite forward of the main bulkhead that includes a head with separate shower stall, plenty of storage space and a big double berth. The berth has storage space under it and the top is hinged and fitted with gas springs to make it easy to lift, making all that storage space is easily accessible.

The salon includes a storage locker above the forward end of the port settee. Several of the 423s we looked at had flat screen TVs 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 423s 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.

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 months provisions is not a problem. Overall, I give this galley high marks.

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 isnt a good sea berth in the main cabin, Id 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 thats about right for a boat of this size.

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 dont hinder the crew too much. Lets face it, were 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 shouldnt 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.

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 its 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 Ill take the trade-off of possibly motoring more in light air.

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 youd choose for a racer but I think its 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 youll want powerful winches and at least 6:1 purchase on the traveler and mainsheet. If those controls are not easy to adjust, they wont 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. Im 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. Weve 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.

Road Trip to Yellowstone

With most of our boat projects finished, we have some time on our hands before the synthetic teak arrives, so we decided to take a road trip to Yellowstone National Park, with stops along the way to visit friends and family in Berkeley and Nevada City, then a week or so in Mammoth Lakes before heading northeast to Yellowstone. We packed bikes and backpacks in the truck and headed up Highway 101 toward Berkeley. Along the way we stopped at Pinnacles National Park long enough to check out the unique caves near the west entrance to the park. These caves are made of enormous rocks that tumbled down into steep ravines, leaving spaces between them. Some of those spaces are cavernous, others are too small to fit through. After a couple of hours we continued on to Berkeley where we met friends and family. We spent a couple of days in the area and took an afternoon putter around the Bay aboard SF Joe, our friends Grand Banks 36.

Pinnacles National Park. The "Balconies" cliffs overlook the ravine where the caves are located.

The trail to the caves crosses over a dry creek bed. Unfortunately we saw many signs of Californias severe drought along the way,

Entrance to one of the caves. 

In some areas the caves were pitch dark and we were fortunate to have brought along a flashlight. In this area, light filtered down between the enormous boulders that make up the caves.

Lisa checked her camera after bouncing it on the rocks as we scrambled through the caves.

On Monday, August 18th we drove northeast toward the town of Grass Valley where we spent an afternoon and evening checking out the town and visiting a couple of our favorite wine tasting rooms. At the Sierra Starr winery, we were invited to visit their vineyard, which is located in the hills just out of town, where they were taking the first harvest of sauvignon blanc grapes. So the next day we drove up to the vineyard and spent a couple of hours with a merry group of volunteers harvesting these tasty grapes.

Rustic and quaint, Sierra Starr is a small, family run vineyard with about 25 acres of land under cultivation.

Phil Starr runs the vineyard while his wife, Anne manages the tasting room. But when harvest time comes, everyone picks grapes.

Its hot, sticky work, but for a few hours it was fun to pick the grapes and learn about the rudiments of viticulture.

Lisas first bunch of grapes.

The colors of the grapes were amazing.

Picking grapes is hard work. I wouldnt want to do it for a living.

Son Jack Starr is the chief winemaker. After the grapes are crushed and cleaned they go into the stainless steel tanks where they are inoculated with yeast and allowed to ferment. 

The next day we drove through the town of Nevada City and up into the hills along Banner Lava Cap road to visit family, hike, bike and relax. We spent an afternoon riding our mountain bikes through a beautiful forest of pine and oak along an old aqueduct. Another day we went tubing on the Yuba river, enjoying perfect weather and lovely scenery.

We hiked down to the river from the road and were greeted with the sight of the beautiful old Bridgeport Bridge. It was completed in 1862  and is a fine example of a truss and arch covered bridge. It is the longest bridge of its type in the world, so I guess it beats all the bridges in Madison County!

Bridgeport Bridge is the longest single span covered bridge in the world. 

The bridge has fallen into disrepair and is no longer usable. Fortunately the governor of California has allocated some money in the state budget to repair and restore the bridge so there is hope that it will survive. 

It was fun to navigate our inner tubes among the rocks and float down the gentle rapids of the river.  

After three days in hills above Nevada City, we headed to Mammoth Lakes where well stay a week or so, hiking, biking and fly fishing. 

