Island Packet: the right boat for remote voyaging?

[Lawnmower]

Originally Posted by akopac

Some thoughts on keels. Yes there is the performance aspects of one keel over another, but if you are extensively cruising having a keel/ rudder arrangement to fend off fishing gear is handy. Keel hung rudder, or a rod between a keel and skeg. I have the latter. Saved my butt a few times over the years. Windvane and backup rudder gear is at top of list with good fridge insulation, and solar.

Yes! I hear Indonesia is particularly bad for this and it's one of my top destinations so another thing I like about the IP.

Would rather not have to go into the water at night to untangle a jammed prop.

[Lawnmower]

Originally Posted by nightowle

Just buy one out there. Look for one in Langkawi, Malaysia known as the "End of the Road" marina for boat sales. This is where some nice sailboats can be had at reasonable prices sold by sailors that don't have an interest in bringing them back to N.America.

Not so sure about sailing from Langkawi to french Polynesia - the other way round sounds better!

[Eder]

Originally Posted by Lawnmower

Do you think there is also a safety and speed factor to balance that out with a larger boat? I did a bunch of courses on a 38 and thought it felt like a good size.

My 1st boat was 48', never regretted the decision. If you can buy your last boat first...like marriage the relationship only gets better.


There is much more to cruising than letting sailing speed under 8 knots of wind being a determining factor.

[sv_isara]

I skipped from a 23 to a 40.5. Very happy I did so. Saved tons of money, time, and unnessesary work. Start slow and carefully and with plenty of book knowledge and practical training, along with good crew or even captain support if needed or desired.

I didn't see if your 125k includes upgrades and fixes. But the vast majority of boats need mega $$ put into them to do what you want to do. Hopefully you can fix a diesel, fiberglass/weld etc, if not get a quote for a prop job, haul out, and standing rigging. That would be some typical jobs on a new used boat and depending on location could easily run you $25k - and at that point the preparation is just getting started.

The shake down sailing is one part of your plan that you really don't want to skip.

report back with pictures!

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by Lawnmower

Not so sure about sailing from Langkawi to french Polynesia - the other way round sounds better!

Not so bad, really... Lankawi to Darwin or Cairns. South along Oz's east Coast, east to NZ from, say Eden; then via Cook Sts. towards the Australs, then to wherever else in FP you want to go, and from there to AK and south to the US, and then the world awaits.... Lots of westerlies in the South 40's.

The poor upwind performance for which the Island Packets are noted may not bother you if you stick to continental cruising. It will depend partly on your personality: if you don't like being passed on the freeway, you probably won't like being caught up to and passed by smaller, more weatherly boats.




Ann

[smj]

Originally Posted by Eder

My 1st boat was 48', never regretted the decision. If you can buy your last boat first...like marriage the relationship only gets better.


There is much more to cruising than letting sailing speed under 8 knots of wind being a determining factor.

We can make 7-8 kts in 8 kts of wind sailing on a good point of sail. That to me is a spectacular aspect of owning a performance boat as we motor at 6.5kts.
I’ve never been able to understand posts like the above, but then we all have our opinions of what sailing is to us.

[Lawnmower]

Originally Posted by sv_sharky

I skipped from a 23 to a 40.5. Very happy I did so. Saved tons of money, time, and unnessesary work. Start slow and carefully and with plenty of book knowledge and practical training, along with good crew or even captain support if needed or desired.

I didn't see if your 125k includes upgrades and fixes. But the vast majority of boats need mega $$ put into them to do what you want to do. Hopefully you can fix a diesel, fiberglass/weld etc, if not get a quote for a prop job, haul out, and standing rigging. That would be some typical jobs on a new used boat and depending on location could easily run you $25k - and at that point the preparation is just getting started.

The shake down sailing is one part of your plan that you really don't want to skip.

report back with pictures!

Yeah for me I'd like a boat I can live comfortably on right away so going from dinghy to small cruiser etc isn't appealing.

The 125k would include upgrades ideally so am keeping an eye out for a boat with more of the things I'd like installed already.

Will do!

[sv_isara]

Originally Posted by Lawnmower

Yeah for me I'd like a boat I can live comfortably on right away so going from dinghy to small cruiser etc isn't appealing.

