I am on the Outer Banks with Songbird (Wright 40). The northeast winds howled for days lowering the water levels by as much as 3 feet. My dock is mostly shielded from the northeast and the lowering of the water further shielded Songbird from the 50kt wind as the boat settled below the bulkhead. I had removed the sails, and booms in preparation for hauling the masts for a rebuild this winter so windage was minimal at this point. During the wind shift (counter clockwise), the north wind began to bring some waves in the harbour but that was more just a strange harmonic, however I had doubled up on the mooring lines and replaced the springs with a heftier line. The tide began to rise but slowly as the winds went to the north west which only required one adjustment to allow the lines to come above horizontal as the winds continued to the west and then south west. Songbird now was revealed above the bulkhead and took on some movement as she strained at the lines (winds now down to 35 or so). The wind is now out of the south at 15 and all is good.

Now that Songbird has been purchased as the perfect sailboat for our intended use, we felt it might be wise to revisit the 'Formula for Your Perfect Boat'. That article suggested using the journalistic formula of who, what, where, when and how to stay focused and realistic to define the perfect boat.
Who reminds us that our desire is to have a boat that my wife and I can sail without additional crew. We do wish to have accommodations for additional crew if necessary or for visitors but we do not want to be dependent on others to go where and when we want. Songbird is a Marconi rigged ketch which assists in keeping sail size manageable for the weakest of our crew. As currently rigged, Songbird does not run all lines to cockpit which would necessitate one crew going forward to reef. This is a safety issue with just two crew and also requires that the off watch crew member be awaken to make sail reductions. Although this feature is currently not on Songbird, it is reasonable to retrofit.
What style of cruising do we anticipate? Our intention is to live aboard for extended cruising and a full displacement fin keel is appropriate for that use. The 19,000 lbs of displacement of which 4,200 lbs are in ballast will provide a stable boat with a comfortable sea motion allowing the short handed crew to arrive more rested than in a light displacement boat. The heavy keel and hull design assists in initial stability and long tacks with less attention to steering. Songbird will not be an 'around the buoy' racer, but can still put on a turn of speed with a full compliment of sails.
Songbird is a stoutly built 1977 model which does sports a 1970 era interior design and degraded components such as sails, tankage and numerous refit attempts to make her more comfortable tied to the dock. Since when we hope to cast off the lines will be two to five years there is adequate time to affect upgrades to make her more comfortable for sailing while we are still near familiar marine maintenance facilities. At that time, Songbird will be outfitted with marine electronics that do not suffer the aging that is so prevalent in the rapidly changing marine electronics field. Sails will be newer and the interior more suited for 21st century comfort and style.

Where we hope to sail entails two very different environments that are difficult to accommodate in one boat. We have enjoyed some of our best sailing experiences in out of the way places that can only be visited by shallow draft boats. However, we also really like to sail efficiently upwind in large part because we really like sailing and really do not like running an engine. The shallow fin keel of Songbird draws a mere 4 feet allowing us to go places where many others cannot. The centerboard increases the draft to 8 feet 2 inches and improves the windward capabilities. Similarly, Songbird being a ketch, results in an air draft of only 51 feet. This accommodates many of the fixed span bridges that stand as impediments to adventures just off the main thoroughfares or necessitates offshore passages.
Buying an older boat can curb how much one spends on a boat. This is only not 'false economy' if the boat is carefully surveyed to identify costly repairs and if upgrades can be accomplished judiciously. Identifying only those items necessary for the intended use and combining as much 'do it yourself' projects results in a savings and better understanding of your boats systems. At just 40 feet, Songbird will be less expensive to haul out, paint, dock and repair than a larger boat yet still large enough to accommodate an occasional visitor. This point is the most difficult to ascertain before purchase and the most often cause of surprises when attempts are made to achieve a cost effective boat that leaves money for cruising.
Writers use this formula to prepare and organize better stories that leave nothing out. We feel that using the writer's formula has brought us to Songbird which has it all and nothing more.

Lynda and I are proud to be the stewards of the 1977 Allied Wright 40 Hull #4 currently named Songbird. We were originally drawn to the Allied because of the stout construction with modest draft which we felt could deliver our cruising goals. We joined the Owners Group and were particularly impressed with the humble, humorous yet knowledgeable comments on the forum. This opinion of Allied owners was only reinforced when we met the previous owners of Songbird, Ed and Margie. These gracious people are excellent representative of the Allied family.
When we sailed Songbird, we knew we had found a boat worthy of the proposed two year restoration we anticipated for a solid boat built in the 70s. We were also delighted that the design was from the pen of Arthur Edmunds formerly of the firm Sparkman & Stephens which I felt drew beautiful boats. In fact, one of my first boats was a Columbia 29 Defender from that firm.
The Wright 40 with its centerboard can go into the shallow gunk holes that we have enjoyed for the last 42 years of sailing on the east coast. Our racing roots showed because Songbird can really point and my wife likes to point! A well proportioned boat, with a great pedigree and modest persona (if I may be anthropomorphic) that will also take us to open ocean.
So now we continue our journey with Songbird and will continue the restoration begun by Ed and Margie. Thanks in advance for joining us on this journey. We are excited to join the Allied family and our cruising friends.

