HELP for a soon to be brand new cruiser

[Kanani]

Anne,

The more that I read your posts, the more that I think you should look at a Cal 2-46. They have the main salon "Up" over the engine room (which is quite spacious) It has an inside steering station and large windows that give you very little reason to go outside when it is inclimate. There is no need for a dodger.

I have built several dodgers, like the one in your picture. They look hidious and they have a lot of widage but they are quite functional. If a big sea (in a storm) takes it out (which is extremely unlikely) It's not a big deal because it usually just rips the snaps out. It would just be a matter of gathering up the material and stuffing it down below or (in extreme cases) throwing it overboard. A sunbrella dodger, like that one, has a life-span of about 5 years.

A hard dodger is really little stronger than the Sunbrella dodger. They do off you a onger life-span and little maintenance. However, if they are hit by a big sea, the damage could be far more devistating and dangerous.

I personally think that you would be happier with a good stout pilot house vessel.

As I have stated many times on this forum, a good parachute storm anchor can keep you from having to deal with many of the catostrophic conditions that are often talked about but rarely actually occur.

As for cats.....I found cats to be harder on my knees and back than a mono. The jaring/pounding , going to windward, can be a bit hard to take, especially for days on end. It all takes a bit of conditioning. Mono's are hard on the knees due to sideways loading from healing. Every boat is a trade-off. However, I am considering switching to a cat (for the roominess) for my next cruising boat. The cost is the biggest hurdle.

[jheldatksuedu]

Very interesting boat, the Cal 2-46, I like it. Here is a link for one for sale with lots of pics available. I also agree with the comments made about a cloth versus hard dodger, I plan to build something a little more like a pilot house than just a dodger.

Sailboats for Sale - Cal 2-46 Motorsailer

[Kanani]

Originally Posted by jheldatksuedu

Very interesting boat, the Cal 2-46, I like it. Here is a link for one for sale with lots of pics available. I also agree with the comments made about a cloth versus hard dodger, I plan to build something a little more like a pilot house than just a dodger.

Sailboats for Sale - Cal 2-46 Motorsailer

Building a "hard dodger" on a steel boat takes on a whole new meaning.....

On FRP boats, people tend to through bolt some braces, then attach some FRP covering to that. The problem is, when a big wave hits something like that (again....not likely) it may go and do a lot of damage to the boat in the process. If anyone is under it, they could be injured by the more solid structure being ripped away. Anything that is left, will be far more difficult to deal with under less than ideal contitions. If it is not dealt with immediatley, it will continue to cause damage and possible injury.

[annegibsonwaco]

Kanani and jheldatksuedu - The Cal 2-46 is a beautiful boat. The more I read about pilothouses, the more I'm convinced that's the way to go for us. The boat mentioned above has been sold; there are a few others, mostly on the west coast. I just received the book The Voyage of the Maiatla with the Naked Canadian , and noticed that boat was a Hardin Voyager, and appears similar to the Cal 2-46. While searching for these two boats on the net, I came across a Cheoy Lee Motorsailer at Portland Yachts that is a pilothouse. All of the above would make great live aboards. Thanks again for the info.

Anne

[Kanani]

Originally Posted by annegibsonwaco

Kanani and jheldatksuedu - The Cal 2-46 is a beautiful boat. The more I read about pilothouses, the more I'm convinced that's the way to go for us. The boat mentioned above has been sold; there are a few others, mostly on the west coast. I just received the book The Voyage of the Maiatla with the Naked Canadian , and noticed that boat was a Hardin Voyager, and appears similar to the Cal 2-46. While searching for these two boats on the net, I came across a Cheoy Lee Motorsailer at Portland Yachts that is a pilothouse. All of the above would make great live aboards. Thanks again for the info.

Anne

The only thing with the Choi Lee is it has a bow-sprit. Boats with bow-sprits have particular challenges. They look all romantic but they can be problematic, especially at anchor. Continue your research and consider that wisely. There is a reason that most modern sailboats don't have bow-sprits .

Also, be careful about the term "Motor-sailor" some motor-sailors are more motor than sail. It all depends on whether you plan on doing ocean crossings as to whether you want more or less motor.

