I am back at my sailing desk, now that my boat is on the hard waiting for next spring and what better boat to mark the beginning of the blogging season than the Comfortina 46?
I had already posted about the design and said that Comfortina yachts always have impressed me by their quality and always have pissed me by their old designs. It was time for stopping with that crippling defect and finally they have now a beautiful classic performance yacht, but not an outdated one. Good for them and good for all that like beautiful sailboats.
http://interestingsailboats.blogspot.pt/2015/12/comfortina-46.html
The Comfortina 46 is on the same league as Arcona and it is a kind of German Solaris, not as stylish on the design but featuring the kind of cozy classical interiors that some prefer. The one of the first boat (that we can see on the videos) is particularly good for offshore sailing, curiously due to the space needs of a lifting keel.
Certainly not the nicest or more agreeable to live and socialize at anchor or at the marina (for that the other version is a lot better) but one that creates small spaces with body support everywhere, no matter what tack the boat is sailing on.
Yacht.de have already tested the boat and made a movie where it its clear how well the boat sails and the quality of the interior: http://www.yacht.de/yacht_tv/test_technik/flaggschiff-comfortina-46-im-test/a113366.html The photos are here, way better than the ones on the boat site:
http://www.yacht.de/yachten_jollen/neue_boote/erste-bilder-vom-test-der-neuen-comfortina-46/a112473/fotostrecke/10480240/10482576.html
I am envious of the position of the winches that look perfect for solo sailing and there is only one thing that I don't like and strikes me as odd: the lack of port hulls.
Come on guys, classic is alright but today even much more sportive boats like j boats, XP yachts or JPK have them and they don't represent a structural problem.The saloon really looks a bit claustrophobic without them. Please put some scenery on the interior, cruisers will appreciate that for sure.
That is about the only thing I dislike...well, I don't like the price that is inevitably high and goes with the quality but should not be very different than the ones of a X yacht or an Arcona. A very nice yacht, a very interesting blend between luxury, tradition, cruising amenities and sail ability, a sailor's boat.
Winter is coming ...
ReplyDeleteHi Paulo, welcome back!
Thanks!
DeletePaulo, are you surprised that this design does not have a built-in sprit, like the Faurby 46, HR 340, new C-yacht, X-boat performance cruisers, etc. all have these days? It seems to me that this boast fits into that category where a sprit with a built in anchor system and asymmetric sail attachment point is necessary. What are your thoughts? Like you I love the cockpit layout- it's perfect to my eye- but miss the hull ports too.
ReplyDeleteI love your blog, truly love it so thanks for this.
I agree with you. In fact the boat has a fixing point for a geenaker and on Yacht.de test they tried it: http://www.yacht.de/typo3temp/pics/9_6d72d92644.jpeg
ReplyDeleteComfortina is a very traditional brand, very conservative in design and even if this boat is different, much more updated in design than the others, I guess that they did not wanted to "spoil" the classic look with an integrated bowsprit. A bow sprit adds to performance and makes the use of the geenaker easier but if a client wants one it seems the shipyard will have to mount one of the several that are on the market as an add on, the carbon one from Selden, for instance.
Right, sometimes it's still form over function, isn't it? To my eye the HR and Faurby look great with the integrated sprit, just so much cleaner looking. Regardless, I hope Comfortina sells some of these- I like having the smaller companies around to keep the big guys honest!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteYes, when you want to have a boat with a classic look you have to make some allowances in what regards form/function otherwise it would not look classic.
DeleteSome are willing to accept those trades to have a classic look on the boat.
By the way it is remarkable the way Halberg Rassy is modernizing their boats and yes the plumb bows, the integrated bowsprit and the beam pulled aft look great to me and have been modified to be more functional but I bet that a part of Halberg Rassy clientele would have preferred less efficiency and more traditional looks. I just hope they are the minority and that Halberg Rassy can enter other markets than the one of conservative sailors.