Going to sail around the world need help

[Normanby]

Oh, and don't underestimate how much your new boat will need in upgrades.

Here in Oz i learned that most boats in this size range (25' to 32') have spent their lives as day sailers and racers, with the occasional weekend away.

Thus they need quite a bit of gear to effectively convert them to all-weather bluewater cruisers. Mine needs: Storm sails, drogues, bigger anchors & rodes, tougher reefing gear, more water storage, bigger electrical capacity, lee cloths for the berths, windvane (though i think i'll run my auto helm until it dies, while saving for a windvane), and on the list goes.

I agree with an earlier post that staying in your house, having your boat in the front yard and working on her in your spare time would indeed be ideal.

But i decided to go the liveaboard and upgrade route myself, which is more difficult, but suits me okay so far.

The other factor for me was this: I had done a great deal of reading (wannabe dream-fodder reading) and had developed preferences, or perhaps they are better to be called prejudices. Things i thought i must have, and certain ways of doing things, different gear i wanted, etc... All based on the reading of other sailors, and their preferences.

Then as i got into a bit of sailing in trailer sailers, i realised that everyone's preferences are different, and 'my' preferences weren't mine at all - they were other peoples'.

So i now favour the strategy of getting a capable boat and going sailing. And just plain coping with what appear to be its inadequacies.
Then decide on the basis of your own EXPERIENCE what changes and upgrades you'll need.

And I follow Rebelheart's advice about being ruthless in differentiating 'needs' from 'wants'.

[gjordan]

Levi, I cruised a Contessa 26 for more than 2 years and several long passages. I loved the boat and it sailed like a dream, but Damn it got small after a couple of years. The compass looks like a good classic design, and would probably do you well. In Tahiti, many of us had a bad case of Two Foot Itis. If the boat was only 2 feet more it would be so much more comfortable, or so we dreamed. Full crouching headroom gets old real fast. In the end your wallet makes the decision, but a little extra room makes things nicer. Of course, if you cant afford bigger, go with what you can afford, since sailing small beats the hell out of not sailing. My 2 cents worth. ______Grant.

[Adelie]

Livability considerations aside, looking at the numbers for the boat the TopHat appears to be a somewhat more heavily built for it's length and beam than the Compass. The TopHat is about the same as an Albin Vega 27 build-wise, looks similar too.

I don't know what the interior layout for the Compass is but the one for the TopHat looks very functional for offshore.

If you can live with the headroom, whatever it is, smaller boat, cheap to outfit.

[Coops]

You have standing headroom in the Top Hat,(apart from the timber ones), the layout in the Compass is very similar and traditional.

Coops.

[Adelie]

I was going to say that I looked at some interior photos and it looks like the buried the sole inside the keel. Depending on how tall you are the boat may have standing headroom. Take a tape measure and let us know what it actually is.

[salticrak]

These kinda threads are what make this place so good, well done you lot.

[Coops]

Originally Posted by Adelie

I was going to say that I looked at some interior photos and it looks like the buried the sole inside the keel. Depending on how tall you are the boat may have standing headroom. Take a tape measure and let us know what it actually is.

All the f/g ones had 6'1" headroom at the companionway. This tapered down as you went forwards.

Coops

[Normanby]

My Compass 28 has 6'1" headroom, from the bottom of the companionway steps to about 4' forward of that. Moving forward there's a step-down in the cabin roof, where i lose about 5", then another couple of feet forward we get to the first major bulkhead.

I'm 184 centimeters, or 6' and 3/4", and barefoot my hair just grazes the ceiling.

There's no compression post, the two big bulkheads under the mast take the compression loading.

[Normanby]

It is important for me that the 'full headroom' section of the boat is where the galley is located, which it is on my Compass, running fore-&-aft on the port side.

[Coops]

Okay, some pics for you.

The timber originals.

http://u.jimdo.com/www31/o/s75285b10.../std/image.jpg

MKI.

http://images.australialisted.com/nl...5_19442093.jpg

MKII.

http://www.yachtandboat.com.au/uploa...600/168288.JPG

MKIII.

http://yachthub.com/ad_img/1/2/5/9/7/3/0_3.jpg.

Interiors.

http://yachthub.com/ad_img/9/2/9/9/8/3_3.jpg

http://www.yachtandboat.com.au/uploa...600/147319.JPG

Coops.

[Coops]

Of the two, I would choose the Compass. Have sailed on one and found it a very capable boat indeed. One that does need to be checked out also is a Clansman 30. Super sailing boat, like the Compass, a little bit narrower from memory, but could be wrong there. Very well built and very ocean capable.

http://yachthub.com/list/yachts-for-...sman-30/140044

What it comes down to really, is which do you like yourself, and which comes up for sale being the right boat at the price you wish to pay. Good luck with your quest, and make sure you find the best one, not the cheapest.

Coops.

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and welcome aboard!
You've gotten some really good information already.
kind regards,