Morgan Out Island 41 vs. the Pacific Ocean?

[riversandbar]

We have been looking at a nice Morgan Out Island 41 for doing a Caribbean run,
now after talking things over with the SO , The Beautiful Admiral, It
has turn to the possibility to heading thru the Panama and doing a
Pacific run with the possibility of doing a circumnavigation.

Any thoughts on the boat handling a blue water passage?

We will be taking off from Texas and a real test will be the 8 days down to Florida. Which I feel the boat could handle that part, just thinking about a long passage.

[Morgan Blue]

Hey Riversandbar,
You sent this message awhile back so I'm assuming you already made your choice, but I thought I'd respond anyway. My husband and I live on our '78 Morgan Out Island 415. We love our boat. A couple years ago, we sailed it up from Mexico to Victoria, BC. This is not an easy trip: we were against the wind most days and, as you know, Morgans don't sail well into the wind. She handled marvelously. The only problems we faced were engine trouble and our own ignorance. The engine trouble was an easy fix (we lost our anti-stalling screw) but our ignorance took longer to solve. Fortunately, we've learned much since then and are now in the process of planning our next trip: circumnavigating Vancouver Island.

Sailors give the Morgan OI a hard time because it is a chunky elephant of a boat. However, they are sturdy, solid cruising boats. In the last few years, I have met a handful of people who have navigated the Atlantic in their Morgan OIs. If you're not on a strict timeline, it may be the perfect boat. However, make sure you've had it surveyed recently and upgraded for smooth bluewater cruising. Good luck!

-Denise

[psk125]

Eventually, the Pacific Ocean will win. How long it takes depends on how many mistakes you make. (As Morgan Blue suggests, operator error or ignorance plays a role). You may cruise happily for 20 years if you pick the right destinations, weather, and maintain the boat to suit your choices. Head out at the wrong time and 20 minutes may be all you get.

[ozskipper]

There is the occasional morgan for sale here in Australia. They were never sold as new boats here and the only way they would have gotten here is accross the pacific. So based on that little bit of knowledge, I would say that numerous others have trusted the design to do the job.

[vtcapo]

Originally Posted by riversandbar

We have been looking at a nice Morgan Out Island 41 for doing a Caribbean run,
now after talking things over with the SO , The Beautiful Admiral, It
has turn to the possibility to heading thru the Panama and doing a
Pacific run with the possibility of doing a circumnavigation.

Any thoughts on the boat handling a blue water passage?

We will be taking off from Texas and a real test will be the 8 days down to Florida. Which I feel the boat could handle that part, just thinking about a long passage.

Not to burst your bubble, if you talk to delivery captains they will rank the O/I 41 as one of the worst sailing vessels afloat. Long on accommodations, short on sailing ability.

In this buyers market there are far better choices out there....

RT

[twrdocktor]

The post is old, but we sailed a Morgan 41 Classic around Cuba, past Cabo Beatto in Haiti during a tropical storm, and up and down the Caribbean for 4 years. I miss that boat. Anyone coming across this thread in interests of Morgans, don't listen to folks who have heard, listen to those who have done. That boat saved our lives during Hurricane Emily. It is tough, sails well in winds, (that's more critical than not sailing well in light winds) and has room and volume. Stand up showers, a cockpit for 10 and at anchor she looks like a Hallberg Rassey. The only annoying issue was a slight constant flick of the hull at anchor when certain swells move in from a particular direction. Inexpensive boat, with tons of value.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by twrdocktor

Stand up showers, a cockpit for 10 and at anchor she looks like a Hallberg Rassey.

Looks like a H/R???? Especially with your eyes closed and your back turned...

That's a real stretcher IMO!

Jim

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by vtcapo

Not to burst your bubble, if you talk to delivery captains they will rank the O/I 41 as one of the worst sailing vessels afloat. Long on accommodations, short on sailing ability.

In this buyers market there are far better choices out there....

RT

I suppose the same could be said of the Westsail 32, or a cat on a windward voyage.....but......

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Looks like a H/R???? Especially with your eyes closed and your back turned...

That's a real stretcher IMO!

Jim

The Morgan OI series is possibly the only boat I can 100% identify as far as I can see the boat. The topsides turning in at the rubrail and the blunt bow are unmistakable.

I learned to sail on an OI36 and actually was pretty good off the wind but forget sailing upwind. It has been a few years but I think I figured tacking in a seaway, after allowing for leeway I couldn't do any better than about 50 degrees to the wind. The boat did motorsail well and heaving to was amazing.

