How much is enough? Good size for a voyage boat

[pcav]

Hi all,
I know it's a never ending question, but I'm in the process of choosing my boat for leaving for an open ended trip, and my main concern is about size. I'm pretty minimalist as an attitude, and I have sailed on anything from a Vaurien to a 50 ft. I'm unsure a 36 ft (I'm thinking to Sun Odyssey 36i or similar) could be enough for a 2 people crew, both as seaworthiness and as space inside, for an extended (years) trip anywhere. Most of people and books recommend a 40-45 ft. Anyone has experience to share?
Thanking a lot in advance.

[Don C L]

Well this ought to get one or two replies😀
I think it really depends on what a person considers necessary vs unnecessary luxuries. Look at your own comfort levels. Some folks must have a good shower, a big frig... some need a big engine because they prefer not going slower than 7 knots... some need a pilot house... but then there are folks sailing around in 30 footers or less who seem perfectly happy... so, what is your personal collection of "must-haves?"

[alctel]

loads of people do it on boats under 40', it's really common.

A fair few make it work on boats under 30' even! Depends on the boat and the people

[Stephen Hicks]

Originally Posted by pcav

Hi all,
I know it's a never ending question, but I'm in the process of choosing my boat for leaving for an open ended trip, and my main concern is about size. I'm pretty minimalist as an attitude, and I have sailed on anything from a Vaurien to a 50 ft. I'm unsure a 36 ft (I'm thinking to Sun Odyssey 36i or similar) could be enough for a 2 people crew, both as seaworthiness and as space inside, for an extended (years) trip anywhere. Most of people and books recommend a 40-45 ft. Anyone has experience to share?
Thanking a lot in advance.

I have cruised for many years my longest to date is 2200 miles from the great lakes to Fort Pierce Florida. I have a HOOD 38 and it is well equipped and is just large enough for my wife and I. I purchased her new in 1986 and have sailed her ever since. I hope this is of some value

[pcav]

Thanks guys! I'd love to read even more experiences. More specifically, for those who did travel extensively:
* what is the size of your boat?
* what do you miss most/why whould you coose a larger one?
* would you like to have a smaller one instead, and why?
I hpe this will be of interest for others.

[alctel]

I have a 36' which I live on full-time (by myself), and spent a month last year double-handing round Vancouver Island with a lady friend.

Wouldn't go larger - this is probably the max size I'd want. It can fit all the systems I want on there comfortably. I miss having a garden most, but not much I can do about that.

Kinda wish I had a 30' or 33' sometimes - I think smaller boats just 'look' cooler, though that's very much a personal atheistic thing. Also easier to keep up maintenance and cheaper. I'm sure I'd miss the extra room of my 36' though if I did change down.

[Pegu Club]

Well...

As is said here all the time, "it depends"

Me and my wife are setting out in fourteen months on a 1977 Bristol 29.9.

A perfectly good size and a perfectly good boat. Until somewhat recently couples and small families did this sort of thing with great regularity on what today are considered " small boats "

Its not that bigger boats with more amenities are a bad thing, because they are not, they just cost a lot more money to cruise on than smaller boats.

So whatever you choose just make sure all the truly important stuff like the hull, the deck, and deck fittings, rigging, chain plates, thru-hulls, seacocks etc are all in well found condition. Everything else is the frosting on the cake as it were.

Oh and have a wonderful time out cruising!

[Livia]

We (couple) traveled for 5 years and lived aboard for 8 years on a 35'. It was perfect for that length of time. At the end, we were feeling cramped. If we go again, it will be on a larger vessel.

HOWEVER, we would do it again the same way our first time. The reason is that we would have either have to buy a less solid boat *or* have worked for more years before heading out the first time.

And we feel strongly that most people do not know what they want in a cruising boat their first time out because they don't know what kind of cruisers they will be until they leave the dock and cruise for a few years.

When people have only cruised on one boat, and still own it, IMHO take their advice with a hefty dose of skepticism. They will all love their boat and say it is the best fit for them. If they ever sell it and go cruising again, pay more attention to what they buy next, but remember, it doesn't mean the first boat wasn't a good "first boat".

[pcav]

Thanks Livia, your comments make a lot of sense to me.
What do you mean by a solid boat? I have read many different opinions on this, not easy to get a realistic idea, especially because there are not so many reported failures.

