Is a monohull with a deep keel OK in the South Pacific?

[poiu]

I'm looking for a new boat. I would quite like a slightly larger monohull, but am concerned I might be constrained by draft, so I could choose a cat instead.


I am planning to spend a lot of time in the South Pacific. The choices are between a deep keel fairly large mono, so let's say with a keel of 11 to 12 ft or a cat with 3 or 4 ft. I'd prefer a mono and if I bought new could possibly have a lifting keel, but will always have a substantial draft compared to a cat.


I'm quite agnostic on the merits of cats vs monohulls in general and would rather not debate that question as it has been done to death. The particular question I was unsure about is if I'd be much better off with a cat, simply because of all the atolls and shallow water down there?

[Eder]

Psst...not much shallow water.

[poiu]

Originally Posted by Eder

Psst...not much shallow water.

I wondered that, because I know a lot of people find their anchor chain is not long enough.

[JPA Cate]

FWIW, we were forced to anchor in 85 ft. at Tahaa. The shallower spot was 65 ft., but it was in the way of the local ferry and they asked/required that we move.

Our draft was 2.2m., 7'2", and not a problem in FP.

Ann

[fxykty]

Most anchorages on the ‘coconut run’ South Pacific routing are deep enough that an 11’ draft will make no difference. But, there are some anchorages in lagoons near attractions where you wouldn’t be able to go (so a dinghy with bigger motor becomes more useful) and some passes into lagoons will be too shallow so you’ll have to pass on by.

Once you get to NZ or particularly Australia an 11’ draft will be a problem. You will be constrained with marina berths and even haul out facilities.

[NorthCoastJoe]

Look at the lifting keel aluminum boats. It can be the best of both worlds if the boat is well designed.
We have a custom built one from France. It is comfortable and goes to weather too. Before we bought it in FP.

[poiu]

Thanks all. Info much appreciated.

[chrisr]

we live in FP and would recommend a cat with shallow draft

of course you can have a large mono with deep draft, but you will constantly find it a problem. worrying about your path across lagoons...anchoring way out of the beach because you cannot get into the beautiful turquoise water like the cats

on second thoughts, please do get you deep draft mono...more space for us in the nice spots !

cheers,

[HeywoodJ]

The bulk of the places I can think of in the South Pacific are OK with a deeper draft mono, but there are a few places where you find you are excluded. An example is Aitutaki in the Cook Islands, where the channel into the lagoon is 5' on a good tide. Anchorage outside is possible, but not comfortable and a long dinghy ride in. There are a others I can think of with similar constraints, but I would say they are the exception rather than the rule between Panama and Fiji/New Zealand/Australia.

[wingssail]

Well, if you ar looking for a bigger boat, and you already have an Oyster 66, and you are considering 10-11 ft draft, you are looking at a really big boat,

If I was in in a position to have such a big boat I would expect to have a captain and to hire yacht agents in the places where I expected to visit, and if draft was going to be a problem i would either skip those locations or anchor out and have a skiff pick me up and take me to shore.

Bigger yachts and small ships don't operate the same as small private yachts.

You need to think bigger and accept the limitations.

[Jim Cate]

^^^^

A good summary of fact, Fred, and I agree completely. Very few of us have experience cruising with drafts like that or budgets like those associated with very large yachts. It's a different world for such folks and such yachts!

Jim

[chrisr]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

^^^^

A good summary of fact, Fred, and I agree completely. Very few of us have experience cruising with drafts like that or budgets like those associated with very large yachts. It's a different world for such folks and such yachts!

Jim

while not wishing to disagree for a second, have to say that a 70'er is not a big boat these days.

several of the boats we see around here have got tenders that size !

eg these 2





cheers,

[AKA-None]

Originally Posted by chrisr

while not wishing to disagree for a second, have to say that a 70'er is not a big boat these days.



several of the boats we see around here have got tenders that size !



eg these 2



Attachment 279353



Attachment 279354



cheers,

Hmmm pretty certain this is not our typical boat for this forum

[Jim Cate]

while not wishing to disagree for a second, have to say that a 70'er is not a big boat these days.

Chris, I'll bet you would not say that if you were standing under it on the hard, clutching a box of sandpaper...

but yeah, there is a whole universe of ship-sized "yachts" floating ostentatiously around these days, just as there was back in the 1920s with folks like the Morgans flaunting their wealth at the commoners (and lesser rich folks).

Jim

[poiu]

Thanks again folks.