Circumnavigation - Advice from you

[sailorsam57]

Can you please expand on # 10?

Originally Posted by gmakhs

I have been circunavigating on my 26 footer for 3 years now , I will tell you things I miss and I like .
1)the optimum size for a couple or solo is 30 to 34
2) you can do it with a smaller boat like.mine (26 foot ) but you lack few important things :
3) water capacity ( I do have 250 litters I would like 1000) it give you the ability to live out of rain or provision water rarely .
4) standing room , my boat has 1.75 standing room fine for me but.my girlfriend who is 1.77 suffers .
5)food capacity , we can store for up to 3 months I would like to have 6 or more
6 ) all lines Lead aft if you are to people better go without roller furler , we do have a reliable furler but on small boats is very important to keep the sails flat a impossible thing with roller
7) get the electronics you can afford only VHF , ssb for weather , depth sounder and if you can afford radar and ais
8) don't look for.luxury alway see your boat as camping it will make everything easier .
9) keep the boat light .
10) full keel or twin keel . I do like the performance our fin keel and it feels safe but we lose the benefit to dry outr boat using the tides and antifoul for free this is a serious money saver .
11 and most important , this is not a house is a boat and trying to put the same amenities will cost so keep it simple .
12 we do have no refrigerator but since.my girlfriend is a mixologist so we need ice I will add an ice cube maker

[GILow]

Originally Posted by sailorsam57

Can you please expand on # 10?

I am guessing here but I’d say that the point is that twin or “bilge” keels allows you to easily careen the boat from time to time. I can do this with my boat but it takes some preparation as everything has to be fastened down and made ready for the angle, such as batteries, engine oil, etc.

[OZwingle]

Two thoughts.

Re: AIS and Radar. They serve two different functions. Radar is great in mid-higher latitudes and fog. AIS has the advantage that others, especially ships, can 'see you' when they don't really see you. I have watched many ships route around us in the ocean. Also, if I am at all concerned I can call them by name to inquire as to their intentions. That really wakes up the bridge in the middle of nowhere. And for a modest cruising sailboat, AIS consumes very little power, so little that we can run it all the time on passage with only 100 watts of solar panels. But, we don't have a freezer. Moreover, some nations are now requiring AIS on visiting yachts. Indonesia, for one example. Certainly NZ watches us on AIS as we approach - but that's another story.

Re: SSB. It is not archaic and is not replaced by sat phone for the cruising community. SSB is the platform of daily 'skeds' conversations with the community of sailors that is now your neighborhood. It is the platform for weather round-ups and forecasts. See Gulf Harbor Radio. Most boats cruising the SW Pacific have SSB, but for those on extreme budgets. Some also have sat-phones.

Gratuitous third thought: Bibliographies. To the old salts: please refrain from recommending the great hoary sea-stories to the newbies, e.g. Shane Acton and Super Shrimp, Robin Lee Graham and Dove, Joshua Slocum and Sailing Alone.... These are great stories, but say more about seamanship and madness than answer questions about good boats and wise choices. Remember, none of these three selected those boats for sea-keeping or sailing virtues--but because the boats were free or very affordable, to be polite about it.

[Fore and Aft]

Good luck Ozwingle trying to get people not to mention some of these fantastic sea yarns that have been published. I think the point of mentioning them is that it is easy to get lost in the consumerist mindset and never leave the dock unless you have all the “essentials”.
Do you really believe Slocum an experienced sea captain would have risked his life on Spray if he thought she was not capable of sailing around the world? The same with Dove, do you think Robins dad would have let him sail away and drown? Your obviously getting more insight into these books than I did.
Cheers

[john61ct]

Life was cheaper and people braver back then.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by GILow

I am guessing here but I’d say that the point is that twin or “bilge” keels allows you to easily careen the boat from time to time. I can do this with my boat but it takes some preparation as everything has to be fastened down and made ready for the angle, such as batteries, engine oil, etc.

I always thought yacht legs would solve the problem for fin or long keeled yachts located in areas with a decent tidal range.

https://www.yachtlegs.co.uk/downloads/Yacht_Legs.pdf

Thankfully yacht legs are one problem I don't have to worry about

Pete

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by GILow

I am guessing here but I’d say that the point is that twin or “bilge” keels allows you to easily careen the boat from time to time. I can do this with my boat but it takes some preparation as everything has to be fastened down and made ready for the angle, such as batteries, engine oil, etc.

Matt, the point is that with bilge keels you do not need to careen the boat (which I believe means to lay her over on her side on a beach), but rather she simply stands upright on her keels (and perhaps rudder as well).

Of course in truly civilized areas (like NZ in the 90s) there are grids and walls against which you can stand whilst the tide goes out and then work on the bottom of your conventional keeled boat.

Jim

[JohnAdams]

John Vigor's little book "Twenty Small Sailboats to Take You Anywhere" is a great investment.

In the meantime, go sailing. Find a club nearby. People are always looking for willing, cheerful crew.

And keep dreaming.

