One of the things we love about cruising to new destinations is looking at the boats, commercial and pleasure. Since arriving in Norway we’ve snapped a few photos of things we like and others we don’t (the latter are sometimes more instructive than the former).

We’ll start with the stern anchoring set up here. The combination fairlead and chain/rope windlass is a simple way to deal with storage if you anchor a lot by the stern. The rode can easily stow in the lazarette or a seat locker.

A rugged looking steel cutter, about 33 feet (10 meters) in Haugesund. The flat sliding hatch has been replaced with this stainless framed pram hood. We like the visibility this will provide without going outside. But the edges will leak when impacted by seas and the hard structure is going to be more difficult to keep in place than a canvas hood.

Same boat, obviously headed north, with dual smoke stacks. Probably for a diesel stove and a heater. This is a commonly seen design of smoke hood and we assume it works well in wet conditions.

A nicely executed cockpit enclosure off the dodger. This will work well in protected waters, but offshore you will be storing the extension.

We were surprised to see a Grand Banks 42 trawler in this part of the world. They carry a serious life raft, like those seen on commercial vessels. The outboard location makes it easy to launch.

This anchor roller has some good points and some bad. The stainless “M” weldment will do a good job of keeping the chain in place if there is a side load. But the anchor rollers are too small in diameter. And the anchor is maybe half the size of what we would want.

Good concept, poor execution. Hanked on storm staysail on a removable cutter stay is excellent concept. The stay looks like 5/16″ (8mm), about right for this 42 foot (13m) cutter. However, the tackle at the bottom of the stay for tensioning is way too light for the loads. The use of the tackle forces the staysail to be stored high (more windage). We prefer a fixed stay for offshore work with the adjustment close to the deck. The stay can then be removed for inshore cruising.

Inboard shrouds like these are great on close winded racing boats. But on a cruising boat it is better to have a wide staying base, which allows lighter mast and rigging, coupled with a more efficient and easily tacked blade jib for beating. Overlapping reaching sails sheet outside the shrouds.

Swim step bracket for an outboard. This will work in calm conditions, but in any waves the outboard will be quickly flooded.

Nice looking and well supported anchoring sprit. However, the side plates (cheeks) need to be much higher. Otherwise, the chain will jump over the side if it achieves much of an angle off center.

A clean aft arch with a variety of antennae and the Rutland wind generator. The diagonal wire is a SSB radio long wire to the masthead.