Need advise and feedback

[SouthShore61]

Hi everyone! Im currently looking for a boat to live aboard next season. Heres the thing... I havent sailed much in the last decade or so. Not only that but I have never sailed anything larger than an o'day mariner or daysailer, where I developed a passion for sailing that has unfortunatly gone to the wayside for some time now. Although these
are very small boats by comparison Iam very proficient with them. Im currently looking at a catalina 27 and a cal 29 both 1977. Before I get them hauled out Iam curious to know how big of a jump is it from a 20 foot O'day to a catalina 27? I live in massachusetts and want to spend my time between marshfield ma and the cape. I am a little nervous about jumping to a larger boat like this. Im 28 and my fiance and I both really want to do this before we have kids and life happens etc. Our eventual goal is to cruise from the boston area down the icw and make our way to the bahamas. Iam looking for any advise and feedback or "fond" recolections from when anyone else was in this position. Thanks so much!

[a64pilot]

I think it completely depends on lets call it common sense, or maybe a fear and understanding of inertia.
I have never been on any sailboat before buying our IP 38, which is not known as a light weight maneuverable boat, I had some experience with power boats though.
But I eased into it, waited until the wind and waves were down, didn't try to dock in a 20 kt crosswind etc and so far have survived with no damage to anything.

Yes I understand it would have been best for me to spend several years gradually working up in boat sizes and crewing on other boats, but I didn't have time for that, I had to do it all at once to get it done.

If your smart enough to know that your inexperienced, then I think just maybe you'll be smart enough to know when not to go and when to ask for help

[SouthShore61]

Thank You a64pilot! Im kind of getting the idea that I need to just go for it. It seems like it will be a good amount of trial and error and I will probably only be under sail a little ways offshore?

[Hudson Force]

When our time was like yours,- about 45 years ago, we bought a narrow beam 30' sloop and headed south. This was without children and with unsettled careers. I too, had only experience with far smaller sailboats. Sure, we spent some time aground and had some engine problems, but we loved it so much we ended up raising our children aboard and now our grandson lives on his boat.

This can be an excellent adventure,- maybe a terminal adventure!

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by SouthShore61

Hi everyone! Im currently looking for a boat to live aboard next season. Heres the thing... I havent sailed much in the last decade or so. Not only that but I have never sailed anything larger than an o'day mariner or daysailer, where I developed a passion for sailing that has unfortunatly gone to the wayside for some time now. Although these
are very small boats by comparison Iam very proficient with them. Im currently looking at a catalina 27 and a cal 29 both 1977. Before I get them hauled out Iam curious to know how big of a jump is it from a 20 foot O'day to a catalina 27? I live in massachusetts and want to spend my time between marshfield ma and the cape. I am a little nervous about jumping to a larger boat like this. Im 28 and my fiance and I both really want to do this before we have kids and life happens etc. Our eventual goal is to cruise from the boston area down the icw and make our way to the bahamas. Iam looking for any advise and feedback or "fond" recolections from when anyone else was in this position. Thanks so much!

Have at it. It is like riding a bike you never forget. Pick a nice day or two and play with whatever you opt for.

[Atraxia]

I made the leap from sailing dinghy's (laser, 420 and such) to a 30' trimaran. It wasn't planned, it was the only boat I could afford (I got it for free)
I ended up living aboard from that moment on thru 4 boats and raised my sons on the water.
Nothing compares to it!
Like a64pilot and Hudson Force said, jump in, ask for advice and go safe.
Good luck and enjoy!!

[a64pilot]

Ease into it, always at first leave an "out" Buy Seatow or Boat US insurance now, some kind of waiting period I think before it becomes active.
I would day sail in a bay or harbor until your comfortable, my fist experience at all on any sailboat was bringing ours around Fl from Daytona to Panama City.
I hired a Professional Capt that would allow us to go with him and the idea he would teach us on the way, so of course on the entire 10 day trip, we sailed about four hours of it.
It wouldn't have been prudent I don't think for us to just jump into it and go, think about having someone along for the first sail anyway.
Biggest thing for me was the big boat is heavy and carries a lot of inerta, try to put your leg out to stop from hitting a piling and you will likely hit it right after it crushes your leg.

