My boat's too big... I hear it all the time.

[Alita49DS]

Originally Posted by Kristoff21

If you are flying a US ensign in Med waters, it would be interesting to see if the comments aimed at your large boat stopped, or at least became less negative, if you removed it...

In the UK I think the reason a crew of 5 on a 30 footer is the norm, is that we are 70 million people on a small crowded island, and most of us are skint!

Or we live on a crowded small island with rubbish infrastructure and realise that a 55ft boat, as the person who started the thread owns, would not only be no fun in the Solent but a positive liability! This is the country where even supermarket car parks have spaces too small for modern cars. They seem to have been designed for an Austin 7.

No way would I want my 49 footer in Northern Europe but for the Med, where she is, the size is perfect.

[Scaramanga F25]

Too big,

Perhaps it is more: "to costly to maintain professionally" or "I can no longer maintain it myself".

[Kristoff21]

Yep that is also true.

To say we are an Island race, owning even a small boat in the UK is a right faff compared to (how it looks at least) in other countries.

[hamburking]

People who don't sail tend to make up their own rules about sailing, without even knowing or thinking about it.

So often I've heard..."be safe, stay near shore". When really, shore is my enemy. My boat cannot sail in shallow water, so why on earth would anyone think its safer in shallow water?

Also, beginners always tend to start with a small boat. And while I agree that its a good idea, small does not mean easier to sail. A Laser II or albacore takes some real skills...or you will be getting very wet. A big keel boat on the other hand is very forgiving and simple to sail.

I think non-sailors just don't get it, and apply their own personal logic, even though its wrong and just does not apply.

Personally, I've found the bigger the boat the easier and safer it is.

What you are hearing, when people complain that your boat is too big, is that they have no idea how to sail. But instead of complimenting you on your skills and your vessel, they need to belittle you. Everyone wants to be right. And they can't be right unless you are wrong. They can't accept you having a great boat, the skills and time to sail it. So they need to find a flaw. A reason why you must suck. That way they don't have to accept that it is they, who in fact, suck.

You have a great boat. You have great skills. You are having fun. You are awesome.

[Cheechako]

Your boat is too big for 2 people.

[donradcliffe]

Heed the advice of a professional--the Swedish sailor was trying to get one of the Thai girls to sail off with him on his 28 footer. She came down to the dock, took one look and said "Too Small!"

[daletournier]

Not getting along with the girlfriend today, trust me when I say" the boat is to small".

[Tetepare]

My boat is too big when I have to tape before painting. It is too small when we r in port and it’s raining and the whole family is aboard.

[Exile]

Originally Posted by daletournier

Not getting along with the girlfriend today, trust me when I say" the boat is to small".

In that scenario, what boat is then big enough??

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

She came down to the dock, took one look and said "Too Small!"

Yeah, but was she talking about the boat?

[Exile]

Originally Posted by Tetepare

My boat is too big when I have to tape before painting varnishing.

Dang, you mean all those folks on the dock asking me where my "crew" was all these years were right??

[Exile]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

She came down to the dock, took one look and said "Too Small!"

Originally Posted by denverd0n

Yeah, but was she talking about the boat?

No, his hands.

[NevisDog]

55' - yep, your boat is too big ... tell you what though, out of pure generosity, I'll do a straight swap, you can have mine

All kidding aside, during our boat search I stepped aboard a Frers 44' (maybe it was 46) as it was way underpriced for such a beauty and I just had to have a look aboard. In less than a minute I had decided it was far too big for me to handle, whatever the price-tag. Broker just shook his head - he thought I was crazy - so I believe folks (like me) used to handling smaller boats just don't feel at all comfortable looking up at all that added responsibility. So, please don't be too upset with our stupid comments - they may come from genuine concern, almost certainly from genuine ignorance.

[Dougtiff]

I was thinking of Vendredi Treize, a 236 foot monohull, sailed by Alain Colas in the 1976 single handed, trans-atlantic race [OSTAR],how big is to big ?

[Kenomac]

I'd move up to a 70ft Oyster in a heartbeat if I could find one at my target price.