The 125k would include upgrades ideally so am keeping an eye out for a boat with more of the things I'd like installed already.

Will do!

I bought my boat for 80k. Most of the existing components worked. I paid for standing rigging which was a big cost, but otherwise am doing all my won work. I'm adding solar, heater, new prop etc...no haul out yet. Probably closing in on $110k with no outside help. 120 is probably my ending cost to begin cruising, and budgeting another few 10k for that assuming something else will be needed.

$ spent on refit is determined by many things - fit and finish level (yacht vs boat vs bum), how much is hired, when a component is slated for replacement (ie proactive refit vs just replacing broken bits), etc etc. large variations. But sails, standing rigging, bottom paint is usually reliably expensive. Good luck

[CarlF]

I wouldn’t circumnavigate in an old 350 or 380 iP on a tight budget. A great boat for living in the islands but would require an expensive refit to safely cross the Pacific Most owners equip them for coastal cruising or going to The Bahamas. To sail there yourself you’d likely have to buy new sails, new standing rigging, new anchor and 300’ chain, new liferaft, etc. It could easily get to $100k if the engine needs a rebuild.

Why not fly to the islands and buy a boat already there? Lots available for good prices from people who sailed down there but ran out of money, had health issues, or spouse said enough.

[Lawnmower]

Originally Posted by CarlF

I wouldn’t circumnavigate in an old 350 or 380 iP on a tight budget. A great boat for living in the islands but would require an expensive refit to safely cross the Pacific Most owners equip them for coastal cruising or going to The Bahamas. To sail there yourself you’d likely have to buy new sails, new standing rigging, new anchor and 300’ chain, new liferaft, etc. It could easily get to $100k if the engine needs a rebuild.

Why not fly to the islands and buy a boat already there? Lots available for good prices from people who sailed down there but ran out of money, had health issues, or spouse said enough.

100k is all good with me - I figure if the boat isn't suitable to go from Panama to French Polynesia, it's not going to be suitable to go from French Polynesia to Indo either which is what I want to do.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Lawnmower

100k is all good with me - I figure if the boat isn't suitable to go from Panama to French Polynesia, it's not going to be suitable to go from French Polynesia to Indo either which is what I want to do.

For that kind of ocean cruising I wouldn’t choose an IP. On a low budget I would buy an old chartered Beneteau 50 with a good rig and fix that up. A solid Bruce Farr design. Modern keel and rudder, fast enough.

There’s a performance cruiser version of it too, called the 53f5 with a Pininfiari interior.

[Lawnmower]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

For that kind of ocean cruising I wouldn’t choose an IP. On a low budget I would buy an old chartered Beneteau 50 with a good rig and fix that up. A solid Bruce Farr design. Modern keel and rudder, fast enough.

There’s a performance cruiser version of it too, called the 53f5 with a Pininfiari interior.

Just for the speed? To "escape" bad weather?

I sailed on a 411 and it seemed kinda twitchy so I'm not sure I'd like hand steering such a boat if the autopilot failed. Also I think the draught could be limiting + I want to sail single handed for periods. The space would be nice though!

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Lawnmower

Just for the speed? To "escape" bad weather?

I sailed on a 411 and it seemed kinda twitchy so I'm not sure I'd like hand steering such a boat if the autopilot failed. Also I think the draught could be limiting + I want to sail single handed for periods. The space would be nice though!

What I talk about is the Beneteau 50 as designed by Bruce Farr. A completely different level of boat. These are all descendants of a Whitbread racer Bruce designed.

A 50’ boat on the ocean outclasses every 40 footer in every aspect, with comfort at the top. Speed comes with the longer waterline but shouldn’t be important to you as you consider an IP which is slow.

[Eder]

My "slow IP" has strung together a lot of +200 kn mile days out in the blue pacific...pretty good for any tub out there.


The Benny might have had to ease off to allow the crew to safely vomit.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Eder

My "slow IP" has strung together a lot of +200 kn mile days out in the blue pacific...pretty good for any tub out there.


The Benny might have had to ease off to allow the crew to safely vomit.

So you do a 24 hour average of 8.5 knots in a 40’ boat