Going to sail around the world need help

[Levi J F]

Hi I'm new here and looking for some advice, I'm not rich but can afford a small sail boat, I'm in Melbourne Australia and the boats I'm looking at are the top hat 25 and the compass 28 i plan to live aboard for a year while preparing her for the trip of a life time. is there anyone with experience with these boats? which one would be better out there? Is there anyone in this area with one of these boats that could show me as there are non for sale around here and thought it would be good to see one before flying up to the east coast to find one any help would be appreciated Thanks.

[cal_d_44]

There have been a number of Top Hats to circuit the globe so that would be the proven choice, not sure if any Compass 28 have?

[Coops]

Buy this book, it's a good read.

Two in a Top Hat - Writings from Jan Mitchell * * * .

Coops.

[GILow]

I was going to say that I felt 25 feet was a bit small, but after reading about the Top Hat, I want one.

Matt

[Teknav]

Sailing the seven seas...I suggest doing it in a boat ranging 32-40 ft. The extra room will provide you a bit more of comfort and more storage space for provisions. Good luck!

Mauritz
Simplicity and elegance through engineering.

[Barra]

Best tip I can give you is to start your circuit in Europe or the Caribbean or the US - boats are cheaper there than in Oz these days and typically you will save enough to go up maybe 4 to 6 feet for the same money.

[daletournier]

Hi, I'm currently sailing in Malaysia but are from oz. I've previously owned a Top hat 25. As you know these boats have circumnavigated. I would choose the compass or a space sailor 27 purely on them being larger. The top hat gets very small fast.
Cheers Dale.

[Levi J F]

I have read that the compass has circumnavigated but there is not much info as there is on the top hat.

[Coops]

Try this site then

Welcome to Compass Yachts

Coops.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Levi J F

i plan to live aboard for a year while preparing her for the trip of a life time

Hi,

From our experience, it is way easier to get a boat ready if you can have her on dry/at the dock while living OFF the boat.

Mind if the boat is anything less than well maintained, one year may be not enough, unless you can spend all your time fixing / working on her.

b.

[Boatguy30]

Originally Posted by Coops

Buy this book, it's a good read.

Two in a Top Hat - Writings from Jan Mitchell * * * .

Coops.

I believe their son Jamie did a 10 or so year circumnavigation on another top hat. Met him in Cartegena in 2005 had been out several years and that point. He really seemed to be having a hell of a time having spent many months up the Amazon and lots of other out of the way places.

Poked around in dangerous parts of Venezuela, got robbed at gun point, collected unemployement for OZ for most of the trip I believe.

Think he's been back home a few years now.

[JPA Cate]

Levi,

We have some friends, not the Mitchells, whom we also know, who sailed their Top Hat from Sydney or Newcastle (lost in the mists of memory) to Hilo, HI, USA, where we first met them on their way to Canada in about 1987. In 1989, we again met up with them, in La Paz, BCS, Mexico, and they were on their way back to Oz, with a little daughter aboard.

So, sure, it can be done. Big boats is sort of like a modern prejudice: the concept ignores a whole lot of circumnavigations done in seriously small boats, with the Top Hat being about the middle of the "small" range. In all fairness, I should mention that the skipper was at that time, pretty experienced, and a heck of a good sailor.

Ann

[Levi J F]

Thanks everyone I'm leaning towards the top hat
Going to have a look at one this weekend.
See if I could live on one, I see there are a few
Mk1, mk2 and mk3 are they all capable boats??

[Normanby]

Hey Levi,
We seem to be living parallel lives...

I've just moved aboard a Compass 28, that i bought in Sydney where they are numerous and cheap-ish.

I plan to live aboard here in Melbourne for a year, holding down a part-time job, living in a marina, going sailing and making upgrades as i go.

I'm not very familiar with Top Hats, but after MUCH research (what else is there for a wannabe to do?) of various boat types, my short list was Clansman 30, Nicholson 32, Compass 28 & 29, Swanson 28, and i even considered some folkboats, which are gorgeous to my eye.

But at 6'1" i HAVE to be able to stand up inside, and berth length is important. Price, headroom, and full-keeled-toughness had me settling on the Compass 28.

One broker tried to steer me from the Compass 28 i was looking at to a Top Hat he had which was more expensive. But when i asked if it had a full keel, and he didn't know, i decided that he wasn't the broker for me...

It took three trips to Sydney, where there was a surplus of boats for sale, keeping prices competitive, to find my boat. And given how much driving around i had to do to look at boats, driving to Sydney was the obvious choice. Only takes about nine hours these days, i got through the complete works of Arthus Conan-Doyle on audiobook on these trips.

I paid $21k for a C28 with new-ish bigger motor and new-ish rigging. Paid another $5k for truck transport to Melbourne, including slipping, stick removal and re-installation, etc...

So i count it as having paid $26k for my boat, and at this marina i pay $800 per month, which is high, even with the free wifi, elec & water, parking, and very civilized shower rooms.

If you want to come and have a look at my boat and my liveaboard arrangements, feel free to PM me. I'll tell you everything i know about it, should take only a few minutes...

Matt
Compass 28 "Magpie"
Williamstown, Vic, Australia

[Coops]

The best built boats were built by Geoff Baker. These were all the MKI's with the step in the roof. He built 56 of these, and are recognised as the strongest.

He then retired and the Top Hat was then built by Formit Fibreglass. they produced the MKII with the now familiar three window cabin. The MKIII had a single window in the side of the cabin.

Some boats were home built from a hull and deck kit, separate, and the join of these should be examined in these cases.

I had one of the MK0's which were timber ones. Designed by Illingworth and Primrose and built by Robert Legg of RL Yachts. They were built to race in the Junior offshore group in Port Phillip bay. It was a lovely little boat to sail, mine, especially out in the ocean, and I sailed it up and down from Pittwater to Sydney and back on a regular basis. Don't underestimate their ability, get a good one and it will take you anywhere.

Coops.