Challenge: How to Build a Bulletproof Cruiser

[nautical62]

Power Cat powered by two outboards in wells much the way the Prout 32 & 36 sailboats are, and have a spare. Very unlikely to loose two outboards on a cruise. This also allows one to drop off an outboard for repair and cruise the area while it's being worked on instead being a slave to the boat yard.

Simple foot pump plumbing to sinks - spare pumps on board.

Hard top bimini - no canvas. Hard top and roof have solar, wind generator and collect rain water.

Head has gravity feed holding tank, so just open the accessible through hull and it drains. No pumping required. Have entire spare pump for the head, so can swap it out quickly and rebuild the second at my convenience.

Have a recirculating shower in the cockpit, so I can take long hot showers when I want with one gallon of water or less.

All wiring and plumbing easily accessible.

[Wavewacker]

Great info Tom!....and "buy my boat" LOL. I didn't think pumps would last that long and putting a fridge/freezer together sounds like a good idea too.

Atoll, Sheep skins, reminds me of Shepards Lounge in Heidleberg GY, down by the old church, the place had skins on the boths, and furniture with lots of brass, my hang out in my day! That would be very cool and the crew would probably like it too!

Water tank above? I agree, but what about the CG with all that sloshing weight on deck or above the WL?

I think a pipe through to the water would cause a few problems in the US with our tree huggers. A bucket would be simple, but kinda hoped for a flusher.

Somewhere, someone said they used a china bowl (house toilet) and filled it to use it and then flushed it with the water turned off so it would not fill again, keeping water out of it except at a low level of the throat/p trap. My GF would really like that, if one would fit and work.....?

And Tom, I'd love to go to the PNW, but I think I'll be stuck on the east coast, the gulf and rivers this side of the rockies. AC will be needed.

And as to wood stoves, I'd like that, how do you keep the firewood dry and supplied on the hook? Seems like a real hassel....

I bet Zeehag has some opinions to simplify life.....where you at Zee?

[conachair]

Originally Posted by Wavewacker

LOL guys, OK not real bullets, just very easy to fix and set up not to break, most dependable boat you could have....

Same answer - sell the glass hull and get a steel one

Then weld everything to it, no bolt holes. With good hatches then at least you've got a dry boat no matter what, spiders in the bilges.

After that , simple cutter rig, transom hung rudder, foot pumps for water , baby blake must be one of the best heads around. Good anchoring system. Some LED lighting, bit of solar and off you go. Pretty much anywhere you want to

(Funny that, almost described my boat there )

[barnakiel]

Now ;-) seriously:

- I would start with NOT having a 32' boat. Some of the bullet-proofness ;-) of a cruising boat comes from her size. The bigger boat, all other factors equal, is more -proof. The size of the boat should match the number and fitness of her crew. I believe I can handle a well laid out 36-38 sloop, a bigger ketch/yawl/schooner too. If solo. I feel OK in all good boats - also the small ones, but I think about 32 and 5.000 kg of light displacement is about the limit where a boat stops feeling safe and (slowly) starts being safe.

- Then I would chose a boat with design of hull / keel / rudder / rig / deck layout / cockpit that are optimised for survival: strong hull with long keel / strong ballast ratio / rudder on stern or on substantial skeg / propellers protected / pilothouse, small-deep cockpit / protected driver's post.

- I would go for simplicity and quality.

- I would keep SOME systems extremely simple - rigging, steering, tankage, pumps, engines, reefing, etc. - thinking: when this breaks - can I fix it? This would apply to all basics - things I cannot go without.

- In the 'options' department, I would be fancy and go for QUALITY - if I can go without then the system can be complicated. But if it is complicated it better be quality or else I will have no use of it. So, I would have a radar, autopilot, chartplotter, watermaker and Internet onboard. All this add to -proofness, even if only by making the skipper and crew comfortable and well informed.

- Last but not least, I would take care of the crew - plenty of training, plenty of sailing and Musto Goretex for anybody standing watches.

Hugs,
b.

[zeehag]

best bulletproof boats i have seen,m as far as hull integrity ar eyorktown and formosa. yorktown is waay ugly, but strong, and formosa is gorgeous and has a bad rap as folks dont know how to sail em and try to sail em like a racer. lol.
i removed my water heater-- that is a leaky item, and unnecessary inm y boat, seems fridge was removed for me without my knowledge prior to my purchase, as boat was abandoned before i bought her, and .....
i am still trying to figger out this storm thing here in mazatlan....... we just dodged a bullet....

i like my boats heavy....full keeled and burly.....they take heavy weather better than the fin/spade sloops i used to sail....

[hummingway]

Originally Posted by Wavewacker

Hummingway, what type of tanks, SS, Aluminum, plastic...?

I don't think you'll reach a consensus on this one but here's some interesting reading.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...nks-33800.html

Originally Posted by Wavewacker

Manual water maker? Sufficient tankage for a week at a time for two.

Manual water makers are OK for emergency use but not for regular use. I've got sufficient solar and battery to run an Katydyn 80D on a sunny day. It definately works better when the batteries are up so if I'm producing less then 10 amps I'm likely to run the generator. With an 80D I have it run it pretty regularily so it's something you have to think about.

Originally Posted by Wavewacker

AC/Heat, was another thread, a roof unit probably. Need supplemental heat, propane.

Are you interested in heating the whole boat or getting warm? I went with a furnace and I wouldn't again because it's too hard to keep the whole boat warm in cold weather, which is what the furnace attempts. I've heard hydronic will heat the boat but they are expensive systems. I think I would have been happier with some radiant heat in the salon area since I want heat when I'm sitting. A fireplace might have done quite nicely. I have a lot of interior space with a pilot house and a 14 foot beam and it is pretty cool in the winter here, you may find forced air works well for your boat.


Bullet proof to me means it does the job well and is easily repaired.

[Wavewacker]

Heating say to 60/65 in 0 degree conditions would be nice, maybe a goal, for the whole space below, saloon galley area, berth and head, the main living space. Generally a 6' 2" headroom over most of the cabin a little less at the berths. Without naming a specific boat it's kinda hard to state. Is that reasonable?

Some have mention specific equipment, name brand or home brew, for systems that they would use for this reliable cruiser, keep it up. Not a pitch for a product but system you use and are happy with and would use again on your next boat.

Another point I left out was budget. Keeping in line with the nature of this boat, a luxury camper, not a luxury yacht, a reasonable budget for items and systems might be implied, as an example, a $12,000 water maker would be over the top but might be the best unit per output.

This is really great, ideas and suggestions from those that been there and done that!