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Old 02-02-2012, 15:40   #16
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Re: 40ft or 50ft what do you like

50' is not too big, if you pick the right boat and when you have the right skills and equipment. But I think you must narrow down to some more specific boats. There will be 40' that can be too big for two and 50' that can be single-handed. You must look at specific boats to tell if they are, or not, the right size for you.

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Old 02-02-2012, 17:42   #17
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Re: 40ft or 50ft what do you like

Lot of good advice here. Sounds like it could be your first boat. Most of us are at least on our second or third or headed that way. Always making an upgrade of some kind, so I doubt this will be your last, if you love boats
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Old 02-02-2012, 17:56   #18
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Re: 40ft or 50ft what do you like

G'day, mate. You're getting lots of good advice and according to your timeframe, you have lots of time to get it all figured out. Specially, in regards to storage, typically you are going to get a much larger lazerette locker when you start the migration from 40 to 50 feet. Below is an example of one on a Mason 53. This, along with the large watermaker you can see in the photo, are examples of key factors, that increase the probability that you can make the lifestyle sustainable over the long term. All the best with your search. Cheers.
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Old 02-02-2012, 18:13   #19
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Re: 40ft or 50ft what do you like

Size matters? I guess so, but there does not seem to be a particular pattern that forms a rule or useful guide. Maybe it sits differently for those that are viewing life aboard from a house, but speaking for a couple living and cruising aboard for forty years, I can't see the function of 50 feet for two. We had our two teenage children move off our 41' boat fourteen years ago, with us aboard since infants, and we still have the voided unfilled space left for guests when they visit. If we were not so well adapted and comfortable with our current boat we'd probably be looking for something from 30' to 35'. There are fifteen places where one could sit on my boat and I commonly sit in three of them. There are eight places here one could sleep on our boat and we always use the same two. I think people that are coming from a 3,000 square foot house see the boat differently than those that are moving aboard from their college dorm room.
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Old 02-02-2012, 18:15   #20
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Re: 40ft or 50ft what do you like

This is an interesting thread.
So often, when people are looking at getting a boat in the 50ft range, there are 101 naysayers, from the folk with 35ft boats. Not including you CaptForce. You're 41ft with so much experience I wouldn't argue.
But here there are many members with 50ft+ boats and everyone has positive feedback.
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Old 02-02-2012, 18:17   #21
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Re: 40ft or 50ft what do you like

All excellent points on costs and comfort. You were not clear about your intensions and your level of experience. If you are relatively new to sailing I'd say start a bit towards the small size but a newer boat with good re-sale. If you still like it and need/want larger it will be easier to move up. Smaller is much easier to handle and the mistakes are less costly. Points regarding the places you can go and the ease of making a move are also true. If you think you will hop around the Carib and coast hop - stay small. If you really intend to go blue water and long transits maybe bigger is better. More to the point will be the yearly costs. Even if you find a bigger boat, do you have the cash flow to enjoy it?

We bought even larger at 58 feet and 55,000 disp. We love the boat but everything is costly. Jib was 7 kilobucks. You can look for used sails & there are lots of used sellers. Many sails are nearly new race sails with lots of life left. For handling, our lines are all run from the cockpit with roller furl everything. The main is motorized. Primary winches are motorized. We hoist nothing but the light air stuff. Full keel is really stable and long waterline is fast. We use a Milwaukee 1/2 inch right angle battery powered drill with winch adapter do take the huff & puff out of sail handling.

I've sailed since I was 6 (59 now) and we knew what we wanted. If you are not sure, I suggest you crew on with others. Consider Mahina expeditions (I have no association with them) Mahina Expeditions conducts sailing and navigation training and expeditions in the South Pacific and offers offshore sailing seminars We listended to their lectures at the Strictly Sail Chicago show last week. They offer on board sail training and a service to help you select the best boat for your needs & budget. They are a nice couple and we enjoyed their lecture/infomercial.
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Old 02-02-2012, 18:19   #22
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Re: 40ft or 50ft what do you like

Quote:
Originally Posted by VirtualVagabond View Post
This is an interesting thread.
So often, when people are looking at getting a boat in the 50ft range, there are 101 naysayers, from the folk with 35ft boats.
But here there are many members with 50ft+ boats and everyone has positive feedback.

I wonder why ??
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Old 02-02-2012, 18:59   #23
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Re: 40ft or 50ft what do you like

My wife and I sail our 53 loa well by ourselves but find the key in having a substancial motor and large fuel supply making heavy sail handleing not nearly as necessary. I would suggest looking at motor sailors. We were lookig for a 35 ish boat to learn on since this is our first sailboat larger than a 16 Hobie but this fell in our lap. We have about half that in it so far but a lot of time. We were on a 4 year plan as well and plan to take it to the carribbean this year. Have a goal
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Old 03-02-2012, 03:59   #24
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Re: 40ft or 50ft what do you like

Quote:
Originally Posted by VirtualVagabond View Post
So often, when people are looking at getting a boat in the 50ft range, there are 101 naysayers, from the folk with 35ft boats.

