|
Dick
and Patricia Clemence have been Post owners since 1969. Their first was
a wooden 34-footer, then a 42 in 1976, and two 46s in 1981 and 1988. The
two avid cruisers stepped up again to a 50 in 1989, and now the Clemences
have received Hull No. 1 of the new 56 Convertible, their sixth Post.
Patricia
Clemence names Post’s modified-V hull as one of the big things that
keeps them coming back to the New Jersey builder. “We got hooked
on it,” she says. And this couple knows about the need for a solid
hull, as they travel offshore most of the time. “We don’t
like to come in unless there’s storms,” she adds, noting that
after the seas get to about 10 feet, they’ll call it a day.
The
bluewater hull of the 56 is built to such standards. It has a solid glass
bottom, keel, and chines. The four stringers, complete with six-inch-thick
mahogany engine beds, are laid up outside the hull in their own mold,
then laminated in place before the hull is pulled to maintain its shape.
To prevent moisture absorption, Post uses vinylester resin for the first
two hull laminates and general-purpose resin for everything else. To keep
her weight (66,830 pounds) down while maintaining strength, 3/4-inch high-density
Divinycell foam core is used in the sides above the waterline.
Although
the 56 is derived from the Post 50, design changes have updated her look.
The bridge on the 56 overhangs the sides and forward sections of the deckhouse,
and the forward windshield of the deckhouse and bridge have been angled
back, giving the boat a more rakish appearance. In addition, the aft bulkhead
windows extend lower on the bulkhead to provide better cockpit visibility
from the saloon.
On the
last day of April in Old Saybrook, Connecticut, with a high sky overhead,
I got my first taste of the 56’s new look and a glimpse into her
staunchness. However, conditions were far from the 10-footers the Clemences
have experienced. A moderate two- to three-foot chop accompanied a brisk
15-mph breeze as Paul Barton, president of Portland Boatworks (who sold
this 56 to the Clemences), and I cruised along the Connecticut River.
I took the wheel from Barton, who had piloted her during our speed trials
earlier in the day, and throttled up the standard 1,300-hp MANs. Acceleration
was smooth as her 32x44 Nibrals took a nice bite into the river, and she
hit her stride at around 2250 rpm and 43 mph. (Top average speed was 43.7
mph at 2300 rpm.) I turned her head into the chop, and her power-assisted
Teleflex steering responded quickly and smoothly.
Next
page > Post 56C continued > Page 1,
2, 3, 4,
5,
6
|