Cruising Aboard a Beneteau 423

Finisterra at anchor in Bahia de Concepcion

As of today, weve owned Finisterra for a little over two years. During that time weve lived aboard for 10 months and sailed her about 6,000 miles including a six month cruise to Mexico and back.  We are preparing to depart again on another voyage and I thought now would be a good time to review my list of things that I would like to repair, replace, add or upgrade. As part of the process I considered what worked, what didnt, what we love and what we dont love about the boat. I categorized it all into the following groups:

Performance

Structure

Systems

Equipment

Comfort 

Performance

Weve always been pleased with the boats performance under sail. Its a cruising boat so the criteria for good performance are skewed toward ease of handling, safety and reliability in addition to pure boatspeed. If youre a regular reader of this blog, you know that I converted the rig from a roller furling mast to a classic. In doing so, I replaced the original mast with a new one from US Spars, added a Tides Marine sail track, lazyjacks and a stackpack, plus reefing lines and all the necessary blocks and clutches as well. Of course I also installed a new full-battened mainsail to go with the new mast. These changes improved the boats sailing qualities and made it safer. The new mainsail is more powerful than the roller furling sail so I was able to replace the standard 140% genoa with a 120% without any loss of power, and we sailed the entire 5,000 miles of our last voyage with this sailplan. With these sails we seldom had to reef and whenever we did, it was a simple process. In winds of 6 knot or more, Finisterra sailed well upwind and reaching. Downwind the boat suffered from a lack of power until the wind built to about 12-14 knots, but I expected that and considered it a good trade-off for a more easily handled boat in a breeze. We always sailed with a crew of two, which made me the deckhand and winch grinder, so easy boathandling is important to me. One thing I would like to improve is the rudder. I believe Beneteau uses the same one for the shoal and deep draft models, so it is a bit short. This makes the boat less responsive to the helm than a similarly sized racing yacht and, coming from a racing background, it is noticeable to me. 

Finisterra sails well with the apparent wind at 40 degrees or more. We could sail higher, but VMG drops off significantly and at less than 35 degrees apparent she just wallows along at 5 knots or less. If we had full on racing sails, we would certainly have been able to sail higher and faster than our cruising sails allowed. There were times when we pressed the boat hard upwind and it responded well, but with her thin keel and fairly wide sheeting angles, she doesnt like it all that much. Once we knew her sailing qualities we never asked more of the boat than she could deliver. 

The boat came with a fairly tired old spinnaker which we flew only a couple of times. I would like to replace it with a slightly smaller spinnaker that is in better shape. I want an AP kite that works well in 5-20 knots of wind and well keep shopping in the used sail market until we find one we like.

Finisterras performance under power is excellent. She is equipped with a Yanmar 4JH4E naturally aspirated diesel engine connected to a Slipstream 3 bladed folding prop. In flat water we have 7 knots of boatspeed at 2,100 RPM and a fuel consumption rate of about .8 GPH. Punching into a head sea, I would throttle up to about 2,300 RPM. I could have run the engine harder but never felt the need.

Structure
During the two plus years and 6,000 miles weve owned and sailed the boat, there have been no structural failures. Driving the boat hard upwind in 15 to 20 knots of wind for 24 hours revealed no leaks, the leeward shrouds remained taut, and we never felt any concern regarding the boats structural integrity. With that said, I must say I was disappointed in the construction of the aft-most bulkhead in the boat. My blog entry dated 4-6-2014 describes the issue. The bulkhead didnt fail, but it needed reinforcement. After that incident I went through the boat carefully, examining bulkheads, frames and reinforcements, and found no other reasons for concern. Is it the best boat ever built? Hardly. Is it sturdy enough to take us wherever we care to venture? I would say yes.

Much has been written about the pros and cons of glued versus tabbed bulkheads. Ive built many boats with carefully tabbed bulkheads and can attest to the strength, durability and cost of this type of construction. Virtually all of Finisterras bulkheads are glued into recesses in the boats fiberglass liner. If properly done, glued and tabbed bulkhead joints are in fact roughly equal. To my mind the more important question is how well the liner is bonded to the hull. In Finisterra it seems to be very well secured, so that loads are adequately transferred between the bulkheads and the primary hull structure. Still, I would prefer that the bulkheads be bonded directly to the hull whenever possible.There are other production boats that have bulkheads that are not as well secured as our boats, yet they soldier on year after year, with most of their failures, whenever they have them, in the engines and systems rather than the primary structures. There have been a few keel failures, or more accurately, hull/keel joint failures, on Beneteaus over the years. Google "Cheeky Monkey" for an example of the tragic consequences of such a failure. Finisterras hull/keel joint is massive and I would be surprised indeed to hear of a structural failure of this type on a Beneteau 423.

