I love the design of the BCC and am considering purchase, with plans
to use as a weekend and vacation cruiser on the Chesapeake. Given
the winds and water depths, I am wondering if this would be a good
choice for a safe, comfortable cruiser. My wife and I have three
small children.
I would appreciate comments from current owners.
Many Thanks!
You mention winds and water depth specifically, so as you may know,
the Chesapeake Bay is mostly a mud bottom and fairly shallow along
the shoreline. I’ve sailed here off and on since 1996 aboard
Godspeed, my BCC. Going aground is a faily common occurance for me,
since I enjoy exploring all the rivers and coves. When I go aground,
it is usually very gradually since the Bay doesn’t really have steep
drop-offs. The crew (or me) runs forward onto the bowsprit in order
to raise the stern off the mud, and I start the engine and put her
into reverse. Even at 8 tons, I can rock the boat side-to-side if I
need some extra momentum to break free. There is a 2-3 foot tide on
the Bay with fairly slow current. This has also helped on several
occasions. I think I’ve run aground maybe 6 times, and maybe the
longest I’ve stuck was 6 hours till high tide. So for me at least,
having a 5 foot draft is not really a problem on the Bay.
Winds are great in the spring and fall, but the Bay can be very hot
and quiet in the middle of summer. I keep bug spray aboard because
when the wind dies and its 100 degrees, the flys seem to come out of
nowhere. Odd, there are are lots of flys way out in the middle of the
bay, but when I’m ashore its all clear…
Hope this helps,
Mark Gearhart
www.mgearhart.com/bcc
— In bcc@egroups.com , s.pilgrim@w… wrote:
I love the design of the BCC and am considering purchase, with
plans
to use as a weekend and vacation cruiser on the Chesapeake. Given
the winds and water depths, I am wondering if this would be a good
choice for a safe, comfortable cruiser. My wife and I have three
small children.I would appreciate comments from current owners.
Many Thanks!
did my first real cruise this week in my bcc, from norfolk up to
reedville on the great wicomico. all kinds of breeze from zilch to
probably 30 knots yesterday with the cold front. the boat sails
great. i outpaced my sailing partner in his cape dory 33, kept up
with a hunter 34 (i know, but they sail ok) for several miles before
he turned off. sailed from the corrotoman river to willoughby bay in
norfolk yesterday in a strong nor’easter. i saw only one other
sailboat out there and that was in hampton roads harbor. made it in
8 hours flat. i don’t know the distance but the gps (the speed/log
is fouled)was hitting 11 knots on occasion with regular 9’s and 10’s,
rarely less than 6 knots. she felt safe and secure.
i grounded 3 times on this trip, once while ghosting in a zephyr
and was able to sail off( she ghosts great) another time while
reading a paperback in an unmarked creek and put her firmly aground,
needed stern anchor and engine to get off and bumped once under power
at night trying to navigate up a creek in a thunderstorm but steered
back to deep water no problem. it is about average for me. i would
put my old cape dory aground at the same frequency with 3’-7" draft.
being shallower and lighter i could hop out and push, but it is more
a matter of how careful you are. i know people that have cruised the
chesapeake with 8 foot draft. there are some places you cannot go
with any draft.
if you are interested in going for a sail or seeing the boat, let me
know, preferably by telephone.
john churchill
chesapeake, va
757-547-7714
Hello-
Comments on the Chesapeake are all from more informed sources than I . . .
jeremy and I cruised for three years aboard Calypso (with our 45 lb beagle)
and had a wonderful time. IN fact, we sailed across the Atlantic with
friends on a Dashew 60 and wou;ld rather have been on Calypso in terms of
seakindliness and comfort motionwise. We have a one year old son who sailed
for his first time when he was two weeks old. Needless to say, we heartily
recommend the BCC as a sailing vessel.
We also recommend her as a cruiser, although I think you might want to think
very seriously about the amount of room you need with three kids. We had set
up a v-berth in the bow (very highly recommended, as per Pardeys) and you
could do the same, and then have two settees and the quarterberth for
snoozing kids (or bundle all three of them up front while you were
entertaining) It would work, especially since you don’t spend a whole lot of
time down below (make sure you have a dodger and an awning that you can
enclose with mosquito netting!). If you don’t get along as a family in the
house on rainy weekends, then the whole cruising thing might need
reconsideration anyhow.
Calypso is also in the Chesapeake (in Gloucester, VA) and you are welcome to
come take a look to see if you can envision what the world might be like for
you.
Email (calypsonia@aol.com ) or call (804) 295-1016.
