Solo, Strong, Bluewater Cruiser Choices . . .

[Cacique]

I think the freeboard issue is important but unless you are sailing a surfboard or dingy you wont get back aboard without a ladder, so fix one on the stern permanently. If you compare the Contessa with the Vancouver 27 the Contessa has lower freeboard but when sailed into a bit of a 'chop' she is much wetter, both boats are well capable of crossing oceans but the Vancouver is drier. Coincidently when my V27 circumnavigated the skipper fell overboard and hung onto the yankee sheet for about 1/2 an hour and didn't manage to get back aboard, fortunately the sea was warm and luck provided a rescue about an hour later, Since then a ladder was permanently lashed to the rail

[Curmudgeon]

Vigor recommends a knotted floating (polypropelyne) line about 150 ft. long with a brightly colored float at the end, to be trailed behind the boat when solo sailing offshore. If you go over, grab the line. (If you use a windvane or autopilot, the line should be rigged so that if you give it a hard yank, the autosteering will disengage and weather helm will cause the boat to head up and stop).

I've got a swim ladder on the port side plus two folddown safey steps on the transom. So if I can get to the transom, I can hopefully clamber back on board.

As Cacique says, you are going to need a ladder in any event, so I don't think low freeboard makes a damn bit of difference, safety-wise.

[dana-tenacity]

Tartan 37

[feelsgood]

have a look at the sadler 29 deep fin keel you can get one for about $45000 and they are unsinkable I know of at least 3 that have done circumnavs

[Cacique]

Curmudgeon says trail a line 150 foot long. That is a long line to trail and if you fall overboard at 5 knots you would have only a very short time to swim to the line, but I agree it's a good idea especially with the windvane idea, one of the problems with Cacique was after the skipper was rescued the fishermen insisted in finishing fishing before going after the yacht with the windvane set, eventually a fee was agreed for the rescue which coincidently was the total amount of cash carried on the boat.

[clockwork orange]

If you start out with a boat with excessivly low freeboard such as the Contessa 26 coupled with a low lbs/inch immersion rate and then load it down for living aboard and cruising you end up with something akin to a half tide rock, a very wet boat as alluded to by Jamie, you are better off to start with a boat which may have fairly high freeboard at LWL such as the Vancouver 25 and 27 because when you are loaded you will be floating low and looking good. Eric and Susan Hiscock stated in voyaging under sail that Wanderer 111 floated 6" below her lines when fully loaded for cruising.
Steve.

[um saudade]

I question the concept of going to far off places and buying a used boat with the idea of sailing it off into the sunset. You can’t buy a brand new boat and take it cruising without doing a goodly amount of work.

It is my nature but I distrust anything used or new until such time as I have used it, torn it apart and inspected it, figured out what tools it needs to maintain it and then put it back into service and then use it and use it again.

I would not wish to attempt that in a foreign country, even if the language is not a barrier.
.
Most cruisers have a lot of stuff hanging off the transom and that’s where you have to attempt to get back on the boat if you are hanging from a tether line. My transom is clean except for the steering gear but that would be a nightmare to climb over.

On the subject of hanging stuff on the transom: every time I am in close quarters the thing I worry about is bouncing off of anything aft. All that delicate windvane would be scrap! If it didn’t add weight, I would wrap it with a stainless tube low and tied to the pushpit on top. Give it a little protection.

Um Saudade

[surfmachine]

Ahoy, I followed Vohn Vigor's check list of what made a safe offshore capable yacht, and bought the cheapest, smallest yacht I could find in the area where I wanted to cruise. In SE Asia, I bought an Aussie registered Adams 31', aft cabin grp sloop, with all the good cruising gear, for 45K asd, sight unseen!! flew up from Perth and started cruising after a 4 week refit in Langkawi.

It turns out that I appear to have made a sound choice and have cash left over to install all the gadgets that I like, plus all the repairs needed. So buy small, cheap, in the area you will cruise, fly there and do it. It is very easy! I also installed a permanent ladder on the stern transom which is very easy to climb back up into the boat with and board the zodiac, the aires wind vane helps as a hand hold, but generally, if you fall over the side when you are single handed, you are dead!! As the Purdies say!

Don't agonise over the perfect yacht, just get started, most of the sailing is in 5 to 29 knots with sunny skies up here so any yacht will fit the bill? As you get used to cruising you can improve your yacht or learn enough to know what to look for in your next yacht. One thing I would suggest is that you buy a yacht that has cruised to where it is, not a day sailer in it's home port that will need a fortune spent on it before you venture out for a 4 week cruise!

