Only Six Months -- Feeling Cramped

[bbowers2004]

Originally Posted by onestepcsy37

I have to ask. How can you spend $35k on a 26' Centaur? for that kind of money you should have something in the 30+ foot category, at least.

You can see our cost break down here.

S/V Jillion's Voyage: Costs

and here

S/V Jillion's Voyage: Cost Update

35k is total cost for everything, not just the boat. Although we did buy in england, as well as loosing two dingies and engines in route to florida.

35k is total trip cost, not total boat cost.

It includes food, marinas, governement costs, aswell as extra equipement, fuel, etc....

[atoll]

Originally Posted by bbowers2004

You can see our cost break down here.

S/V Jillion's Voyage: Costs

and here

S/V Jillion's Voyage: Cost Update

35k is total cost for everything, not just the boat. Although we did buy in england, as well as loosing two dingies and engines in route to florida.

35k is total trip cost, not total boat cost.

It includes food, marinas, governement costs, aswell as extra equipement, fuel, etc....

living the dream

you have done well,hats off

[onestepcsy37]

Originally Posted by bbowers2004

35k is total cost for everything, not just the boat. Although we did buy in england, as well as loosing two dingies and engines in route to florida.

First let me say I admire you two for how well you have done. I'm no international expert, but it seems to me that boat prices in Europe are well above USA prices. Would it have been possible to fly over here and buy and outfit in the USA?

[bbowers2004]

Originally Posted by onestepcsy37

First let me say I admire you two for how well you have done. I'm no international expert, but it seems to me that boat prices in Europe are well above USA prices. Would it have been possible to fly over here and buy and outfit in the USA?

At the time it didn't seem like an option. My companion is from Germany, and the chance she would of been able to up route and come along would of been far less. We were able to get a few sails under our belts from England to Portugal that would give her the confidence she needed to continue the journey.

I suppose if we were doing what-ifs, it would of been a better choice to come over and buy. We would of ended up with a larger boat. We would not have half the experience we have though. We probably wouldn't of made it further than the Bahamas, wow, the Bahamas are nice. Not the best sailing, but when you throw anchor its a blessing.

I don't see us doing it any other way than the way we did it. Together. It was worth paying a bit extra to go through those experiences in the way we did, it was such a blessing. Where do we go from America if we bought in Florida?

Back to Europe? It was more the idea of sailing from England to the USA. Like our ancestors; than it was about getting the best biggest boat we could get. It was about the adventure win or loose. I don't think we would of ever thought to fly over here 12 months ago. Now that we are here anchored for a while, I've grown more fond of our little boat.

[first.contact]

I started with an Arends 33ft monohull and have lived aboard for nearly five years now, although I've owned the boat for 11 years.

When I purchased her, I would have laughed at you if you'd said I would live on it.

I've found 33ft is just enough for everything we want and need; she is a great coastal cruiser with generous living space; good water and fuel capacity; shade from the sun; hot and cold water; easy to handle rig; good in a seaway; and so on. We get out of the marina for four to six months each year and cruise.

Two of us live aboard full time now. Either of us can sail her, and maneuver her without the assistance of the other, even in difficult conditions. It's also a godsend to be able to sail single handed overnight, or when the other half is away for work.

When we are out there we are often the smallest boat in the anchorage, but I don't care. When we are in the marina, I eat and sleep on her, but mostly go to work ;(

Size is what works for you, and what you can sail.

[barnakiel]

Gulp. Before we hit this kind of budget, we were already back from our rtw stunt.

BUT

I think sizes and budgets are what we can afford. Then they are what we are too.

Small needs, small boats, small budgets. Big needs, big boats and, how else, big budgets.

When one feels cramped, one should go ahead and uncramp oneself. Chuck stuff overboard or get a bigger boat.

Normally, a land formed former lifestyle is dragged along to people's new water based lifestyle. At times, not.

Most of your "investment" you will drag to the new boat so the new budget will be somewhat mitigated with what you already have got.

The only time I want a bigger boat is when I can see a big one coming. At all other times I find our 26x9 floating condo perfectly adequate and comfortable. Then again, I am only 6x2. Plenty of space left.

To each their own.

Cheers,
b.

[laika]

Originally Posted by onestepcsy37

I have to ask. How can you spend $35k on a 26' Centaur? for that kind of money you should have something in the 30+ foot category, at least.