Cheers,
Nica (other half of Jeremy)
Calypso, BCC #6
Thanks for the feedback. Any problems getting her to move in the light
summer winds? By the way, was that your BCC I saw on the hard in Annapolis
several weeks ago?
Regards,
Steve
-----Original Message-----
From: mark gearhart [mailto:mrgearha@yahoo.com ]
Sent: Wednesday, September 06, 2000 8:30 AM
To: bcc@egroups.com
Subject: [bcc] Re: BCC Suitability for Chesapeake Family Cruiser
You mention winds and water depth specifically, so as you may know,
the Chesapeake Bay is mostly a mud bottom and fairly shallow along
the shoreline. I’ve sailed here off and on since 1996 aboard
Godspeed, my BCC. Going aground is a faily common occurance for me,
since I enjoy exploring all the rivers and coves. When I go aground,
it is usually very gradually since the Bay doesn’t really have steep
drop-offs. The crew (or me) runs forward onto the bowsprit in order
to raise the stern off the mud, and I start the engine and put her
into reverse. Even at 8 tons, I can rock the boat side-to-side if I
need some extra momentum to break free. There is a 2-3 foot tide on
the Bay with fairly slow current. This has also helped on several
occasions. I think I’ve run aground maybe 6 times, and maybe the
longest I’ve stuck was 6 hours till high tide. So for me at least,
having a 5 foot draft is not really a problem on the Bay.
Winds are great in the spring and fall, but the Bay can be very hot
and quiet in the middle of summer. I keep bug spray aboard because
when the wind dies and its 100 degrees, the flys seem to come out of
nowhere. Odd, there are are lots of flys way out in the middle of the
bay, but when I’m ashore its all clear…
Hope this helps,
Mark Gearhart
www.mgearhart.com/bcc
— In bcc@egroups.com , s.pilgrim@w… wrote:
I love the design of the BCC and am considering purchase, with
plans
to use as a weekend and vacation cruiser on the Chesapeake. Given
the winds and water depths, I am wondering if this would be a good
choice for a safe, comfortable cruiser. My wife and I have three
small children.I would appreciate comments from current owners.
Many Thanks!
She moves pretty good in light winds. I’ve got the
standard set of sails. Sounds like you are on the
Bay right now, so you probably know it can get kinda
windless sometimes. I’ve thought about a genoa, but
it seems that on the Bay there is either good wind or
no wind at all, so I’m not sure a genoa would be of
much use to me. Oh yes, if you decide to get a BCC,
I’d recommend getting a downwind pole. I’m pretty
sure its an option, not standard equipment. The jib
can snag on the staysail stay if its flapping, so
the pole keeps the sail extended. The stay can be
removed while underway, but I don’t like doing this.
Nope, that wasn’t me in Annapolis. Godspeed is in
Houston right now, but we are heading your way just
after Christmas. We’ll be up in Baltimore probably
early next year (as soon as I figure out how to
install this Force 10 heater). Some winter
sailing should be very exciting I think, at least
there won’t be any hurricanes like our last trip.
If you and your family would like to take a look at
Godspeed, send me some email in early January and
I should know a time and date for our arrival. I’m
at MRGEARHA@yahoo.com
Mark Gearhart
www.mgearhart.com/bcc
Going downwind,
— Steve Pilgrim <s.pilgrim@worldnet.att.net > wrote:
Thanks for the feedback. Any problems getting her
to move in the light
summer winds? By the way, was that your BCC I saw
on the hard in Annapolis
several weeks ago?Regards,
Steve
-----Original Message-----
From: mark gearhart [mailto:mrgearha@yahoo.com ]
Sent: Wednesday, September 06, 2000 8:30 AM
To: bcc@egroups.com
Subject: [bcc] Re: BCC Suitability for Chesapeake
Family CruiserYou mention winds and water depth specifically, so
as you may know,
the Chesapeake Bay is mostly a mud bottom and fairly
shallow along
the shoreline. I’ve sailed here off and on since
1996 aboard
Godspeed, my BCC. Going aground is a faily common
occurance for me,
since I enjoy exploring all the rivers and coves.
