Thursday, December 01, 2011

‘Seegischt’ - A One-off Yacht



Humdrum production yachts seldom interest me; therefore when I come across something different, I like to examine the boat in detail to see what I can learn. ‘Seegischt’ is that sort of yacht. She is moored at Hullbridge, or least she was when I took a photo of her on 12th October, 2011. That part of the River Crouch dries at low water, so I assume she’s a twin or triple keel yacht.



I was immediately attracted to her because she has character. To start with, she has a very high coachroof, presumably to provide standing headroom, or at least to maximize interior space. It seems as though the owner has added the superstructure, including the decks, to a GRP hull, the make of which I am unable to identify.



The yacht has many personal touches, such as abundant standing rigging, including a permanent separate forestay, besides her furling Genoa stay. The boom is supported by a rigid adjustable kicker, and her mast is housed in a tabernacle. Under the crosstrees there’s a small ball that may be a radar reflector, and at the outward end of the port-hand crosstree, there’s a peculiar object that resembles a large lollipop. I’ve no idea what it is.





At the masthead there is a Hawk V-Tronix Wind Indicator, a VHF antenna, and a wind speed sensor; there is also a small vertical cylindrical object that may be an all-round white anchor light. There are more interesting pieces of equipment at the stern, such as wind generator, a wind direction sensor for an Autohelm, a GPS receiver antenna, and a Seagull Silver Century outboard. A boarding ladder with a fender attached to it is stowed against the wind generator. The pushpit is tailor-made to accommodate the outboard, so that it can be raised and lowered without hindrance. The stern navigation light is fitted to the GPS antenna stand.



In the region of the bow, attached to the pulpit, there’s a red and green navigation light, and below it there’s a substantial bow roller for the anchor chain. The Plough anchor is stowed on deck to starboard. Incidentally the owner has tied three mooring lines to the buoy. He’s obviously a belt and braces person, and there’s nothing wrong with that when it comes to seamanship. He has taken measures to protect the bow from chafe by deploying a horseshoe fender. The name of the yacht, ‘Seegischt’, would appear to be German for ‘Sea Spray’. I think the fore hatch may have a solar operated ventilator set into its upper surface.


This attention to detail makes me think the owner is an experienced sailor who knows what he is doing.


Text for the Day

Mark 4:39 – 41 ‘Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”


Links


V-Tronix Hawk Wind Indicator

http://www.hawkmarineproducts.com/prod-vhawk.htm

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