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etween 18-20 knots; we either take in a second reef, or douse<br />
the main and sail “jib and jigger” under headsail and mizzen.<br />
This is one of the yawl’s advantages: different sail configurations<br />
to adjust to conditions. Hull speed is about six knots.<br />
The Rob Roy’s shoal draft is perfect for the shallows of<br />
Mobile Bay. We’ve cruised the boat for 4-5 day periods in<br />
the bay, local rivers and the Mississippi Sound; and found<br />
storage for 10 days of supplies for a planned 2009 cruise to<br />
Lake Pontchartrain.<br />
But the Pontchartrain cruise ended prematurely with a<br />
failure of the rudder stock—one of the few weak points in<br />
the boat. The stock broke in two as an apparent result of<br />
crevice corrosion in welds joining the stock to the rudder<br />
cheeks. Other owners have reported similar problems.<br />
The break occurred on the second day of our trip—35<br />
miles from home, at Pettit Bois Island in Mississippi Sound.<br />
But it served to illustrate another advantage of the yawl rig:<br />
the ability to steer by sails alone. We couldn’t use the outboard<br />
to steer because it couldn’t be turned in the well. But<br />
leaving the mainsail furled and using the jib and mizzen, we<br />
sailed the boat home in 12-15 knot winds, across open passes<br />
to the Gulf of Mexico and up Mobile Bay and a creek to<br />
our slip. We’ve since replaced the rudder stock and blade<br />
with an improved design to address the problem.<br />
The Rob Roy has a proven track record. The designer,<br />
Ted Brewer, sailed his in the Pacific Northwest; others sail<br />
the Northeast and have crossed the Gulf Stream to<br />
Bermuda; and at least one sails in Scotland. While relatively<br />
few Rob Roys were produced, there are generally two to<br />
three on the market at any one time, with prices ranging<br />
between $8500-$15,000.<br />
If you’re looking for a small, trailerable cruising boat for<br />
two, solid in construction and performance—a boat that<br />
will draw admiring comments wherever you sail and command<br />
a last look every time you leave the dock—the Rob<br />
Roy 23 could be the boat for you.<br />
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News & Views for Southern Sailors SOUTHWINDS September 2010 37
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