[barnakiel]

Hi, Nick,


I do not think there are any rigid requirements for boats to be able to sail round the world (aka circumnavigate).


Small boats did that and big ones too, some of wood, some of steel and plenty of them made out of plastick too. All styles and sizes. Really.



One thing that does stand out is probably the ability, and guts, of their crews. Sailing skills (obvious), otherwise skills (e.g. being able to befriend the right people and stay away from the bad people), repair and maintenance skills, money earning and management skills.


Etc. A long list. More skills = better chances of doing anything.



So it is nothing out of the ordinary that we face on an average (unsupported by sherpas and oxygene) climb of say Mount Everest.


Guts are required too, or stupidity and lack of imagination, especially when the boat is small.


Since you are in Denmark, then you should have ZERO problem sourcing a fine boat. I would not go any smaller than say an IF, a Grinde, or a Laurin28. If you elect a light boat, get something bigger - 30-35 ft they all are basically quite easy boats and not too expensive.


Very small boats, like a Spaekhugger, are fine to sail BUT hell small to live in and very uncomfortable at sea. Do not. Read Webb's blog. He can. But not many do.



If you are flush with cush - get a QUALITY boat. Again, endless choice of Scandinavian boats in your backyard - HRs, Najads, Malo, etc etc etc. Quality boats give you some marginal mystic hope of fewer failures (provided you had them bristol on departure).



If you are physically fantastic and relatively young, a boat that displaces between 6 and 8T should not be too big for one. These are often slightly safer than many smaller boats and this slight margin helps in those few nasty moments that you wish you had rather been elsewhere. Many racers last year elected a British Rustler 36 to be their weapon of choice and I think the winner sailed just such a boat. If it was good for him, it may be good for you too. (You will notice a Rustler 36 is but a shameless copy of an IF - the boat I named up first!)


If you are working to a fixed boat purchase budget, pay no more than 50% of it up front. Getting any boat ready for a rtw costs money.



Well, well, I want to wish you good luck.


The road from a dream to doing it is long and winding and few that talk of it ever do it BUT if you can dream it ...


Have fun choosing the "right" ha ha ha boat.


I would be most interested what you elected. Do you have a blog or any other place I could follow your adventure?


Cheers,
barnakiel

[kristjan]

Check out this site.
https://atomvoyages.com/

[Cloroxbottle]

Originally Posted by NikolajAM

Hi,
Which things should I pay attention to when buying a boat to do a circumnavigation? Is there any must-haves and no-goes? ...I don't have any experience with boats,

Well, that's your biggest no-go.

[barnakiel]

Drying out on your own keel and painting between tides is no longer legal in many countries where there is enough tide range and a grid to to tie the boat on.


In other places if you tie on a slip the bottom will be rough and you will damage the barrier on the ballast which may be pretty bad idea if your ballast is iron.


etc.


It is OK to have proper keel in a boat but not a huge asset anymore.


I'd rather have a cat that can be beached then .....



b.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Matt, the point is that with bilge keels you do not need to careen the boat (which I believe means to lay her over on her side on a beach), but rather she simply stands upright on her keels (and perhaps rudder as well).



Of course in truly civilized areas (like NZ in the 90s) there are grids and walls against which you can stand whilst the tide goes out and then work on the bottom of your conventional keeled boat.



Jim

Thanks Jim, I had that bit of nautical terminology wrong then. I thought careening was the actual cleaning or the application of the defensive barrier.

Now I’m trying to remember whether it was Treasure Island or one of the Jack Aubrey series that used the term in a way that had me confused at the time.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Pete7

I always thought yacht legs would solve the problem for fin or long keeled yachts located in areas with a decent tidal range.



https://www.yachtlegs.co.uk/downloads/Yacht_Legs.pdf



Thankfully yacht legs are one problem I don't have to worry about



Pete

Yours is a much better solution. Yacht legs scare me silly. The thought of them failing.... imagine the damage to the boat or to anyone nearby.

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by NikolajAM

Hi,
Which things should I pay attention to when buying a boat to do a circumnavigation? Is there any must-haves and no-goes?
I don't have any experience with boats, but I would love to hear some advice regarding boat specifications, equipment etc. should it be experience from you or from articles I can read on the internet. I am looking for a more affordable boat 30 feet and below. Every answer is very helpful.
- Nikolaj from Denmark

Sailing around the world, or even just sailing around IN THE world, is the apex of sailing. Its a combination of skill, equipment, and sound judgement. To say that you are a complete novice, yet want to achieve this highest level, is, well, lets be polite and say ambitious. Kinda like you never driven a car but intend to enter the INDY 500.

Having said that, these boat fit your modest criteria:
Contessa 26, Albin Vega 27, Alberg 30, Pearson Triton, ... oh, its a long list... just read this instead: https://atomvoyages.com/planning/goo...oats-list.html

Since most of these boats are 40-50 years old, most can be had for very few dollars. Sailing around the world does not have to be expensive. However, COMFORT is very expensive. Buy as much comfort as you can afford.

As for gear, you'll figure that out after you buy your boat and have a chance to go sailing a few dozen times.