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New Astondoa 72... The worst foredeck ever designed!

Discussion in 'Astondoa Yacht' started by Pascal, Feb 22, 2013.

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  1. Pascal, Feb 22, 2013
    #1
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Someone takes whoever designed that thing out on deck and make them walk the plank. No, just have them check the chain lock in 3' seas.

    This is a brand new Astondoa 72 fly. Aesthetics asides (not a bad looking boat overall) the design is just plain stupid. At first i thought the bow rail had not been installed yet but then realized there was not supposed to be a bow rail! So, how do you safely tend to the lines or handle any anchor related issue?

    Notice how the bow line rubs on the gelcoat when attached to a low dock... Of may be you need to use those small cleats, must be called bow whiskers, but you d have to lay down on the foredeck to reach them.

    Same amidship where the guy is standing, no rail, nothing to grab on. Just knee high coaming

    And, no rub rail anywhere! May be fine in the med but here in America where 80% of marinas have wooden pilings, you need 3 deck hands just to protect the gelcoat. Then if you look closely, you see that there is a caulk line at the hull/deck joint right where it will rub on a piling

    Brilliant... I d love to see that boat (and the maintenance bills) three year from now!

    And having the stereo controls sitting in the sun and spray is guaranteed to keep the local stereo guy busy...

    Attached Files:

  2. Pascal, Feb 22, 2013
    #2
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Here is a close up of the hull/deck joint...

    Attached Files:

  3. allan, Mar 28, 2013
    #3
    allan

    allan New Member

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    Yes there is some design issues. How is the fit and finish of the general boat? Gel coat finish, hull blocking, engine room, and interior layout.

    Thanks
  4. Opcn, Mar 28, 2013
    #4
    Opcn

    Opcn Senior Member

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    Is it possible that there is supposed to be some sort of rub rail/guard installed over the seam where the two pieces join, but that it was left off due to it being hull #1 or some colossal error in judgement on the part of the build team?
  5. Yacht News, Mar 28, 2013
    #5
    Yacht News

    Yacht News YF News Editor

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    The cleats on the bow tip is what has me. Anytime you have to lean that far over for something as utilitarian as a cleat that you sure will be using everytime you dock and not be potentially safe doing it, it's not in the best interest of the crew.
  6. allan, Mar 28, 2013
    #6
    allan

    allan New Member

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    Thanks,
    Astondoa has tried to make it in the US years ago and didn't have a lot of success. Maybe this time they will do a better job.
  7. YachtForums, Mar 28, 2013
    #7
    YachtForums

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    In recent years, a number of offshore go-fast trailer queens have adapted 'seamless' hull & deck joints, discarding rubrails and common sense while exponentially increasing the pucker factor near pilings. Nice to look at, but hard to live with.

    Thanks for posting Pascal. And for keeping it real!
  8. jsschieff, Mar 28, 2013
    #8
    jsschieff

    jsschieff Senior Member

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    Bad Foredecks

    I saw a strange power catamaran -- maybe 50' or so --at the Palm Beach Boat Show last week with a foredeck that was as bad as the one discussed above.

    The foredeck on the power cat had no railings and it sloped down -- kind of like a slide into the water. No way someone could stand there in anything but dead calm water without ending up in the drink.
  9. Pascal, Mar 28, 2013
    #9
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    For a while many Azimut had sloppy foredecks where you couldn't stand, but at least they had bow rails

    Now they ve fixed it with a proper level area at the bow but they ve come up with another head scratched: most swim platforms are tapered with slippery rounded gelcoated edge making it nearly impossible to step on from a floating dock...

    I ve seen a couple of newish Mutts where owners glued nonstick tape so that people don't slip and fall in the drink

    This kind of thing drives me nuts...
  10. YachtForums, Mar 28, 2013
    #10
    YachtForums

    YachtForums Administrator

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    I think you're referring to the 60' Gemini. I was onboard the boat at the show. I agree, it definitely gets the Triumph TR-7 award, but the lower accommodations were really "the shape of things to come". Queen size berths were positioned perpendicular to the sponsons. When was the last time you were onboard a catamaran with walk-around beds? A first for a boat this size...

    Meilahn Custom Yachts; 60 foot Gemini
  11. Bamboo, Mar 28, 2013
    #11
    Bamboo

    Bamboo Senior Member

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    It appears the bow line is supposed to go thru the smaller "bow cleats" and up to the bollards where the line is secured now in the pic ... see the protection rails in front of the "bow cleats" and then another protection rail on the way to the bollards? The line as it is secured to the bollard now is not correct IMHO. Those are not "bow cleats" or "bow whiskers" but instead keep the line where it's supposed to be so it does not rub the gel-coat.
  12. Pascal, Mar 28, 2013
    #12
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    The forward cleats are more like chocks, guides for the lines which is fine but in order to the lines thru it you have the get up on that raised area, get on your knees and reach over with nothing to grab on!

    So happens when you have to stop the boat while your crew is up there? Happened to me a few days ago... coming in, my GF was setting up the lines while some idiot In a 30 CC cut us off forcing me to stop the boat. She grabbed on the railing, no problem. Had there been no railing she might have ended up in the drink
  13. rhinotub, Mar 28, 2013
    #13
    rhinotub

    rhinotub Member

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    Maybe the boat is designed only for lakes & bathtubs.
  14. chesapeake46, Mar 29, 2013
    #14
    chesapeake46

    chesapeake46 Senior Member

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    + 1
    built for those that never have left the dock
  15. Pascal, Mar 29, 2013
    #15
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    And it you look closely, the stereo controls are right there at the bow, in the sun and spray... I wonder how long they will last :)

    But I bet it has nice drink holders and flatscreens thruout.
  16. chesapeake46, Mar 29, 2013
    #16
    chesapeake46

    chesapeake46 Senior Member

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    Pascal, now you are just being picky.
    That looks like a MARINE radio, prolly made from " Hydro-phobic" plastic that repells salt water spray no mater how many gallons come over the bow in a 30 knot sea. :rolleyes:
  17. Navatech, Mar 29, 2013
    #17
    Navatech

    Navatech New Member

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    What does THAT mean?!...
  18. YachtForums, Mar 29, 2013
    #18
    YachtForums

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    More than a few of these cars made their way across the pond in shipping containers you apparently secured...

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  19. Navatech, Mar 29, 2013
    #19
    Navatech

    Navatech New Member

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    I'm well aware of the Triumph TR-7, I even had one for a while... It wasn't that bad a car... Not as good as my Chevy SSR but then again, few would be.

    And yes, those containers might have been secured by us (we exist since 1984).

    BUT, I still don't get the award thing. Sorry for being obtuse.
  20. Fishtigua, Mar 29, 2013
    #20
    Fishtigua

    Fishtigua Senior Member

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    To quote the famous Italian designer when he first saw it at the 1975 Geneva motor show, Giorgetto Giugiaro paused and stared at the TR7, then walked around the other side and gasped, exclaiming: "Oh my God! They've done it to the other side as well."

    :D
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