Formula for Your Perfect Boat

Because there are literally thousands of cruising sailboats available, finding just the right boat for our needs can be a daunting experience. Often times we narrow down our choice by relying on experiences with boats we have sailed, listening to advice and recommendations from friends, selecting from boats available in the area where we live and/or focusing on our own notions of what may be the best choice. This approach may yield just the right boat, however it lacks the opportunity to broaden yet refine the search. A knowledgeable yacht broker or a boat owners association can help refine your search for yachts that fit your preferences and needs while introducing suitable boats that you might not otherwise consider. In order take advantage of this, we must be able to clearly explain what we desire in a boat. This description should be focused and realistic.
Journalists often use a formula of who, what, when, where and how to keep their writing focused and to avoid leaving anything out. We can utilize this approach too, so that the right boat for our needs can more easily be defined.

Who will normally be sailing with you? Sailboats require a coordinated effort to get the boat under way. If you sail alone or with one other, then crew availability for sail changes and trim must be considered if for no other reason than safety. Sail changes which necessitate leaving the cockpit should be avoided. The ability to trim sails while still in the cockpit and near the helm become more desirable. If you are planning to sail with five or six people, then you can explore those boats that are neither rigged to simplify sail changes nor configured to allow sail change and trim from within the cockpit. With more people on board, a larger boat may be necessary to have arrangements for the crew to sleep and eat. However, the size and configuration of your boat should not be just a consideration of the number of crew but rather of the number of competent crew. Thus the number of competent crew will help define the running rigging, sail configuration and size of your boat.

What style of cruising do you anticipate? Do you plan to live aboard and take long cruises or are you a weekend racer/cruiser? Although performance is desirable in most sailing situations, it is perhaps the most important consideration for the weekend racer/cruiser. The areas available for you to explore expands greatly with a faster boat and it also can be more fun to race! The boat type chosen for racer/cruisers generally benefits from a hull form that sports a spade rudder and fin keel. This results in a tender boat which requires more attention to sail trim to control the lack of initial stability but is also very responsive to directional changes (maneuvering). However if you plan to cruise and anticipate long tacks, a substantial keel and rudder may help stiffen the boat and make the ride more comfortable. The stiffer ride and less attention to sail trim benefits a shorthanded crew over time by reducing fatigue. Thus the style of sailing you plan to do will help define the hull form of your boat.

When will you be sailing? If long term cruising is your goal, when do you plan to leave? Perhaps one of the saddest situations is to see a skipper who has the perfect boat for passage making just sitting at the dock because it is too much work to get the boat underway for a weekend cruise. This skipper dreams of the day when the dock lines will be dropped for distant horizons. In the meantime, the hapless skipper is paying more for dock fees and maintenance yet not getting the joy of practicing sailing in a smaller boat that only requires casting off dock lines for a weekend adventure. Complex cruising amenities such as self steering mechanisms, cold plates for the freezer, generators, water makers, electronics, among many other systems just deteriorate or become antiquated along with sailing skills that become rusty from lack of use. This reality is difficult to handle because most cruisers dream, like our hapless skipper. Thus describing the boat you need now is very important. However, be prepared to purchase your long range cruiser a year or so in advance of extended cruising to have time to shake down the boat while you are still near familiar marine maintenance facilities.

Where will you be sailing? The best boat for the sound or bay may not be suitable for the Great Lakes or the oceans. Deep draft boats allow for stability of large sail plans but can constrain the ability to use the boat if sailed in shallow waters such as those found on the east coast or Caribbean. Six foot draft is going to limit your cruising grounds and can be problematic if you travel the Intracoastal Waterway. Similarly, a mast over 65 feet will result in difficulties if you must negotiate many fixed span bridges. Open ocean is a great place for deep draft boats because it offers stability for the larger sail plan allowed by a very tall mast. Defining where you will sail informs the decision about the draft and mast height of your boat.

How much do you want to spend on your boat? In general, we would all like to be able to afford the spectacular boats that tease our senses in the yachting magazines and at the boat shows. However, the purchase of the boat is just the first expense. Boats require maintenance and unless you are able to perform the work yourself, allow reserves for hauling, painting and repair of systems. Also expect such costs as insurance, dock fees and be sure to reserve a few dollars for a cold beverage. Be honest with yourself about how much you want to spend not only for the boat but related expenses. This will save time and the frustration of looking at boats you cannot afford to buy or maintain.

Once you have a sketch of what kind of boat will serve your needs, seek a qualified and reputable broker or boat owners group who will listen to your answers to the formula of 'who, what, where, when and how'. By better understanding what you expect in your next boat, your search will be easier and more pleasurable. Writers use this formula to prepare and organize better stories that leave nothing out. You can also use the formula to define that perfect boat that has it all and nothing more.