What makes a boat a go-anywhere blue-water cruiser?

[TrentePieds]

I thought the perfunctory "ja" under tankage was just sloppy specification indicating that the listing broker isn't much interested in this listing at all, possibly indicating that he considers the boat a dead loss. That the listing appears on a dozen European sites means no more than that it's a "multiple listing" effected through "cut'n'paste"

Good practice, that. You never know when an innocent may come by and take the bait!

TrentePieds

[Junk Viking]

To wrap it up.

Any boat will go anywhere with sufficient amounts of:

- Money
- Work
- Time
- Crew
- Suffering
- Risk

The secret is to find a boat that fits your particular situation, resources and preferences.

I'm personally not a big fan of suffering or risk, so I opt for the easiest rig to operate and trim: the junk rig schooner.
It's also the most reliable under stress and primitive conditions, so that is all dandy.
I prefer a boat small enough that I can comfortably afford to leave it on land, so 34" and plumb.

You must find something that fits your resources and preferences.

Your little SPLASH 33 seems like quite a sturdy little gem.
With proper work and care she can be a fine blue water cruiser.
Usual precautions regarding inspecting hull and systems.
And do take her for a spin to she how she balances, that is most important for real cruising.
Relying on motoring on oceans is for fools.

Good luck
(yes, you'll need it)

[Juho]

Boats that are called blue-water boats are usually a) strong, b) heavy and stable, often not very fast, and c) equipped with all kind of gadgets that you might need at open sea (navigation, communication, storage, power generation, steering etc.).

You don't need to maximize all that. Many blue-water sailors are happy with standard production boats. Everything ok as long as your boat does not break or flip over in the first storm, and you can fit all the food, water and fuel in.

The linked boat seems to be a strong steel boat. Maybe not very fast (steel is heavy in a boat of that size). Make sure that the hull and rigging are in good shape (assuming that you want to save costs in other parts than the interior and gadgets, like e.g. solar panels etc.). Maybe you should sail her (and few others too) on a windy day to see how she behaves.

[picklesandjesse]

Originally Posted by jrbogie

the sailor makes any boat a go anywhere boat. that the question was even asked suggests a good deal of experience is needed in small boats.

This is it. Nothing more to say.

[TeddyDiver]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Don't see what the size of the fuel tank has to do with the seaworthiness of a boat. Sure it will determine the range under power but that's not exactly the biggest factor in choosing a cruising boat.

Never said it's affecting seaworthiness. Instead, as the OP states, go-anywhere blue-water cruiser. Blue-water capability is a matter of seaworthiness, cruiser is a matter of habitability and the ease of maneuverability, go-anywhere is mostly a matter of range as adequate tankage and other provisions..

BR Teddy

[barnakiel]

In my book, a go-anywhere boat implies the boat can go anywhere.

Any fool can sail a plastick tub around the Med or even make a rtw trip in an Opti. But it gets cold & wet and most uncomfortable quick, once you venture further afield - to Svalbard or Port-aux-Français.

A go-anywhere boat should be able to spend a winter in City Marina in Nome, AK. ... ;-)

So this implies:
- some size (to be able to stand up to reasonable seas),
- some materials (to be able to navigate in light ice, take bottom and tie to fishing docks),
- some design features (heaps of shade and ventilation for the tropics and 4 inches of closed cell foam for the not so much tropical regions).

It also implies you have the money, the skills and the guts it takes to go anywhere.

The latter is probably harder to find than the boat in question.

b.

[barnakiel]

Toys like this get closer to the vision:

http://www.dykstra-na.nl/workspace/u...1470921845.jpg

b.

[barnakiel]

And this:

Splash 33 zum verkauf, Segelyacht zum verkauf - Schepenkring Yachtbrokers

implies sitting for hours exposed to cold seawater, rain, sun.

You must be very young and very healthy to go to 'anywhere' in a boat like this. But these will not last if you do.

I cannot even see a canvas dodger there. Today even a cheapest charter Bavaria in Croatia has one.

You are an EXTREMIST, mate!

(Truly: I like the boat you posted but it does not seem like go anywhere unless you want to take on the amount of discomfort that actually cancels the go-anywhere idea).

+Big hug,
Stay warm,
b.

[brianlara 3]

Originally Posted by Don C L

Welcome here!
Well, I know what it is like to fall irrationally in love with a boat. It sounds like you really want this one to be the one. I couldn't find info on this boat either. I'd like to see it under the waterline and see its displacement to waterline numbers and the depth of the ballast for my own way of telling its bluewaterness. Don't believe a bluewater boat has to be so strong and heavy that you must accept slow too. There are many very strong, bluewater, boats that are fast and go to weather well too. Steel is not required for a well-respected boat, though it might be preferable for those planning on sailing among ice floes.

I personally would rather bounce off a reef in a steel boat than anything made of plastic ( like mine eg) .
Problem with steel boats is: NOTHING IN THE WORLD DISSOLVES IN SALT WATER LIKE STEEL. Most older steel boats seem to be on the market because the hull and deck need extensive work, some would consider them not repairable....strip her of anything saleable and scuttle her.
Yes, definately there are older steel yachts ( 30 years ??) still in service but you'd want deep pockets or excellent welding skills (AND) unlimited time to continue with the .....project??
Unless you are an expert go with plastic. Long keel is good, a rudder supported at its'bottom is good, a cutter rig or alternatively ketch rig is good, slow and soft is good unless you aren't in a hurry and already you've said speed isnt important.
Rig in good condition of course......but you MUST be able to hold the bottom in terrible conditions....lots of heavy chain and a new generation ( rocna manson, spade, ultra, sarca ( not the excel model, the flat one) ...)
When anchors drag really crappy days are sure to follow.

