What makes a GREAT Bluewater Sailboat? - With John Kretschmer
May 28, 2020 · 38 min · 279K views
What this video covers
John Kretschmer defines a bluewater sailboat as one capable of sailing safely and comfortably once the vessel moves off soundings into deep ocean.3:09 He emphasizes that hull design and construction quality take precedence over interior amenities, noting that a seaworthy boat should track well without requiring constant helm micromanagement.19:02 His own vessel, a 1986 Kauffman 47 cutter named Quetzal, features a deep fin keel and a skeg-hung rudder mounted well aft to maintain steering control in heavy seas.5:08 Kretschmer advocates for rugged, oversized roller furling systems, Dyneema running backstays, and a whisker pole for downwind trade-wind sailing.6:05 He also utilizes a Hydrovane wind vane for independent self-steering.14:46 For offshore safety, he prioritizes fresh, high-quality sails, replacing them every 20,000 miles to ensure reliability during reefing.28:56 He cautions that while catamarans offer speed, their inability to easily reef under load and their structural vulnerability in extreme conditions require different heavy-weather tactics, such as using a Jordan Series drogue.31:21
Boats in this video
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