Westwind #11

MQMurphy · Post by **MQMurphy** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 8:55 am

Since Duncan made that comment about some Paceships being prettier than others, I feel compelled to offer an illustration. Here are a couple of my favorite Westwind photos - these are from the Paceship site, taken (I suppose) back in the '60s.

No offense intended to owners of other Paceships, just a little family pride. My project is hull #13 - hope to have something to show in a couple of months.

Duncan · Post by **Duncan** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 8:28 pm

Well, no good deed goes unpunished. Here's my Paceship Eastwind 25.
I was getting her set up to sail back from Mattapoisett, MA to Lake Champlain.

She was an engineless orphan that I took a friend down to see.
He's a smart guy, though, so he decided it was cheaper to crew with me than to buy his own boat.
I couldn't just leave it there, so now I have a Westwind and an Eastwind.

MQMurphy · Post by **MQMurphy** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 9:42 pm

Arrghh, those smart guys . . .
Very pretty boat, Duncan. How do you decide which one to take out - or do they work shifts, on and off the hard?

Summersdawn · Post by **Summersdawn** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 2:20 am

How do you decide which one to take out - or do they work shifts, on and off the hard?

I would think it depends on which way the wind is blowing...

;-)

Duncan · Post by **Duncan** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 10:03 am

Summersdawn wrote:
How do you decide which one to take out - or do they work shifts, on and off the hard?
I would think it depends on which way the wind is blowing...

;-)

That's about it. I left the Eastwind at the top of Lake Champlain, about an hour south of Montreal, and keep the Westwind up here. I am half-heartedly selling the Westwind, but I like her so much, I'm not trying very hard :)

I'm sort of feeling my way with the Eastwind. I think she may be blue-water capable, but she needs a thorough going-over before I try and sail her up to, say, Newfoundland.

I'll post something about projects once I get a bit more organized.

Duncan · Post by **Duncan** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 8:30 am

Here's the ole whale-belly, pumpkinseed, Ted Hood hull of the Westwind. Sort of a Fat Albert, with 8' of beam on an 18' waterline.

From this perspective, that outboard looks awful, must cause a lot of drag. If I wasn't selling her, I think I'd yank it out, and just plonk in my 2 hp (or row) when the wind died.

xroyal · Post by **xroyal** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 12:21 pm

Duncan, thanks for the fine pics. Your Westwind is more shapley, but sure reminds me of my '60s 24 Columbia Challenger.

John

Duncan · Post by **Duncan** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 6:57 pm

That was fun to look up the Columbia Challenger, and I can see what you mean. Some real similarities (one of which was a fix for cabintop sag, that was quite helpful!). Some major differences, too - it's amazing how boats so similar in some ways can be so different in others.

I was looking at drawings this afternoon, and it was interesting that there was a design sketch for a Westwind variant (which didn't get built). It looked even more like the Challenger, since it had a flush deck forward.

By the way, can anyone spot the mistake in this drawing?

Rachel · Post by **Rachel** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 11:20 am

Duncan wrote: By the way, can anyone spot the mistake in this drawing?

Well, it looks like the rudderpost would have an awfully hard time actually reaching the rudder -- or am I missing something...

R.

Post by **Tim** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 12:36 pm

Duncan wrote:By the way, can anyone spot the mistake in this drawing?

Should there be a skeg in front of the rudder, as there is in the actual photos of the boat above?

Rachel wrote:Well, it looks like the rudderpost would have an awfully hard time actually reaching the rudder -- or am I missing something...

Actually, I think the line you're seeing (which does look a bit like a rudderpost) is the "cutout" line in the drawing that's allowing us, the viewers, to see "through" the hull of the boat and into the interior. The draftsman should have made the line squigglier (more like the corresponding one in the bow sections) to prevent this sort of confusion.

xroyal · Post by **xroyal** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 3:12 pm

Duncan, believe (?) Columbia made 2 versions of the 24, one with a raised cabin top more like yours and the flush deck version I had. Darnit, wish my scanner was hooked up. I loved the solid feel of her, especially when sailing in choppy waters outside the Golden Gate.

Duncan · Post by **Duncan** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 3:14 pm

Rachel wrote:Well, it looks like the rudderpost would have an awfully hard time actually reaching the rudder.

That's it, the tiller is drawn a bit too high/too far back to connect properly to the rudderpost.

Tim wrote:Should there be a skeg in front of the rudder

True enough - the skeg and rudder are drawn as one piece here - I guess this sketch wasn't intended for that level of detail.

xroyal wrote:Duncan, believe (?) Columbia made 2 versions of the 24, one with a raised cabin top more like yours and the flush deck version I had.

Wow, very similar indeed (above the waterline) - if you are referring to the Coumbia Contender 24?

xroyal wrote: I loved the solid feel of her, especially when sailing in choppy waters outside the Golden Gate.

Funny you should say that - "solid" and "smooth" would be two of the first words I'd use to describe how the Westwind sails, as well. She feels like a much bigger boat. The Westwind boys in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland claim they are the last ones who have to go in when the weather kicks up.

xroyal · Post by **xroyal** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 12:31 pm

Yes, had forgotten the Contender name (see edit) . Thanks for the pics. Like the Pearsons, the full keel on my Challenger made the difference. My flat deck certainly diminished the cabin space, but gave great visibility underway.

The fellow who bought her said she was the nicest one on SF Bay, and paid me $1000 more than I paid several years earlier. He added self furling jib, etc. A few years later I was walking the docks in Sausalito, and was shocked to see my sweet boat looking like the worst Challenger afloat, T'was sad!

On a more positive note, I really enjoyed visiting the local yacht club and marina yesterday, watching all the guys and gals getting their boats ready for the season. A few were having nice cruises up the lake. Awfully short season in Lat 42!

Edit: Whoops, but this is the Contender version I've seen, even more like your Westwind (see Stern pic). Note both claim 1965 model year:

http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listing/ ... 71771&url=