# nicholson Ron Holland



## River (Sep 23, 2002)

Does anyone have any info. regaarding the camper nicholson 33. Ron Holland designed them with a fin keel and spade rudder. I hear they are fast but have gotten mixed opinions on its sea worthyness and feel. I read the 31 he designed was not good.


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## burnhad (Mar 7, 2000)

*Nicholson 33*

I own a Nicholson 33 and I have to agree that it takes a steady hand on the helm to keep it on course unless you are close hauled. It is the only point of sail that you don't have to keep your hand constantly on the tiller. She will wander off course quickly if you take your hand off the tiller when sailing off the wind. That is why I have an electric autopilot that works on a compass setting that works great if you are not in a confined waterway.
Otherwise it is a great sailboat and only needs a good dodger to be reasonably comfortable to take you cruising. We recently took 3rd place at Charleston Race Week in the non-spinnaker class against 41' sailboats and a water-ballasted rocket ship.
David
Time...
Nicholson 33 #19


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Burnhad-

You do realize that you're responding to a post that is over four years old???


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## sailingfool (Apr 17, 2000)

My recollection is this was a classic IOR design. do a board search n IOR and read some of the pluses/minuses of that design rule.


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## brianhess (Aug 20, 2010)

sailingdog said:


> Burnhad-
> 
> You do realize that you're responding to a post that is over four years old???


Ha ha.. now it's 10 years old and I'm responding to it. I have a Nicholson 33. It is a wonderful sailboat and mine doesn't wonder off course, as a matter of fact, it is one of the nicest boats I've ever had the pleasure to sail. It doesn't have as much weather helm as some of the other boats built during its hayday. A lot can be said for a boat whose design won the 2005 Fastnet, thirty years after her prototype won it in 1975.



Sometimes a conversation takes years. . . . . .


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## jimgo (Sep 12, 2011)

If you visited more often, Brian, the conversation might speed up a bit. Right now, it's almost as though you're sending messages in a bottle.


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## brianhess (Aug 20, 2010)

Well, you know how it is when you spend too much time on facebook! The boating season ended quite abruptly this year. It got cold, wet, and violent last week! Hopefully this coming week will be better and I can do some serious sailing. Now, I'm waiting on some supplies I ordered so I can repair a hole in my zodiac. Then, i'll have my dingy/tender back.


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## brianhess (Aug 20, 2010)

jimgo said:


> If you visited more often, Brian, the conversation might speed up a bit. Right now, it's almost as though you're sending messages in a bottle.


I noticed that you are from Philadelphia. I'm originally from Muncy, Pa. I am planning to move back to the east coast and was thinking it might be cool to make home port Philadelphia. And recommendations?


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