[frers-list]RE: frers-list digest, Vol 1 #75 - 3 msgs

Wed, 23 Feb 2005 10:58:39 -0500

My wife and I sail our Frers 33 on the Chesapeake Bay and find that it is a
very comfortable cruising boat for two people for a few weeks.  In winds
over 30kts on the nose the boat can pound in the steep Chesapeake chop,
which used to knock the chocks out of the partners, but spartite cured that.
In general this boat is very strong for its displacement.

I considered at length making an anchor locker forward while in the interim
securing the anchor in the cockpit locker and using the biggest danforth I
could carry easily to the fordeck.  The interim plan was fine and has become
the permanent routine.  I use an aluminum fortress FX37 (~21 lbs), with 7' x
3/8" chain and 250' x 1/2" nylon rode in a bag.  I am middle age and build
and can bring both anchor and bag to the foredeck quickly.  While this may
seem cumbersome it does keep the weight and water out of the bow and
maintains its designed structural integrity.  The anchor is secured upright
in a simple 2-part homemade mount: the lower part is epoxied to the hull,
immobilizing the anchor such that no sharp anchor parts contact the hull
itself. The shank is captured by two short blocks epoxied to the top of the
inside locker wall; a steel pin with a detent ball passes thru the hole for
the shackle and both blocks, and a short line from pin to mount keeps the
pin from getting lost. The FX37 is the largest anchor that will fit upright
in the locker and thru the opening.  This puts the weight pretty close to
the fuel tank where it is insignificant compared to that of the fuel.  This
anchor has remarkable holding power in the sand and mud of the chesapeake.
I carry a rode rider (22 lb bronze kellet) for anchoring in high winds and
the combination has held the boat in 50 kts.

Don Bottaro  

PLEASE NOTE NEW MAIL ADDRESS AS OF OCT 18, 2004
(other contact information is unchanged)

Donald P Bottaro, PhD
Urologic Oncology Branch
Center for Cancer Research
National Cancer Institute
Bldg 10, CRC, RM 1 West 3961
10 Center Drive MSC 1107
Bethesda, MD 20892-1107 USA

Tel       301-402-6499 (direct & voice mail)
            301-496-6353 (branch office & paging)
Fax       301-402-0922
Email    dbottaro@helix.nih.gov

-----Original Message-----
From: frers-list-request@lists.frers33.com
[mailto:frers-list-request@lists.frers33.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2005 1:02 AM
To: frers-list@lists.frers33.com
Subject: frers-list digest, Vol 1 #75 - 3 msgs

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Today's Topics:

   1. RE: frers33 for cruising (Albert Francis X NSSC)
   2. Re: frers33 for cruising (Louise K. Brokaw)
   3. Re: frers33 for cruising (Richard Saunders)

--__--__--

Message: 1
From: Albert Francis X NSSC <AlbertFX@NAVSEA.NAVY.MIL>
To: "'frers-list@lists.frers33.com'" <frers-list@lists.frers33.com>
Subject: RE: [frers-list]frers33 for cruising
Date: Tue, 22 Feb 2005 04:16:03 -0800
Reply-To: frers-list@lists.frers33.com

Rob,

I've had my 33 for two years now and as a cruiser it is an amazing boat.
Mine does not have a shower with a sump in the head but with a little work I
could install something like that.  Mine also does not have hot water but it
does have cold pressure water.  I could add the hot water heater and have
both.  The holding tank is a little small but for four folks for a weekend
it would be fine.  I've had ten on mine for long weekend races and the tank
is just about full as we get back after two days.  The boat is a fairly dry
boat and if you'll take a look at the sheer you'll notice the bow rises on
the sheer line.  This helps keep the back of the boat fairly dry even in big
waves.

As for being caught in a blow I was caught in 42 knot winds and 7 foot seas.
We were supposed to have 22 knot winds that day with 3 foot seas but a
hurricane coming up the coast was hit by high pressure coming down the coast
which caused the hurricane to turn around and head back down south.  My
guess is that the extreme low pressure of the hurricane caused the high
pressure winds to really whip up.  We started racing with just a reefed main
sail heading down wind but within 45 minutes realized we had to retire.  For
that 45 minutes we sailed at speeds up to 14 knots in 7 foot seas and waves
that would break around us as we surfed down them.  The boat did just fine
although I was a little shaky.

Good luck,
Frank Albert 

 -----Original Message-----
From: 	slrd903@comcast.net [mailto:slrd903@comcast.net] 
Sent:	Friday, February 18, 2005 22:15
To:	frers-list@lists.frers33.com
Subject:	[frers-list]frers33 for cruising

I'm looking for a clean frers33 and am looking for some candid advice. 

