Question re: safety on sundeck-type. I get that not walking exposed decks in rough weather is a good thing. What I don't get is once you have launched the dinghy,how do you get into it? Isn't the only way down that long ladder? If you have a dog, how in the world would you get it into a dinghy from that height? As you might have guessed, we have a classic-style. I certainly understand the exposed deck problem, but this turns into a big positive in calm waters, and when docking. It's also easy to get the dog into the dinghy. If the weather gets snotty, we've been driving from the lower helm. We've found it quite cozy! (Can't think why we didn't think of it sooner! :-)) Bob and Vicki Schuerger "Blue Moon" GB42-1009 Cruisin'- on our way to little loop

We sure enjoy our "Classic" Marine Trader 44. Nice fly bridge with sundeck on rear cabin and then the main aft deck. Easy to launch the dingy, get back aboard the boat from the swim platform and fishing off the lower deck is great and easy to get a fish aboard. Sure makes docking simple to have a lower deck. Besides, I can make goony faces at the Admiral when shes at the lower helm or on the flybridge from the foredeck or the aft deck thru the rear windows. If I need to fish someone or something heavy out of the drink I can use my winch and boom to do it. Nice advantage. Make my vote for the "Classic". regards docmoss MT44

Regarding sundeck vs. classic: Of course being a Grand Banks 42 owner, you must realize that you have the smallest 42' boat, internal space, including 42' sailboats. Your question of safety and not walking on exposed decks compared to docking in a classic on calm waters, I will opt for the safety under rough conditions instead of the ease in calm conditions if I have a choice. I don't know where you store your dinghy, but we can launch ours in less than 60 seconds and we can have the dinghy up and out of the water in less than 60 seconds. And of course, you can do that with yours if you store it the same way we do (check my website). Your more difficult to enter side-entry doors especially when carrying large objects aboard that long side deck do make for good ventilation and we have many opening windows that do the same. On our last boat which was similar to the Europa, we had the side doors, plus a full size entry into the salon from the cockpit where you are out of the weather. Glad to see you found out how nice and cozy it is to run the boat from down below in bad weather, we did that in our last boat and we are doing it in this one. You also have a lot of teak decks and external varnish to keep up. Perhaps you are one that enjoys varnishing and scraping instead of covering everything up with Cetol, but I gave that up awhile ago and from the picture of my boat you will see that it is attractive trimmed out with stainless rails and aluminum windows. We enjoy the outdoors, so the aft deck has no enclosure for we go cruising to enjoy the fresh air and be closer to nature. When we have enough of the tropic breeze and fresh air, we have a nice salon to retire to with a comfortable sofa instead of the the GB built-in. We opted for wall-to-wall instead of parquet floors which is just something else that requires attention and the wall-to-wall gives you a cozy and warm feeling compared to hardwood floor. This is just one man's opinion and the above reasons are why I bought a sun-deck type trawler. I'm sure there are many happy classic owners and we do meet and socialize with them all thru the Bahamas and up and down the ICW. They all seem to be quite content with their boat and I'm sure they had their special reasons for purchasing one. And when we are lounging out back on our sun-deck and you come by, come along-side and let's raise a few and have some good boat talk. And better yet, if you are passing thru Lighthouse Point, we've got plenty of dockage behind our house on the canal, so stop by and spend a day or two, and that's not just for Bob & Vickie, but for all you TWLers. . You :47 AM 4/21/01 -0400, you wrote: >Question re: safety on sundeck-type. I get that not walking exposed decks in >rough weather is a good thing. What I don't get is once you have launched >the dinghy,how do you get into it? Isn't the only way down that long ladder? >If you have a dog, how in the world would you get it into a dinghy from that >height? > >As you might have guessed, we have a classic-style. I certainly understand >the exposed deck problem, but this turns into a big positive in calm waters, >and when docking. It's also easy to get the dog into the dinghy. If the >weather gets snotty, we've been driving from the lower helm. We've found it >quite cozy! (Can't think why we didn't think of it sooner! :-)) > >Bob and Vicki Schuerger >"Blue Moon" >GB42-1009 >Cruisin'- on our way to little loop > > > Captain Al Pilvinis "M/V Driftwood"--Prairie 47 2630 N.E. 41st Street Lighthouse Point, Fl 33064-8064 Voice 954-941-2556 Fax 954 788-2666 Email yourcaptain@earthlink.net Website http://home.earthlink.net/~yourcaptain

In all of the recent discussion about comparing the classic (or double-cabin) style to the sundeck style, there has been no mention of the sedan. So, I'm here to mention it. But first, let me say that I like all of the styles. They all appeal to me in their own way and all have their compromises. But, I knew from the beginning that I wanted a sedan. I like the cockpit, complete walkaround, line handling and visibility, the larger saloon and large bridge deck. I actually prefer the Europa model and was sort of thinking Island Gypsy 36 Europa. But when I saw my boat I knew instantly that that's the one I wanted. I got an attractive 36' sedan, but without the overhangs. Mel Knott Sandpiper Chris Craft West Indian 36 Annapolis, MD

At 08:46 PM 4/22/01 -0400, you wrote: >In all of the recent discussion about comparing the classic (or >double-cabin) style to the sundeck style, there has been no mention of the >sedan. So, I'm here to mention it. ============================================================ Mel--------I had a sedan for 22 years before this boat and enjoyed it for 8000 running hours and then it came time for a change. A little later in life I looked again and bought a sun deck and after five years with the present boat wouldn't think of going back to a sedan just because of the room and creature comforts I have today. Check the stateroom in my website 15' X 16'. I loved my sedan the best until I checked the grass on the other side of the fence. . Captain Al Pilvinis "M/V Driftwood"--Prairie 47 2630 N.E. 41st Street Lighthouse Point, Fl 33064-8064 Voice 954-941-2556 Fax 954 788-2666 Email yourcaptain@earthlink.net Website http://home.earthlink.net/~yourcaptain