I have often been asked what is the best
boat to buy if you want to go cruising. I always reply by suggesting you ask two questions, and answering them yourself and/or with other sailors:
1. What can an old clunker design do that a modern efficient sailboat can't. The answer is usually: Not very much.
2. What can a modern streamline design do, that an old clunker can't. The answer is: Heaps!
At this point you have to think about
safety. Some argue that a clunker is more
seaworthy and comfortable than a modern design, but there is little or no evidence to support that claim.
My
advice is to choose a deep fin
keel. This will allow you to go up
wind. It will also give comfort while at
anchor. A
sloop rig. With the advent of
roller furling there is no need for a
cutter rig and staysail. Completely forget about a ketch!
The main reason for clunkers to have more than one
mast, was because they didn't have the strength or modern materials to support a tall
mast. Hence they went outwards rather than upwards with bowsprits and long overhanging booms.
I would also suggest that sailboats built in the 1980's are a lot stronger and robust than their modern counterparts. There are many designs from that era that are fast efficient,
seaworthy.
James