Welcome CC great to have another Aussie here you will enjoy the fun.
I have a
steel 48ft OA ketch centre
cockpit and have single handed for 14 years with only the odd crew and have found it pretty easy. I am now based in FNQ but have sailed up and down
east coast and now mainly here on the reef. It seems that you can love ketches or think the mizzen is just a
radar hanger its a pity because for a solo sailor they offer great variation in sail configuration and ease of sail handling. Over the years I have been through all sorts of
weather patterns and have been scared S/L but always come through and laughed after.
My ketch is a home built John Pugh Carrawong and is 20ton loaded but has stacks of room with great
storage forward and aft double cabins even have walk in pantry and wine cellar so able to stay out for long periods cruising
( longest out without resupply was 5 months island hopping up north)
I am happy and confidant to solo on my size
boat and the costings , Marina,
haul out,
fuel use, and
maintenance ( do all my own
work just repowered all by my self with a helper ) are workable. I think going up to 50/60ft is quite another big step with all costs also sailing the
boat would be full on if not well thought out running
rigging, I have everything back to the
cockpit except the main sail which is at the
mast but I am very careful to play the reefing
game or lower the main before the S/T hits the fan.
Soooo think carefully about the size may be get a bit of time on a boat that size to see what is involved. Just as a point I know how hard it is to park mine in a marina by myself I don't think I would try that on with 50/60ft
Cheers Jacko