Advantages to have a small boat

[alctel]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Yeah right.... you keep telling yourself that.

I... don't see anything in that post that is really arguable? Like he said, there are advantages to big boats and advantages to small boats. Most of the advantages to small boats are around cost, maintenance, ease of handling and ability to gunkhole. Big boat advantages are things like space for stuff like tools (and people), speed and comfort in crappy weather.

[seandepagnier]

A few weeks ago when I was at the top of my mast (9 meters), the stainless shackle broke and I fell landing on the forward hatch.

If my mast were much taller I would probably have broken something. As it was, I could not walk for a week and after that limping for some time.

[boatman61]

Very lucky to land as favourably as you did.. folks have died falling from less.

[nematon785]

Small boats typically benefit from simplicity. Lets compare:

a tiller... to a hydraulic steering system.

a car battery and basic lighting or a generator, solar, wind, battery bank, controllers etc.

a compass in the hand or a multifunction display connected to a computer, satellite modem, radar, gps, wifi router and booster and on and on

a bungee cord or a below deck autopilot and windvane

a cooler with sandwiches or a refer and freezer SYSTEM

a trailer or a haul crane/travel lift and appropriate yard, slip, electrical hookups, wifi water, sewer pumpouts

a bucket or a couple of electric heads, holding tank and plumbing...clogs, smells, through hulls

a 6 page pamphlet with a picture of the boat in spanish or several volumes of equipment manuals and internet research till 3am

money in the bank or a massive depreciating liability that hemorrhages costs at increasingly alarming rate

fixing stuff with a leatherman or a hiring a qualified team of technicians and ordering specific parts to be shipped from all over the world to all over the world

single handing or dealing with crew and their needs/idiosyncracies

donating unwanted boat to charity or hiring a broker and attempting to recoup large investments of time and money, allowing charters to offset expenses, considering asset protection and trust ownership, hiring bookkeeper to handle payroll/workers comp for staff and crew, income tax from charters, expense ratios, spreadsheets, provisioning lists...

low use tax or high

low insurance cost or high

solidarity with locals in new areas or wealthy tourist pinata full of money

speedo and flip flops or drycleaning bill and topsiders

routine clean up or hire a housekeeper

getting under a bridge or up a river or not

small slip available in local hurricane hole or not

The boat is the dinghy or the dinghy is also large and complicated

Maybe advantages of simplicity vs complexity, but small boats tend to be simpler

[Sea Dreaming]

Originally Posted by nematon785

Small boats typically benefit from simplicity. Lets compare:

a tiller... to a hydraulic steering system.

a car battery and basic lighting or a generator, solar, wind, battery bank, controllers etc.

a compass in the hand or a multifunction display connected to a computer, satellite modem, radar, gps, wifi router and booster and on and on

a bungee cord or a below deck autopilot and windvane

a cooler with sandwiches or a refer and freezer SYSTEM

a trailer or a haul crane/travel lift and appropriate yard, slip, electrical hookups, wifi water, sewer pumpouts

a bucket or a couple of electric heads, holding tank and plumbing...clogs, smells, through hulls

a 6 page pamphlet with a picture of the boat in spanish or several volumes of equipment manuals and internet research till 3am

money in the bank or a massive depreciating liability that hemorrhages costs at increasingly alarming rate

fixing stuff with a leatherman or a hiring a qualified team of technicians and ordering specific parts to be shipped from all over the world to all over the world

single handing or dealing with crew and their needs/idiosyncracies

donating unwanted boat to charity or hiring a broker and attempting to recoup large investments of time and money, allowing charters to offset expenses, considering asset protection and trust ownership, hiring bookkeeper to handle payroll/workers comp for staff and crew, income tax from charters, expense ratios, spreadsheets, provisioning lists...

low use tax or high

low insurance cost or high

solidarity with locals in new areas or wealthy tourist pinata full of money

speedo and flip flops or drycleaning bill and topsiders

routine clean up or hire a housekeeper

getting under a bridge or up a river or not

small slip available in local hurricane hole or not

The boat is the dinghy or the dinghy is also large and complicated

Maybe advantages of simplicity vs complexity, but small boats tend to be simpler

Whoa...just how big of a boat are you thinking of? Dry cleaning bills and housekeepers?

I guess when you dream big...you mean it!

[bvisailing32]

Indeed, you need to match the vessel to how your are going to sail her. Where you intend to keep her, and how many people will be sailing with you, and length of your passages .

For us, at first, a well found 27 to 30 foot worked well for day sailing and ocean passages to catalina or the channel islands and up and down the southern calif coast.

This was with a sailing club. A whole lot less in costs than owning a fairly new and well found vessel. But, nowadays, finding a sailing club with well found boats is very difficult, or very expensive.