The Cal 2-46 is very much a sailboat. It has a tall rig and lots of sail area. I have never considered it a "Motor-sailor". A typical motor-sailor will have less sail area as the motor increases in size. At some point, they are not practical for making long passages.

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Anne,
I've sailed Cal 2-46 in the past and they make great liveaboards. There is gobs of room below and it would be good to install more handholds in the cabin because it is like a ballroom down there. They do sail better than most motorsailers and that's a good thing. They do not sail quite as well as a strictly for sail sailboat but that's to be expected. They are well constructed and safe boats even though they have large portlights.
My old friend bought his in the Northeast, learned to sail it on the way to the Carib and came through the Panama canal, went on to the South Pacific and the boat is now here in Hawaii after he cruised for many many years. I've helped him sail it through the Alenuihaha channel twice and we circumnavigated the Big Island with it. That in itself is a testimony to its strength.
They are good boats if you find one for sale in good condition. They haven't been built for quite some time.
JohnL

[Seeratlas]

With a cheoy lee i'd be more concerned with deck issues than the bowsprit, especially if the boat has a good roller furler on the jib. They are nice boats if they've been 'gone thru' but I'll also climb up on the Cal 2-46 bandwagon.

No racer (that's a GOOD thing) but very comfy, and big and heavy enough to have a nice motion at sea and they *party* well. heheheh If you find one you like get a GOOD surveyor, lots of systems on that boat and you're going to want to know the exact condition of each of them. There's *stuff* all over


seer

[Kanani]

Here's a Cal 2-46 that you could probably pick-up for $65K. This one is a rare ketch rig too!!!!

Take the thing apart, replace all electronics, sails, rigging, pain it, fix it up the way you want (OMG....it has a clothes washer) and have what you want, like new, for well under your $200K budget. This boat is a steal.....it has a brand new Yanmar 100hp engine and a lot of other new gear.

YachtWorld.com Boats and Yachts for Sale=

Here is some info on Cal 2-46:
Cal 46

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Kanani

Here's a Cal 2-46 that you could probably pick-up for $65K. This one is a rare ketch rig too!!!!

Take the thing apart, replace all electronics, sails, rigging, pain it, fix it up the way you want (OMG....it has a clothes washer) and have what you want, like new, for well under your $200K budget. This boat is a steal.....it has a brand new Yanmar 100hp engine and a lot of other new gear.

YachtWorld.com Boats and Yachts for Sale=

Here is some info on Cal 2-46:
Cal 46

Daaannnnnnggggggg!
Dats niicccceeee!

[Stevem]

Hi Anne
If your interested in a hard dodger (thats after you've chosen the right boat)
heres my blog site Ive built quite a few Hard dodgers as You'll see and theres a bunch of others to consider on my site (you'll need Picasa to view I think ??)
Ive been working on a "build it yourself book" for the last couple of months too offer along with my dodger designs service.
I hope to have it completed in 2 more months (slow progress)
Anyhow I have found from my own cruising experience that a cutter rig with one furler was hands down best for me. I got a lot of ocean miles up in my travels and found that the rig minimalised the sails need and reducing sail for different conditions was easy. That counted a lot for me Marshall Design
Hope it'll give you some more ideas
Steve Marshall

[Stevem]

Opps missed the link in last post
Marshall Design
Steve M

[forrest wind]

