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As we get into another northwest winter, we thought it would be appropriate, and more comfortable, to test sail a pilothouse yacht. This test sail found us driving up to Anacortes where we were met by Ernest Armstrong of Straw Hats, dealer for the Celestial 50. Celestial has a full line of boats built in the Xaimen Fiberglass Boatyard in China, but the Celestial 50 is the only one imported into the U.S.
Naturally, it turned out to be a spectacularly sunny day with a nine knot northerly. Not pilothouse weather, but perfect conditions for sailing. This boat was equipped with a bow thruster which we played with out in the bay. It took a while to rotate the bow but did its job. Frankly, we never used it leaving the dock or coming back in. The boat maneuvered well enough without it. The mainsail was raised at the push of a button by an electric Lewmar 48ST winch, also used for mainsheet and traveler, mounted at the head of the cockpit. It was a slow but effortless process as the mainsail came out of the Profurl boom. Profurl also rolls up the genoa which came out next. You can also get the boat as a ketch, but with the rather low aspect rig and the ability to rig a staysail, the sloop configuration should be easy handle even in heavy conditions. In sailing a center cockpit you have to realize that you're higher than in a stern cockpit boat. The boat itself heels over the same but, because you're higher, it may feel like you have a little more heel on, when in fact you don't. The boat settled in and we went to windward at about 4.5 knots in 8.5 knots of wind. The boat balanced nicely and basically sailed herself up Bellingham Channel. Visibility on the Celestial 50 is unlimited. With no dodger or windshield and sitting high in the center cockpit, you couldn't be more open, rather reminiscent of the Morgan OutIslander boats. One wonders about the exposure to wind and spray but, as Ernest says, "That's what the pilothouse is for." The cockpit is more than spacious, with lots of space in front of the helmsman for sitting, lounging, and entertaining that doesn't get in the way of operating the boat. Winches are behind the helmsman; two Lewmar 56ST primaries on either side and a Lewmar 48ST in the center for Ômiscellaneous" use. Seats and sole are all teak. Anyone going forward will feel quite secure as the stainless steel rail completely surrounds the boat. The only weakness being the pelican hooks used to close the lifeline gate. The bow roller holds two anchors with a dual direction electric anchor windless mounted below deck level inside the chain locker and operated by footpads on deck. On the other end of the boat, dinghies are accessed via the stairstep stern. This is an improvement upon earlier Celestials and now common on most modern cruising boats. One thing I must comment on is that the Celestial 50 has the quietest engine I've ever experienced on a boat. When turning on the 100 horsepower Yanmar, before taking the sails down, I reached for the ignition because I thought I had to start it again because I didn't hear that familiar sound or feel any vibration. That alone skewed my judgement of this boat. Going Below The first thing you notice when you enter the pilothouse is that you are surrounded by large windows, giving you lots of light and excellent visibility. The port side has a long settee while to starboard is the steering station with a navigation or "whatever" area of the owners choosing. Going forward you find the galley on the left. It's pretty cozy but would be good to work in at sea. The mast is in the open end of the "U", which you either like or dislike depending on what kind of sailing you do. There's talk of replacing the keel stepped mast with a deck stepped mast, thus replacing the mast section down below with a steel rod support. This would open up this area a bit, but I still like a keel stepped mast for extensive cruising. Across from the galley is either a small eating area or you can have another bunk put in. Up forward is a standard vee-berth with adjoining head. The nice thing about a 50-foot boat is that you have the space to indulge in some of the amenities you just can't fit into a smaller boat. The aft stateroom on the Celestial 50 is a prime example. The large double berth on the centerline is flanked on both sides not only with night tables and stowage, but individual seats for dressing or reading. Across from the foot of the bed is a small vanity, complete with swing out stool. The aft bathroom features a sit-down bathtub/shower. There are ample hanging lockers throughout the boat, with most all cabinets and lockers having woven cane door fronts with positive closing latches. All ceilings in the boat have off-white covered panels attached with Velcro for easy access to deck hardware. Numerous hatches in the floor provide excellent access to water and fuel tanks for inspection and maintenance. Construction The hull is a sandwich construction of balsa core with Isothalic resin. The deck and coach house are constructed similar to the hull with areas of high stress, such as the traveler track, winch mount bases and cleats, of solid fiberglass with steel backing plates. There is a five-year factory warranty against blisters on the hull and deck. Hull and deck flanges are through bolted with stainless steel bolts bedded with 3M 5200 and topped with an anodized aluminum "T" rail the full length of the hull. Deck and cabin tops have molded nonskid surfaces around all hatches and hardware. Summary All in all I found the Celestial 50 to be an extremely comfortable and practical boat. All electrical and tankage systems were readily available for standard maintenance or when you need to do the inevitable troubleshooting while cruising. Such things as the emergency tiller access under the aft bunk enable quick action to be taken in cases of emergency. Both cabins had large hatches not only for light but emergency egress as well. The working was simple but nice. There is teak paneling and trim throughout. The satin finish keeps it light and really brightens up because of all the windows and hatches. Floors are teak and holly. Without a windshield or dodger, visibility from the cockpit is unlimited. There could be some argument for a windshield, but with the centercockpit up so high, spray shouldn't be much of a problem. You might get a windchill in a bit of a breeze, but no more than any other sailboat without a dodger. Of course, the answer to that is to go below into the pilot house, where you can steer in comfort and send someone else out to trim the sails. Visibility from the inside helm is excellent because of the huge windows surrounding the pilothouse. These large windows may be a concern if bluewater cruising, but remedies are easily found The pilothouse certainly provides pleasant seating and viewing at the dock or at anchor. The galley seems small, but would be very practical in a seaway. Replacing the mast with a steel rod wouldn't really change anything, other than having a bit more room for getting in and out of the galley or going forward. As I mentioned before, 50 feet gives you a lot of space to work with, but with a beam of 13'6" she's not as cavernous as some of the cruisers, but a bit more conventional. I think they've done a very nice job of providing comfort and practicality in the boat that should be at home cruising the waters of the northwest or the world. Our thanks to Ernest and Ernie Armstrong of Straw Hat Yacht Sales, Inc. of Anacortes (www.strawhatyacht.com) for providing the Celestial 50 on such a beautiful autumn day. ... on to page two specifications and more photographs |