Bought my 27' for 30k. I cruised on someone else's 40' for a couple years, but for my own, given the budget I went small and quality. I like the small footprint, the high build quality, the shallow draft and the low cost of ownership. Also a bit more fun to kick around in than a larger boat. Maybe i'll step up into something bigger when little rugrats start scampering about the decks

[JerseyJoe]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

I had extensive experience on a 22 and 26 footer, then a 34-foot and now our huge 37-foot (actually 36.75') cutter. When we finally got around to searching for THE boat I knew I wanted something in the 36 to 42 foot range. For the two of us, this is the Goldilocks range; not too big, not too small.

I'm happy that we got the smallest boat we can live with. I'm sure you'll find the same.

I too exclusively was searching in the 36-42 foot range, finding that the 35 footer (actually 34.75') I settled on had many if not more of the amenities the classic 39-40 foot crowd had without the excess price or marina/transit fees per foot. In my opinion I am only opting out on some storage space. The excess I would have spent in purchase and maintenance fees over the long haul allow me to sail longer on a smaller budget. Plus it still allows me to stand upright and sleep straight at 6'2" without feeling cramped.

I agree with Mike. Find the smallest boat you can comfortably live with. You'll be happy you did.

JJ

[onestepcsy37]

When I first starting sailing florida/bahamas back in the 70's, most of the boats were in the under 30ft category. I met couples on a cal 24, a bristol 27, an albin vega 27, a macgregor 25, and an oday 22. Maybe not transat sailing, but most would go off for 6 months at a time with no more than a compass, guidebook, some rather poor charts, and a very cheap transistor radio for taking bearings on broadcast radio antennas. Bigger boats I met were a pearson 30, a chris craft 30, and an owner built 35 foot aluminum sloop. And 2 young guys on a 25' jim brown trimaran.

Hard to believe what people today consider the minimum boat/gear you must have to just cross the gulf stream. My non sailing son in law thinks we are endangering our lives by not having radar.

[Zzmeyer]

No radar!!! Are you crazy? At least you have AIS.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by onestepcsy37

Hard to believe what people today consider the minimum boat/gear you must have to just cross the gulf stream. My non sailing son in law thinks we are endangering our lives by not having radar.

That's funny. I'm wrestling with this very question right now: do we need radar. I've sailed in plenty of thick fogs (it's common on the upper Great Lakes), and I love night time sailing. We've never had radar and have somehow managed to avoid hitting anything so far .

I think radar would be a useful tool. I'm just not sure if it's worth the expense.

[toggles]

> I think radar would be a useful tool. I'm just not sure if it's worth the expense.

It's not worth it until you hit your first thing, kind of like insurance ;-)

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by toggles

> I think radar would be a useful tool. I'm just not sure if it's worth the expense.

It's not worth it until you hit your first thing, kind of like insurance ;-)

Oh lets not start on insurance. It's clearly NOT worth it. That's how insurance companies make their money, don't ya know.

There are million things that could make cruising life safer. Forward-scanning sonar, drone scouts, triple-layered bulkheads. Heck, staying at home is the best way to avoid dangers at sea . It's not a question of what tools improve safety. It's a question of risk assessment coupled with a cost-benefit analysis.

[SV THIRD DAY]

Going Cruising without Radar....crazy.....?

Not really...we had it on the boat but made lots of day and night passages without turning it on, there is this little thing called "being on watch". Oh I know...I know...Rich you are nuts. Yes but we are nuts and went cruising so don't let the expense of Radar keep you from going there were plenty of cruisers we saw in Mexico without Radar. Cruising in a foggy area...well...Radar goes from a nice thing, to a must have thing. Other than fog, it's just another electronic gizmo to suck your refit/cruising kitty dry.

Now going without a water maker...that's another story...ha ha ha

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

That's funny. I'm wrestling with this very question right now: do we need radar. I've sailed in plenty of thick fogs (it's common on the upper Great Lakes), and I love night time sailing. We've never had radar and have somehow managed to avoid hitting anything so far .

I think radar would be a useful tool. I'm just not sure if it's worth the expense.

Radar is one of the toughest decisions IMO. I never sail in or around fog. If one is in a location where fog is frequent and one wants to be able to go then radar probably makes sense.

If one has 2 fog encounters a year and in those cases can hole up ar wait to go it probably is not a worthwhile investment.