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Old 02-01-2015, 12:58   #1
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Production Boats Fit For Blue Water

Up until now, it's been a never-ending debate. And I've enjoyed discussing it in some other threads like "The Yard Guys", "Production Boats and The Limits" and "Rudder Failures". But I thought it best to cut to the chase. So here it is:

Modern Category A "Production Boats" - also referred to in forums as "BeneHunterLinas" and "Bleach Bottles" and other interesting names - are built for and perfectly suited to bluewater cruising. Period.

Now - there is a lot of debatable minutiae in there, and a lot of subjective viewpoints surrounding it, which is why the debate has continued way past its "sell by" date - but that's fact. "Production Boats" are NOT just "coastal cruisers" as some would have us believe. There's far too much evidence out there to debunk these kinds of claims.

My point in starting this thread is simply to provide some factual accuracy to what can be very silly and misleading arguments. So, I'd like this thread to be dedicated to examples of the many production boats out there very happily and safely cruising blue water.

For instance, you have years of very reliable information from the ARC as to how various boats perform, you have members around here like MarkJ who has circumnavigated on his Bene and is still going, and you have many other sailors out there like Michael of Sequitur who have successfully taken their "Production Boats" to some very challenging places (e.g. - Cape Horn). Then you also have very knowledgeable guys like Polux who can walk you through the design and construction advantages of 150 different modern boats.

Now, if you are one who believes that ONLY the "traditional bluewater brands" are suited to this type of cruising, you should probably find another thread. This one ain't for you.

But, if you're considering a boat for off-shore cruising, and have an even remotely open mind, hopefully you'll find some good facts in this thread as it goes to help you make a rational decision. Because when weighing cost and safety - you can easily go down an expensive, or even dangerous path, if you only hear one side of the story.
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Old 02-01-2015, 13:05   #2
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Re: Production Boats Fit For Blue Water

Smack did you hit your head during a New Years party? For the most part most people on CF with a production boat and are just going to stay out of this thread and even if they don't they will just get lost once the regulars start in.

But I would take my Hunter 410 anywhere I would be willing to take any other boat, which is why I got it.

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Old 02-01-2015, 13:18   #3
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Re: Production Boats Fit For Blue Water



That pretty much says it all....
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Old 02-01-2015, 13:21   #4
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Re: Production Boats Fit For Blue Water

Im not going to bite the bait this time.
Good luck...
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Old 02-01-2015, 13:35   #5
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Re: Production Boats Fit For Blue Water

:thumbup:

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Old 02-01-2015, 13:45   #6
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Re: Production Boats Fit For Blue Water

Agree with You Smack Daddy. We have a production boat from -86, spade, finkeel, 33 feet and will probably go longtime cruising with her including "bluewater". I am a little concerned about the rigg, 7/8 singel spreaders. Everything else I am trusting, have been out in rather heavy weather in the Baltic and tested. The boat is a Swedish Mamba 33.
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Old 02-01-2015, 14:31   #7
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Re: Production Boats Fit For Blue Water

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Originally Posted by sailorboy1 View Post
Smack did you hit your head during a New Years party? For the most part most people on CF with a production boat and are just going to stay out of this thread and even if they don't they will just get lost once the regulars start in.
I guess I don't know who the "regulars" are exactly, but I'll work to "keep it safe for The People".

In the mean time, I think Polux's thread about the ARC being a good comparison of boats in blue water is pretty damn good:

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...il-136972.html

What else have you guys heard about production boats on forums - besides them being "bleach bottles", "dock queens", "coastal cruisers", etc.? We'll see what myths we can dispel as we go.
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Old 02-01-2015, 14:34   #8
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Re: Production Boats Fit For Blue Water

Let me help you get the pump primed Smack.

Catalina 27's have sailed around the world, Cal 25's have sailed around the world, Contessa 26's have sailed around the world, Lapworth 24's have sailed around the world, Moore 24 is on its way. Some Russian guy even sailed a bath tub across an ocean. Now a days people row open boats across oceans. The list goes on and on so its not much of a leap of faith to believe "any" production boat can sail around the world if these little buggers can make it. Crossing an ocean is even easier of course which is your bench mark. Its really much more about the sailor than the boat.
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Old 02-01-2015, 15:24   #9
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Re: Production Boats Fit For Blue Water

I own a beney, and she's fit for ocean work..
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Old 02-01-2015, 15:27   #10
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Re: Production Boats Fit For Blue Water

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Originally Posted by robert sailor View Post
Let me help you get the pump primed Smack.

