What Would You Do? 26ft vs 34ft

[Incentive]

Here's my new delema....been sailing on my grampian26 all summer, it's been a wonderfully enriching experience ..... I love my boat and see no reasons why I couldn't sail to the tropics next year..... Only problem is the wife, she feels clostrofobic and wants no part of this boat.... However she has set her hart on a hunter 34ft and says she would travel anywhere with me on that boat....Now befor anyone says it out load , I am considering changing the women or leaving without her..... Nevertheless your opinions might give her right of way and stir me in the hunter game, who knows?
Ps. If you respond pleas give me your reason?

[Incentive]

Was thinking of investing on better sails option and a removable Solent stay for the Grampian , not on a bigger boat!

[rocksculpter]

Well, we started with a Venture 25. Cruised the Florida Keys and the Bahamas for three months then got beat up by a hurricane. Cruised all over the Pacific Northwest but the hurricane was still on our minds and the fact that we almost parted company because of it. We settled on a Norsea 27 which was a well proven circumnavigator but still short on space. The aft cabin allows a bit of separation.

After twenty five years I still hear "I wish we had a bigger boat" slip out of my wifes mouth. I was under the delusion that when the kids all left she'd be content but now I hear about room for the family to visit. I got a place in the San Juan Islands that I could haul my 27 footer out on a trailer and winter it in the driveway with the mast up. My ideal situation but alas she still pines for a bigger boat. Looking back on it perhaps I should have gone bigger just because my wife's a keeper.

One thing I do know is that what ever you do get the most sea worthy boat you can regardless of the creature comforts because survival is the most important thing.

[canadianllama]

I have a grampion 26 and love it for the summer sailing we do, but i would like a bigger boat (34-38ish) for circumnavigation. But ive never even been in anything else so i dont really know. I just imagine being in a hurricane or huge ocean in my 26fter and it doesn't sound fun at all.

[JPA Cate]

Unless both of you are willing to work to improve your relationship, go on the boat you already have; the (probably inevitable) breakup that ensues will cost both of you less.

Over the years, we've seen many "water soluble romances", a cruise, or many cruises will not heal a sick relationship. Only both of the parties, working together can do that. That's sort of a bottom line.

Successful cruising demands a lot of intra-partner affection, respect, cooperation, and trust, plus the willingness to give the "other guy" lots of emotional space when needed.

[sailorboy1]

well I think your wife is on the right path

but since it appears you are looking (and already stated) at ways to get around her Ann is probably right and if you give it a little time the wife factor will solve itself

[skipmac]

If you can afford a bigger boat then go for it. Within reason and up to a certain point, bigger is better, as long as your budget allows.

Assuming similar design and quality, bigger boats have an easier motion at sea, they will be faster so get there sooner, and certainly more space for living and comfort. You can have a bigger galley, stove and oven, room for refrigeration, carry more food, nicer head and better shower space.

Just no way around more space allows for more creature comforts. Like comparing backpacking and tents to a camper trailer. I know lots of guys that would kill to have a wife that said get a bigger boat. Count yourself lucky. She could hate it and not want any boat at all.

[capttman]

Bigger is most certainly more comfortable. Comfort is important because no matter how you look at it you spend more time on the hook than under sail..
Get as large as you can afford and handle.. Keep the systems simple and it's not all that much more expensive. But hey what do I know, only been sailing 50 plus years hahaha

[barnakiel]

I am not sure how good a boat Grampian is. Tell me.

We have a 26' boat too and we sailed her (or she sailed us) rtw. My girlfriend loves this boat and she does not want another. Smallness factor was one of my fears. It was a great relief to hear: 'well, she looks much bigger than in the pictures' when we walked into our boatyard back in May 2003.

So, IMHO, not all 26' boats are the same and no two persons are the same. Some can live 10 years in some 26' boats, others will feel cramped after a sailing weekend.

Get a bigger boat or find another sailing partner.

Alas, I only like the old Hunters, from their pre-Bavarian era. Not to say the modern ones are no good. Just I would rather stick to our smallish, oldish, 26' than sail oceans in one of the modern 34' Hunters.

Listen to everybody, then make your own decisions.

b.

[capttman]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

I am not sure how good a boat Grampian is. Tell me.

