What is better for open seas?

[Neo]

So many variables, it's difficult to make a recommendation. But I had about 7 years of experience in dinghies and day sailers when i started looking for my first boat last year. Started out looking at the Catalina 30 and ended up with a Pearson 31. Very similar boats.

For a liveaboard college student that mostly lives and only daysails or coastal cruises occasionally, the Catilina 30 would be perfect. And they have a pretty good reputation as such, so you could sell her relatively easily after you graduate in 8 years ( speaking from experience).

[JPA Cate]

Captain Phil wrote:

"Re: What is better for open seas?
A Catalina 30 would be great to live aboard but taking her to sea, I would think twice about it. The experience that sticks in my mind is ducking into Eureka, CA/Humbolt Bay for beer on a coastal cruise. It wasn't that rough but I was listening to 22 on the VHF as the CG went out to assist a Catalina 30 in to the harbor in about force 7 and 20 foot seas. They towed the couple in to the dock next to me and the hull/deck seam had opened up from about 3 feet aft of the pulpit to well back of amidships, half full of water and everything soaked. I think the woman called a cab and he stayed with the boat. Therefore, not my favorite for off shore or coastal passagemaking nor long term relationship making! Phil"

The stories of Catalina 30's failing at the hull to deck joint also included fatalities. None of these occurred in protected waters, IIRC, but were related to failures at sea.

A 30 footer you could consider would be a S & S designed Yankee 30. My husband and I sailed one such for a few years coastally off California; he raced her offshore, too; and finally we sailed her to Hawaii and back. It is a nice all 'round boat, but tender, she likes to sail at 15-20 deg. of heel, so is tiring for long passages. Also, it is small, not as much interior volume as the Catalina 30.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by nimblemotors

Get one that is bigger.. Which college?

Bigger is not better for many reasons. For the OP...Here is a book that will put you on the right path. Good luck...CS

Amazon.com: Twenty Small Sailboats to Take You Anywhere (9780939837328): John Vigor: Books

[robert sailor]

Yankee 30 is a wonderful cruiser for a 30 footer. Years ago we ran into a couple of them sailing offshore. Pretty on the eyes as well.

[TacomaSailor]

What do you mean "open sea"

If you have a good VHF radio to receive weather forecasts and the good sense to listen to them sailing 100 miles (20 some hours) off shore will give you plenty of time to retreat to shore in case of bad weather - If - the shore offers safe harbors that do not close out 18 hours before the storm. Most any 30 footer will work in that situation.

I've made a number of trips from the NW coast of the continental US to the Western Coast of mainland Mexico and have met lots of people with cheap 24 - 30 foot boat that had no problems.

At this time friends are doing the Baja Bash (Cabo to San Diego) in a Catalina 36.

I had friends sail non-stop from Cabo to the SW tip of Vancouver Island - (way west Canada) in a light cheap 32 footer - 42 days non-stop.

I knew two couples who sailed all over the Sea of Cortez in a McGregor 26 but were really careful about timing.

Another couple I cruised with from San Diego thru the Sea of Cortez to Zihuatenejo Mexico (way south) were in a Mariner 32. We went thru a number of snotty 35 knot blows and their boat did fine.

I just had a new acquaintance over for a beer this afternoon on our boat in San Diego. He had never been on a sailboat in his life - flew to San Francisco and bought a beat up old Newport 30 - spent two months fixing it up and sailed it to San Diego (Monterrey to Pt Conception and around to Santa Barbara can be as challenging as most any water out side the high latitudes) and is now living aboard here in San Diego. He said the trip down was "interesting" but he survived and is now planning to continue south to Mexico.

So - it is darn near impossible to give you an answer without knowing where you are going to sail, your sailing attitude, your feeling about risk, and how much money you want to spend.

Another choice of a stout go any where 30 footer is an Alberg 30. I sailed one all over Puget Sound and the Salish Sea and was very impressed with it.

I sailed a lot with a couple on a Ranger 33 - very stout and fast. I use to race them in the early '70s is some rough weather and always liked them.

Continuing on the Yankee theme suggested above - I raced a lot on a Yankee 28 and was very impressed with how it was built and it was quick.

You really need to sail those old IOR boats before you buy one. They were designed to beat rules and had some quirks of handling. Some people didn't mind their squirrelieness - others hated it. (I do know the R-33 was not an IOR boat but most Rangers (29, 32, 38) were as were all the Yankees I knew.) I loved all of them but we raced with big experienced crews... and still broached and death rolled on occasion.

My closest sailing friends left Seattle in 1999 in a 1967 Columbia and have sailed to Bermuda twice and have been in the Mediterranean Sea for five years and 5,000 miles. After two rough trips from Florida to Bermuda they decided their old Columbia should be shipped to the Med (this is after sailing 10,000 miles from Seattle to Cartegenea to Bermuda)

So a really old Columbia could be a cheap choice and if you have the wisdom, of my retired USCG officer friend, if could be a safe choice.