Our last boat, a Beneteau First 36s7 had a rudder that was supported by a fiberglass cone surrounding the rudder tube. It was pretty flexible and watching it move around when we were under sail was a bit disconcerting, but we never had a problem with it. The Beneteau First 42s7 has the same type of construction and I have first hand knowledge of one that sailed from Los Angeles to Australia with nary a problem, and another that recently completed a voyage from San Francisco to Denmark via the Panama Canal, also with no problems. Finisterra, like all Beneteau 423s, has a rudder tube that is supported by a set of longitudinal and transverse bulkheads, which is a much more robust arrangement. Ive watched for flex in this area while underway in various conditions and am pleased, and relieved, to report that there is no discernible movement of the rudder stock, even in fairly boisterous conditions.

Finisterras rig is just about perfect for the sailing we do. Its not a tall rig but it provides adequate power in all but very light conditions. The mast has double aft swept spreaders and is fitted with forward lower shrouds and double backstays. What I really like about it is that it is simple, reliable and well built. I have no concerns about the rig coming down.

Overall, I am pleased with the boats structural details. With a full fiberglass liner in the hull and the deck, we hear a bit of creaking when the boat is pressed, but that is to be expected with this type of construction. Flexing is an integral part of any structure and the key is to keep it within the allowable limits. I think Beneteaus boats are well thought out in this regard.

Systems
The electrical, mechanical and plumbing systems aboard Finisterra have been almost flawless since we bought the boat. Last year we installed new 6v AGM batteries, rewired the 12 volt system from the batteries to the DC panel and added an auxiliary DC panel. The previous owner had made some changes to the system that were not in accordance with ABYC standards so we corrected that, eliminated some wiring and simplified the system. I converted all the internal and external lighting to LEDs and added three solar panels. I wasnt sure that three 50 watt panels would be sufficient in all the situations we might encounter so I brought along a Honda 2000 genset on our voyage to Mexico, but we never needed it and I am considering leaving it home on our next voyage.

The engine has been the epitome of reliability. The previous owner had installed a 125 amp alternator in place of the standard 65 amp unit, which enables quick charging of the batteries. He also replaced the standard stuffing box with a PSS shaft seal and replaced the fixed 3-bladed prop with a folding unit and both have performed very well.  Aside from those improvements, the system is exactly as it was the day it was shipped from the factory.

The steering system is also original and has shown almost no signs of wear. The previous owner had replaced the steering wheel with a Lewmar folding unit which is not as strong as the standard wheel. Those folding wheels make moving around the cockpit easier while in port, but I prefer the solid feel of the original, so I put the old one back on and sold the Lewmar.

The plumbing system aboard Finisterra has also worked well. The boat had two electric heads when we bought it and one failed almost immediately, so I replaced both with simple and reliable Jabsco manual units. The gauge on the aft holding tank stopped working not long ago so I will diagnose and repair that before we leave on our next voyage.

Equipment
Watermaker:
When we bought the boat it was equipped with a Village Marine Little Wonder Model 200 watermaker. Its a simple and reliable unit that fits nicely under the forward part of the dinette. In southern California, where the water is usually less than 70 degrees F it produces about 7.8 GPH of pretty good water, in the 300-350 PPM range. In the warmer waters of Mexico, which sometimes reached 85 degrees, it produced water in the 450-500 PPM range. Its going on ten years old and I think its time to replace the membranes.

Ground tackle:

The Rocna anchor fits well in the Beneteau 423s stemhead. I changed both rollers on the starboard side to the type with a chain relief. Notice the chain stop just aft of the anchor.

The relief in the  Lewmar anchor roller helps prevent the chain from bouncing on the deck when raising or lowering the anchor.

Not long after we bought the boat I replaced the standard 3/8"BBB chain with 5/16" G4 and swapped the original 40 pound Bruce anchor for a 55 pound Rocna. This required changing the gypsy on the windlass. In doing so I found some corrosion on the windlass housing and ended up replacing the entire unit with a new Lewmar H2 unit. We now carry 200 of G4 chain, 150 of 5/8" nylon rode and the Rocna on the bow and a 35 pound Manson as a backup. The platform that the windlass is mounted on is dead level so the windlass almost always sits in standing water, which is why the housing corroded. I solved that issue by mounting the new windlass on a 3/4" high riser.

