MR Pelicano: C&C 41

The hull and deck design is classic Mark Mills and I predict this will be a fast, competitive boat in the right hands. But I can't say I care quite as much for the interior. The wood treatments around the port lights, the use of carbon juxtaposed with wood on the saloon table and galley surfaces, these don't work for me. However, knowing how clever Mills is with the IRC rule, I'm sure there's some rating benefit to all of this. I would prefer a more contemporary approach, even perhaps a bit more spartan. On the other hand, American buyers tend to like those kinds of things, so maybe that's why they're included. Looking forward to seeing how she performs on the race course.

Yes, I agree with you that the boat shows the American trend in what regards the extensive use of wood on the interior but I don't dislike it: It is not as heavy as in other American boats.

Funny thing that the Americans tend to like a lot of natural wood on the interior, even on sportive boats, while Europeans favor the use of wood on the deck, even in sportive boats. Both trends are purely aesthetically since there is as much sense on having teak decks as in having heavier natural wood on a sailboat, but sailing boats, even the fast ones are not only functional objects but living spaces and desirable objects by itself so beauty takes a part in their conception and what is beautiful for some is not for others. Tradition, even if on the wooden interior and teak decks, still plays a big part on the majority taste regarding the definition of a beautiful boat even if things are slowly changing, as always.

Compare the interior of the Sly 42, where contrary to the American boat the "wood" seems to be a lighter composite material...but then, look at also at the teak decks: Winning weight on one side and losing on another ;-)