Greetings and Salutations!

[jartwannabe]

Hubby and I have always wanted to sail around the world and I think we are starting to get serious about it. We need to learn everything from how to sail to what kind of boat is best for us to how to pack. I mean EVERYTHING!

One big concern originally was can we live in such a small space. So we bought an RV and sailed around the US. We saw 40 states and lived in it for 3yrs. Turns out that we can--and loved it.

Now we have to make the move from land to water and there is sooo much more to learn but I'm sure it will be fun. We will start with short cruises of course or maybe just live on the boat in port for awhile.

We have 4 kids now (we only had 2 in the RV.) The youngest is just weeks old. We are homeschooling already so that is not an issue. The oldest (6yrs) thinks he will be bored in such a little space but I can't help but think how much bigger his world will get.

Anyway, that is our story. I hope to learn a lot from you guys.

Chanda

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Chanda,
You'll find all kinds of answers here. Most of them are right (G). Welcome aboard. With four kids space will be an issue but my recommendation is no longer than 36 feet on deck, hull made of fiberglass and cutter rigged.
You'll undoubtedly hear many other opinions.
Welcome aboard!!
Kind Regards, --JohnL--

[jartwannabe]

Why only 36ft? That seems really small. My friend has a 52ft ketch and it looks larger than I feel comfortable with but I think I can get over the intimidation faster than I can learn to live that cramped.

Before I embarrass myself with my lack of knowledge (further embarrass myself) I'll leave this question here.

I would like a boat that is small enough that I could sail it myself (with help from my son) if needed since you never know when health issues are going to happen. My son will be 8 or so when we plan to really start sailing.

Thanks for your interest!

Chanda

[sluissa]

Size is all a matter of personal preference and budget, at least up till the 50'+ range, then crew comes into consideration. Some people can get along with a tiny space, while others would refuse to sail in anything smaller than 35', and that's by themselves. I can't really comment too much, as I don't even have a boat yet, and I'm single without anybody to worry about(other than my pet rabbit). But, like SkiprJohn said, most people are right, even if two people have different views, it doesn't mean they aren't both right. Sailing is a personal thing, it's different for everybody.

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Chanda,
36 feet on deck is not a small boat. If you want to handle it yourself with a small person's help 36 is about maximum. Anything larger has the advantage of a little more creature comfort with a very large amount more of expense. If money is no object go as big as you can hire crew to handle. If you want a personal boat go for 36 and under.
Just my opinion. There are a lot more.
Kind Regards, --John--

[exranger]

I agree with skiprjohn. I KNOW it sounds nuts, but when you try doing it, living on anything bigger than about 35 feet with no adult help is going to be tougher than you think. EVERYTHING is bigger, from sails, to winches, to anchors. Heavier. More expensive.

If you are in a warm climate, like Florida, then you will spend most of your time on deck anyway, out in the fresh air instead of cooped up inside. ANY boat is mall compared to a house or apartment. I am learning that on my Catalina 27. BUT, I am getting used to it and finding that most of the crap I had in my house, I don't use or need! And I don't have to wrestle a large boat....

[delmarrey]

Welcome aboard Chanda!

With that many small children and a single handed sailboat it will be a bad mix. I hope you plan to wait a little while before the leap. You'll contantly be on your toes keeping them from falling overboard or off the docks.

A sailboat cockpit can get chaotic while under sail and I can hear the screaming already, LOOK OUT!, GET OUT OF THE WAY!, WOMAN AND CHILDREN BELOW DECKS!!!!!, NO NO NO NO!!!!

I'd suggest spending a few years learning the ropes. Get a trailerable sail boat and see what it takes to get along. One of you may even have a terminal case of seasickness which will put them out of commission underway.

I've done the trailer thing and the live-aboard thing too. And the main differance is; SAFETY is an ISSUE on boats. It's a bit like an airplane, once you're away from land there's no place to put your feet, if the vessle goes down. Preperations, organizational skills and discipline are a high priority!!!

I don't mean to discourage you but better to know now what you're getting into. Keep your options open for a while and if you can still do it, more power to ya!............................................... ._/)

[Weyalan]

Your choice of boat is going to depend a fair bit on your budget. If you have a particularly fat checkbook, you can buy a big boat with lots of fancy gear to make life easier (electric halyard winches, bow thrusters, etc.). If you are working with a smaller budget, perhaps a smaller boat is going to provide a more realistic option. Probably your best plan is to get out on some boats and get a feel for how it all works, so that you will start to get an idea of how big a boat you are going to be able to handle.

For example, my g/f and I can comfortably cruise my 40' yacht, but we are both experienced sailors and I wouldn't want to be sailing anything much bigger (but on the other hand, when offshore, I wouldn't want to be sailing anything much smaller either).