The Cotton Blossom II

Balduin Aabye is brewing again. This time - the result will be an updated version of the Cotton Blossom II. If you don't know what the Cotton Blossom is, then go to Balduin Aabyes website and read the story. Link here to the right, - or google for images of the Cotton Blossom II. Amazing pictures of a fantastic boat.

The Cotton Blossom in the North Sea

A few days back I sailed the Cotton Blossom around the North Sea with Serafina. We also explored the marina in Mango, but that's another story. The Cotton Blossom shares many features with the Bolero, so when she comes out, the Bolero will become less unique. That's because...

Telltales

The Cotton Blossom comes with live telltales. This is huge, because experienced sailors will instantly know how to trim the boat. Put that ugly hud away and sail by telltales, luffing sails, heel, wake sound and wind drift. Yes, wind drift too. Yummy. It's absolutely delicious. As is the North Sea...

Enjoying the North Sea and the Cotton Blossom

Ok, you can get the primitive hud still, if you must know those figures. It isn't pretty, but it's still there for you to switch on. On top of that, there is a new graphical hud with direction, windangle, and trim, which you can place freely. As much as I love to hate huds, I must admit that Balduins new hud is rather nice.

Those lovely telltales

Here's a closeup of those beautiful telltales. As with the Bolero, they are placed a little different from RL telltales, and this has to do with the fact, that the jib is hard to see when sailing. Hopefully there will be a next version, where I can sit on the sidedeck and see both the jib and the telltales in the jib. I will write to Santa about that.

Mango marina in the back

It also has many of the other well known Bolero features. A nice spin, easy to trim, and it collapes both visually and with sound, if you aren't paying attention. Improved dynamic sounds, and much improved dynamics overall. This boat is very lively. That's partly because it has full WWC support with waves, wind and current. 

Back to the marina.

Full WWC support also means, the Cotton Blossom features tactical racing, so who knows... maybe we will see a fleet of virtual Cotton Blossoms racing. Obviously I miss a few things, since the sailing engine is the same as the one in the Bolero. The boats feel different, but the features are rather much alike. Balancing is missing, and crewed sailing is too. The crew cannot trim the jib. Or the spin. I will write to Santa about that too.

Sails down and ready to moor. 

Overall, this is a fantastic boat. Very pretty, - well almost majestic, and very much fun to sail due to the well designed feedback. Not the huds. All the other stuff, that turns it into a virtual sailing sensation. And the inside... it's true to the original. U can take a nap on the couch, once you are done sailing. Just lovely. Virtual sailing as it should be. Thanx Balduin. 

PS: Someone told me to write, that these images deserve full screen viewing.