Given these parameters, what boat is right??

[Wynand]

Hi Everyone

With all that said and done, I for one, would not put my feet on any fibreglass boat not properly moored to a dock.

The oceans a littered with all kinds of floatsom, from fridges to containers, trees etc. Then there's the old favorite, Mr whale. Many books were written on survival in life rafts because of a whales surfacing, and in the process demolishing a yacht floating in the way.

Funny though, all the casualties seems to be FRP boats with a woden boat here and there.

Then there are the reefs lurking under the blue surface ...... and so I can go on....

If you go cruising, even only a day sail, all the above critters are for real and more.
I would advise Ssullivan to take a carefull look at well built steel and aluminuim yachts aswell.

Then again, the oceans are full of fibreglass boats cruising all over. Perhaps they are the lucky ones.

Just thinking.

[BC Mike]

True there are many broken fibreglass boats on the bottom and also true a steel hull may survive an impact with a given object that a fibreglass would not and also true some wooden boats have come to greif. But it is a bit like reading a traffic report. If the next car that goes in the ditch is the same as mine should I be concerned? If you feel the need to justify your decision to build in steel that is fine, is it neccesary to try and make others feel less secure about their boats. There are statistics on the cause of boats sinking and the large majority are not from what you mentioned they are from failing thru jull fittings and other issues that effect all boats of all materials. There are many reports of steel boats lost at sea with all hands lost so the cause is unknown, but we can imagion that it was not from an impact. There are plenty of reports of wooden and fibreglass boats that floated after an event and the crew survived. My next boat will be fibreglass or wood and will have positive flotation, and I will be putting flotation in my current fibreglass boat. Hope all goes well with your project. Michael

[GordMay]

Michael:
Have you followed the thread “Retro-fitting Positive Flotation” on SailBoatOwners.com “Ask All Sailors” Forum? http://www.sailboatowners.com/forums...ew.tpl?fno=441
specifically:
http://www.sailboatowners.com/forums...04356100957.50

[Wynand]

Hi Micheal

It was never my intention to make others less secure about their boats. What I did was pointing out some real dangers any cruising sailor will encounter at one stage or another.(this is a cruisers forum?)

It is also very true what you say about boats lost at sea, whether FRP, steel, wood etc. Rogue waves are killers that has no regard for what type of boat you sail for instance.

Flotation is not really a successful solution to prevent sinking. It is a simple matter of adding up numbers to see that you need a lot of volume of foam to keep a blue water cruising yacht afloat. Where would you put your stores etc?
I think flotation bags are a better option than foam, provided they do not punture when you need it most.
Then again, remember what they said about the Titanic.

Oceans get littered more everyday and it it best to be prepared when you go cruising, whether you sail an Ironclad or cement barge. Your life may depend on that.

My advice still stands for Ssullivan, put a decent aluminuim or steel boat on your whishing list for consideration.

Thank you for your kind words about my project, will keep you posted of progress

[BC Mike]

Gord I will check out the forum. Wynand thanks. I have spoken with folks who have had their boat sink from under them. I have read ( name blank here ) book about his boat that was swamped and floated, I have Gerrs book which has a chapter on flotation. I have a piece of one inch insulation foam 6 X 3 inches with a 300 gram weight taped to it in a bucket, has been there for just over a week. Using Gerrs calculations I have determined that there is enough space on the boat to make it float if holed. I would also use air mattresses. The space is under the V birth, at the transom, under the cockpit hatch, over the gearbox in front of the fuel tank and there is room under all the bunks but I would not use it all. Michael

[kcrompton]

I am in the same boat as you. A young cruising couple looking to get out there as fast as possible and as for as long as possible. IMHO from what I have read I am going for a smaller 33-35 ft boat that you can get for under 50K, is plenty sea capable, yes it is 20 yrs old but I have been sailing on old boats since I was knee high to a grasshopper and they have all been good and sturdy. Not to mention all these cuisers out there writing books and a lot of the guys on this forum are cruising 20 yr old boats and very happy. Well now that I have gone off on a tangent... plenty sea capable and take the money you save and do a major refit. Now you have a boat that you know well and you know is in good shape because you just fixed all the problems and while tearing it apart found any problems you may not catch with a survey. Not to mention you would end up with a lot of spares from the refit that are used but servicable in a pinch. I would rather spend less on a boat and have a larger kitty to stay out longer. Maybe your not living the condo life on the water but your out there doing it instead of dreaming about it in some job you probably hate, in 30 deg weather in NH. From what I have read to big a boat and to many systems have killed more than one cruising dream. With all that said I am of the minimalkist crowd and have lived in a armored vehicle eating MRE's for six months while dodging hostle fire. So maybe I am a little crazy but I would rather be sitting on a small boat in Figi or Cairns, AU living the life rather than dreaming about it! OK I will get off my soap box now.

Ken
Still saving, Still dreaming

[BC Mike]

Makes sense to me, I am with you on this. good luck.
Michael