Boat size recommendation. Go large or go home?

[tp12]

Originally Posted by daletournier

The storage thing is interesting.

I cruised for many years on a 32 footer, 200 L water, 120 L fuel. Cruised of the grid regularly, Indonesia, Papua etc. I didnt have a lack of storage or tankage from what I remember.

I now cruise a 47 footer, not as much storage as an Amel but tonnes more than my 32 footer, 840L water, 360L fuel etc, I have it full to the brim, Ive never run out of food ,water ,diesel or lacked of stuff.......2 totally different boats yet the same result, tou just change your habits ie dont shower of 8 times a day.

Mike's right, you fill what ever space you have.

The big difference with a big boat is ,it dosen't sink when you load her up.

The only difficulty I have singlehandling a bigger boat is docking, it's much higher to jump down from , more momentum and I have no bow thruster. At sea it's easier unless you screw up and get caught with to much sail up. I deliberately sail under canvassed alot yet I'm still alot faster than my smaller boat.

Regarding docking I actually dont have a great deal of experience docking my boat, not many docks since I've been travelling on Sukha and " repetition is the master of skill".

I'm beginning to suspect you're a bit of a loose canon, Dale [emoji6]

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by daletournier

The storage thing is interesting.

I cruised for many years on a 32 footer, 200 L water, 120 L fuel. Cruised of the grid regularly, Indonesia, Papua etc. I didnt have a lack of storage or tankage from what I remember.

I now cruise a 47 footer, not as much storage as an Amel but tonnes more than my 32 footer, 840L water, 360L fuel etc, I have it full to the brim, Ive never run out of food ,water ,diesel or lacked of stuff.......2 totally different boats yet the same result, tou just change your habits ie dont shower of 8 times a day.

Mike's right, you fill what ever space you have.

The big difference with a big boat is ,it dosen't sink when you load her up.

The only difficulty I have singlehandling a bigger boat is docking, it's much higher to jump down from , more momentum and I have no bow thruster. At sea it's easier unless you screw up and get caught with to much sail up. I deliberately sail under canvassed alot yet I'm still alot faster than my smaller boat.

Regarding docking I actually dont have a great deal of experience docking my boat, not many docks since I've been travelling on Sukha and " repetition is the master of skill".

That’s a good point about the impact of a cruising load on a boat. Size matters (sadly ). But I wonder if displacement as opposed to simple LOA might be a better measure.

For example, my Rafiki isn’t much affected by the added cruising weight. She’s already 15 tons (30,000#), so an extra few thousand pounds doesn't really make much difference. I’ve never seen any change in the waterline. But the same definitely was not the same with my previous 34-foot ketch. She was a mere 6 tons (12,000#). When she was loaded for our journeys she definitely sat lower in the water.

Funny thing about sailing and docking. We too go to few docks, much preferring to anchor out. So I usually have a heck of time docking the boat. Doesn’t help that our full-keel, barn door rudder means we maneuver like a barge. But lack of practice certainly doesn’t help. I keep saying I should force myself to dock more … but then I don’t .

Oh, and we usually sail under canvassed. On our last cruise around the northern tip of Newfoundland we tucked in #1 reef on the main the second day out, and it stayed reefed until day 40. Guess I’m a chicken-sailor .

[AKA-None]

Originally Posted by daletournier

Oh, Amel isnt like a cult......it is a cult

Yeah and I wish I was a member.

[B23iL23]

Originally Posted by daletournier

Oh, Amel isnt like a cult......it is a cult

Yes but they seem to be a nice cult. Think I'm being sucked in...

[daletournier]

Originally Posted by B23iL23

Yes but they seem to be a nice cult. Think I'm being sucked in...

I've cruised with lots of super Maramus over the years, yep good boat, absolutely ,as good as many of the owners think they are? maybe ,maybe not. For me personally, the style isn't for me. Many Amel owners secretly (and not so secretly) believe their boat is the greatest built, some of these owners have very little technical know how, but yet they know. I repeat, I believe they are a good boat ,so dont throw rocks.

I cruised in company with an Amel 54 (the last one made) this year, the 54 is the sweet spot for me , better styling IMHO and they sail abit better than the Super Maramu. But of course alot more bucks.

[wingssail]

One thing I became aware of several years ago is how easy it is to get into trouble on a bigger boat in stronger winds and bigger waves.

Bigger boats have bigger sails, generally much bigger. Oh yeah, they often have better sail handling systems. But when the **** hits the fan, especially un-predicted, those big sails are awful to deal with and if the sail handling systems fail you, it can get dangerous real quick.

I sailed on a Dearfoot 62. Great boat, but a huge mainsail. As I watched that sail sneak aloft, powered by an electric winch, I imagined how it would be in a nasty squall for a single owner to deal with. I thought about reefing in 35 knots: he drops the halyard and then takes in the reefing line. With that huge boom and sail area flogging around it looked to me like a man killer. I was shaken by the thought.

I know how bad it is on my own boat if I have the 150% genoa up and a squall hits. That sail is powerful, even on a 43ft boat. Even rolling it up is a real struggle on a boat that size. I can't imagine it on a 65 footer.

So boat size is about more than how much storage and docking, it's also about being able to handle it when conditions get out of hand.

[daletournier]

Originally Posted by wingssail

One thing I became aware of several years ago is how easy it is to get into trouble on a bigger boat in stronger winds and bigger waves.

Bigger boats have bigger sails, generally much bigger. Oh yeah, they often have better sail handling systems. But when the **** hits the fan, especially un-predicted, those big sails are awful to deal with and if the sail handling systems fail you, it can get dangerous real quick.

I sailed on a Dearfoot 62. Great boat, but a huge mainsail. As I watched that sail sneak aloft, powered by an electric winch, I imagined how it would be in a nasty squall for a single owner to deal with. I thought about reefing in 35 knots: he drops the halyard and then takes in the reefing line. With that huge boom and sail area flogging around it looked to me like a man killer. I was shaken by the thought.

I know how bad it is on my own boat if I have the 150% genoa up and a squall hits. That sail is powerful, even on a 43ft boat. Even rolling it up is a real struggle on a boat that size. I can't imagine it on a 65 footer.

So boat size is about more than how much storage and docking, it's also about being able to handle it when conditions get out of hand.

Very true, I've learnt this the hard way. I just dont have a big Genoa any more. Of course this didn't stop me screwing up with the code zero mid Atlantic this year, the forces are huge when you get caught out. I now have a healthy degree of fear.