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Old 19-03-2016, 11:59   #1
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Which had a harder life? Racer or Caribbean Liveaboard?

We're looking at a couple of Tartan 40s, and deciding which to go visit first made me wonder about something...

Which do you think is harder on a boat, years of spirited club racing, or years of Caribbean Liveaboard?

Chesapeke Racer has really solid rig, superior hull antifoul, great sail inventory (CARBON!) and has been raced hard for years. (We're just coastal and Caribbean cruisers, don't even know if the Carbon sails are good for our use. That's another future thread)

Florida/Caribbean Liveaboard has been used 24/7 for years in the super-sunshine, lots of nights at anchor, made it through lots of storms.

Which do you think is harder on a boat?

Thanks for your opinion!
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Old 19-03-2016, 12:06   #2
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Re: Which had a harder life? Racer or Caribbean Liveaboard?

Depends on the maintenance budget. Both can be destroyed if money was tight, however your typical racer who invests in several suits of carbon sails will also have been keeping up with the maintainance. IMHO.


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Old 19-03-2016, 12:25   #3
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Re: Which had a harder life? Racer or Caribbean Liveaboard?

+1 on the maintenance.

A racer usually keeps their boat well maintained and uses it frequently.
A liveaboard doesn't always keep up with the maintenance.

There are exceptions to every rule though. We know a guy who's lived on a 49' trawler that keeps it in better than new condition (meaning if you bought his boat brand new, it would not be in as good as condition as his boat!). The racer could be selling his boat just before the carbon sails start to de-laminate, or some other rigging stressing that needs to be addressed.

You didn't mention what you are planning on doing with the boat. The racer will likely be stripped of most things to keep the weight down. A liveaboard will likely have extra crap that liveaboards need (more chain, more batteries, solar, etc)
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Old 19-03-2016, 13:01   #4
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Re: Which had a harder life? Racer or Caribbean Liveaboard?

If a boat is raced hard, she can end up pretty beaten up. Then again, racers tend to improve, fix and correct their boats on a regular basis. A race can last half a day and hardly anybody races every week of the year. This is hard use but this is not a lot of time on the water.

If a boat is cruised hard, she has had far more on-off cycles. Many boat materials hate cyclic loads. She may be at the end of her life now.

All other things equal, when the same design is raced and cruised, I would be tempted to start with the raced sample. Though probably this is actually a case specific exercise.

BTW Do not fall for carbon sails if you are going to cruise.

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Old 19-03-2016, 13:59   #5
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Re: Which had a harder life? Racer or Caribbean Liveaboard?

You'd have to see the boats, really, to see how they were maintained. I've been aboard race boats with totally trashed interiors, and others, not.

The big ticket items are engine, re-rig, re-do interior, and deck jobs. So your choice would be the boat with least expensive things to do. Do not get seduced into the carbon sails. However, you could "use them up" before buying cruising sails, but, you see, one can always buy second hand sails. Re-rigging, not so much, when the wire's done, it's finished. Soggy decks take a lot of fixing.

As barnakiel suggested, the advantage to the raced boat is that it will likely have a sound rig, nice hardware, and so on, and might we all 'round maintained. I still think you need to see and evaluate each one on its own merits.

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Old 19-03-2016, 14:19   #6
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Re: Which had a harder life? Racer or Caribbean Liveaboard?

racing hull has been twist o flexed repeatedly and hard. develops wierd cracks in structure. oops
i would and did take a dilapidated old cruiser, as those hulls are solid, heavy and have not been abused as hard as the racers.
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Old 19-03-2016, 14:22   #7
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Re: Which had a harder life? Racer or Caribbean Liveaboard?

The racer one usually end toasted prior to the the cruising one....
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Old 20-03-2016, 05:04   #8
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Re: Which had a harder life? Racer or Caribbean Liveaboard?

Depends on the owner.
I have seen more neglected cruisers than I have racers in my neck of the woods.
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Old 20-03-2016, 07:08   #9
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Re: Which had a harder life? Racer or Caribbean Liveaboard?

Soundwave,
There is much good advice here. However, boats are like people: they must be judged on an individual basis. And, pedigree is important. Good luck and safe sailing.
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Old 20-03-2016, 08:21   #10
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Re: Which had a harder life? Racer or Caribbean Liveaboard?

They are both tartans so it's a toss up . I would go with racer personally. I have a tartan 31 hull #1 have had it since it was new and have raced it crewed and solo in the Great Lakes and Atlantic. Soloed to Bermuda and back it is difficult to find a better boat.
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Old 20-03-2016, 08:31   #11
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Re: Which had a harder life? Racer or Caribbean Liveaboard?

Seems both have sufficient negatives to not be on my list. Check out the tartan touch 40 in Annapolis.
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Old 20-03-2016, 08:39   #12
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Re: Which had a harder life? Racer or Caribbean Liveaboard?

Racing boats usually take a beating. The racer wants the bottom clean and the sails fresh which many times is all the maintenance he does.

Racers like racing (competition) not maintenance.

He will overly stress the rig when necessary as well as the boat overall. (it's all about winning not taking care of the boat especially if the boat is just being raced in protected waters)

A racing boat may have lots of crew onboard. Inexperienced crew will be putting undue stress on lifelines and stanchions

Also the racing boat is probably used and stressed a lot more.
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Old 20-03-2016, 09:03   #13
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Re: Which had a harder life? Racer or Caribbean Liveaboard?

You have to look at the boats. Generally:
-a boat that has truly been raced hard will have dings etc in the gel coat all over the deck from all the pole/ hardware handling.
-A cruising boat will have the same type of thing, dings etc down below in the floor woodwork etc.
-A cruising boat will have a much more worn engine.
-a well cruised boat may have more Stainless steel deterioration (stancions etc) as it has been doused often with salt water on a passage and doesn't have a hose at the dock to freshwater rinse.
All of the above are generalities though and may not hold for any given boat.
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Old 20-03-2016, 11:49   #14
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Re: Which had a harder life? Racer or Caribbean Liveaboard?

Remember Cheeky Refeeky!!!

Sank on the Atlantic run 2 years ago with 4 lost!

She was a long distance race boat doing massive amounts of miles... till her keel fell off.

Many racing boats will spend big on gray sails but bugger all on the actual boat.
Every time its sailed its stressed to the max, totally unforgiving max just to win some tin cup.


Don't over estimate the generosity of a racer. The boat is, to many of them, an expendable object... that this owner may now be expending......

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Old 20-03-2016, 13:49   #15
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Re: Which had a harder life? Racer or Caribbean Liveaboard?

ive raced every boat i've owned hard and each boat was a much better boat when i sold it than when i bought it. i suppose somebody needs to explain to me what the difference is between racing hard an any other kind of sailing as concerns wear on a boat.
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