You know a blue water boat... - Page 3

RRR · 25-09-2008, 08:47

I just recently started to seriously look at boats to buy. I have a lot of specific things that I am looking for in one but nothing too insane. Most of it comes from experience on the ocean and seeing way too many good people die.
First I don't know squat about fiberglass hulls. I've done repairs on a few 40 footers and less but that's all I know about them. How to patch holes and repaint. I'm researching them all I can and planning a few trips with people that own them. When I take a 50 foot, or worse, wave over the bow I want to know that I can keep on going and not start going for the liferaft. I've been on steel ships that nearly broke in half at the expansion joint and even capsized once so I do understand that anything can happen to any ship at any time. When I make the decision about hull material that will be my highest priority. I can say I am looking at lot more at steel boats than fiberglass though. I am confident I can fix anything on steel at sea if I had to.

My specialty is engineering, not rigging sails. I'm learning that now. My second highest priority in the boat I choose to cross the oceans will be the engine, or engines. I've got my preferences in brands like everyone else but all I know for sure, is if it's a brand I don't care for then I'll replace it and if it is one I do like then I will overhaul it myself before I ever leave the dock. Regardless of how many hours are on it. At least I will have confidence in it then. It's just no fun being on a single screw ship out in the middle of the ocean and not having the engine work. I've been there way too many times in the past. I served on three 4 screw ships and 3 single screws. On the last single screw I didn't serve in engineering but sure got called down a lot to fix things. It rarely made it from point A to point B without the engine failing.

The next priority for me, mainly because of my wife will be the size of our boat. She wants longer than 40 feet so we're looking at 40-50 footers. I know the bigger the better in riding out storms generally. Or maybe more accurately the heavier the better. Still size counts for at least something on a sail boat. I seriously doubt I would ever be able to drag my wife across the ocean on anything under 40 feet.

With my criteria in mind for a blue water cruiser we can sail with confidence there isn't a whole lot to choose from but they are out there and not too awfully expensive. I've already got my needle gun and paint gun ready to go for when we find it. That's my biggest thing though I guess, confidence in my boat. It's kinda like a dog. If you are scared of the dog then you will probably get bit. If you aren't scared then you probably won't. Most of the accidents at sea that I have personally seen were because someone got scared and screwed up. If you are going to sail the ocean then you have to have confidence in whatever you do it in.

RickD · 25-09-2008, 11:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fishspearit

Some people set certain criteria. Like he has to have a college education, he must have made a lot of money, he must be articulate, he must have large muscles or be able to run fast

.

Hahaha. I love your statement!

I'm one of those guys who has been going to college for 30 years, don't have a degree (well, I kinda do, but I don't count it for anything) - but I get educated in more than book learning (which is what I want to do now, I want to SAIL!)

I'm articulate, when I haven't been drinking my homebrew, mead or rum...

I've got pretty good muscles (for a guy that's 50-something) and still do weight training (used to sword fight... damn it I know I've got pirate blood! Arrr!)

I grew up in Detroit so I sure can run fast. LOL

So - my question is this then... If my wife and I know what we WANT to do, how and where do we actually begin to decide on the right vessel (having not actually sailed)?

We want to sail this spring and summer and learn it, but we also want to purchase a boat in the next year - not a new one, probably an older, monohull, probably with two masts, probably around 42-50 feet long, we are going to LIVE in it, and we are going to practice our sailing IN that boat to get to know it, and we DO plan on making some "blue water crossings" - but not for a few years (except the Gulf probably).

So... how do we START to begin to figure out what's right and wrong?

camaraderie · 25-09-2008, 12:02

Rick...First, you should read a bunch about cruising sailboats and decide what is important to you in a boat. Full keel, center cockpit, sea berth, lots of teak, fuel and water capacity, draft and mast clearance etc. etc. (Suggest Beth Leonards Voyagers Handbook). From there, my quick solution would be to peruse the Mahina "cruising bluewater boats" list and check off the ones whose size seems suitable. Then go to Yachtworld.com and look at the pictures and layouts of those boats together and cross off the ones which don't seem suitable to you or are out of your budget range. Then start making appointment to look at the ones you like and narrow down the possibles. Find a good one....get it well surveyed and you are on your way.
Doing it this way will not insure that you have considered every possible boat, but it will insure that the boat is suitable for your purpose.

RickD · 25-09-2008, 12:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by camaraderie

Rick...First, you should read a bunch about cruising sailboats and decide what is important to you in a boat. Full keel, center cockpit, sea berth, lots of teak, fuel and water capacity, draft and mast clearance etc. etc. (Suggest Beth Leonards Voyagers Handbook). From there, my quick solution would be to peruse the Mahina "cruising bluewater boats" list and check off the ones whose size seems suitable. Then go to Yachtworld.com and look at the pictures and layouts of those boats together and cross off the ones which don't seem suitable to you or are out of your budget range. Then start making appointment to look at the ones you like and narrow down the possibles. Find a good one....get it well surveyed and you are on your way.
Doing it this way will not insure that you have considered every possible boat, but it will insure that the boat is suitable for your purpose.