That's normally because people with the smaller boats for some reason get all defensive. Just because someone is interested in the larger boats doesn't mean others can not be happy in smaller ones. I sometimes wonder why people spend so much time questioning what boat someone else has/wants.
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Old 03-02-2012, 06:20   #25
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Re: 40ft or 50ft what do you like

Quote:
This is an interesting thread.
So often, when people are looking at getting a boat in the 50ft range, there are 101 naysayers, from the folk with 35ft boats.
But here there are many members with 50ft+ boats and everyone has positive feedback
Quote:
Originally Posted by downunder View Post
I wonder why ??

Another theory...

Sailboats are great!! People with any sized boat are happy. So the people with the smaller-sized boats are saying, "Wait, we're happy with a boat smaller that that! No need to go bigger."

Everyone's right. It's just that all sailboats are awesome. Pick whatever you want.

Regards,
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Old 03-02-2012, 06:34   #26
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pirate Re: 40ft or 50ft what do you like

Quote:
Originally Posted by bene505 View Post
Another theory...

Sailboats are great!! People with any sized boat are happy. So the people with the smaller-sized boats are saying, "Wait, we're happy with a boat smaller that that! No need to go bigger."

Everyone's right. It's just that all sailboats are awesome. Pick whatever you want.

Regards,
Brad
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Old 03-02-2012, 18:35   #27
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Re: 40ft or 50ft what do you like

Wow guys/gals great info - were taking some sailing classes this summer and trying to get our plans in order-just still undecided on brand of boat. I want a monohull -dont know if I should go older or something newer like a bene. might be in my price range.I can fix just about anything(been a mechanic for 30yrs.) built a few houses -just not sure I want another project
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Old 03-02-2012, 18:46   #28
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Re: 40ft or 50ft what do you like

How many folks are you planning on carrying aboard on a passage? If it's two, as I prefer, consider this: At 3 A.M., all boats are single-handed. The largest boat I can handle, i.e., when the wind pipes up or something gets loose, is about 40 feet. That was the factor for my selection of a 40 foot boat over anything smaller or larger. You should make your decision based on your personal capacity (or that of your companion crew) as to the largest vessel you (or your companion) can handle. It's real out there.
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Old 03-02-2012, 19:18   #29
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Re: 40ft or 50ft what do you like

Thanks for the info roy -It will be me & wife most of the time.some say 40 is all 2 can handle in weather others say it no big deal I think it really depends on exper. & type of boat
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Old 03-02-2012, 20:40   #30
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Re: 40ft or 50ft what do you like

My husband and I bought a boat a year and a half ago with a 58 foot hull and is 70ft over all with her bowsprit and davit. Hubby was a Navy sailor and my only experience with sailing was helping an old paraplegic man rebuild a boat and then having the honor of sailing with him for a summer when I was 12. I always dreamed of sailing around the world after that experience. It never seemed possible.

We raised 5 children, have four grandchildren and adopted an infant boy 8 years ago. When our little boy was 2 we moved to the Virgin Islands, the second best thing to sailing around the world to me because by this time in my life I didn't believe I would ever own a blue water boat. Our boat fell into our laps as well and the price we payed for her enabled us to put a new engine, generator, sails, rigging and electronics. She is an incredibly beautiful handcrafted boat. We had planned to have her shipshape and begin sailing in June of 2011.

Life intervened and we returned to the states in June to care for my terminally ill mother. She passed on Nov. 19, 2011.

We returned to the Virgin Islands last week and now are back working on our boat. My husband, 8 year old son and I are all mechanically inclined. My Hubby can literally fix just about anything. When he says he doesn't know how to fix something I get worried. We all study, read and get our hands dirty.

Hubby has gone to Captain school and passed with flying colors and also got all his endorsements. All three of us learn certain things and then we teach each other. Next week my son and I will learn to take apart our dingy engine and put it back together. Hubby is teaching us all about our boat engine, (care and maintenance), thru hulls, what every wire and hose goes to and what it does.

Hubby was also a Navy diver and his job was ships husbandry (repaired cleaned and painted Navy ships underwater). He will be teaching us to do all those things as well. Hubby can drive any boat with a motor and has been at the helm of some pretty large ships however neither of us have ever sailed a large monohull sailboat. We decided that we would handle that just like we do everything else. Learn how to sail OUR boat. We could both take sailing lessons but it wouldn't be on our boat. We can hire someone to teach us to sail OUR boat. Our son however is taking sailing lessons in those cute little opti sailers.

I guess this is getting a little long winded so I will end this book I am writing with, decide what your capabilities are. Read everything about sailing and boats. We are in our early 50s with an eight year old son with incredible dreams and goals for our future. We may only last a week out there or a year or circumnavigate the world. Who knows. We are not setting a time on leaving or when to stop. We are just living, loving each other and having some great bonding time plus becoming more self reliant. It feels good.

Keep looking at boats and dreaming. Find the one that falls into your lap or the one that finds you. Also, I agree with the others. Forget the dishwasher.

Take care,

Tam
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