Boat brands that are not seaworthy?

[dcstrng]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

You don't have to be an experienced circumnavigator to figure this stuff out. Alot of it is common sense...

That’s, I think, why it is more than beneficial for those of us who’ve never courted a force 10+ tempest to be a part of the dialogue… Not all of our “opinions” will have universal merit, but gentle nudging by old salts will help up us better equip or vessels for those mighty Force 3 conditions we covet so much…

I too like Vigor’s insightful little book – and am making a few mods to our little chunk accordingly… am wading through Marchaj’s as well, but… for right now we’re using Vigor’s more cookbookish approach, theory will settle in later…

[Randall]

I would stay away from fords and chevys they dont float as well ither.

[wannabesailing]

Okay rephrasing my question.... what my husband and son (9yrs old) and I would like to do is live aboard and cruise around the bahamas and over to Costa Rica for a long period of time on as small of a boat as we can. We are thinking about a 28 to 33 ft sailboat would do the job? I guess what I am really asking is what boat would you consider safe enough to sail your precious cargo (children) on? My husband and I have only a little sailing experience so we are planning on living aboard for awhile and get more experience before we actually sail out into the open ocean. Plus we need to get our 9 -year -old "skipper ready".
Sorry about all the confusion...I didn't want to sound like such a rookie but I guess there is no way to avoid it.

[Curmudgeon]

I just went through a similar process, and I'm a newbie too.

I would recommend two books for you:
1. John Vigor's "Twenty Small Sailboats to Take You Anywhere"
2. Greg Nestor's "Twenty Affordable Sailboats To take You Anywhere."

The 40 boats reviewed in these two books range from 20 ft. to 38 ft., with many falling in your indicated size range. And the two lists are by no means exhaustive.
The NorSea 27 and Shannon 28 (just to name two) are not on either list.

[wannabesailing]

Thank-you Curmudgeon, I will definately read those books. It's rough being "NEW".

[w42]

The MacGregor 26 is NOT very seaworthy, but the MacGregor 26X IS. ;-)

[BlueWaterSail]

Originally Posted by wannabesailing

It's rough being "NEW".

It's okay, no so long ago I would have put the question exactly as you did.

Lots of info here on buying a used sailboat, as a quick search will reveal.

Basically, you need a solidly built, well maintained boat with good sailing characteristics and accomodations that work for your family.

I would start by touring as many boats in your price range as you can. You'll quickly get a feel for what works for you, and the differences in construction/outfitting that makes one boat "safer" over another, even if thery are identical models.

[Cheechako]

Sometimes a perfect word comes along.........I think "fecalturbulator" should be a new topic category for posting

[Cheechako]

28 to 33.... fun size boat! My budget family faves would be: Ericson Cruising 31 (the old semi full keel one), Bristol Channel Cutter 28, maybe a Fuji 32 (pretty shoal draft for the bahamas!), Westsail 32 if you dont mind motoring most everywhere but downwind (get one with an oversize engine)... hmmm, cant remember them all. These are budget boats probably $12-40k. If not going over to Costa Rica... just the Bahamas probably doesnt need something too over built etc.

[Curmudgeon]

Err... where did you find that $40K Bristol Channel Cutter? I'd appreciate a link and so would some other folks, I suspect.

I couldn't find one in halfway decent condition for under $100K.

[First Mate]

what do you folks think of the seaworthiness of a modified Alden design:
49' LOA, 38' water length, 63' bridge clearance and 4-10 draft 3/4 keel and plus a 1000# centerboard - 47000# displacement (and 100 HP westerbeke diesel.)

the draft bothers me, even with a whimpy centerboard. ballast is 14000 which is indeed heavy.

I looked at a similar Alden design on the web and noted the keel depth and centerboard were both deeper and seemed more in line with the mast height.

will the above boat have the ability to resist a roll over and then right itself with a shallow keel?

I'm thinking this boat will be so heavy that it will plow through heavy seas and be more comfortable in really heavy weather, butr the shallow draft coupled with a really tall rig makes me nervous.

yes for ocean passage.

thanks

[David M]

Originally Posted by First Mate

what do you folks think of the seaworthiness of a modified Alden design:
49' LOA, 38' water length, 63' bridge clearance and 4-10 draft 3/4 keel and plus a 1000# centerboard - 47000# displacement (and 100 HP westerbeke diesel.)

the draft bothers me, even with a whimpy centerboard. ballast is 14000 which is indeed heavy.

I looked at a similar Alden design on the web and noted the keel depth and centerboard were both deeper and seemed more in line with the mast height.

will the above boat have the ability to resist a roll over and then right itself with a shallow keel?

I'm thinking this boat will be so heavy that it will plow through heavy seas and be more comfortable in really heavy weather, butr the shallow draft coupled with a really tall rig makes me nervous.

yes for ocean passage.

thanks

Get rid of the Westerbeke. More than one diesel mechanic I have talked to has not had pleasant things to say about them. I had them as original engines on my boat as well.

[Alondra]

oh oh... a no topic again, come on moderators do something!

[Chief Engineer]

Spoogeworthy=Ability to easily clean the spooge from bilges

[Steve Rust]

Originally Posted by sandy daugherty

We need new terminology. I suggest
Roaring-Forties-proof
Sea-of-O-worthy
Seven-seas-worthy
Caribbean-sea-worthy
Near-coastal-worthy
Bayworthy
Lakeworthy
Dockworthy
showroomable
Baylineresque

BUT each rating must be qualified by the rater's position on the RISK scale, varying from 10 (jumps into whirlpools to see where they come out to 0 [zero] (keeps seatbelts on in drive-in movies.)

You forgot sponge-worthy