Getting into blue water Cruising

[slanyon]

Hi I have been sailing dinghys for years but finally we are empty-nesters and looking for a yacht to take us coastal Australia, Tasmania and maybe NZ etc. I have been looking at the Cavalier 32 which I like for the headroom and manageability for one. Folks tell me they are on the small side for blue water cruising. What are your thoughts/experiences/alternates?

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by slanyon

Hi I have been sailing dinghys for years but finally we are empty-nesters and looking for a yacht to take us coastal Australia, Tasmania and maybe NZ etc. I have been looking at the Cavalier 32 which I like for the headroom and manageability for one. Folks tell me they are on the small side for blue water cruising. What are your thoughts/experiences/alternates?

Well, welcome here! I am not familiar with a Cavalier, but let me ask what your preferences are. Do you need a shower? Planning to have guests? Is it heavy displacement enough to be comfortable and have enough room for your stuff and fuel and water for as long as you are travelling? Since you know the boat already, I am guessing you may have answered these already perhaps. The boat has a good rep though!
The Cavalier 32 Sailboat : Bluewaterboats.org

[Lantau]

Originally Posted by slanyon

Hi I have been sailing dinghys for years but finally we are empty-nesters and looking for a yacht to take us coastal Australia, Tasmania and maybe NZ etc. I have been looking at the Cavalier 32 which I like for the headroom and manageability for one. Folks tell me they are on the small side for blue water cruising. What are your thoughts/experiences/alternates?

I don't know anything about the Cavalier 32. If it's a "heavy" boat, with a traditional hull that's built strongly, it may be OK. My experience is with a 37 foot Pacific Seacraft 37. You cannot go wrong with that kind of boat. The bigger you go, the more storage you'll have and the bigger the tanks for fuel and water. Of course the cost goes up, too, for haul outs, bottom paint, mooring in marinas and the like. Everything with boats is a trade off of some kind.

For more information on Pacific Seacraft (they build them in many sizes, and some are probably for sale Down Under), take a look at their website:

Pacific Seacraft is the award winning manufacturer of ocean going sailing yachts. The Pacific Seacraft manufacturing facility is located in Washington North Carolina. The company was featured in the book The Worlds Best Sailboats by Ferenc Mate. Paci

You could also look at owners' websites. Here's one that shows a Pacific Seacraft in full cruising configuration (do plan to spend lots of money on cruising kit):

www.pacificseacraft37.com

Good luck!

[Snowpetrel]

Plenty of cav 32's been around the world. A tough little boat, and plenty of room if you live simply. Also similar but slightly smaller than a S&S 34, duncanson 34, sadler 32's etc. Id have no problems taking a well set up boat like this across most oceans.

A cav 32 turned up down in hobart a few years ago with jury rig. He lost the mast deep south in the mid indian ocean on his way from south america to NZ as I recall. He stocked up on food and headed across the Tasman still with the same tiny jury mast up. Tough boat, tougher guy! Good on him.

They dont seem to make them like that anymore, seems like a lost mast these days is cause for an epirb and beam me up scotty call

[slanyon]

thanks all, I only joined yesterday and its very good to have your inputs. A bit more criteria: I am thinking a budget of AUD 40k. I am happy for a vessel requiring work as I am an elec/mech engineer and can fix just about anything - so a sound hull and a bit of DIY is a good mix. There will be the 2 of us. We want a shower. I want to be able to sail single handed on occasions. Guests will be infrequent overnite - just come aboard for evening drinks. I am 6'2" tall and like to sleep and stand straight. Cruising is the priority not racing. Happy sailing.

[JPA Cate]

Slanyon,

IMO, the Cav 32 will do you okay; an S & S 34, will have substantially more room, and still be easy to singlehand. Your choice. As always, as the boat gets bigger, so do maintenance and berthing costs; but the comfort levels increase, too.

Welcome aboard, mate.

Ann

[ozskipper]

Cavs are a tough and well respected blue water boat. You will generally find them from low 30ks to 50k at the top.

They are fine for a couple. But not much good to take lots and lots of water toys. (scuba tanks, sail boards etc).

Many of them are set up for bay sailing and twilights. So, its the add on "Stuff" that will get costly. Eg Bimini, fridge, Nav, safeties, dodger, self tailers etc . I saw one recently that was already kitted out for long distance cruising. Think it was in the high forties. If I can find the link I will post it here for you.

Either way there are plenty to compare and they are an easy resell when you are done with your travels.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, slanyon.

[slanyon]

Hi Ann thanks for your tip on S&S 34. I have heard good reports on them and they are on my list. I have not yet been on/in one. In Melbourne I hear there are people on waitlists for them. They are legends. I will keep a lookout and may have to lift my budget but likely worth the extra. I am expecting to add $10k+ for extras for blue water cruising. slanyon

[slanyon]

Does anyone have knowledge/experience on Ducanson 34 built in Adelaide, specifically how would they perform as a blue water cruiser for a couple? thanks :-)

[Merlin1111]

Perhaps there is an error in the info I saw but one article said the Cav 32 had a capsize ratio of 2.39 which if true would be grossly unacceptable for your purposes. If I were you that's the first thing I would check.

[barnakiel]

I think our sailing friends from NZ sailed their Cavalier to the islands and back. They were happy with the boat.

b.

[artisthos]

Ocean sailing is very much like riding a roller coaster 24/7. You can see the turns and rises coming but they continue to come for at least three days while moving through a low. During the passage from La Gomera to Saint Martin the waves came in two forms, one a swell 15 feet high and two thousand feet wide from the NE and a 4 foot wave hundred feet from top to top coming from the SE. The combination of the two made for some interesting movement while sailing on a run, wind from the stern with sails on either side of the boat. The boat would rock back and forth culminating with a huge rock settling down for another huge rock five minutes later. You hang on for dear life and continually think of “One hand for the ship one hand for you.”

Try to get some ocean sailing under your belt before you commit buying your ocean going craft. 2% get so sick they die, 2% are not effected, everyone fits in-between.

[Snowpetrel]

Originally Posted by Merlin1111

Perhaps there is an error in the info I saw but one article said the Cav 32 had a capsize ratio of 2.39 which if true would be grossly unacceptable for your purposes. If I were you that's the first thing I would check.

Dont know about that. A cav 32 is a pretty seaworthy wee craft, very similar and only a little smaller than a S&S34 which probably has more cape horn and southern ocean traverses than any other production design. Saying that its going to be hard to squeeze a decent shower into a Cav 32...

[ozskipper]

Originally Posted by slanyon

Does anyone have knowledge/experience on Ducanson 34 built in Adelaide, specifically how would they perform as a blue water cruiser for a couple? thanks :-)

Duncansons are also very well respected. There would be nothing shameful or dangerous taking one of those across "the pond". Though, I would suspect that you would pay more for a blue water ready Dunc compared to the same Cav32.

You could also consider a Swanson 32. The down/up side is the full keel. Most people want a fin keel these days, so re-sell may take a little longer. But they are very well respected and possibly in your 40k range. The down side of the full keel is lessened maneuverability. The upside is no keel bolts and more directional stability.