Solo - What Boat?

[CaptainTtwo]

Ok, so this is the deal. I am going to buy a boat in the next year or two I have sailed for twenty years
or so but have little ocean experience and only three trips as the skipper on a boat 30 feet long and
one 38. I plan on doing blue water but not right away. The boat will be in Florida or the virgin isl.
I will start by sailing the Bahamas and Caribbean. I see my sailing as mostly me and my wife
but I also think It will be just me who may sometimes bring the boat from one cursing aria to the next.
An example of this may be, I sail the boat from Florida to the Virgin Isl. And my wife fly' s out and meets me.


I have One question and three boats in mind.


Can I handle this boat when the going gets rough and the sail gets stuck etc - what boat has to much
sail aria for one man?

3- Valiant 40/ Hylas 44 /Stevens-Hylas 47 “PS planning cutter rigged”.

[Joli]

Bigger boats are easier to sail but harder to dock, once you get over 24k displacement you cannot man handle them off the dock. I would not be worried about handling the sail on any of the boats you list, the largest sail is ~500 sq ft other then offwind sails.

[Hud3]

I think a cutter rig is ideal for offshore and the Caribbean. I've been sailing my Island Packet 380 cutter single handed for years, first in the Cheasapeake and then in the Lesser Antilles, and have never had a problem. Well, only once in a marina, but that was just stupidity on my part, not the boat's.

The 38-40' range seems very manageable to me, but then I've never tried single handing a larger boat. For offshore passages, I've always had some friends eager to sign on as crew. My wife did an offshore once, and said that was enough for her. She prefers being a happy passenger, and let's me have my fun doing all the sailing.

[hallie]

Geordie single-hands ours just fine. He learned on full keel boats, and our Columbia is a fin keel ... maybe that made it seem easier. He might sell it to you too if you talk your trash right. The reason we got it and not any other boat he begged for was because the interior was in the civilized sort of shape a non-boater-wife-type (me) would consider long stretches of life upon.

I've offered to go with him down-wind wherever he wants to go. Anything requiring 30 degrees of heel for six weeks will be a solo trip, tho. ;D

[Curmudgeon]

Well if money is no object, I'd look at that new Island Packet with the self-tending jib. You would also want a windvane, I think.

[speedoo]

If you plan to do a lot of Bahamas sailing, you will want a boat with no more than 5 feet draft, which will eliminate a lot of larger boats. One boat that might be good is the Beneteau Idylle 11.5. It's a really nice 38 footer with 5 foot draft and a great layout below. They were built in 1984-85 and I think they all have Perkins 4-108 for power which is more than enough.

For blue water cruising you would need to add fuel tankage and either a watermaker or water tankage as well.

[CaptainTtwo]

Thanks for the input it has all been helpful in one way or another.
On the other hand
At this point I am confident that I will stick to one of the three boats mentioned, and a price range of 100-200k. So the question is more about the size of the three boats.

[Talbot]

At sea, the size of the boat with those you are lookig at is less a choice of the length, and more a question of what equipment has been fitted to make the job possible for a single handed passage - such as winch sizes, locations, reefing methods, autopilots, windvanes etc tec.

When it comes to a choice for a liveaboard, the question moves also to internal layout and facilities. What is more than acceptable for a weeks cruising, soon becomes a pain in the **** when living aboard.

a decent shower, hot pressurised water and lots of water tankage come high on the list, but I have also seen the need for fridge and freezer, some require their own washing machine, and even a dishwasher!

ability to keep the interior cool and ventilated, especially in the master bunk will make a big difference.

The larger a boat is at sea makes it better for comfort, also for liveaboard space, but makes handling in confined space a bit more of a problem. Your call!

[CaptainTtwo]

Thank you, that is what I was looking for After all the difference In size from the smallest to the largest of the three is about ten thousand pounds and seven feet. I do plan on having an autopilot, and a wind vane and spare parts for both. Will also try to lead as many control lines to the cockpit as money will allow or at least make it as safe as possible. It seems like with this size boat “all three” roller furling jib and stay sail are probably needed, “OR at least the jib”:and maybe even the main??? I have seen what mother nature can do despite my- low- ocean and big boat experience. I have had a three thousand pound boat at about a 45% angle W/O sails; and almost broke a 27 foot boat when not paying attention
to the “wind opposite tide = very large steep waves”. So I guess if I was to try to solicit A bit more help from the forum it would sound like this. Lets say we are on the 47 “the largest” and having a bad day.
Lets say I'm not paying attention and a squall comes up with lots of sail up. Since this is a bad day I try to reduce sail and the Genoa gets jammed ; then being a bad day, so also the roller furling main , now
what---- and again would the 40 foot Valiant help me much? PS Lets leave down wind sails out of the picture for now.

[bob perry]

You could do a lot worse than a V 40 or V-42. They have done it all, several times.
It's not a small boat and has plenty of comfort for one guy. It's docile, dry, forgiving and loves a breeze. It also backs up under power like a dream. The biggest negative would be the lack of a transom boarding platform. But if you can't manage a boarding ladder you probably should rethink your plan. I always tend to think it's better to go smaller. 7' more feet of boat and the moorage fees could buy you a nice dinner in a lot of ports. Big boats are nice but when the flotsom hits the fan it's a lot more flotsom hitting a much bigger fan.

But I am very biased.

[Curmudgeon]

They also built some Valiant 40's with a shallower draft and centerboard, did they not? I expect that would be an option to consider for places like the Bahamas.

[bob perry]

I think they built two cb valiants. There are a number of V's with reduced draft though.
The Bahamas may be nice but please keep in mind there is no substitute for draft if you want a boat to go to weather.

[Sandero]

Big boats cost more - exponentially when it comes to repair and maintenance. And then there's the docking and draft of larger yachts which makes them accessible to "less".

You probably want a nice aft cabin so it seems like a center cockpit... Some low 40s fit the bill. If you buy an older yacht you'll be spending lots on getting her in shape even if the purchase price is right.

For a couple, a HR 42 is plenty of boat or something similar.

Having just waxed and painted the hull of a 36er I'd be inclined to stay at the smaller end...

But then again... waterline gets you there in the end quicker... and there's lots to be said for that.

[Cheechako]

What is your age? To me 40 feet is manageable, you get up to 47 in a good blow and those primary's will give you a heart attack! They're all good boats, but I vote the V40/42

[bob perry]

One thing you never hear on a boat,of any size:
"My winches are too big!"