The Sailboat Shop's Response to www.my-precision-185.com


	The Whole Story of www.my-precision-185.com (updated)

	This is a bit more of an editorial than the rest of our website, but I am tired of typing this story in emails, telling it to callers, and explaining it to sailors coming to us for a new or used sailboat. Here is the real story of this misguided gentleman and his Precision 185. The Saga This particular fellow came to us in the spring of 2004 specifically to purchase a Precision 185. He had done online research and had determined that this was the boat for him. He cited many years of sailing experience and he was ready for a sporty boat. He purchased the boat and brought it home. In early summer, he had a complete rudder and tiller FedEx'ed to him because he had let it lay in the cockpit of his moored boat and a storm came through. He also needed to have his jib repaired because he allowed it to unfurl in a storm on his mooring (a problem he tried to blame on us). The next time we heard from him was after the incident described on his website www.my-precision-185.com. He called Precision directly and tried to get them to buy back the boat—indicating that he would go away quietly if they did. They considered that blackmail and said no. Eventually, the guy's insurance company totaled the boat and I was called to see if we would be interested in purchasing it from them. I was, and I did purchase it from his insurance company. What we received back was a barnacle-covered boat and a rather nice trailer. It would be worthy to note that the pictures on www.my-precision-185.com are of a boat that is less than 5 months old. We subsequently purchased new spars, standing rigging, running rigging, deck fittings, and sails. We thought this was the end of a sad chapter for the abused little boat, but that was not to be. This guy is about to start into his third year of his somewhat vindictive crusade against the boat. You can see that he pays to advertise (sponsored links) his site under the guise of warning prospective owners about the boat. He has thought of dozens of key words that he is willing to pay to have you click. He even ventured into several online forums to complain and get traffic to his site. Things that make you say hmm... The sailing mistakes that this guy made can be summed up in a response to a post he made at www.trailersailor.com by Tom Scott (click here for some good reading). Another problem with the website is his letters from supposed experts. Unsigned excerpts of emails from experts where you do not have the full context nor the original questions are, at best, suspect. You will notice several sympathetic owners mention the tenderness or the turtling of the boat, which he uses to support his claims. These are individuals who clearly did not understand what they were purchasing. At The Sailboat Shop, we are clear that the Precision 185 is a sporty boat built for a comfortable and fast ride. It is a boat for experienced "centerboard" sailors and for past, present, and future racers. Beginning sailors or dinghy/centerboard novices would be better off in a Precision 15. Clearing some things up... You do not have to be an "expert sailor of lightweight centerboard boats" to sail the Precision 185. You should have experience in a centerboard boat and know that this is a sporty boat on the same playing field as a Lightning, Flying Scot, and Nomad. Adding a mast float is prudent if you will be sailing in challenging conditions or are new to the boat. You can get one that slips on the head of the sail in about 10 seconds. Likewise, some have decided to place a small line on the centerboard in case it retracts when capsized (some won't because it would cause a small amount of drag on your NACA foil centerboard). I don't consider either of these to be making "modifications to the design of this boat".		You do not have to lower the mast if you are going to moor the boat. You should however not leave it in an unprotected mooring where the entire Long Island Sound can dump its weather on you (or any other large body of water). You should also bring up the centerboard, secure the jib, and stow the rudder and tiller in the storage compartment. Remember, the boat only weighs 590 pounds. The keel version of the P-185 would be better for mooring. When a centerboard boat gets knocked down and it does not have a mast float, you have 5-10 seconds to save it from going over all the way. This would require you to scramble over the high side and stand on the centerboard. If you do not do this, or even worse, you hang onto the boat or jump on the sail, your weight will help it go over the rest of the way. The comment "If and when a boat does get suddenly overpowered by an unexpected blast, it should automatically turn itself into the wind so it will straighten up even if the skipper is asleep at the tiller. (manufacturer of popular 22' sailboat. name withheld to protect author)" is true for a ballasted (keel) boat, not a centerboard boat. If you have cleated your mainsheet (which you should never do in high or changing winds), a strong gust is going to push you over until your 7 foot-wide hull is exposed to the wind, and the wind will finish what it started. If you do find yourself underneath a capsized dinghy, you don't want to panic, but you can't stay there either. Since the cockpit is about 7 feet wide, you shouldn't need to go more than 3.5 feet to safety. BTW, The transom on the P-185 is not open. It doesn't matter anyway since all self-bailing cockpits won't trap an air pocket since the air will just move out through the drains. Making a boat that is 7' 3" wide has its advantages--one of which is stability. The flip-side of that is the boat is stable upside down as well and will require some effort to turn it over in either direction. There are tricks to this... The Precision 185 can handle a wide range of wind. Many of our customers will sail regularly in 20+ knots of wind. It does, however, take increasing amounts of skill as you challenge more and more wind. The idea that Precision isn't building the boat to Jim Taylor's specs is silly. Jim spends time at the Precision factory and they have done many many projects together--even several without the "Precision" brand name. I do not want to imply that this gentleman did not have a harrowing experience and was truly frightened during the events he describes. I am just saddened that instead of admitting he made mistakes, he has to blame someone else. Where has personal responsibility gone? What happened to the boat? Glad you asked! My family has been sailing it for the past two years. I have five young children (5-13 years old) and a wife that really does not appreciate excessive heeling. Common sense sailing and a small degree of skill keeps us within the 10° of heel the boat sails best in. My five-year-old often did a "touchdown dance" when we cruised past other sailboats on the local lake. Our family is moving on to a Precision 23 that we would like to sail down at Barnegat Bay at the New Jersey Shore. The Precision 185 is now for sale on our used boat page. Just think, you could own this boat with its very colorful history--think of the stories you will be able to tell your grandchildren! What now If you are interested in a Precision 185, please give us or Precision a call and ask your questions. We will give you straight answers--something you deserve to have in your quest for the right boat. If you think you would get more accurate information from owners, visit the Precision Owners Site or trailersailor.com (Precision forum). Steve Nash General Manager