Electronics:
I converted the Raymarine wind, speed and depth instruments to a TackTick T104 wireless system. TackTick was recently acquired by Raytheon, which I guess is a good thing. Ive been using TackTick racing instruments for years and would never go back to the old wired system.

TackTick T104 Wireless Cruising Instruments.

I added a Vesper wireless AIS system last year. With the amount of commercial traffic we encounter at sea, I find it to be invaluable. Because its wireless it talks to all of our laptops, Ipads and smartphones. Neither of our installed GPS receivers are wifi enabled so the AIS data dont show up on them, but we almost never use the Raymarine chartplotter, and use the cockpit mounted Garmin 551 mostly just for course keeping. The Vesper system has been flawless.

Icom M802 SSB. 

I installed an Icom M802 SSB with a GAM antenna, and wouldnt go cruising without it. I plan to have Satphone capability on the next voyage though. The SSB is the more reliable communications device in places like the Sea of Cortez, its free and there are lots of radio nets that provide weather and other useful information, but I like the convenience of a Satphone in spite of the subscription cost. Iridium has just released their Go! device which enables any smartphone to communicate over their satellite network and acts as a hotspot as well. Im still researching the details, but this looks like a great solution for satellite voice and data.

Zodiac 250 Rib
The transom folds down to make a very compact package when its deflated.  It came with a nice nylon zippered bag but it faded quickly in the tropical sunshine. I had a cover made for it out of Sunbrella, which incorporates tie-down webbing straps to secure it to the deck . Photo courtesy of Zodiac Marine.

Danard dinghy wheels

Dinghy:
Our dinghy is a Zodiac 250 Rib with Hypalon tubes. At 82" long, its smallish for our needs but that is offset by its compact size when deflated, about 6 long x 3 wide and 10" thick when stowed on the foredeck.  It will plane with two aboard using our Tohatsu 6hp motor as long as we dont have a lot of groceries aboard. Of course planing is relative,  were traveling at about 15 knots with the engine wide open when were on a plane. We used only 3 gallons of gas in the six months we were in Mexico so the boat is very economical to run. Whenever we had a beach landing, which was all the time while we were in the Sea of Cortez, we used
Danard pinless dinghy wheels. They use pneumatic tires and are perfectly simple to operate. This is another piece of equipment I would not go cruising without.
We also brought along a Hobie inflatable kayak which we used often. Its perfect for cruising around quiet bays. If we had the space to store it, Id bring a second one on our next voyage.


Cookware:

We added a set of high quality stainless steel cookware from Magma. At first I was put off by the price but grew to love this equipment because it really is high quality, it nests together and they do a nice job of distributing the heat from the small burners on our stove. The removable handles enabled the entire set to be stored in a small locker under the stove. We also carry a Magma two burner propane grill, which we used extensively while in Mexico. Its another piece of equipment I wouldnt leave home without.

Comfort
The boat has been very comfortable to live aboard. The fixed dropleaf table in the cockpit was annoying and I replaced it with a small pedestal that serves as a drink holder and mounting base for the GPS. I had planned to fabricate a smaller fold-down table that would mount on the pedestal but didnt get around to it before we left for Mexico last January. On that trip we used a couple of small plastic folding tables that could be stowed out of the way when not in use. Now that were home Ive started making a new table, which will be done in a couple of weeks. The cockpit itself is big and comfortable and the step-thru to the transom/swimstep is very convenient. The previous owner installed a tankless propane water heater in the starboard lazarette, which provides lots of hot water without having to run the engine. This is especially nice for showering on the transom, which we did a lot of in the Sea of Cortez.

I like the tall, sturdy bulwarks and grippy nonskid on deck. They make moving around the foredeck easy even in rough conditions. Whenever we reef the mainsail I have to go to the mast to secure the tack, but aside from that, pretty much all boathandling tasks can be done from the cockpit.

Shade is vital in the tropics so we replaced the dodger, expanded the bimini and added removable mesh screens around the sides and back of the bimini. The screens do a fair job of blocking the sun while still allowing plenty of ventilation. But when its really hot outside, the most important accessory is the swim ladder and transom shower. A quick dip in the ocean followed by a freshwater rinse on the transom is the best way to beat the heat.



