[C320-list] James Baldwin Article

[Greg Flanagan]

Another point of view on Balwin’s article.

Thanks,

Greg

> On Nov 16, 2022, at 8:57 AM, Jack Brennan <jackbrennan333 at outlook.com> wrote:
> 
> As much as I admire James Baldwin’s sailing feats and books, I think this article was a bit of a cheap shot.
> 
> He was intent on proving that the 320 was not nearly as good as his old, narrow long-keeler, so he sailed it way too aggressively in bad weather to make a point. I’m glad he wasn’t sailing my 320!
> 
> I used to own a Bristol 30, a very similar boat to Baldwin’s Atom, so I’m familiar with the pluses and minuses of both types of boats.
> 
> Yeah, my Bristol could handle all types of rough weather without much of a problem. But that was at a 20- to 30-degree heel doing 4 to 5 knots. And, down below, it was like living in a closet. You had to be a 5-foot-tall acrobat to do maintenance.
> 
> I was out the other day in my 320 with the wind pushing 20 on Tampa Bay. I was regularly over 7 knots with full sail and the boat sailed steady with a short, somewhat choppy sea. Almost no weather helm. Much, much nicer than the Bristol.
> 
> Last spring, I sailed my 320 from Key West to Boca Grande, about 140 miles in 24 hours, in 25-knot winds and beam seas ranging from 4 to 10 feet at different points. Full main and a few rolls of the jib. One of the best sails of my life. We had to slow down to avoid going into a tricky inlet before dawn.
> 
> The 30-some knots Baldwin was in? That would beat up any boat. I would have checked the forecast and waited for weather, as most sensible people do when sailing to the Caribbean. They don’t call it the Thorny Path for no reason.
> 
> Jack Brennan
> Sonas, 1998 Catalina 320
> Tierra Verde, Fl.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from Mail<https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for Windows
> 
> From: Ade Bateman<mailto:ade.bateman at outlook.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, November 15, 2022 10:56 PM
> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com<mailto:C320-List at Catalina320.com>
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] James Baldwin Article
> 
> You can read it here:
> http://web.archive.org/web/20110914104944/http://www.atomvoyages.com/articles/catalina320passage.htm<http://web.archive.org/web/20110914104944/http:/www.atomvoyages.com/articles/catalina320passage.htm>
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: C320-list <c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com> On Behalf Of Roger Nitkin
> Sent: Tuesday, November 15, 2022 1:18 PM
> To: c320-list at lists.catalina320.com
> Subject: [C320-list] James Baldwin Article
> 
> Back in about 2008 the sailing author James Baldwin published a magazine article about delivering a Catalina 320 down to St. Thomas.For a while, this article was available on our Association website, but no longer.Does anyone have access to this article?
> I remember it described the upgrades and modifications he felt he neededto make the blue water passage.
> Thanks
> Roger NitkinSummer Time #4291997Westport, CT
>