She Won't Go to Windward

I had a conversation with a broker, the other day, about the Paragon.  He had called to ask how we were doing, to check in with us about our home sale and boat search.  Gary is a good guy and someone who took the time to let us look at boats when we were figuring out what we wanted.  He listened to us, took his time, and let us figure things out. 

When I told him that we think we have found the boat we want in the Paragon, a Hardin 45 XL, his first comment was, "She won't go to windward."

"Compared to what boat?," I asked him.

"There's a good point," he said.

He told me of knowing an owner, down in Cabo, years ago who had a Hardin.  That owner hated that boat.  He said it wouldn't go to windward.  Then Gary said that, well, it would make a pretty good liveaboard and all boats are a compromise.  We had a good discussion about the boat, why we are interested and maybe the reason the other Hardin didn't go to windward as well, maybe why the other sailor didn't like his boat, wasn't because of the boat; maybe he just wasn't a good sailor -- Gary said this.  So maybe the statement wasn't absolute and the boat isn't a wallowing unsailable barge.  It really depends on understanding a few things.

And that's the two points.

1) all boats are a compromise.

and

2) all boats are compared to others in features, performance, comfort, etc.

This means that statements such as, "She won't go to windward" are useless unless compared to something, some metric, some standard.

It's like saying, "that motorcycle is slow." 

People who use such statements rarely provide a context for their judgment.  It's assumed that what they say is true, on it's face, by the speaker and that, often, it should not be questioned. 

I doubt a Hardin will go to windward as well as a sleek, narrow boat with a high aspect fin keel.  Fully understanding this makes the boat easier to sail -- not harder.  If I can understand the limitations of a boat (or a motorcycle for that matter), I can learn how to make the most of her positive aspects and work around the negative ones.

So the Hardin is unlikely to sail like a very modern high performance boat. 

I wonder how the modern high performance boat is in heavy weather?  How is she at anchor?  How roomy is she?  Is the deck level or sloped like so many of the racer/cruiser Benetaus we have seen?

I'm willing to give up a little sailing performance for comfort, room, the ability to lay at anchor well, the ability to take waves and not pound.

The Paragon is not perfect.  Like all boats, it's a compromise.  I maybe the last one at anchor but, maybe when we get there, we'll be the most comfortable.

So, I'll give her a good sea trial.  We will sail her, even if it takes some time to find the right wind.  If she can't sail (which I doubt -- I've seen pics of them underway in good air) then I won't own her.  I just won't expect a full keel 33K pound boat to perform like a fin keeled 20K boat.