Can anyone comment on the overall cruising capability of the boat? This is
truly going to have be a dual purpose boat and will have to accommodate a
few long weekends (maybe up to 5-7 days) per year (usually just me and my
wife), up and down the New England coast.

Is the boat dry enough for cruising?

Has anyone managed to fit a short dodger in front of the traveller?

Has anyone been caught in a blow in a frers33. How did she manage?

Any advice on what to look out for in terms of typical survey issues (i.e.,
mast step issues, delamination, etc.). Any serious moisture issues with the
cored hull?

Any other advice?

Thanks for any info,

Rob
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http://lists.frers33.com/mailman/listinfo/frers-list

--__--__--

Message: 2
From: "Louise K. Brokaw" <jbudslat@patmedia.net>
To: <frers-list@lists.frers33.com>
Subject: Re: [frers-list]frers33 for cruising
Date: Tue, 22 Feb 2005 10:40:50 -0500
Reply-To: frers-list@lists.frers33.com

I "outfit" my Frers as two distinct boats. I race the spring season on the 
Hudson River and cruise into the fall.  The spring boat is the light boat. 
I empty the storage cabinets, put on my UK Kevlars, Take off the dodger, and

go fast.  the fall boat gets the dacron sails (easier to single hand) I load

up the CD's, the wine rack is back and I restock my spare of everything 
cabinets.  I onload n alcohol heater for the chilly evenings.  I use plastic

milk crates bungee attached on one of the salon seats for dry food, 
clothing, and other cruise stuff. The boat is comfortable to cruise with 2, 
tight with 4. Storage is the problem.  I did 3 weeks on LI Sound last year 
and plan to sail the Chesapeake this year.

I have a split dodger with a small folding bimini over the helm.  I add a 
zipper flap to attach the bimini to the dodger.  Works great.  Installer was

Patino Canvas in Haverstraw NY

I got caught single handling last season in the remnants of Ivan last fall 
on the LI Sound.  With the dodger the boat stayed dry.  Wished I had mure 
diesel HP.  Have sailed in 25 KN + with single reef and partially furled 
genoa.  Main worry was close spaced chop, lot of pounding.

When I bought the Frers, my dream boat was a J 32, but could not afford. 
The broker tolkd me what I really wanted was a Frers.  Until last year, all 
my sailing was cruising.  My yard guy "made me race",  after all I owned a 
racer.  Now I do both.  Have gone to several boatshows since purchase in 
2003,  I come home liking my Frers the best of what I see atr the shows.  My

wife is thrilled as I really do not have the 3 -4 year trade up syndrome 
anymore.  Hope this helps..    Staats
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <slrd903@comcast.net>
To: <frers-list@lists.frers33.com>
Sent: Friday, February 18, 2005 10:14 PM
Subject: [frers-list]frers33 for cruising

> I'm looking for a clean frers33 and am looking for some candid advice.
>
> Can anyone comment on the overall cruising capability of the boat? This is

> truly going to have be a dual purpose boat and will have to accommodate a 
> few long weekends (maybe up to 5-7 days) per year (usually just me and my 
> wife), up and down the New England coast.
>
> Is the boat dry enough for cruising?
>
> Has anyone managed to fit a short dodger in front of the traveller?
>
> Has anyone been caught in a blow in a frers33. How did she manage?
>
> Any advice on what to look out for in terms of typical survey issues 
> (i.e., mast step issues, delamination, etc.). Any serious moisture issues 
> with the cored hull?
>
> Any other advice?
>
> Thanks for any info,
>
> Rob
> _______________________________________________
> frers-list mailing list
> frers-list@lists.frers33.com
> http://lists.frers33.com/mailman/listinfo/frers-list 

--__--__--

Message: 3
Date: Tue, 22 Feb 2005 18:27:14 -0800 (PST)
From: Richard Saunders <rhsaund@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [frers-list]frers33 for cruising
To: frers-list@lists.frers33.com
Reply-To: frers-list@lists.frers33.com

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Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

I've read with interest the several replies you've received regarding the
suitablility of the Frers 33 for cruising.  I also have been looking to buy
one and if I did it would be a dual purpose boat as welll.  For cruising,
one thing no one has mentioned is the storing and deployment of ground
tackle.  Since there is no anchor well I'd be curious to hear how people are
handling the anchor, chain and rode.  I see some boats have had a hawse pipe
installed and carry the chain & rode in the storage area foward of the
v-berth and perhaps carry a Danforth style anchor from a holder on the bow
pulpit.  How does this work out?  What other solutions work well?

Dick Saunders
Westbrook, CT

slrd903@comcast.net wrote:
I'm looking for a clean frers33 and am looking for some candid advice. 