Yes, you are right on both - I guess it's a good thing I am not a big boat owner. They sure are nice -
I'm not the skipper that my Dad and his friends were either, so that's another good reason for me to not own a big boat.
little 'boat' is probably just about all the boat I should ever pilot - in my day I was in high demand - the guys used to argue over who would get me on their crew - I was really good back then. Many people said they won races because of me, but being one of the crew is not the same as being the skipper so most of my opinions are missing the viewpoint of the captain and the responsibilities that come with that - including the choice of length and width.
I could be and am often: 'all wet'.
Whatever your opinion may be of Roger as a skipper I think he has proven himself in regards to knowing what is important on a boat. I'm from the old school that says boats have a purpose and everything about the boat should serve that purpose - that may not make a boat look like your living room, and to me that's a good thing. I like smooth waterproof surfaces throughout and round corners and lightweight materials that don't cut me up in the rough sea. I like light bright color that can take people throwing up and clean well with no dark ugly wood covered in beer and pizza stains.
I know this post has gone too long and no one really nedds to read it but in light of the original subject about any of us moving up to a big boat I think it's important to remember the basics and not get trapped by all the furnishings and branding that provide nothing but status and zero performance. I think Rogers own words are the best and i will put them here as he sums up the rational better than I can:
ROGER MACGREGOR:
ADVANTAGES OF A LONG, NARROW HULL: Speed, of course, is the big one. A long slender hull offers a long waterline, and waterline length is the major factor in determining how fast a boat will be. You can see it in the lack of wake when the boat is going near or beyond hull speed. Since a slender hull pushes less water aside in the form of waves, it is not as limited by a defined hull speed. The theoretical hull speed on this yacht is 10.7 knots, but it will easily slide thru this barrier and go much faster.
If you wish to see the speed advantage of a narrow hull, compare a long slender rowing shell with that of a plump dinghy of equal weight. Given the same amount of effort, the difference in speed is astounding.
The easily driven, narrow hull requires a very small sailplan to go very fast. This makes the boat easier to sail. The boat has a lot of sail for its weight and size, and sails best when deeply reefed in heavy winds.
There is also a major safety advantage. Under really extreme circumstances, if a wide yacht gets upside down it may stay there for quite a while, until it gets set upright by a wave, or floods and sinks. Over the past few years, the rating authorities have been doing a lot of soul searching about the wide boats that the handicapping rules have tended to create. Many can no longer be considered self righting. A narrow yacht with deep ballast, like ANTHEM, will recover from a severe roll a lot more rapidly. It is our opinion that, regardless of the dictates of the handicapping system, an oceangoing yacht should be self righting. The angle from which the 65's and Anthem will right itself exceeds that of most other production sailboats.
A long, slender yacht such as this is easy to keep on course, unlike many of the IOR based racing and cruising boats that are difficult to steer, particularly downwind in large seas. The balanced rudder is a long way aft, and exerts enormous steering power with minimum loads for the helmsman. The yacht can be turned in virtually its own length.
Length provides an extremely stable, comfortable motion at sea, with far less pitching (or hobby horsing) than the typical cruising yacht. The hull knifes through waves with little slamming. When sailing hard into the wind, most of the spray is generated at the bow. With the rear cockpit location, it is rare to have spray get as far aft as the cockpit. Broad beamed boats shoulder a lot of water aside, and it ends up being blown over the boat. The foredeck is no place to be in heavy weather on any boat, but the aft end is nicely isolated.
A wide cabin is no doubt attractive at a boat show or at a dock, but when sailing at any angle of heel, it becomes a real challenge. Picture a boat with a 20 foot beam, and thus a 20' wide main salon. When this is heeled 10 to 20 degrees, it is a long, uphill climb when going to the windward side, or worse, a long downhill roll to the leeward side. In the center, there is little to provide support. A narrower cabin gives a lot more safety and security at sea. Another advantage of ANTHEM'S hull shape is that the usable width extends for much of the boat's long length. On a plump, shorter boat, the wide beam may only extend for a few feet before it tapers off to bow and stern.
Privacy is also a factor. The staterooms are a long way apart, separated by the lounging and working areas of the boat, and the occupants can be assured of far more privacy than in a shorter boat. The rear sleeping area is really remote, and ideal for the charter crew or noisy kids. This area is separated from the main living area by a soundproofed watertight bulkhead.
