You know a blue water boat...

[funsailthekeys]

I perfer a boat that when I set my drink down it stays there. Rum is expensive.

[Pblais]

I believe you can never really plan and prepare for anything. Just have enough faith and knowledge in yourself, your boat and your skills as well as knowing your limitations. Those should be the key ingredients to a good and safe cruising life.

You can plan and prepare to be sucessfull. You don't by rite of birth have the skills needed to operate a boat and all the equipment and technical background to plan courses and navigate. Knowledge of yourself is limited to only what you already know and have done. To extend that idea to being able to do anything if only you want to is not enough.

If you have the faith in yourself, then you can prepare to be successful. The boats don't sail themselves nor only by your personal will.

[Talbot]

Originally Posted by First Mate

uh, what was the name of the offshore race that killed so many sailors and sunk so many boats back in the 70's - the Fastnet. right. - sorry. I disagree. There are specific dangerous ocean waves that can occur and will roll just about any monohull over. Probably pitch a catamaran over as well. ,

Some boats are just designed right - for example the Contessa 26 - there were some in that Fastnet race, but fared much better than there bigger competition. Anyone who has ever sailed one will know why!!

During that fastnet disaster there were two Prout snowgoose 37s about 50-75 miles further south running before the wind, that arrived in Falmouth at the same time as some of the race boats, and wondered what all the fuss was about!

[Randall]

i agree with all here, I just want all persons looking for a new boat or a new adveture that sailing the oceans and sailing in the oceans are vastly different. and mostly you just have to enjoy it.

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by Talbot

Some boats are just designed right - for example the Contessa 26 - there were some in that Fastnet race, but fared much better than there bigger competition. Anyone who has ever sailed one will know why!!

During that fastnet disaster there were two Prout snowgoose 37s about 50-75 miles further south running before the wind, that arrived in Falmouth at the same time as some of the race boats, and wondered what all the fuss was about!

Did you read "Fastnet Force 10" and "Left for Dead"? Orthe admiralty report?

Be careful about making sweeping statements about which boat is better. There are three factors at work.

Boat
Crew
Location

You can be 20 miles away from another boat and have vastly different conditions.

[Don Lucas]

I have to admit that the first time I found this site was probably from a search for something like "bluewater sailing". I had already read some books on cruising and I read all the "what type boat for..etc" threads. After a while it seemed apparent that "opinions" were like ... and it is up to you to know what your our requirements in a boat are. When it comes down to it any boat that on surface is a "good" will do the job, especially with a few upgrades. Seems everytime the "blue" word comes out people start giving suggestions for a boat that will survive the perfect storm and one would start believing that these happen every week. I guess a related question might be "what type of car do I need to drive across the country", and if so the naswer should come down to a tank as this is more dangerous than sailing in general.

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

"what type of car do I need to drive across the country",

I wouldn't go in anything smaller than a Hummer.

Make that a Multi-hull Hummer with huge freakin' lift kits so I don't slam the bottom on a speed bump somewhere.

[keelbolts]

I have found, over the years I've been a sailor, that people either take off or they don't. For some, it's a question of having the balls to go . For others, like me, its getting sucked into the machine - family, home, cars, ... 99.99 guys out of 100 who sit around discussing how sturdy the deck/hull joint is never go. Before you get too pissed w/ me, I ought to tell you I'm in the process of trading my ocean boat for something better suited to pottering around the Bay. It turns out I'm probably not going anywhere after all. Having said that, the men and women who go are the ones who simply untie their lines and leave.

[David_Old_Jersey]

I think their is usually a tad of confusion between:-

a) What is a Blue Water Boat

and

b) What do I want my Blue Water Boat to be like.


For me (that's "b" ) I want a boat that does not need constant attention when sailing and I think is idiot proof (time will tell on that one )

[JB_in_Fla]

The answer is some are better suited than others (in my humble opinion). I'm learning well, but experience seems to be the biggest factor in any situation with any boat. Did you know of this story:

Fastnet Storm

...we heard more from Tim who said that he created a minor stir in England when a reporter from YACHTING WORLD encountered him at the dock among the Fastnet wreckage and asked him what he was doing there ... an obvious question since Bill’s accent and clothing set him apart from the gawkers. "Sailing" was Bill’s reply.

Upon learning that he just got in, the reporter asked how his crew had held up in the storm. Bill replied that he didn’t have a crew but was sailing alone. "In what", asked the reporter. "In that J/30 over there," said Bill. The rest of the story is outlined in a past issue of YACHTING WORLD.

[Vasco]

It's interesting to see the many threads in the various sailing sites pertaining to "bluewater boats". I think it might be more productive to talk about seamanship rather than bluewater boats. In the final analysis I think the competence of the sailor might be more important than the design and construction of the vessel. In the right hands, most boats built today are capable of long ocean voyages.

[lolanreg@smartc]

Two different boats, one quite a while back,was a 30ft Tahitian Ketch stolen from Sydney Aust area, sailed towards NZ, guy was rescued, shxtscared, after storm, but boat left behind. Boat was spotted a year later still afloat, sails rotten, but all there, and was brought back to Oz. Second, a 35ft Simpson catamaran in cyclonic storm North of NZ, Skipper and crew rescued in 15mtr seas, by NZ navy, cat abandoned. A month later same cat towed into Fiji and later sold back to original owners. I've met the second boats skipper, and boat.I have film taken by the Navy rescue craft. Both stories can be verified.In short most yachts will survive if left to their own devices. It's the crew that causes most distress,through either fear or injury. If you keep the water out you'll survive! A lot of boats only sink because of the actions of the crew trying to make the boat do something it doesn't really want itself to do. think about it. Natureboy

[Joli]

Yes but.....that is just a tad bit harder to quantify.

As I've said before: Experience is a cold hearted bitch who does not give lessons freely.

Originally Posted by Vasco

It's interesting to see the many threads in the various sailing sites pertaining to "bluewater boats". I think it might be more productive to talk about seamanship rather than bluewater boats. In the final analysis I think the competence of the sailor might be more important than the design and construction of the vessel. In the right hands, most boats built today are capable of long ocean voyages.

[Paul Elliott]

Originally Posted by Vasco

I think it might be more productive to talk about seamanship rather than bluewater boats.

I realize that I'm adding more heat than light, but one part of seamanship is knowing enough to not sail on a vessel unsuited to the voyage.

[Pblais]

I realize that I'm adding more heat than light, but one part of seamanship is knowing enough to not sail on a vessel unsuited to the voyage.

All boats are suited to some purpose and most sailors don't sail blue water. I say that in the literal sense. The production boat companies didn't miss the mark because they didn't know the market..

Seamanship is an abstract idea about what other people should do and it may or may not apply to any specific person. Good seamanship is the better part of all of us on our good days. It sure would be nice to pull it all together. It does not come with the boat. Anyone that thinks they can sail a canoe across the Pacific Ocean with seamanship is welcome to it.