Sorry I just don't want to be the guy who says just go for it and something happens, so go for it, slowly

[TrentePieds]

What's to worry about :-)? Going up a few feet, from 22 to 27 really makes no difference to how you need to handle the boat. Going from 27 to 37 requires a bit more thought and caution, but that's only because the 37 is a much bigger hammer and therefore can do more damage.

Well, doing damage is only a consideration if you go close to stuff. So don't do that! Not doing that when you are actually sailing is easy enuff. It just requires a bit of forethought.

TrentePieds is in the tightest 30 foot slip you ever say. By choice, cos she's protected from wind and swell there, when we are not in 'er. The price I pay is that I have to pass seven finger slips all with other boats, including a Catalina 27, sticking their eggbeaters out into the "fairway". I have about 18" or 2 feet twixt those egg beaters and my rail as I pass through. And I sometimes have a tide of, say, a knot directly on the beam. Think about that for a moment. 1 knot = 1 NM per hour, or 6080 feet in 3,600 seconds = 2 feet per second, near enuff. So being pushed sideways at 2 feet a second when you have only two feet of clearance is a recipe for disaster. Coming our under power just cain't be done! Not by me, not by anybody. So what to do?

If you absolutely HAVE to leave (or return) when the tide is flowing, you "warp" her out. Hold her against the tide on lines taken to other boats or to floats. Take you time and reset the lines as often as required while you manhandle her past all the other boats. If you think it through, and have enuff line, you can even do that singlehandled. Best if you remember what they tried to teach you in Grade X science ;-) You don't often have to do it without help. Soon as your dockmates see you prepare to go, they congregate to have a good laugh if you mess up. Actually, they are always glad to help :-)

But cruising is a leisurely game, so why be in such a hurry? Wait for slack water. That's what the skippers of the windships of old did.

TrentePieds

[Lizzym4678]

We bought a Catalina C27 after 3 years on an Oday 192 (which is the boat we "learned on".) The sailing is the same, the handling is the same..what's different is the systems (plumbing, electrical, mechanical.) Was a great decision for us; we kept the C27 for one season and bought an Endeavour 40 before the next. It was a great stepping stone.

[Dave22q]

When I made the jump from a 19' day sailor to a Grampian 26 I felt there was little difference except for the time lags in controlling the larger boat. Once you get used to planning further ahead you are home free. In stepping up to a heavy 33' after 20 years ashore it was much the same. The bigger they are the slower they respond. You just need to focus to avoid over controlling.

[reed1v]

Will actually be easier to sail the larger boats simply because they are more stable, more comfortable, and more forgiving of mistakes. Either boat is very maneuverable and have enough mass to heft aside small seas and occasional gusts. Go for it. Lots of teeny weenie harbors going down the cape you can visit. BTW. only do the Canal with the tide so the current will push you through. Otherwise you will be sitting in the Canal going nowhere as the 3-5 knot current holds you standing still. You got to do the Canal under power(you can leave your sails up however). Go for it.

[TomLewis]

Chartered a 44ft Hunter. At first it seemed enormous, but after 2 days I was backing into slips like a pro. If you have good fundamentals, you will handle it like you now do the 20 footer. And enjoy the extra room.

[barnakiel]

If you want a liveaboard then how does the size bother you? The bigger, the better!

My first 'big' boat was 27'. I think anything up to 35, maybe 40' is OK for the first boat. Very little difference handling 30 or 40'er. Hardly any step up from 20 to 27'er.

Get a boat you DO LIKE. Then get into sailing her one small step at a time. Start with engine trips on a calm day. Then a couple of easy daysails in light conditions, etc. It all grows on you sooner than you can imagine.

b.

[Cadence]

Just a general question. Why is everything first person with a bio. The few people that make sense don't contribute that way. Just a thought?

[Sofie B]

Originally Posted by Cadence

Just a general question. Why is everything first person with a bio. The few people that make sense don't contribute that way. Just a thought?

Well, he did ask for fond recollections also and there is advice amongst that. I'm learning all the time (need to with my short term memory) and bios are interesting and funny as well. It kinda moves the dreams on for us noobies, well me anyway.