Below, we found the basic accommodations plan to be nearly ideal, but there are some details that would make it even better. For example, in the forward cabin , the Vberth should extend all the way to the hull on the sides. It would also be nice if there was a bit more counter space in the forward head. The main cabin proved to be adequate for entertaining up to six people comfortably and plenty spacious when there were just the two of us aboard. The galley has a lot of usable counter space and is quite large for a 42 foot boat, which makes day-to-day life aboard much more comfortable for the cook. The quarterberth is enormous and I rigged up a leeboard to make it a suitable sea berth. Thats where the off watch slept whenever we were at sea. The primary fuel filter, shaft log, batteries, water tank and a couple of storage spaces are all located under the quarterberth, but access to them was difficult because you had to pull out all the cushions and lift up the plywood bunk supports to get at them. So I built smaller access hatches into the panels that enable me to get at the fuel filter, shaft log and storage compartments without disassembling the entire bunk.
Lighting and ventilation in the 423 is excellent but we need a few more fans to keep the air moving, especially when were in the tropics.

Another item that vastly improved our comfort aboard was the small, 5,000 BTU air conditioner that I bought in Mexico. It was very much appreciated when the thermometer reached past 100 degrees, which it often did in La Paz. I had built a seat in the companionway awhile back, with the thought in mind that it would be a handy place for a portable AC unit, and it worked well.

Overall, the boat has been very comfortable and we have no plans to make any major changes before we head out on our next adventure.

Beneteau 423 First Impressions

We took possession of our new 423 last weekend and renamed it Finisterra. Yesterday we went for our first sail and finally had an opportunity to try the boat on all points of sail under power and under working sails. Here is a brief summary of what we discovered.

We left the slip in the downtown marina and took advantage of the flat water and light air in the turning basin to see how the boat maneuvers in forward and reverse. Finisterra is equipped with a Slipstream 3 bladed folding prop. We found that it operates smoothly when going from neutral into forward or reverse and provides plenty of thrust in forward. Outside the marina we saw 7 knots with the Yanmar diesel running at 2,200 RPM. Since its a folding prop, it takes some throttle to get the boat moving when backing down, but overall performance is good. We had a three blade feathering prop on our last boat and it would occasionally snag some seaweed, so I think this prop is a good compromise for our purposes.

Sailing conditions were excellent with about 12 knots of breeze that built to about 16 in the afternoon. I unfurled the mainsail and I have to admit that its awfully easy to operate the in-mast furling system. We puttered around under the mainsail only for half an hour. Its a tiny thing with a hollow leach and no battens but it has fairly good shape and pushed the boat along at about 5 knots in 15 knots of wind on a beam reach. I was pleased to see that it is in nearly new condition. With the 140% jib set, the boat came alive and we drove upwind with the apparent wind angle at about 40 degrees and about 7.5 knots of speed. Later, as we bore off to a close reach, the speed increased to about 8. Easing sheets a bit more, we put the boat on a beam reach and saw 8.5 on the knotmeter. Bearing off further brought the wind on the port quarter and our speed dropped as we expected. At all times the helm was light and well balanced, and perfectly responsive. Sailing back toward the marina the wind fell to about 5 knots as we approached the marina entrance and the boat ghosted along very nicely. I rolled up the jib and fired up the engine, then furled the mainsail just before entering the marina. All almost too easy. Our berth is near the head of the gangway and the fairway is narrow so its a tight turn into our downwind slip but the boat maneuvered easily and we made our first landfall perfectly.

Having designed, built and sailed a number of racing yachts, I expect my boats to perform well. There is no need for a cruising boat to be a slug in terms of performance or handling and the B423 meets my expectations. I struggle with the idea of in-mast furling. I prefer the strength and simplicity of a full battened main and slab reefing and will likely convert this rig. Other than that, were very pleased with the boat.

Hallberg Rassy 412 Review

A sophisticated Cruising Yacht

It was about a year ago that I heard Hallberg Rassy was developing a new aft cockpit 41 footer. Long known for their center cockpit boats, it seems that the venerable HR firm has made a commitment to this style, at least for their smaller models. I think a center cockpit boat needs to be at least 45 feet long to be truly good looking and practical, so in my opinion this is a healthy trend for them. If you visit the Hallberg Rassy web site (www.hallberg-rassy.com), which is where I got my information about this boat, youll find that they now have a line of aft cockpit boats ranging from 31 feet to this new 41.

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 its 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.

