Go small and go now?

[jerski]

After reading a book called Half Fast that featured a Nicholson 32, I have been more than a little enamored by them. My conundrum is I can basically afford one now, or do I wait and save more and delay my leaving for another year? The Nicholson despite its small tankage fits my needs perfectly, and the mkX version is 33 feet and 3 inches more freeboard. It is a very capable boat, and I have two things I'd like to accomplish during my cruise, which are sail through the Beagle Channel and do the Viking route. What are your thoughts?

[Ryban]

Absolutely go small, go now. If you're going to wait another year, don't take the extra money to buy a bigger boat, use it to cruise longer. That's my opinion at least.

Also, make sure you're budgeting for upgrades/refit items. You can easily spend the price of the boat on refit costs when talking about boats in this category.

This is the list I used when I was selecting a pocket cruiser:
https://atomvoyages.com/planning/cla...ers-list-html/

[Fore and Aft]

Jerski if you had written this question to a magazine 30 years ago they would have laughed at the idea that 32 feet was small for a cruising boat. I think you're only problem is going to find a Nicholson in good condition. The few I have sueveyed down under all needed serious work to get back to a good standard.
Cheers

[jerski]

Ive been motivated by Atom as well.

[jerski]

I have given it some thought about osmosis; I am hoping by now, most Nicholson 32 have been treated for the blisters. I am a member of the owner's group and there are some nice looking boats for sale

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by jerski

...I can basically afford one now, ... The Nicholson despite its small tankage fits my needs perfectly, ...

Seems to me you've already answered your question.

Agree with Ryban. If you can go now, the only reason to delay is so you can build the kitty to go longer. If you've already figured out that this boat "fits your needs perfectly," then certainly don't go bigger or more expensive.

All this said, I'm assuming you have the experience to know what you actually need and want. It took me till my second boat (actually, my fourth) to really understand what I needed and wanted in a cruising boat.

[jerski]

I've been pondering this for about 2 years, and I am not getting younger. Sure I would love a Valiant 40but as a single (and no prospects to change that) I do not need a bigger (huge) boat. I've read countless books and watched the pardeys dvds I sailed for awhile on a 22 footer so 32/33 seems pretty large to me.

[Kettlewell]

Yes, go small go now, but don't set a route or a schedule. Get the boat, fix it up, start out in local waters and work your way up to what you feel capable of. The most dangerous thing onboard is a schedule!

[Fore and Aft]

Jerski it is all about perspective. Yesterday I surveyed a Space Sailer 24 and she's a sweet wee cruising yacht. I was telling the owner that the wife and I could easily cruise on her up the Queensland coast. Small boats small bills. There is no way in yesterday's breeze I would have been wanting to manoeuvre a Valiant 40 around the marina, but the smaller Space Sailor was easy as.
Sure it's nice to have the bigger vessel, but the extra money you save you could spend on shore excursions.
Cheers

[thomm225]

As you can see, you are preaching to the choir here.

They'd tell you to go small go now regardless.

The boat size to me isn't small at all so you can get the boat then sail it for a while to get the feel of it.

Then decide about your cruising future.

Btw, don't confuse the Pardey's boats with other small boats. Their "small" boats were absolute beasts.

As an example, their 29'6" Taleisin displaced 17,800 lbs. and had a 27'6" waterline.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Fore and Aft

Jerski if you had written this question to a magazine 30 years ago they would have laughed at the idea that 32 feet was small for a cruising boat....

This. Living is getting harder for people mostly because we want more. Real estate can be an exception. But there too. When I was a kid, standard middle class developments were ...

• One bathroom.
• 3 bedrooms, and not big. Kids bunked up. No king sized beds, in part, because they didn't fit. No walk-in closets.
• 1 car garage etc. You only had one car.
• No cable. One landline.
• No air conditioning (in Virginia).
• No finished basement unless you did it.
• You probably worked your way through college. No one had a car.

And a sailboat was a luxury item. Absolutely.



And it didn't feel hard. I'm not complaining about it. I'm glad I could give my kids more. But I don't need, or want, more. What for? I chose to retire early instead.

[JPA Cate]

Hi, jerski,

Welcome to opinion city. For background, for you to evaluate where I'm coming from, Jim and I sailed a 30 footer to HI and back to SF Bay in 1983. IF you can get the boat you want in shape to circumnavigate (as in you personally have the skills) sure, go now. Please feel free to read my profile, our history till I joined CF.

When we left the States the first time in 1986, we were two on a 36 footer. We were often the largest boat in the group. By 1990, when we crossed the pond, we were often the smallest. But along the way, we met young couples who circumnavigated in 20,21, 22, 26 & 27 foot boats. It is not the speed which "counts". It is the experiences. We also met a few Flickas which circumnavigated, and the people were energetic, had super times. Many found work along the way. It's an interesting way to interface with a new society.

Honestly, the smallest, well found sailboat you can put up with, will stand you in good stead. Less time in boatyards working. Easier maneuvering. Simpler mechanically and electrically. Time spent working on the boat is time you aren't out exploring. Way less overall costs. Keep it simple, and ignore the folks that try to imply "camping out is bad for you." They mean that they find the notion aversive, but you're not obliged to buy into it, unless you want to.

The important part is that the boat is capable, and you, as well. If there are no serious impedimenta to your going,yes, go as soon as everything is ready. None of us knows what the future will bring; and not all of us are afflicted with wanderlust. When/if you get tired of it, do something else. You get to decide what's important to you in this world. And if/when, you go, you will be a good will ambassador from your country to those wherever you go, so there are some responsibilities, too.

Ann

[Fore and Aft]

thom225 I believe the Pardey's were a couple of Hobbits as well, so that makes Taleisin a ship to them!
Thinwater it is funny how we have all been sold an upsized life. We have always lived small and had more money to play with compared to a lot of our peers.
I think a Nicholson 32 would be plenty of boat to go cruising.

Cheers

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Fore and Aft

thom225 I believe the Pardey's were a couple of Hobbits as well, so that makes Taleisin a ship to them!
Thinwater it is funny how we have all been sold an upsized life. We have always lived small and had more money to play with compared to a lot of our peers.
I think a Nicholson 32 would be plenty of boat to go cruising.

Cheers

The point is their Talesin displaced as much as some 40'er's so to call it small is not exactly correct.

Yes, it was less than 30' but had a 27'6" waterline.

A 40' Bristol for example is one hell of a good offshore boat, and it's displacement is 17,580.00 lb. with LWL of 27.54.

The 29' 6" Talesin displaced 17,800 lbs. and had a 27'6" waterline.

Something to consider when someone says go small go now like the Pardeys.

[wholybee]

Whether you go now, or in a few years, my suggestion is set a hard date. A date that no matter what, that is the date you leave (weather delays excepting).

Too many never leave. There is ALWAYS something else you can add to the boat. Something that will make life better. Another fix. Or a bigger boat. And far to many never leave because just one more year and the boat will be perfect. And that cycle repeats year after year.

As long as you don't buy a boat that is a total basketcase, you can get the boat ready enough to be safe in fairly short time. Perhaps you won't have the newest electronics, or a watermaker, or new ground tackle, or ????? But it should be pretty easy to get the boat capable before you are ready to leave.

So get a boat, do the minimum required to make the boat safe (it won't sink, rigging is sound, it has serviceable sails, and the steering won't likely fail) and then work on other stuff until your date. Then go, whatever is or isn't done beyond that minimum.