[vtcapo]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

I suppose the same could be said of the Westsail 32, or a cat on a windward voyage.....but......

I agree. The pro that is refitting my Slocum turned me away from a Westsail 32. But we don't have to go into details on that...

RT

[twrdocktor]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Looks like a H/R???? Especially with your eyes closed and your back turned...

That's a real stretcher IMO!

Jim

Even though I said it a bit tongue and cheek, the 41 Morgan (Catalina) Classic that we sailed was mistaken for a Hallberry Rassey by 5 couples on 5 occasions. Including once in St Johns Antigua while we were anchored within a 100 yards of a H/R. being decommissioned for the trip to the med via Dockside.

The Morgan does sail to wind, we beat Beneteaus routinely between islands. It is important to have a boat that moves in the water, but to overlook this boat because of a perception that it can't go to wind, will overlook a most credible cruising vessel.

[zeehag]

FLYING PIG is the website of a family who sails a lot and has much experience with a morgan oi 41..look it up--just google flying pig---you will find them.

when i left san diego, there were many oi 41s in sd bay --some even preparing for cruising.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by twrdocktor

Even though I said it a bit tongue and cheek, the 41 Morgan (Catalina) Classic that we sailed was mistaken for a Hallberry Rassey by 5 couples on 5 occasions. Including once in St Johns Antigua while we were anchored within a 100 yards of a H/R. being decommissioned for the trip to the med via Dockside.

The Morgan does sail to wind, we beat Beneteaus routinely between islands. It is important to have a boat that moves in the water, but to overlook this boat because of a perception that it can't go to wind, will overlook a most credible cruising vessel.

Well, I can't dispute your observations of mistaken identity, so we'll leave that one behind.

Meanwhile, I am most impressed with your sailing ability when you routinely beat Beneteaus. Why? Well, a little research shows the following PHRF ratings for similar sized boats:

Bene First 40.7 54 sec/mile
Bene 411 75 sec/mile
BEne 42 84 sec/mile

and

Morgan 41-2 183 sec/mile
Morgan 44 Catalina 174 sec/mile

Thus, all those Beneteaus should be waxing your butt. Perhaps you should consider a career as a professional racer.

Cheers,

Jim

[SV Liberty]

If you get a Morgan, try to get a 416. The taller rig and mast stepped forward helps her sail better. I've kept up nicely with plenty of boats, including a Leopard 40 and a Whitby 42 leaving the Jumentos one blustery day. Although, our friends on the Leopard kept her pretty well loaded down with beer and rum.

We have cruised our 416 about 35k miles in the last few years, about 60% sailing. Off the wind is better, although I don't prefer dead downwind. Several folks who have been all the way round have encouraged us to go thru the canal, but we are not ready for that liberty could do it, but you'd have to be sure all was sound on your boat. Good luck .

[twrdocktor]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Well, I can't dispute your observations of mistaken identity, so we'll leave that one behind.

Meanwhile, I am most impressed with your sailing ability when you routinely beat Beneteaus. Why? Well, a little research shows the following PHRF ratings for similar sized boats:

Bene First 40.7 54 sec/mile
Bene 411 75 sec/mile
BEne 42 84 sec/mile

and

Morgan 41-2 183 sec/mile
Morgan 44 Catalina 174 sec/mile

Thus, all those Beneteaus should be waxing your butt. Perhaps you should consider a career as a professional racer.

Cheers,

Jim

Not sure of your point. We beat an aluminum 47 Van der Stadt on several occasions. Have pictures showing us passing them south of Cuba.

The point is, a Morgan is a fine cruising boat that can take the seas, the weather and provide a comfortable ride at good speeds. Circumnavigating Cuba and then sailing in the Caribbean has not left me boostful or dillusional. We encountered numerous capes, numerous squalls, a ton of tropical depression, two hurricanes and a lot of sailors that thought cruising was laying their boat on the rail and racing for the sunset. The figures you quote don't mean anything to me, I've never been in the Sunday or Wednesday night race crowd. I know that on the water, knowing your boat and knowing that the other sailor is probably out there with limited experience, will serve me well to keep ahead of them. If people are looking at a racer/ cruiser, then they will look a long time for something that is actually a mix which will please the wife. (That's 75% of cruising contentment right there). The first has a great keel, but a little too long for some great anchorages in Cuba.