We have a 26' boat too and we sailed her (or she sailed us) rtw. My girlfriend loves this boat and she does not want another. Smallness factor was one of my fears. It was a great relief to hear: 'well, she looks much bigger than in the pictures' when we walked into our boatyard back in May 2003.

So, IMHO, not all 26' boats are the same and no two persons are the same. Some can live 10 years in some 26' boats, others will feel cramped after a sailing weekend.

Get a bigger boat or find another sailing partner.

Alas, I only like the old Hunters, from their pre-Bavarian era. Not to say the modern ones are no good. Just I would rather stick to our smallish, oldish, 26' than sail oceans in one of the modern 34' Hunters.

Listen to everybody, then make your own decisions.

b.

I ran into a couple in a 28 foot boat. They got on Gaitweigh and said to me, why do you have so much room? We would never want this boat! Be no fun if we were all the same

[vtcapo]

Originally Posted by Incentive

Here's my new delema....been sailing on my grampian26 all summer, it's been a wonderfully enriching experience ..... I love my boat and see no reasons why I couldn't sail to the tropics next year..... Only problem is the wife, she feels clostrofobic and wants no part of this boat.... However she has set her hart on a hunter 34ft and says she would travel anywhere with me on that boat....Now befor anyone says it out load , I am considering changing the women or leaving without her..... Nevertheless your opinions might give her right of way and stir me in the hunter game, who knows?
Ps. If you respond pleas give me your reason?

You don't have a dilemma, you hit the jackpot. If the girl's a keeper and she wants bigger, what's the problem? My wife's a keeper but she gives me nothing but grief every boat I own. Geezzz.. count your blessings.

As far as a Hunter 34... There are better choices out their for circumnavigating...
RT

[Incentive]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

I am not sure how good a boat Grampian is. Tell me.

We have a 26' boat too and we sailed her (or she sailed us) rtw. My girlfriend loves this boat and she does not want another. Smallness factor was one of my fears. It was a great relief to hear: 'well, she looks much bigger than in the pictures' when we walked into our boatyard back in May 2003.

So, IMHO, not all 26' boats are the same and no two persons are the same. Some can live 10 years in some 26' boats, others will feel cramped after a sailing weekend.

Get a bigger boat or find another sailing partner.

Alas, I only like the old Hunters, from their pre-Bavarian era. Not to say the modern ones are no good. Just I would rather stick to our smallish, oldish, 26' than sail oceans in one of the modern 34' Hunters.

Listen to everybody, then make your own decisions.

b.

I can only go by observation, the hull of the Grampian is a lot thicker then that of the hunter, don't know if this is relevant ? For me she offers more then enough room and stowedg... She has a better capsize and motion comfort according to carls sail calculation, but those this mean anything important enough to make a dicision?
My personal feeling is I'd better not hit anything with the hunter ( sleepless nights) other then that I love the layout and admit shed be much more easy to live in.... However to this day the sailboat trip has been mine alone, not much interest from wife and my teens...

[Incentive]

Originally Posted by vtcapo

You don't have a dilemma, you hit the jackpot. If the girl's a keeper and she wants bigger, what's the problem? My wife's a keeper but she gives me nothing but grief every boat I own. Geezzz.. count your blessings.

As far as a Hunter 34... There are better choices out their for circumnavigating...
RT

Oh yes there are much better boats agreed, but the hunter is a steal at $12.000 with all the goodies....I have to think hard on this one!

[mr-canada]

I have a sturdy 26 and i am not sure id want to circumnavigate in it. I know it can be done ive read accounts of some people heading offshore in this boat without a working motor and getting back just fine without a hitch. However those people had loads of sailing experience and i am like you on my second year of sailing.

I would advise just sticking to coastal with the boat you have for now. You can gain experience sailing and the wife can get off and stretch her legs when she gets 5 foot-itis with you.

If your already thinking openly about taking aboard someone else to keep you company (unless you are a killer sailor you dont want to single hand that kind of trip) or going it alone then play it out doing coastal cruising and make up your mind later.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Incentive

My personal feeling is I'd better not hit anything with the hunter ( sleepless nights) other then that I love the layout and admit shed be much more easy to live in.... However to this day the sailboat trip has been mine alone, not much interest from wife and my teens...

Assuming it is an older Hunter that has spent most of its' life sailing around in coastal/near coastal water where there are LOTS of things to hit, has it sunk?

Is there a something you are planning of having to hit, or are you just looking for the unsinkable boat (like the Titanic)?