When I go aground,
it is usually very gradually since the Bay doesn’t
really have steep
drop-offs. The crew (or me) runs forward onto the
bowsprit in order
to raise the stern off the mud, and I start the
engine and put her
into reverse. Even at 8 tons, I can rock the boat
side-to-side if I
need some extra momentum to break free. There is a
2-3 foot tide on
the Bay with fairly slow current. This has also
helped on several
occasions. I think I’ve run aground maybe 6 times,
and maybe the
longest I’ve stuck was 6 hours till high tide. So
for me at least,
having a 5 foot draft is not really a problem on the
Bay.Winds are great in the spring and fall, but the Bay
can be very hot
and quiet in the middle of summer. I keep bug spray
aboard because
when the wind dies and its 100 degrees, the flys
seem to come out of
nowhere. Odd, there are are lots of flys way out in
the middle of the
bay, but when I’m ashore its all clear…Hope this helps,
Mark Gearhart
www.mgearhart.com/bcc— In bcc@egroups.com , s.pilgrim@w… wrote:
I love the design of the BCC and am considering
purchase, with
plans
to use as a weekend and vacation cruiser on the
Chesapeake. Given
the winds and water depths, I am wondering if this
would be a good
choice for a safe, comfortable cruiser. My wife
and I have three
small children.I would appreciate comments from current owners.
Many Thanks!
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail - Free email you can access from anywhere!
http://mail.yahoo.com/
Many thanks. Enjoy the ride!
Steve
-----Original Message-----
From: mark gearhart [mailto:mrgearha@yahoo.com ]
Sent: Thursday, September 07, 2000 8:35 AM
To: bcc@egroups.com
Subject: RE: [bcc] Re: BCC Suitability for Chesapeake Family Cruiser
She moves pretty good in light winds. I’ve got the
standard set of sails. Sounds like you are on the
Bay right now, so you probably know it can get kinda
windless sometimes. I’ve thought about a genoa, but
it seems that on the Bay there is either good wind or
no wind at all, so I’m not sure a genoa would be of
much use to me. Oh yes, if you decide to get a BCC,
I’d recommend getting a downwind pole. I’m pretty
sure its an option, not standard equipment. The jib
can snag on the staysail stay if its flapping, so
the pole keeps the sail extended. The stay can be
removed while underway, but I don’t like doing this.
Nope, that wasn’t me in Annapolis. Godspeed is in
Houston right now, but we are heading your way just
after Christmas. We’ll be up in Baltimore probably
early next year (as soon as I figure out how to
install this Force 10 heater). Some winter
sailing should be very exciting I think, at least
there won’t be any hurricanes like our last trip.
If you and your family would like to take a look at
Godspeed, send me some email in early January and
I should know a time and date for our arrival. I’m
at MRGEARHA@yahoo.com
Mark Gearhart
www.mgearhart.com/bcc
Going downwind,
— Steve Pilgrim <s.pilgrim@worldnet.att.net > wrote:
Thanks for the feedback. Any problems getting her
to move in the light
summer winds? By the way, was that your BCC I saw
on the hard in Annapolis
several weeks ago?Regards,
Steve
-----Original Message-----
From: mark gearhart [mailto:mrgearha@yahoo.com ]
Sent: Wednesday, September 06, 2000 8:30 AM
To: bcc@egroups.com
Subject: [bcc] Re: BCC Suitability for Chesapeake
Family CruiserYou mention winds and water depth specifically, so
as you may know,
the Chesapeake Bay is mostly a mud bottom and fairly
shallow along
the shoreline. I’ve sailed here off and on since
1996 aboard
Godspeed, my BCC. Going aground is a faily common
occurance for me,
since I enjoy exploring all the rivers and coves.
When I go aground,
it is usually very gradually since the Bay doesn’t
really have steep
drop-offs. The crew (or me) runs forward onto the
bowsprit in order
to raise the stern off the mud, and I start the
engine and put her
into reverse. Even at 8 tons, I can rock the boat
side-to-side if I
need some extra momentum to break free. There is a
2-3 foot tide on
the Bay with fairly slow current. This has also
helped on several
occasions. I think I’ve run aground maybe 6 times,
and maybe the
longest I’ve stuck was 6 hours till high tide. So
for me at least,
having a 5 foot draft is not really a problem on the
Bay.Winds are great in the spring and fall, but the Bay
can be very hot
and quiet in the middle of summer. I keep bug spray
aboard because
when the wind dies and its 100 degrees, the flys
seem to come out of
nowhere. Odd, there are are lots of flys way out in
the middle of the
bay, but when I’m ashore its all clear…Hope this helps,
Mark Gearhart
www.mgearhart.com/bcc— In bcc@egroups.com , s.pilgrim@w… wrote:
I love the design of the BCC and am considering
purchase, with
plans
to use as a weekend and vacation cruiser on the
Chesapeake. Given
the winds and water depths, I am wondering if this
would be a good
choice for a safe, comfortable cruiser. My wife
and I have three
small children.I would appreciate comments from current owners.
Many Thanks!
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail - Free email you can access from anywhere!
http://mail.yahoo.com/