Hi Jon,

I should probably have added the caveat "They're not suitable for all boats but..." to my original post, but then if I had the interchange wouldn't have been nearly as interesting. I'm well aware that vanes are not suitable for all boats, but I tend to be somewhat uninclusive in my thinking. When I hear the term "cruising boat", the images that immediately pop into my head are of my previous boat, a Tayana 37, and my current one, a Kelly-Peterson 44. Both in the "traditional" monohull class of cruisers for which vanes work wonderfully.

I suspect that where you are does have a lot to do with the percentage of boats with vanes you see. I haven't done a scientific survey, but my impression is that out here in the Pacific, a majority of boats for which they are suitable have vanes mounted on them. There's about 20 boats here in the harbor now, I should run around in the dinghy and get a count.

For the record, I love cats. I've done some deliveries on them and enjoyed a lot of evenings enjoying the company of friends in them. Even going upwind you can set a glass down and it will usually stay more or less where you put it. For living accommodations at anchor (where you spend the vast majority of your time), they can't be beat. The only problem is that I can't afford them. For what I paid for this boat ($105k + about $30k more that I put into it) I could have a low end cat, whereas what I do have is a very nicely set up world cruiser that has taken the 3 of us from Calif. to the S. Pacific, all the way down to New Zealand and back up to American Samoa. And in another week or so, my elder son and I will be shoving off for Hawaii and back to Calif.

It's been a long time since I started a discussion on this board with as many posts as this one, most of them well thought out. I gotta say though Mark Cole's "Stupid is as stupid does" comment really turned me off. People can honestly disagree and misunderstand each other without it devolving into personal attacks. Believe it or not, years ago rec.boats.cruising was an interesting place but I long ago stopped even checking it after it turned into a perpetual flame war. I truly hope that doesn't happen here. In recent years, my internet access has been spotty, so I haven't been a regular lately, but I've learned a lot here (and like to think I've given back a little too).

- Dan

p.s. whatever happened to that blue foam dinghy project someone did? Was it ever finished and how did it work out?