Their are literally infinite possibilities.

[TacomaSailor]

Do not listen to the horror stories about "this boat fell apart in these conditions..."

Any boat can be severely damaged in the proper conditions and many of the light weight boats do surprisingly well in bad conditions.

I watched an anchored Catalina 42 sit thru 10 hours of 45 - 65 knots and 10' breaking seas over it's dodger and suffer no damage - other than what it suffered when my heavy weight cruiser hit her twice.

I watched a Beneteau 34 ( I think that was the size) go on the beach in a hurricane, get hauled off two days later, and suffer only cosmetic damage.

Any boat will work if well managed and not exposed to the wrong conditions.

[Dos Gatos]

wait a minute...

OP first asked about a boat for open seas, now it's a live aboard while going to school. where is this school, the garbage patch?

you can buy a boat anytime, but as soon as you do the money meter starts running.

so you want a blue water money pit while you go to school?

and no, I don't take this thread seriously. it's the same groundhog day thread that repeats every few days in the spring.

[Jim Cate]

Tacoma --

The Yankee 30 was not an IOR design. She was drawn in around 1968 or so, and was more influenced by the old CCA rule. She was a good all-arounder like most S&S designs of the era, and had none of the vices of the IOR designs.

The Yankee 38 (which later was reborn as the Catalina 38) was indeed an IOR boat, with the big tumblehome and pinched ends that were so common at that time. The 28 was a rarity in our area (SF bay) and I've never seen one, so can't comment on that design.

For the OP (if he is real): if the boat is primarily a live aboard dorm substitute, don't worry about its ultimate sea keeping abilities, for you won't likely be testing them out. Instead worry about a comfortable bunk (maybe with room for a partner), a decent galley, somewhere to study and write and store books and papers... these are the things that will make your venture a success.

In general for smaller boats, the things that make for good sea keeping are BAD for comfortable and practicable living aboard, and IMO it is foolish to try to combine the functions.

Cheers,

Jim

[TacomaSailor]

Jim,

You are of course, correct. I had forgotten about the old CCA rules. I started racing in 1971 and we were sponsored by Ranger after '72 so got really involved with TON and IOR rules.

Your point about offshore -vs- living space/comfort is the key.

It took my wife and I several years to find our compromise live aboard / off shore boat. What I wanted from my racing experience ( a lot of 2 and 3 days events that took us a ways into the Pacific or the noisy water north of Vancouver BC) had to be "tempered" (temper is what I showed until I figured out the wife always wins in one way or another) with my wifes quite accurate predictions of what was really important to a cruiser.

Eventually we found the perfect compromise for us and we've kept her for over 18 years and a lot of miles.

Our compromise would not satisfy many others but it makes us happy and that is what counts.

I spent a lot of time competing against a Yankee 38 (Sally Forth) and a lot of time drinking beer on the same boat. Tumblehome did not adequately describe the outward bulge of that hull. But she could sail if properly handled!

[Sethx]

Hey Dos Gatos I am Actually going to Auburn university and who says I can dry dock it ? And work on it till I get it ready ?

[romanos2b]

Get information on the Dufour 3800 , 31 feet long. A lot of them have done circum navigation. Strong built boats, very confortable, headroom 6'something.
If single handed, you just need one autopilot, a windvane, radar detector, AIS, vhf, gps.

[letsgetsailing3]

You don't need a boat for open seas to live on while you go to college.

This would be a penny wise, dollar foolish.

The catalina is probably the right choice -- go for condition.

[romanos2b]

Originally Posted by letsgetsailing3

You don't need a boat for open seas to live on while you go to college..

Students don't have enough holidays to go sailing open seas ??

[Adelie]

What's your budget to buy and outfit the boat? (living and cruising costs extra.)
Living in Auburn I don't see where you are going to park the boat. Are you going to park it on the Gulf and spend weekends on it?
Where to you want to go?
Are you looking to cruise extensively or liveaboard and occasionally take several weeks or months off to nip around the Caribbean?
Any really strong preferences to start with? (full/fin keel, mono/multi, spade/skeg/attached rudder, sloop/cutter/mizzen rigged)

[SkiprJohn]

Originally Posted by Ocean Girl

Catalinas are great basic boats, lots cruising and even circumnavigated. The lighter boats tend to be thrown around a bit in heavy seas, but the flip side, they can get to port a little faster than the heavier 30 footers.
Are you single handing?
Other boats to check out are the Tartans, Allieds, Compacs, Ericsons

Have fun,
Erika

I agree with this post except for the part that says a lighter boat can get to port a little faster than a heavier 30 footer. The waterline determines how fast you'll get back to port. A lighter boat beating into the seas won't make it back any faster than a heavy weight and will be a lot less comfortable.