How long does it take to complete one circumnavigation?

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Wckoek

I think you need to sail them with crew, actually there is one 70+ footer that is designed to be shorthanded available for sale in my neighboring country, just that it is too long a boat to keep.

Not exactly, but I want to go anytime, pushing on even when there is no wind, rather than bad weather other peoples here are thinking about.

Up to a point, single/short handing most "small" boats (lets say thats 65' or less) under sail is mostly a matter of how its rigged. You could do some re-rigging to make it more convenient to handle single/short handed. The bigger challenge with bigger boats is docking....there is an awful lot of deck to cover between cockpit and bow to handle lines!

Example, A friend has a semi-custom Shuttleworth 65 with a great cockpit setup and massive primaries that can handle the sails without power assist (many production cats have undersized winches). Not hard at all to short hand, but man thats a lot of boat to bring into the dock without some deck hands! Now that boat was built to be a globe trotter! Unfortunately it rarely leaves the dock. [emoji852] At least its well maintained. Ive offered to sail it anywhere in the world he wants to use it, at no charge for my time. He could fly in, do some sailing, and then meet us at the next destination. I would do it just to get to turn that beast loose offshore...but there it sits. If he ever takes me up on that offer, I just might add a circumnavigation to my goals!

Re going on no wind, just adding some fuel capacity (see my prev posts) would give you some more flexiblity in that regard.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

...Have you ever been on an M65? Feels like its built out of thin plastic! Super flexi. I would get nervous more than a mile from shore!

Yes, I have been on a MacGregor 65. I agree that they are flexible. The interior liners are poorly attached. Some have been fixed.

Yet they are found in various places around the world including Europe and South Pacific, so I figure they are capable of crossing oceans.

Get a survey.

Originally Posted by Wckoek

I think you need to sail them with crew...I want to go anytime, pushing on even when there is no wind...

If you are willing to motor all the way around, as with the kind of boat you mentioned, you could motor the "Big Mac", much faster. But hoisting the mainsail or rolling out a jib is not a big deal (nor reducing sail) and you don't need crew to sail this boat. You just need some competence and common sense.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by wingssail

Yes, I have been on a MacGregor 65. I agree that they are flexible. The interior liners are poorly attached. Some have been fixed.



Yet they are found in various places around the world including Europe and South Pacific, so I figure they are capable of crossing oceans.



Get a survey.







If you are willing to motor all the way around, as with the kind of boat you mentioned, you could motor the "Big Mac", much faster. But hoisting the mainsail or rolling out a jib is not a big deal (nor reducing sail) and you don't need crew to sail this boat. You just need some competence and common sense.

Maybe add some composite reinforcements...

Put a bigger motor in it and you could have a cheapo version of an FPB!

[Adelie]

The Pilothouse Mac65s we’re build much stronger than the original racing version, just look at the weights of each model.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Adelie

The Pilothouse Mac65s we’re build much stronger than the original racing version, just look at the weights of each model.

Interesting. Never new such existed. Will look.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Adelie

The Pilothouse Mac65s we’re build much stronger than the original racing version, just look at the weights of each model.

Well I'll be damned. Does seem like a bit more solid version of the M65. Below is an old blog from some folks who cruised one extensively including some significant passages. And the boat did not fail them:

https://sailingillusion.com/routes/

Several listed from about $110K to $160K. One of the better examples:

https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/199...house-3248894/

With some upgrades this just might make a budget FPB! With strong sailing performance to boot!

Im thinking an adjustable pitch prop and increased fuel capacity (w/o overloading) could make this a winner for calm conditions motoring.

And some positive reviews:

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink/top...ink_source=app

https://www.morganscloud.com/2010/06...r-65-sailboat/


Here ya go @Wckoek !

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Wckoek

I don't know a lot about catamarans, but I understand that they couldn't carry a lot of weight, assuming they are much more efficient, how large a cat in terms of length or displacement to be able to carry at least 200 gallons of diesel?

200 gallons (750 litres) would be an extra 450 litres of fuel above my standard 300l tankage. That's an extra weight of about 375Kg (less than the weight of 4 additional pax) and would give me a total range of around 2000 NM at an economical speed of around 5 - 5.5 knots on one engine in calm conditions.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by StuM

200 gallons (750 litres) would be an extra 450 litres of fuel above my standard 300l tankage. That's an extra weight of about 375Kg (less than the weight of 4 additional pax) and would give me a total range of around 2000 NM at an economical speed of around 5 - 5.5 knots on one engine in calm conditions.

^ This

And if that additional fuel is stored in auxilliary bladders then you only fill them when needed.