Anne: I not sure how much sailing time you've got or how many boats you have had a chance to look yet. Just a few thoughts from our recent sailboat purchase experience: We live Oregon, not the sailing capitol of the World. I had been sailing of and on for 20yrs and my wife had sailed only for a couple of years on our 27' & 30' sloops. We started looking for a bigger boat and a year ago. We spent hundreds of hours on YachtWorld looking up and down the west coast. You have much more to pick from with the Gulf Coast area & clear down to and back up above Florida. Start looking in the areas that are closest to you to save money and time initially, this will get your feet wet on what you think you like and don't like. I don't want to sound sexist but, our experience has been that my wife was focused more on the interior livability of the boat, ie: hanging lockers, galley use, storage, ease of berth use, interior colors & fabric, etc... I on the other hand, had more interest in the "stuff " on the boat,ie: sail plan, electronics, anchor & rodes, windlass, dodger, bimini, full enclosure, outside storage areas, etc... No matter how much the guy likes the guy stuff on the boat, if you are not happy with the things you deem important, that boat ain't gonna work for ya. Rather than tell you exactly what kind of or brand of boat I think you should get, I would have you watch the recommendation of others to mostly see what to avoid in boats and equipment. I feel newer boats with newer equipment are going to give you less headaches in the beginning and over the years to follow be less expensive and labor intensive. Let someone else load up a boat with all the goodies, 'cause they might drop an extra 30 to 40 thousand dollars on upgrades, in addition to the $100,000+ purchase price and you come along and buy the boat for close to the original stripped price they paid. Better they add the goodies on and give them to you for a fraction of the cost, than you buy them later at full price. Don't be embarrassed to initially offer a very low opening bid. You would be surprised how many boat owners out there that have been taking care of their boats or paying someone else to keep them clean and not used them for months or years. It's nice to know you have a boat sitting in the marina but, when you start thinking of all the costs involved in that floating toy just sitting there, a hand full of cash instead might just make them happier. Grab your digital camera, take lotsa pics, make a boat inventory list to fill out on every boat and put whatever printed info you get with each boat in some kinda folder, 'cause in no time the boats will start running together in your head and it gets confusing. In no time a half a dozen or so boats will raise to the surface (pun intended) and then you can get down to the real business at hand. Remember, the two happiest days of a boat owners life are the day you buy the boat and the day you sell the boat. We just experienced both of those in the same day. We were way glad to sell our old boat and way happy to get the new one. Yack Back @ US If'n Ya Wanna, Jack & Barb P. S/V FORREST WIND

[Cowboy Sailer]

Hi people, I have been reading and learning from this forum for about six months. I think that is what you call lurking. I am interested in comments from y’all about boat selection. We are foreign missionaries about to retire. We have already been thru the downsizing exercise and have turned loose of all the stuff that we used to think that we needed. Here are some of the selection assumptions:

1) Retired couple- mid 60’s reasonable health
2) It has been years since I crewed a couple of seasons on a 22 foot Venture. We owned a 13 foot sailing dingy and an outboard powered 16 foot bowrider.
3) We anticipate coastal cruising based out of Texas
4) Live aboard, we are used to modest living quarters
5) Keep a permanent slip, at say, Corpus Christi, but lots of short trips of about a month or less
6) Expect to deal with a broker and surveyor
7) No project boats. We want a sail-away boat.
8) Expect a two year commitment to the boat then make a decision about the cruising lifestyle and our health. Then we may trade up to a blue water cruiser or move ashore.

Here is a choice between newer and pretty and older and sturdier.
a) 1989 37 ft Hunter Legend at $55K (YW#1730-1789928)
b) 1981 36 ft Pearson Cutter at 45K (YW#58809-1563524)
Is it even possible to buy a sail-away for less than $60k? I am reserving $10K for outfitting and inital provissioning.
Can a couple live on a 34 to 38 foot sailboat?
Oh yeah, I know I mispelled sailor. What do you expect from a cowboy? More questions to follow.

[jheldatksuedu]

Cowboy, sort of a cowboy here too. I have done my share on a horse working with sheep and cattle living on my place in Kansas. Now planning on a circumnavigation. Goto my website www.jheld.mysite.com for info about me and the boat. I also have a 38 Hughes for sail and for sale that I would hope you or somebody else might be interested in, that's the last thing I need to to do before I start on my trip, sell the old boat. It's priced very right, $15K. It will take more work that a newer much more expensive boat but it can easily be sailed right now and with the extra money in the bank you can certainly enjoy your cruising life much more with many fewer worries. Please have a look, it's also on my website. Enjoy, Jon

[Charlie]

Hi Anne:

I recently ran across a guy who is selling an Amel 41 cc Ketch. I saw the boat and while the topsides and deck need to be repainted the interior is in nice shape. I'm not sure it meets your requirements but if I were you I would have a look at that type of boat YachtWorld.com Boats and Yachts for Sale Here is one located in Texas. The interior finish on these boats is really nice. The one I know of is selling for an asking price of $95k.

I have no financial interest in this I just heard aabout the boat and in browsing your post thought it might be interesting to you.