What is the Smallest Boat That You Would Sail Outside of Coastal Waters?

[Lin Pardey]

John Guzzwell, who spent five glorious years circumnavigating on his self-built 21 foot Trekka (Trekka Around the World) is the man who inspired larry. Trekka displaced around 5000 pounds. Larry then decided to build his own boat, 24'4" Seraffyn which displaced 10,400. We voyaged on her together for 11 years and about 47000 miles. On Seraffyn we often covered 120 miles in a 24 hour day and several times hit 150 miles. Other small boats we have seen giving their owners great times at sea - folkboats - 25 feet. Dana 24's, Flicka's.
When ever anyone said to us, "isn't that a small boat?" We always answered, "But it let's us own the whole world."

good luck

[markpierce]

[bshamblin]

lin and larry pardee sailed the world in a 24 foot full keel boat. you can order their books starting with CRUISING WITH SARAFYN and several other books. i would take a Compac 23 offshore , but i get seasick so i dont like to go far offshore . bill in nc

[SabreKai]

I had originally intended on sailing a Grampian 26 to Europe. Spoke to several people locally who had sailed the Atlantic and had a list of mods to be done. Ended up selling her for a bigger boat, more in consideration of living room than her ability or lack of to do the job.

[bshamblin]

a boat with a big cockpit is a liability offshore, ( full of green water it might sink you ) so the same big cockpit i love to sleep in on the compac 23 maybe should make me take back my compac23 suggestion.

[capn_billl]

Once you get below 27 ft the boat is trailerable, (if keel isn't too deep, or is retractable). So 25-27 ft for a solid full keel mono, with storm gear, is plenty for me. The Contessa 26 is something I am seriously thinking about.

In a perfect world or once I get a little more money, I will most likely get a 30-35 ft. I don't see a reason to go larger than that, but I would prefer not to go smaller. A full keel molded into the hull as opposed to a bolt on fin keel is way safer in my book. Other than that any solid well rigged boat should be ok.

[s/v Beth]

Warning: many voicing their opinion here have not been 100kn miles, or even 50 knm offshore. I noticed that many of people that have are being quiet. You may want to do some "practice" sails offshore before buying. I was off shore this weekend with the Valiant. Glad I had every inch of her.

[s/v 'Faith']

Originally Posted by s/v Beth

Warning: many voicing their opinion here have not been 100kn miles, or even 50 knm offshore. I noticed that many of people that have are being quiet. .....

Yup. Also funny to hear folks attest to the merits of designs they have not sailed....

Such is the nature of the discussion forum.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by s/v 'Faith'

Yup. Also funny to hear folks attest to the merits of designs they have not sailed....

Such is the nature of the discussion forum.

The old conundrum - do you only take advice on not stabbing your eyes with a sharp pencil from someone who has done it - and blindly follow what they suggest......or settle on "only" advice from someone who understand that a) a pencil is sharp and b) eyeballs are squidgy.....but hasn't actually done it .....and then get to decide for self.

Always a tricky one is that .

[s/v Beth]

The difference of course is that offshore sailing doesn't make you go blind, just squint a bit. If the satisfaction you get from navigating big seas was the same as sticking a pencil in your eye, there would be very few sailboats out there.
Come to think of it, we didn't see very many sailboats out there-
Case closed.

[captainKJ]

Originally Posted by s/v Beth

The difference of course is that offshore sailing doesn't make you go blind, just squint a bit. If the satisfaction you get from navigating big seas was the same as sticking a pencil in your eye, there would be very few sailboats out there.
Come to think of it, we didn't see very many sailboats out there-
Case closed.

U bad just open the eyes

[SabreKai]

Originally Posted by bshamblin

a boat with a big cockpit is a liability offshore, ( full of green water it might sink you ) so the same big cockpit i love to sleep in on the compac 23 maybe should make me take back my compac23 suggestion.

Agreed, that's why one of the mods to the Gramp was to put a bulkhead into the cockpit well and deck over about half of it. The rudder post would have been extended to project out the top for the tiller. Other mods included removing those humungous ports on the side and replacing them with small opening ports.

[Bash]

I have no desire to go offshore in any vessel with a waterline less than 12 meters.

[limejucer]

But Bash what about my Prout with waterline of circa 10 m ?
400 made, 200 circumnavigations, one capzise (at anchor?)

[virginia boy]

I had big offshore plans for my little Westsail 28, but a few people declared my boat to be crap. Most notably the famous boat designer Bob Perry claims my hull shape is crap. His opinion f**ked me up for days, but I resolved it by convincing myself he must have been having a bad day and that my hull is amazing.



But it's the only boat I have and the money is low, so..... I'm going anyway. right after I fix the split rudder and mast compression issues