Experts, Have Fun at My Expense

[hpeer]

Thanks folks, all good thoughts.

But please remember I never said I was smart!

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by hpeer

But please remember I never said I was smart!

Smarter than some gags on this fourm!

Originally Posted by Pelagic

the Sheese hits the fan in Philly...

Where's a gun thread: Can I borrow something big?!

Actually thats very funny Pelagic

[Solitude]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

That is for when the Sheese hits the fan in Philly...

Importer of Sheese (a dairy-free alternative to cheese) from Scotland.

[Connemara]

Ummm.... just a point. When I looked at the schooner, there was a note to the effect that it was originally designed as a centerboard craft, but was built with a fixed keel.

So probably no longer any more beachable than the other one.

If that's the key.

Personally I think they both look pretty nice, but the sloop has nicer lines.

Connemara

[James S]

I like the look of the sloop as well.

[Weyalan]

If you realistically want beachable, you have to go for a multihull.

I may be going out on a limb here, but I'm kinda guessing that one, or the other, or maybe both of you are not the most experienced sailors on the planet, no? The problem with deciding what you want if this is the case is that you have no real idea of what you are actually getting.

In my not so humble, and admittedly not particlarly experienced opinion, there are 100 characteristics more important in a cruising boat than the ability to beach and the hull material.

Good luck (with both boat and wifely unit) anyway

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Weyalan

If you realistically want beachable, you have to go for a multihull.

Good poinit. But I have ever seen a cat beached either... except for bottom(s) painting.
So the idea of pulling the boat up to the beach for a picnic only exists in magazine ads. No one seriously does it for fun.

Even cats these days, sail drives preclude beaching.... Not that I know bugger-all about cats!!!!!!!!!

[CapnTony]

It seems like you are assuming an aluminum boat will be tougher than fiberglass. If you really want tough go steel, but aluminum will hole just as easily as glass. In a past life, I holed aluminum, several times and it was pretty easy.

[hpeer]

Originally Posted by Weyalan

I may be going out on a limb here, but I'm kinda guessing that one, or the other, or maybe both of you are not the most experienced sailors on the planet, no?

Not much of a limb there. I've done about 2,000 miles, mostly single handed. Only ever on one sail boat, and it's mine, a 33' steel Brewer called a Murray 33, in Newfoundland.

There is waaaaaaaaaaay to much history going on here to get into too much of it. There are reasons why we have come to these two boats, maybe not good reasons but it is where we are.

One reason I started this thread was to get comparative opinions on the two boats. In particular on the schooner as it is a very odd rig. What I derive so far is that no one here seems to think the schooner is sooooo far out in left field as to be ridiculous. That in itself is helpful.

[hpeer]

Originally Posted by CapnTony

It seems like you are assuming an aluminum boat will be tougher than fiberglass. If you really want tough go steel, but aluminum will hole just as easily as glass. In a past life, I holed aluminum, several times and it was pretty easy.

Tony, care to elaborate? Would love to hear.

Everything else I have read seems to say that aluminum is about as tough as steel in the real world. Some say tougher as the hull is lighter and will have less momentum when you hit the hard. So you seem to have both a dissenting opinion and some experience.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by hpeer

no one here seems to think the schooner is sooooo far out in left field as to be ridiculous.

Oh, I do!
I tried to put that succinctly in a long post

You've single handed 2,000 miles so we don't have to be overly diplomatic with you... I thought you were new to it all and asking more generalised question than just comparing those two boats.

I think its ridiculous. I feel you will obtain far more adventure in a 'normal' modern boat. You wallet won't burn through your britches so fast, and thats just for a start.

But we have found these threads never 'work' becuse we are all passing our own personal opinions of something that, like art, is only in the eye of the beholder.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do. Buy remember, its what you decide, not us.


Mark

[jkleins]

While I hate to disagree with MarkJ in a first post , I have to say I like the schooner. It appears to be a little overbuilt for what you say you want it for but it looks like a solid boat and if you like the layout might be just what you want. All the sails appear to be self tacking which does have some appeal. Of course aluminum has it's own problems to look for but some pretty successful cruisers think it is the best way to go (Dashew).

I didn't really see anything in the write up that would cause "your wallet to burn through your britches" any more then any other sailboat. It appears to have good systems that are fairly new and was probably well thought out. The engine is like new. Why it wouldn't give you as much "adventure" as any other boat is not apparent to me.

It might be interesting to see why the builder is giving up on his dream of singlehanding the Atlantic after sailing her though. That might be the most telling story.

Jim

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by hpeer

Everything else I have read seems to say that aluminum is about as tough as steel in the real world. Some say tougher as the hull is lighter and will have less momentum when you hit the hard. So you seem to have both a dissenting opinion and some experience.

When you put an aluminium (yanks forget a letter in that word) hull on a reef, it will dent where something pokes into the hull. Fiberglass will grind away instead, so yes, aluminium is far superior over glass.

cheers,
Nick.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by jkleins

While I hate to disagree with MarkJ in a first post , Jim

Thats OK, some people disagree with me in every post!!

Welcome to CF


Mark

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Weyalan

If you realistically want beachable, you have to go for a multihull.

Well, not really. Back when I was selling boats I listed a 75' monohull with a retractable keel. The owner/designer set up up so he could beach the boat and did so regularly. He pulled the boat rigtht up to the beach and dropped off the bow onto dry sand. Forget exactly but with the keel down the draft was around 8-9'. Never sailed in the boat but the owner claimed windward performance was quite good.