Thanks very much! We'll do just that!

imagine2frolic · 25-09-2008, 12:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.....I dated her twice. Once at Point Conception, and again between Puerta Vallarta, and Cabo. Now I am a much smarter man

!

rgm.nz · 27-09-2008, 12:16

Don`t forget Jimmy Cornell`s " World Cruising Survey " written in the 80s , still a wealth of info for anyone considering cruising . Ist question is - where are you going ? The majority of cruisers surveyed that were going to keep cruising choose without question a metal hull boat . Read Beth & Evans reasons for building an aluminum sailboat . No deck leaks for starters . Plenty of junk floating these days to bump into. I lived in the Sth Pacific for 15 yrs and I can`t tell you how many fiberglass boats come to their end each year on the coral . Most don`t survive a tide cycle . My aluminum hull can be dragged off , kedged off , whatever , days later if necessary , dented and scratched but likely not holed . Some friends in NZ have an old 52 ft steel ketch thats been on the coral in Fiji various times , still sailing . Dragging anchor is common when it blows . Nothing holds well on coral but all chain and the largest anchor you can carry is a good start . Many atolls are not charted .
So again ---- Where Are You Going ? Answer that first and you`ll have a better idea
what boat will suit your needs . Don`t mean to scare anyone but I have seen so many
bad boat buying decisions that cost a lot of money . Good luck .
Robert

25-09-2008, 12:02	#33
camaraderie Registered User Join Date: May 2003 Location: East Coast Posts: 589	Rick...First, you should read a bunch about cruising sailboats and decide what is important to you in a boat. Full keel, center cockpit, sea berth, lots of teak, fuel and water capacity, draft and mast clearance etc. etc. (Suggest Beth Leonards Voyagers Handbook). From there, my quick solution would be to peruse the Mahina "cruising bluewater boats" list and check off the ones whose size seems suitable. Then go to Yachtworld.com and look at the pictures and layouts of those boats together and cross off the ones which don't seem suitable to you or are out of your budget range. Then start making appointment to look at the ones you like and narrow down the possibles. Find a good one....get it well surveyed and you are on your way. Doing it this way will not insure that you have considered every possible boat, but it will insure that the boat is suitable for your purpose. __________________ Cam

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25-09-2008, 08:47	#31
RRR Registered User Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 34	I just recently started to seriously look at boats to buy. I have a lot of specific things that I am looking for in one but nothing too insane. Most of it comes from experience on the ocean and seeing way too many good people die. First I don't know squat about fiberglass hulls. I've done repairs on a few 40 footers and less but that's all I know about them. How to patch holes and repaint. I'm researching them all I can and planning a few trips with people that own them. When I take a 50 foot, or worse, wave over the bow I want to know that I can keep on going and not start going for the liferaft. I've been on steel ships that nearly broke in half at the expansion joint and even capsized once so I do understand that anything can happen to any ship at any time. When I make the decision about hull material that will be my highest priority. I can say I am looking at lot more at steel boats than fiberglass though. I am confident I can fix anything on steel at sea if I had to. My specialty is engineering, not rigging sails. I'm learning that now. My second highest priority in the boat I choose to cross the oceans will be the engine, or engines. I've got my preferences in brands like everyone else but all I know for sure, is if it's a brand I don't care for then I'll replace it and if it is one I do like then I will overhaul it myself before I ever leave the dock. Regardless of how many hours are on it. At least I will have confidence in it then. It's just no fun being on a single screw ship out in the middle of the ocean and not having the engine work. I've been there way too many times in the past. I served on three 4 screw ships and 3 single screws. On the last single screw I didn't serve in engineering but sure got called down a lot to fix things. It rarely made it from point A to point B without the engine failing. The next priority for me, mainly because of my wife will be the size of our boat. She wants longer than 40 feet so we're looking at 40-50 footers. I know the bigger the better in riding out storms generally. Or maybe more accurately the heavier the better. Still size counts for at least something on a sail boat. I seriously doubt I would ever be able to drag my wife across the ocean on anything under 40 feet. With my criteria in mind for a blue water cruiser we can sail with confidence there isn't a whole lot to choose from but they are out there and not too awfully expensive. I've already got my needle gun and paint gun ready to go for when we find it. That's my biggest thing though I guess, confidence in my boat. It's kinda like a dog. If you are scared of the dog then you will probably get bit. If you aren't scared then you probably won't. Most of the accidents at sea that I have personally seen were because someone got scared and screwed up. If you are going to sail the ocean then you have to have confidence in whatever you do it in.

27-09-2008, 12:16	#36
rgm.nz Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Portland , OR Posts: 14	Don`t forget Jimmy Cornell`s " World Cruising Survey " written in the 80s , still a wealth of info for anyone considering cruising . Ist question is - where are you going ? The majority of cruisers surveyed that were going to keep cruising choose without question a metal hull boat . Read Beth & Evans reasons for building an aluminum sailboat . No deck leaks for starters . Plenty of junk floating these days to bump into. I lived in the Sth Pacific for 15 yrs and I can`t tell you how many fiberglass boats come to their end each year on the coral . Most don`t survive a tide cycle . My aluminum hull can be dragged off , kedged off , whatever , days later if necessary , dented and scratched but likely not holed . Some friends in NZ have an old 52 ft steel ketch thats been on the coral in Fiji various times , still sailing . Dragging anchor is common when it blows . Nothing holds well on coral but all chain and the largest anchor you can carry is a good start . Many atolls are not charted . So again ---- Where Are You Going ? Answer that first and you`ll have a better idea what boat will suit your needs . Don`t mean to scare anyone but I have seen so many bad boat buying decisions that cost a lot of money . Good luck . Robert