We also owned, over the years, a new Crealock 37, sloop, made by Pacific Seacraft, very expensive, but one really nice sailing vessel. But, the costs are more than just down payments, boat payments, insurance, maintenance, slip fees, etc, etc.

Long after Phalarope was sold, we got into a partnership on a 34 foot Ericson Olsen.
Very fast Olsen hull with the cabin and comfort of an Ericson. By that time, day sails just did not interest much anymore, we preferred longer sails to off shore islands of a few days or a week.

In our opinion with many years of sailing , lots and lots of skippering different vessels, one thing you might keep in mind, is a well found vessel, and never lay any money out without a survey, and actually rigging and sailing the boat in ocean conditions, or where ever you intend on sailing.

There is so much to inspect and look for in a sailing vessel, that a mistake due to not getting a survey, and inspecting the vessel yourself and sailing it, that any budget you have will be blown in a very short time. A big mistake could be very, very, bad.

As other have mentioned, what type of sailing and where is very important to take into consideration.

We like about a 32 footer or so, for our catalina trips, and dont forget about stowage space, for life jackets, fenders, dock lines, stern anchor, sails, cushions, bedding, personal gear, tools, weather gear">foul weather gear, extra line, and still have room for on board guests to sleep. that list goes on and on.

For the two week sailing vacations bare boat chartering we really like the 36 foot range

good plans : Others recommended finding ways to sail on many different vessels, and see how they feel and how you feel. Head room below, length of the berths, room in the cockpit, ease of sail handling, trimming, reefing, furling, flaking, docking, anchoring, sea kindliness, and ability to handle weather and seas. etc,.

And how the vessel handles when docking astern, and prop walk.

A good way to do that, before you lay out a pack of cash, might be to join a local sailing club, and get experience on their vessels from 27 on up to the mid 30 foot range. That would include over night passages, and in different weather situations using different sail plans.

There is much more to learn and become famliar with, but try and put as much in your favor as possible....and, I hate to add this, but be very careful of what sellers of boats are professing about their perfect vessel.....might not be exactly as represented.

Good on you, for having the desire to get into sailing, the above is to give you some fair warning on how to help you make a good decision . And therefore become part of a the great community of sailors and boaters .

Welcome aboard

[hoppy]

Originally Posted by boat_alexandra

A few weeks ago when I was at the top of my mast (9 meters), the stainless shackle broke and I fell landing on the forward hatch.

If my mast were much taller I would probably have broken something. As it was, I could not walk for a week and after that limping for some time.

On that logic, it's best to get a motorboat.

[brownoarsman]

Originally Posted by hoppy

On that logic, it's best to get a motorboat.

Nope, the propellers might eat you. But a nice row boat ...

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by boat_alexandra

A few weeks ago when I was at the top of my mast (9 meters), the stainless shackle broke and I fell landing on the forward hatch.

If my mast were much taller I would probably have broken something. As it was, I could not walk for a week and after that limping for some time.

I think the lesson here is that when going up the mast on a halyard, rig a safety as well (a second halyard). Every time.

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by nematon785

Small boats typically benefit from simplicity. Lets compare:

a tiller... to a hydraulic steering system.

a car battery and basic lighting or a generator, solar, wind, battery bank, controllers etc.

etc, etc...

Whoa, All excellent points. I think you've just convinced me my next boat should be small.

I recall taking my 25 foot boat to a busy local marina for winter haulout. "Sure, we've always got space for another little boat" they said "We'll squeeze you in somewhere". The next year I returned with my P30. "Sorry, full up", and I had to go someplace else.

I also think you meet more people when sailing a small boat. Its less pretentious, more adventurous. I think that's the kind of sailor I'd like to be.

On a big boat, people can smell the money. I spent a week at English Harbour, Antigua, and saw this for myself.

[boatman61]

Remember sitting in the middle of the Biscay in my Corribee 21 when this 40+ftr came motoring up.. it was weird how they all ran to get their camera's to photograph me reading my book..
Anyone would think they'd never seen a boat before..

[JPA Cate]

It might have been the budgie smugglers, Boatie.

Ann

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

It might have been the budgie smugglers, Boatie.

Ann

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by hoppy

On that logic, it's best to get a motorboat.

That guy never explains himself much but I understand he has sailed his Bristol 27 from the USA to New Zealand and the Philippines. Maybe he will add to this........

Also he once mentioned that he paid $1,000.00 for his boat.

Now that is quite an advantage of owning a small boat

[Don C L]

Perhaps a better question to us all is what would we choose if money were no object?
As much as I love my smaller boat... Gloucester schooner for me!!