Go Small - Go Now

[will n]

Fantastc write up and something I struggle with constantly.

In my search for the "perfect boat" (of which there are none) I have a hard time realizing what is most important. Comfort and ammenites are something that is hard to give up for a smaller boat that will allow you to do more faster.

In my case i want to liveaboard for several years, then begin cruising. If I go small I can go longer and more easily, if I go bigger......

This really becomes a problem when I'm trying to decide b/t a monohull or cat...

I could get an Allied Princess for around 40-50 and have plenty left for outfitting... Orr...I could get a Privelege for 200 and pay it off for the next 15 years.

It's a hard struggle that I hope to figure out quite soon.

Fair winds,

Will

[rsn48]

ArcAngel, welcome to the forum. Why not introduce yourself in the meet and greet area.

[exranger]

I think the right boat is the one you can easily afford NOW, whatever that amount is. Maybe it's 40, maybe it's just 23. Get it. Go, lol.

[SkiprJohn]

One more thought!!
The Columbia Saber is 32 feet and has the interior space of a 26' Folkboat because its beam is 6'6". A Newport 30 has more room down below than my old Mariner 35. There are some designers which make a 35 footer with a lot more interior space than my 42 that has an 11'2" beam.
The point I'm trying to make, and I do have one, is that length is not always equated with interior space. I'd recommend going onboard and check out even some of the shorter boats which have less cost associated with them and see if they meet your needs.
Kind Regards --John--
P.S. I was aboard a Fuji 45 a few months ago that had so much room I couldn't think of how to fill it.

[PBzeer]

Originally, I had planned on getting a Pearson 28-2. Cost being the main factor, plus a size I was comfortable singlehanding. Fortunately, as it turned out, I found an Ontario 32 I could afford, and bought that. It has more storage than I've needed so far, 6'4" headroom, well built, and sails well. It's also as big as I want to go by myself. For one person, or even two, I can't imagine a more suitable boat. I spent 3 yrs researching boats and had thought getting one would be out of my price range, but lucked into this one. In my mind, I think 32-35 feet is a good size coastal cruiser.

[Catamount]

I wanted about the smallest boat I could find that would be big enough, and seaworthy enough, to qualify for Category 1 ocean sailing. Just for example, the Cruising Club of America's Newport-Bermuda race requires a "waterline length" of 27.5' or greater and a Measurement System "Limit of Positive Stability" of 115 degrees or greater; and the Marion-Bermuda race requires at least 32' LOA and a proven seaworthy design. I don't necessarily intend to compete in either race, but I do want to sail to Bermuda (and beyond), and these guidelines seemed like a good place to start. (Evans Starzinger has some interesting thoughts on "bluewater" boats that I think are good, too.)

Jack Tyler (EuroCruiser) often makes the argument that one should think about boat size NOT in terms of length, but in terms of displacement. My boat (see below) has a "racing trim" displacement of about 10,000 pounds, which for ocean-going cruisers is probably on the small side.

So, last summer I bought, for less than the price of a used car, a 1980 Peterson 34 that had been raced hard and put away wet, but that would be a decent base for conversion to a fast cruiser. We're now preparing to deliver (week after next) the boat from the Chesapeake up to Maine, about a week's voyage with a crew of six guys on board -- I suspect we shall quickly find out just how small small can be!

Regards,

The perfect boat is the one you will sail. If it is too small for your comfort, it will sit at the dock. If it is so big your wife is afraid to take the helm, it will sit at the dock. I prefer small boats (28' is small in my perspective). I like the convenience, lower cost to own, and ease of handling. I have, as have most of us, fantasized about a 100' gaffer, crossing the ocean in classic style, but that is as far as it goes. the reality is, the perfect boat IS the one that gets used.

[S/V Elusive]

And some <veg> like to cover ALL bases and have 3 boats, 4 cars, 2 houses ..........

[S/V Elusive]

==== Did that describe YOU Scott? oh my. I just had NO idea.

[CaptainK]

Cheers to "exmarine" & Pura Vida. Also to Kai Nui!!:cubalibre

Yes. You have to think about the cost of upkeep. And replacement to certain pieces of equipment.

Also to think about your wife/girlfriend/lover? When it comes for her to try the helm!!

I'm just happy with my Catalina 27. I could settle for a Catalina 35. But, only time will tell?

By the way Ginghus Gordo. That is a nice article!

[exranger]

EXMARINE? Them is fighting words! lol...

Originally Posted by CaptainK

Cheers to "exmarine" & Pura Vida. Also to Kai Nui!!:cubalibre

Yes. You have to think about the cost of upkeep. And replacement to certain pieces of equipment.

Also to think about your wife/girlfriend/lover? When it comes for her to try the helm!!

I'm just happy with my Catalina 27. I could settle for a Catalina 35. But, only time will tell?

By the way Ginghus Gordo. That is a nice article!

[CaptainK]

Sorry about about that exranger.

I think I need glasses?

Seriously. Cheers exranger on your Catalina 27.:cubalibre

Sorry for the typo error!!

Been working hard on electrical circuit boards. And fixing them has done something to my eyes? Getting old?!!!

[exranger]

lol, I hope you know I am just yanking your anchor rode!

As a side note, the Catalina 27 is really a good little boat. It has plenty of space, and as time goes on I am finding more and more.

I have a question for you: I think you have the "dinnette" version, too, with the table on that raised platform??? What's under that? Possibly more storage if I cut it away?

Working on a new shower in the head. I think I will have to break down and create some kind of modified sump area on the floor.

Originally Posted by CaptainK

Sorry about about that exranger.

I think I need glasses?

Seriously. Cheers exranger on your Catalina 27.:cubalibre

Sorry for the typo error!!

Been working hard on electrical circuit boards. And fixing them has done something to my eyes? Getting old?!!!

[CaptainK]

Hmmmm...?

Not 100% sure what's under the dinette platform? I only was on my boat once since I purchased her. Haven't been aboard her since last March. I know there is storage underneath where the seats are. Other than that, your guess is as good as mine?

I too want to install a shower in my head as well.

And I knew ya was yanking my chain. I just wanted to publicly admit to my typo mistake.

[Starbuck]

Kevin, you really need to move… lol

My goals are a bit different. Just started a decade-and-a-half career of coastal cruising the No American west coast during two-month summer vacations (I teach).

Last boat: Catalina 22. No standing headroom, porta-potti, simple systems. Definitely a camping experience. But that didn't stop me from crossing the channel several times and putting thousands of miles on it. A great teaching platform.

This boat: Catalina 30. Not because of brand loyalty: for me, the perfect intersection of capability for my actual plans and affordability (I'm just an ordinary wage-earner who refuses to go into debt). Add the incredible support from a company that still exists and a large and active owner's network, and I'm securely on "Phase II" of my nautical learning curve. On my way to being a real sailor, I am.

Good points all around. One's ability to handle the boat, one's actual plans, the tension between amenities/freedom, that displacement/volume is a better gauge than linear feet on deck, marital considerations, and one's own preference all come into play, and the right answer is going to be different for everyone.