Motor and sailing yacht in comparison - Under sail: Changing over for a day
Outside the hull, the water rushes past. The yacht is leaning so much to starboard in the stiff wind that spray is hitting the long saloon window to leeward. The rig is howling and rumbling. Heavy weather under sail - just as you would imagine. But there's a catch: we're not at sea yet. We're moored up in the harbour, without canvas, with a bare mast.
ASevere westerly storm has theNorth Sea so firmly in its grip that it caused quite a stir even in the relative safety of IJmuiden's Seaport Marina. Its gale-force gusts of more than 50 knots at its peak are responsible for the fact that our almost 13 metre longCruising sailor itself "rides" through the water on the floating dock.
Sheltered from the lashing rain and the fine sand blowing over the dunes from the beach, we can at least make ourselves comfortable below deck and discuss the situation over a beer. There is a good reason for this, because this story was actually planned quite differently. Together with theYACHT we wanted to learn fromBOATS experience for yourself what the "other side" is all about on a joint cruise with two boats. As motorboat drivers, we would switch to the sailing boat, while my sailing colleagues would switch to the motor yacht. Of course, we primarily had the positive aspects in mind - in good weather, of course. A normal trip, just on a different keel. We wanted to compare courses, journey times and fuel consumption. But above all, we wanted to understand whatthe appeal of the "foreign" lies.
"The direct contact with wind and weather was the most exciting experience for me - and how quickly things often have to happen on board a sailing yacht as a result. That welds the crew together. On the other hand, it doesn't always have to be a storm." -Christian Tiedt, BOOTE editor
In terms of boats, the choice fell on two models already tested by the editors: aC-Yacht 12.50i for us, a high-quality touring boat with centre cockpit, furling genoa and furling mainsail; and aElling E4 for the sailors, at 15 metres in length an extremely stately appearance, with striking lines, a powerful turbo diesel engine and - fortunately - CE category A. As both yachts are built in the Netherlands, IJmuiden was the obvious port of departure - for aShort trip to Englandincluding an English breakfast in a pub in Great Yarmouth or Lowestoft, before heading back to the Dutch coast. So much for the plan.
However, we had not reckoned with the storm. Sticking to this destination would have meant tacking all the way to the island, which would have required the sailing yacht to make time-consuming crossings even at 6 Beaufort. With a wind force of 10, it would have been pure agony - andunseemly madness.
Together with the two skippers, we therefore decide to spend the night in the harbour and only set sail the next day when the storm has abated somewhat. Then we should set off, one way or another. But not to England as originally intended, but on a more favourable course with a rough wind along the coast to the north. The destination: Oudeschild on the islandTexel.
"The biggest surprise for me was that we were able to set sail with the motor yacht at all in these conditions - and that I still had so much confidence after just a short time.
in the seaworthiness of the boat." - Jochen Rieker, YACHT Editor-in-Chief
On theMotor yachtAnton van den Bos did not miss the opportunity to be there himself. He loves adventure and radiates a confidence in his boats that goes far beyond the expected marketing gimmickry. You could almost think he had wished for heavy weather for this trip. A few years ago, with three E4s and plenty of extra fuel tanks, he was alreadyacross the Atlantic sailed. Last year, he had himself strapped into his flagship and turned upside down by crane, documented by a dozen cameras. He wanted to show that his boats are designed to be self-righting, he says gleefully, "just like sailing yachts". That's reassuring - at least a little. Just like the door to the wheelhouse, which falls heavily into the lock like a safe. Just like the boat's name: "Fortuna". It will all go well.