Australia, has heaps of S&S 34's, around 45 to 100 asd, very sound blue water yachts, much loved in Australia. The Adams 31' is a similar configuration, rated highly in Vigor's checklist and it has been an absolute joy to sail and live aboard! Especially for a single hander.

Fair winds from Keith...........................

[gonesail]

Originally Posted by sck5

look at Caliber 33's and 35's. The 35's might be out of your price range but the 33'smight be exactly what you are looking for. I have one and it is a great boat - Not lightning fast but not a slug either and very comfortable for one or two people.

love the caliber 33 but if you need a steel hull there is a topper hermanson 42 in yachtworld that might work.

[s/v Beth]

Kinda of a thread within the thread, that of self rescue of the solo sailor, is a fascinating topic. I refuse to just tread water and die should I get thrown out while solo. I am going to put a T on my tiller, with a rope going through and then exiting the boat through a block in the rear. If I can get to that 150 (250) foot line off the rear, the boat should heave too. I am going to try it this summer, with a good mate watching from the cockpit....

[feelsgood]

In reply to the length of line to drag behind the boat. We have tested this in F6 winds with a lifeboat in attendance. At 6 knots it took our man 40seconds to surface and find the line. This means that with a boat going approx 3.5 mts a second you would need a line of at least 450ft to be pretty sure of getting hold of it. It was 6mm floating line with a small floating quiot at the end. Forget the knots as thay will hurt your hands. By the way the drag from the line didnt make any appreciatable difference to the speed of the yacht.

[dcstrng]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

But in a any case - I agree - avoid boats with 0 (zero) 'natural' access, if solo...

This is probably the best… even boats of modest freeboard for vessels over 25 feet or so in length can be a serious challenge or even impossible to board even for a young and healthy skipper when tired, exhausted or injured – all of which may be probable when tossed overboard in any type of sea conditions. But with a little forethought almost any boat can be configured with permanent access – permanently mounted boarding-ladder with trip-line, foot-holds on the steering vane structure, steps on an external, transom mounted rudder, etc., etc., etc… Although extra-tall topsides create their own problems, windage, etc., I don’t think artificially low freeboard is the answer either and creates seaworthiness problems of its own, not to mention a wet ride, in even modest sized vessels…

[feelsgood]

I read alot lately here about geting back on board after faling overboard when sailing solo. The MOST IMPORTANT thing is to make sure that you NEVER go overboard in the first place. Taking precautions to prevent this happening is a lot more simple than you would beleive

[soiuxtribe]

Originally Posted by surfmachine

Ahoy, I followed Vohn Vigor's check list of what made a safe offshore capable yacht, and bought the cheapest, smallest yacht I could find in the area where I wanted to cruise. In SE Asia, I bought an Aussie registered Adams 31', aft cabin grp sloop, with all the good cruising gear, for 45K asd, sight unseen!! flew up from Perth and started cruising after a 4 week refit in Langkawi.

It turns out that I appear to have made a sound choice and have cash left over to install all the gadgets that I like, plus all the repairs needed. So buy small, cheap, in the area you will cruise, fly there and do it. It is very easy! I also installed a permanent ladder on the stern transom which is very easy to climb back up into the boat with and board the zodiac, the aires wind vane helps as a hand hold, but generally, if you fall over the side when you are single handed, you are dead!! As the Purdies say!

Don't agonise over the perfect yacht, just get started, most of the sailing is in 5 to 29 knots with sunny skies up here so any yacht will fit the bill? As you get used to cruising you can improve your yacht or learn enough to know what to look for in your next yacht. One thing I would suggest is that you buy a yacht that has cruised to where it is, not a day sailer in it's home port that will need a fortune spent on it before you venture out for a 4 week cruise!

Australia, has heaps of S&S 34's, around 45 to 100 asd, very sound blue water yachts, much loved in Australia. The Adams 31' is a similar configuration, rated highly in Vigor's checklist and it has been an absolute joy to sail and live aboard! Especially for a single hander.

Fair winds from Keith...........................

HI Keith.

I was happy to find a thread regarding the Adams 31 and its suitability for blue water cruising. I bought mine about a year ago with the intent of living and cruising for a few years and a possible circumnavigation. Everything I read and heard about them was positive, but not much about their long-term cruising ability. I will be heading out of Sydney soon for the tropics and would appreciate any advice you might have regarding fit out and handling experiences you have gained. I will be sailing most of the time single handed, with my partner joining me when she is not working offshore five weeks at a time. Any tips would be appreciated.

Regards
Tony

[surfmachine]

Tony, the keel fell off mine when I bumped a reef, so I ahve a full length keel aluminium yacht now, good luck.