[Icarus]

Two years

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

^ This

And if that additional fuel is stored in auxilliary bladders then you only fill them when needed.

Adding extra weight to a cruising Cat that is already weighed down with cruising gear, water, provisions, anchoring gear and spares does nothing good for it. You used 1-2gph above at say 7kts. 200gallons of diesel weighs 1,400lbs. That gets you 700nm to 1,400nm.
It's not a trivial amount of weight if the Cat gets into bad weather conditions. Adding this much weight to the deck of a Mono is also pretty detrimental.

[Kayakeur]

Originally Posted by C420sailor

Man, the thought of being gone that long gives me anxiety. A few weeks on a sailboat is about my limit.

Longest I’ve spent at sea was 6-7 months, on an aircraft carrier. It was an incredible adventure, but I was ready to go home.

but it was really weird (and hard) coming home to see everyone a few years older and to have missed so much.

How do y’all handle that? Hats off to you.

How do you handle getting older, period? Missed much?

[Fore and Aft]

Paul L I am sensing a bit of animosity towards motorsailors. How about a Cat Fisher 32 for a powered circumnavigation. It ticks all the boxes plus a few I have never thought about. Single diesel for economy, sails to get you home in an emergency, the speed of a multihull and I am pretty sure you could put a ton of fuel on her and not affect the performance! Hell by the time the water is above the bridge deck you get the bonus of extra buoyancy,
Cheers

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Fore and Aft

Paul L I am sensing a bit of animosity towards motorsailors. How about a Cat Fisher 32 for a powered circumnavigation. It ticks all the boxes plus a few I have never thought about. Single diesel for economy, sails to get you home in an emergency, the speed of a multihull and I am pretty sure you could put a ton of fuel on her and not affect the performance! Hell by the time the water is above the bridge deck you get the bonus of extra buoyancy,
Cheers

Yea, I am definately not a fan of motorsailors. I just feel like you get a compromised motorboat and severely compromised sailboat, with the additive costs and maintenance of both. If you were talking about going up and down the east Australian coast, or cruising the Pacidic Northwest and Alaska, then sure. But for a fast circumnavigation, where fast means you will hit serious weather, I would much rather have a purpose built trawler or a purpose built sailboat.

Would you be comfortable crossing oceans with this Fisher Cat and its 4m (13foot) beam. Not for me.

[Wckoek]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

I was thinking more along the lines of just adding some reserve. Countless times, due to circumstances, Ive cut it closer than I'd like on that last leg to landfall. Even a few jerry jugs makes a difference with a miserly engine.

For example, if you wanted to keep added weight at no more than 500lbs, then thats ~70 gallons of fuel. If the boat can make 7 knots at no more than 2gph then thats an extra 245 miles. That's not much if you want to cross an ocean under power, but it makes a difference if you are just trying to get across some calms to get back into wind, or if that last leg to landfall is calm.

Its also a judgement call. If I had a high degree of confidence that the initial leg of a crossing was going to be calm-ish before getting into wind then I might push the fuel load up a bit, motor like hell on the first leg, and burn off some fuel load before getting into wind.

This would give some more flexibility in route planning and help cut crossing times somewhat. For example cut across the edge of that High Pressure, and associated calms, rather than sail all the way around it.

That is along the line to what I am thinking, except that is a boat design for that purpose and capacity from the start on.

Originally Posted by StuM

200 gallons (750 litres) would be an extra 450 litres of fuel above my standard 300l tankage. That's an extra weight of about 375Kg (less than the weight of 4 additional pax) and would give me a total range of around 2000 NM at an economical speed of around 5 - 5.5 knots on one engine in calm conditions.

I see, then a cat design can be good for motorsailer anyway, since they don't sail as good upwind, you can just motor when the wind isn't in your favour, they can be fast and efficient.

Originally Posted by Fore and Aft

Paul L I am sensing a bit of animosity towards motorsailors. How about a Cat Fisher 32 for a powered circumnavigation. It ticks all the boxes plus a few I have never thought about. Single diesel for economy, sails to get you home in an emergency, the speed of a multihull and I am pretty sure you could put a ton of fuel on her and not affect the performance! Hell by the time the water is above the bridge deck you get the bonus of extra buoyancy,
Cheers

Interesting design, haven't seen one before.
It was listed as having a mere 45 gallons of fuel capacity, I doubt it can carry a lot more as it is only 5 tonnes in displacement, it can be a good coastal/offshore boat with shallow draft.

[Paul L]

Here's an example of what happens when you try to take a good offshore trawler and turn it into a motorsailer, even with a large budget. Neither fish nor fowl. A Nordhavn 56 Motorsailor.