What is Your Ideal Sailboat Length?

[wolfenzee]

I have too small a boat to have a woman on it for long passages (woman really only work on a small boat if part of a well balanced couple) so will be seeking a male crew

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by daddle

... too bad it is not the boat-wife's age. I could make do with a rather small boat. Heh.

Sounds good. I'd just like to find out if I need Viagra.

[Carlisle Spirit]

i agree with Jim

[barnakiel]

My ideal would be a 50+ boat. I like sailing long stretches and comfort/speed seems to be best in the bigger boats. Rig size seems to be the limiter, but this is easily addressed with rig/hardaware/layout choices.

Our own is 26' and I have sailed many 31-37' boats that were great for everything, just less comfortable and slower than their bigger sisters.

b.

[rtbates]

The answer is most likely the same as when folks of all income ranges were asked about how much money they needed to feel comfortable. EVERYONE, from the poor to filthy rich wanted about 25% more than they currently made . Seems lots of folks just can't be happy with what they have.. My answer:Cape Dory 25D..

[wolfenzee]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

My ideal would be a 50+ boat. I like sailing long stretches and comfort/speed seems to be best in the bigger boats. Rig size seems to be the limiter, but this is easily addressed with rig/hardaware/layout choices.

Our own is 26' and I have sailed many 31-37' boats that were great for everything, just less comfortable and slower than their bigger sisters.

b.

My ideal boat would be a 90' schooner.....but I learned to keep my fantasies from becoming too fantastic so instead of standing on the dock lusting after said schooner, I can kick back in a hammock on my 30' cutter.

[akfish]

^^^Agreed…there’s something to be said for having a boat and being on the water…rather than waiting for the perfect one to come along….I should listen to my own advice.

[wolfenzee]

Most people get the boat they can afford at the time and when they can afford something better they upgrade....after learning a few things here and there along the way. I could only afford one shot.....I live on board and I would have to sell this boat before I could afford another. So instead of seeking out a better boat and learning from my mistakes on a lesser boat I learned from other peoples mistakes and when I could afford it got a boat I did not want to upgrade from.....rather than trying for a better boat I just made mine a better boat. Basically I found something I am happy with and am sticking with it (the owners of this boat over the years have owned the boat for 10-15 years, she is 40 years old and in alot of ways a better boat than when she was launched)

[cfarrar]

My ideal boat is about 50 ft with the displacement, beamwidth, and rig of a 42 footer.

[wolfenzee]

Originally Posted by cfarrar

My ideal boat is about 50 ft with the displacement, beamwidth, and rig of a 42 footer.

My boat has the beam (8'9") and cabin space of something smaller (8' on either side of mast with useable head room on aft side), disp on the heavy side (17,000lbs), with the rig of something bigger.....this makes for a useable but cozy cabin with lots of storage before the mast, heavy enough to be sea-kindly when the weather gets dicey, but a hull and rig that makes her quick in light air, cutter rig allows for most efficient sail plan for this hull and smaller sails are easily handled and shortened when necessary.

[Cheechako]

one with a beam exactly half it's length...

[wolfenzee]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

one with a beam exactly half it's length...

Beamy boats are comfortable to live in, but can't get out of their own way in light air....with the exception of beamy racing boats which have other issues resulting from ultra high performance (beamy but not comfortable). It;s just a matter of what you want to compromise. In my case 1:3.5 beam/loa I give up being able to have large parties and have to have a crew I get along with really well...I'm happy

[GaryMayo]

Thread could be changed to length and beam. The length is only one demention of what makes a sailboat.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

one with a beam exactly half it's length...

ie: CATAMARAN!

[wolfenzee]

Unlike alot of threads that might ask "what is the ideal size boat" the poster of this thread was smart enough to realize that a boat is a very personal thing and phrased the question "What is YOUR ideal boat length" everyone has different needs, wants, desires, tastes (not to mention budgets) . In some ways I prefer my 30...in others I might like a 35 (with the same lines).....both fall in the 30-35 asked in the poll.