Most people who go cruising will only be on one boat for the majority of the time. Sundowners don’t count as “being on another boat”! To truly experience another boat, you need to live on it and travel far and long on it to really get the feel for it.
we have been offered this opportunity just recently to cruise as guests on an Amel Super Maramu, a 53 foot ketch that was designed to be the perfect cruising yacht.
I must say, it really does live up to its expectations! We are sailing from El Ejido in Spain to Ibiza over the next several weeks.
Having been cruising for three years on our classic Morgan 45 from 1968, we fins this opportunity to be unique and rewarding.
We know what Cruising is like with a traditional boat with an electric motor, now we get to see what it’s like on a modern boat with a diesel and roller furling sails.
Beauty of a Ketch
For full disclosure, I am very partial towards multi-mast vessels. In my opinion, schooners are the most beautiful rig, followed by ketches and yawls.
This Morgan 41 Out Island is a wonderful example of a cruising ketch. They were designed as charter boats in the islands, and they are truely purpose built. They have a shallow draft, allowing them to creep into perfect anchorages, and plenty of beam to house their paying clientele in comfort. They are also designed to cruise in waters where they will always be on a beam reach, where a ketch will excel! The split sail plan means that each sail is smaller and more easily managed than it would on a sloop with the same sail area. This gives you great comfort and control while maintaining speed and drive through the water.
Best of all, a ketch is gorgeous to see under full sail!