[hellosailor]

Figure out your longest slowest offshore passage. Now go out to the supermarket and buy everything you would need to provision for that, along with enough water for the trip. Remember to take reserves in case you get dismasted or run out of wind. Now go buy jerry cans for enough fuel for that trip. Again, with a reserve.

Stack it all up.

You need a boat that is big enough to hold all that stuff. Plus whatever you want to take along, in the way of clothing (for all seasons), hobbies, reading, the bar...all that stuff. Don't forget some towels, linens, pots and pans, raingear.

If that pile can't fit in the boat, you need a bigger boat.

And if you plan to have more than two sails--remember they have to fit somewhere too.

[Sandero]

There is no answer to this question.... but it seems to want to be asked again and again.

Living on and sailing off in a sailboat is a compromise in so called "creature" comforts. Many of these compromises are welcome and after some time don't feel like compromises.

We acquire stuff as long as we have place for it. The we don't use it and it becomes a problem disposing of it.

I bought Shiva.... a Contest 36s in 85 and have lived on, cruised on, ocean raced once on... sailed and lived in the tropics on, week ended on... cruised locally on..single and with a wifey and never felt I needed more space.

Longer waterline is a faster passage maker. I do NY Bermuda in 4.5 days... What difference pray tell would 4 days make 15% faster? Not much. What's the hurry?

Shiva is a largish 36. The only place I feel cramped is the aft cabin which is not one of those stand up walk around bed types. But I sleep there... so what's the big deal?

You don't need huge tanks... get a water maker... or if public water is available top off when you need it... not need to be miserly with water.

Fuel tankage can be an issue... but SAIL for dogs sake.... carry a few spare 5's and you'll be fine... top off when you're near a fuel dock... What's the big deal? You should be able to get on and off a dock with no sweat.... otherwise don't leave in the first place.

You'll want a good large cockpit and same with main salon. A chart table is now obsolete because of digital chart plotters which fit in your back pocket.

Anyone or a couple who can't do well with a mid 30s is unrealistic. Sure you need two heads 10 feet apart... yea right...

[RickG]

For us, it turned out we needed more space living in a marina and working day jobs than for cruising. We're at 43' for that. Cruising full time, we are fine with a v-berth and a sea berth with good storage, 35' can work for us. My acid test is being able to lay my 6' stretched out in the cockpit; dual helms take up a lot of space. There are some big 35' boats out there and some small 40' boats.

Cheers, RickG

[double u]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Figure out your longest slowest offshore passage. Now go out to the supermarket and buy everything you would need to provision for that, along with enough water for the trip. Remember to take reserves in case you get dismasted or run out of wind. Now go buy jerry cans for enough fuel for that trip. Again, with a reserve.

Stack it all up.

You need a boat that is big enough to hold all that stuff. Plus whatever you want to take along, in the way of clothing (for all seasons), hobbies, reading, the bar...all that stuff. Don't forget some towels, linens, pots and pans, raingear.

If that pile can't fit in the boat, you need a bigger boat.

And if you plan to have more than two sails--remember they have to fit somewhere too.

excellent approach!!!

[sailorboy1]

I have had 39' boat and now have a 43' boat (41' not counting the aft lockers), the amount of extra space between the boats was HUGE. So boat length itself isn't the thing to focus on. BUT, I feel that for a couple the perfect size is around 45-47' because after that you are only really getting extra space for guests.

[Island Time O25]

This is very subjective and based on my own preferences, wants, needs, etc. And of course takes into consideration cost/benefit analysis which is inescapably intertwined with comfort/seaworthiness criteria.

IMO solo sailing with an occasional guest or two - 30-35'. A couple with an occasional guest/crew or two 35-40'. Add app. 5' for each permanent crew/cruiser i.e. children, etc.

I am surprised when people denigrate boats under 40' as long term cruisers. On my own 36footer there is plenty of storage space, nooks and crannies to store a year's worth of food and supplies. After 7 seasons of ownership I still find new places which can be used for storage on a long voyage. Of course if I had the luxury of doing a total refit I would make this storage space work much more efficiently but even as is it is there and very usable and more importantly easily accessible.

Plus the water tanks (currently 2X55gals) with a little elbow grease and a weekend's worth of epoxy work can be pulled out and the space they were in can be reconfigured into permanent water tanks doubling their capacity to 100+gals each. A friend did exactly that on his 46 footer and it worked out beautifully. He figured that this was a preferable solution to getting and maintaining a workable water maker although IMO one does not exclude the other.