The boat you are looking is steel, yes?
Google this, ten seconds......ALANG SHIP BREAKING ......go to images. Important story!!

[troels]

Hi!
It sounds like a nice ''Project'' sailing on big Oceans!
I do not know the model you have an eye on,
but I have owned both steelboat and fiberglas!

With the steelboat: ''Rust never sleeps!''

The fiberglas has for me been the solution!

When you looked at the marked for buying, there are a lot of possibilities.
The prices goes from: Boat for sale, which can collect dust,
to the Boat which is an offer, or you get for a good price!
The market are loaded with used boats!

With a ''Project-boat'', you really have to be carefull and sometimes,
the cost will run up, depending what has to be done!

Should I go for water sailing">blue water sailing, I would look for a long keeler,
from a wellknown fabric, which have shown its qualities,
and maybe pay a little extra for a well looked after mantained boat!

Do not go for a ''big'' cheap boat!
EVERYTHING cost much, much more, in the long run!!!

Greetings
Troels

[brianlara 3]

What TROELS said "RUST NEVER SLEEPS". And many are starting to suggest that fibreglass is forever. No AT ALL suggesting you buy a Catalina 30 because they were not intended to be purchased as 'proper dedicated' blue water boats but there are hundreds of them for sale in the US. Plastic, good and very inexpensive...oversupply situation because, other than for bouncing off reefs etc, plastic last for a very long time........but balsa cored hulls and decks can develop costly delamination faults. Caveat Emptor.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by brianlara 3

other than for bouncing off reefs etc, plastic last for a very long time........but balsa cored hulls and decks can develop costly delamination faults. Caveat Emptor.

Go for the old classics! (I am probably getting pretty annoying here.) Some good ol' thick, hand laid-up plastic boat from the 60s (no coring in those days!) could probably plow a good furrow through a reef or ice field! Well, I might not test that theory, but I wouldn't be surprised. They built some stout, good ol' boats in UK and Holland out of glass... don't count them out.

[Nordboen]

[QUOTE=gjordan;2271494]There is nothing wrong with a 33 foot steel boat if it was built to the designers specs, and he knew what he was doing. Looking at the slid show, I see nothing that I would consider a problem for any kind of cruising. It appears to be outfitted well (I wish I had those winches) and even tho I prefer a sloop or cutter, the ketch has lots of qualities also. Making sure that it was built as intended is important. The keel foil has to be correct and the ballast needs to be what the designer stated, not some cheaper materiel. I did long passages in a much smaller boat so size is more an issue of your budget and attitude and I owned and cruised in a steel 37 foot sloop for a couple of years and it was not overly heavy. The transom hung rudder gives you a few more options for windvanes than an inboard rudder and is easier to maintain. The one thing I would recommend against is tearing out the interior and re-inventing the cruising boat. You stated that you are pretty inexperienced, and there are mostly good reasons why interiors are like they are. Live with it for a while and you will probably find out it will be OK. Adding extra interior handholds is always good and I dont think I saw any padeyes in the cockpit for safety harness lanyards, but overall it looks like an honest cruising boat. I cant tell what the fuel tankage question is, but many on this forum think you need huge tankage go cruising when what you really need is good light air sails, skill and patience. There are lots of boats for sale so I would not fall in love too easily, but I see nothing that would eliminate that ketch from being a good cruising boat. Best of luck with whatever you buy. _____Grant.[Paint the interior, ad I will look OK]

[Nordboen]

[QUOTE=Nordboen;2271742][QUOTE=gjordan;2271494]There is nothing wrong with a 33 foot steel boat if it was built to the designers specs, and he knew what he was doing. Looking at the slid show, I see nothing that I would consider a problem for any kind of cruising. It appears to be outfitted well (I wish I had those winches) and even tho I prefer a sloop or cutter, the ketch has lots of qualities also. Making sure that it was built as intended is important. The keel foil has to be correct and the ballast needs to be what the designer stated, not some cheaper materiel. I did long passages in a much smaller boat so size is more an issue of your budget and attitude and I owned and cruised in a steel 37 foot sloop for a couple of years and it was not overly heavy. The transom hung rudder gives you a few more options for windvanes than an inboard rudder and is easier to maintain. The one thing I would recommend against is tearing out the interior and re-inventing the cruising boat. You stated that you are pretty inexperienced, and there are mostly good reasons why interiors are like they are. Live with it for a while and you will probably find out it will be OK. Adding extra interior handholds is always good and I dont think I saw any padeyes in the cockpit for safety harness lanyards, but overall it looks like an honest cruising boat. I cant tell what the fuel tankage question is, but many on this forum think you need huge tankage go cruising when what you really need is good light air sails, skill and patience. There are lots of boats for sale so I would not fall in love too easily, but I see nothing that would eliminate that ketch from being a good cruising boat. Best of luck with whatever you buy.

[Wallaby]

From the photos, this is a money pit in the making. It even says, 'needs new interior.' We are not talking seat cushions here! No doubt (from the minimal description) it also needs a lot of other new stuff, possibly a hull.

One has to wonder if a 'better' idea is buying a bare hull from a steel fabricator and finishing it properly. Not that this approach guarantees a a 'blue water' boat, but at least there is a choice about layout, systems, rig, tankage, finishes, engine, etc. for long distances and durability, assuming the owner knows what he is doing and is prepared/capable of doing the work. I would be surprised if it didn't take the same time as rebuilding.