Lets 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 boats hull and rig dimensions and we can create a good estimate of what to expect from the HR 412 in terms of sailing performance.

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

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, Im 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 Rassys 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.

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 youre 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 thats important. Some might criticize the springiness of the sheer on the 412. I think a little more tautness there might improve the boats looks, but Ill reserve judgement on that until we see the boat. Sometimes what looks good on paper doesnt 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.

Emerald Bay

We headed over to Catalina Islands Emerald Bay last week, expecting lots of activity for the Fourth of July holiday. This was the Finisterras first voyage to our favorite cove. We left the marina in Long Beach at 1500 and tacked up the harbor toward Angels Gate in light air. The UV cover on the jib let go after four or five tacks at the spot where it rubs on the mast mounted radar antenna, so we looked a bit ragged as we passed through the Gate, with a foot-long tatter trailing off the leach of the jib, but the boat sailed well until we ran out of wind. We motored the rest of the way to the cove, arriving at 1845.

Finisterra moored at Emerald Bay

We picked up a mooring behind Indian Rock and sat back to enjoy the view as the sun set behind the hills. On the trip over from the mainland we used the autopilot and about every twenty minutes it conked out, with "Drive stop" on the display. According to the manual, that message means that the linear drive quit because the force required to turn the rudder is too great for the system. That doesnt sound right to me because the helm was pretty light at all times, so in the next few days Ill be tearing into the system to find out whats really going on there.

The boat is equipped with electric heads that use fresh water to flush. Im not a fan of them and, sure enough, the aft head stopped working. So well swap them out for the tried and true Jabsco manual heads. Aside from that little glitch, the boat and its systems worked well throughout our stay.

Calm weather prevails as we look toward the west end of the Island 

Since this was our first trip aboard the boat, there were lots of little things to fix, and this took some time, but we still had plenty of opportunities to hike and putter around the anchorage in the dinghy. We met some folks from Corsair Yacht Club, John and Judy, who sail a beautiful old Ericson 41. They invited us to a barbeque at their club site, which is located next to the scout camp near the west end of Emerald Bay. It was nice to connect with them. The next day we hiked out toward the west end of the island past Parsons landing, where the views were spectacular and we saw lots of signs of deer, island fox and bison.

Not far from Parsons Landing we encountered this bison on the trail. Notice that his horns have been clipped. For several years the Island conservancy kept them out of the the west end of the Island, but nowadays they roam freely.

The weather stayed cool and overcast until our last day, and we departed the island under beautiful blue skies and sparkling sunshine. The Finisterra sailed under main and raggedy jib, doing seven and a half knots, until we reached the entrance to LA harbor. Passing the lighthouse, we hardened up and reefed the jib in about 20 knots of wind and sailed up the main channel to get a glimpse of the famous old battleship USS Iowa, which recently took a permanent berth near the maritime museum. The ship first deployed in 1943, and participated in bombardments of Japan in WWII. As the war drew to a close, the Iowa was present along with the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay for the official surrender of Japan, marking the end of the World War. It is interesting to note that it was during WWII that the battleship, with its big guns was supplanted by the aircraft carrier as Americas premier seaborne combat weapon. Already obsolete by the end of the war, the USS Missouri was the last US battleship to be built. 

USS Iowa at her permanent home in Los Angeles harbor

The big guns on the Iowa are impressive artifacts of a bygone era

Leaving the Iowa behind, we headed back down LA harbors main channel and bore off for Long Beach, only to be confronted with the sight of a large ship entering the harbor loaded down with several new hammerhead cranes destined for service loading cargo in the Port of Long Beach. It was quite a sight to see the ship with its cranes working its way, with the help of a couple of tugs, through the harbor entrance and into her berth. The cranes were painted with the COSCO/SSA emblem. COSCO, not to be confused with Costco, is short for China Ocean Shipping Company. SSA is an American logistics company that manages marine shipping terminals.

Its hard to imagine this shipload of cranes crossing the Pacific. The weather routing service earned their pay on this project. Shipping companies, like us regular yachties, use routing services to route their ships to avoid weather systems. 

Three tugs guide this unwieldy ship to her berth in Long Beach harbor.

We got back into our slip before sunset after a nice sail down the harbor. I have been pleasantly surprised by the performance of the boat with the small roller furling main sail and look forward to sailing with the new rig. The mast has been shipped from the manufacturer and we expect it to arrive this Friday.