Welcome aboard Oso!
Pictures will definitely describe the new boat better than words, so the photos can do most of the talking. But it’s worth mentioning a few of the things that we think are highlights.
First, and most obviously, Oso is much larger than Madrone. There’s an extra 12’/3.6m of length overall, and when combined with the additional width and depth that a larger hull requires, that means that there is almost twice as much interior volume in Oso. The result is that there is plenty of storage space for all of the gear and personal belongings that end up on a voyaging boat that is also a home. It is amazingly refreshing to open a locker and find it not completely stuffed with gear.
The extra space has some other benefits, as well. In a larger hull, all of the interior features can be scaled up a bit. On Oso, there’s a lot more room in the shower, the bed in the aft cabin is long enough that Mike’s feet don’t hang over the edge, and the seating in the main salon is large enough to be super comfortable.
Second, the galley aboard Oso is significantly larger than what we had previously. While we considered Madrone’s galley to be excellent for it’s size, and while it never seemed to limit Angie’s ability to deliver delicious meals, there is easily three times as much counterspace and more than twice as much storage space available now. Overall, it’s a good upgrade.
And finally, Oso is a significantly better sailing boat than Madrone was. Part of that is the increase in waterline length – for a displacement sailboat, top speed is proportional to waterline length, so a longer boat will always be faster in any conditions over light winds. But part of it is also Oso’s hull design; it’s a more modern design with a narrower entry and a deeper bulbed keel for better upwind performance. There is also proportionally more ballast, so the boat can carry more sail area without being overpowered. We have a lot to learn about getting the most out of Oso’s sailing ability, but so far we’ve been impressed with her performance, even with sails that are likely due for a refresh.
Of course, there are things we miss about Madrone. And we have a lot of work ahead of us to optimize Oso for the way we like to sail. But it feels like we’re off to a good start!
