Speed Machines and Family Cruising

By Behan Gifford @sailingtotem
Some readers may be interested in seeing images of Relapse under sail. Mark and family don't have a great internet connection in Indonesia right now, but he was able to send some lower res photos. It's unlikely they'll change anyone's mind about what makes a great cruising boat, but maybe at least give food for thought regarding balance and family-friendliness.
Here's Relapse, very well balanced. There's no one steering, the autopilot is off, and the family is all sitting on the coach roof. According to Mark they're sitting on 9 to 10 knots boat speed here.

Mark and Catherine have two boys- they love sailing, and are happy at the helm. Fast enough to make that NZ flag look a little shredded in the back. You might think this would be tough, but you'd be wrong. I love how Ash is REALLY concentrating on something here! Cruising family touch: that white thing on the right is the bottom of an Optimist dinghy. Teaching kids to sail young.

My personal favorite: the Yes We Are Cruising shot with their dodger up (not a ton of shade, but there is some protection!) and two dinghies on deck: that's an Opti across the transom. Relapse is sitting on 14 knots here, double reefed in 20 to 25 knots breeze. There's no one on the helm. The sails aren't out far, so wind must be forward of the beam, but there's no discernible heel.

Back to our usual normal programming.