Catalina 27's have sailed around the world, Cal 25's have sailed around the world, Contessa 26's have sailed around the world, Lapworth 24's have sailed around the world, Moore 24 is on its way. Some Russian guy even sailed a bath tub across an ocean. Now a days people row open boats across oceans. The list goes on and on so its not much of a leap of faith to believe "any" production boat can sail around the world if these little buggers can make it. Crossing an ocean is even easier of course which is your bench mark. Its really much more about the sailor than the boat.
I owned a Catalina 27. Personally, I wouldn't put that boat in the "Fit For Blue Water" category. Of course, I don't think the C27 was ever promoted as being a Cat A boat.

So, yes, I suppose you can sail anything, including a bathtub, around the world if things are just right - but that doesn't really have anything to do with this topic.
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Old 02-01-2015, 15:27   #11
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Re: Production Boats Fit For Blue Water

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I own a beney, and she's fit for ocean work..
That is a nice looking ride Randy. Wow.
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Old 02-01-2015, 16:03   #12
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Re: Production Boats Fit For Blue Water

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I owned a Catalina 27. Personally, I wouldn't put that boat in the "Fit For Blue Water" category. Of course, I don't think the C27 was ever promoted as being a Cat A boat.

So, yes, I suppose you can sail anything, including a bathtub, around the world if things are just right - but that doesn't really have anything to do with this topic.
Well that's a surprise because in life we usually give credit where credit is due. No these boats don't have an A rating they have a "been there and done that" rating which is much more impressive than a silly letter someone puts on your boat, don't you think?
There was more than one Catalina 27 that sailed around the world so your judgement of boats that are capable of making this journey appears to be somewhat lacking.
And yes Randy's 42 is a wonderful boat and very well built so it only shares the name with current Benni's. R
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Old 02-01-2015, 16:14   #13
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Re: Production Boats Fit For Blue Water

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Well that's a surprise because in life we usually give credit where credit is due. No these boats don't have an A rating they have a "been there and done that" rating which is much more impressive than a silly letter someone puts on your boat, don't you think?
There was more than one Catalina 27 that sailed around the world so your judgement of boats that are capable of making this journey appears to be somewhat lacking.
And yes Randy's 42 is a wonderful boat and very well built so it only shares the name with current Benni's. R
No need to get snippy Bob. I'm familiar with Childress and his run with Juggernaut back in the day. Of course, he put quite a bit of beefing up into that boat. This from Vigor:

John Vigor's Blog: The Catalina 27

Quote:
Patrick Childress, of Newport, Rhode Island, was one of those circumnavigators and he told me he installed chainplates on the outer hull for the aft lower shrouds. "I used to watch the side decks flexing, and it was scary," he said. He first tried installing backing plates twice as large and thick as the originals, but that only threatened to pull out a larger chunk of the side deck.
I know exactly what he's talking about on the side-deck - same issue with mine. So, again, not saying it couldn't be done - but it really has no bearing on the topic at hand.

Oh, and as for putting faith in a "silly letter" CE rating over opinion in internet forums - absolutely I'll take the silly letter any day of the week.

As for Randy's 42 - I think you're being a bit too dismissive of current Beneteaus. But I'll let Randy make that call.
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Old 02-01-2015, 16:23   #14
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Re: Production Boats Fit For Blue Water

Yes the story tellers always do there best to add lots of drama but the fact is that the boat and a sister ship circumnavigated. We have modern boats that start to fail at sea as well so same **** different pile!
Randy's boat happens to be a favorite of mine, don't think it has your "A" rating that you feel is so important but it is built to take a lickin and keep on tickin. The 38,40,42 and 45 of that era were in my mind the epitome and the height of Beneteau's construction methods, it was all down hill after that.
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Old 02-01-2015, 16:28   #15
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Re: Production Boats Fit For Blue Water

Okay.
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