27ft cruising reality

[boatman61]

If you want to be clean and presentable stepping ashore. that's down to your personal habits rather than the size of the boat.
However if you want twenty minutes showers rather than a 5 litre shower from a solar bag, tuxedo and spare plus fancy day wear, a TV, state of the art sound system, a workshop and garage for the over the top list of spares that make up some peoples security blanket.. get a 40+ftr.
Want to look neat.. use laundrettes and carry a travel iron, shave every day, keep your clothes folded in dry bags or sealable storage bins.. takes very little time to keep up appearances.. a hell of a lot less than stopping all those spares and tools from rusting up in the salty environment.

[Benz]

I cruised double-handed for a long time in an Irwin 27, and often wished to goodness it was an Albin Vega--in a small boat, an attached rudder is one of my must-haves. There is plenty of room for all your needs (note: needs), and I can easily see 40 days of supplies for one person.
My advice? FWIW: get rid of the inboard and put the smallest high-thrust outboard engine you can find on a bracket. Use the reclaimed inside space for water storage. Forget electrics--use LEDs and handheld electronics that take AA and AAA batteries. If you have two handheld battery GPS units you have redundancy. I've often gone out with just one. Eschew all batteries and solar panels; use the space for a sextant and the H.O. 229--229, not 249 which are for airplanes. Teaching yourself celestial nav will stave off boredom for 40 days, and you'll still have more to learn on your next trip.
But whatever you do, go for it. If you survive the first passage, you'll have a way better idea of your wants and needs, and be able to fine-tune. Most of our fine-tuning was getting rid of excess kit we simply didn't need.
Good luck and remember: small boat=small problems. Big boat....

[Delancey]

Originally Posted by Benz

I cruised double-handed for a long time in an Irwin 27, and often wished to goodness it was an Albin Vega--in a small boat, an attached rudder is one of my must-haves.

I am curious about this comment, would you mind explaining?

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Delancey

I am curious about this comment, would you mind explaining?

Methinks he means 'transom hung' as opposed to being run through the hull via a tube cutting down on internal space as a result.
But.. I could be wrong.

[alaskaflyfish]

Thanks everyone for your support, I know my boat is able to compensate for all my sailing errors. I think I will continue with targeted safety upgrades on the Vega as well as including the wind vane steering and watermaker, which by the way, those 2 items alone will (almost) exceed the initial purchase price of the boat. That's disturbing.

[foggysail]

We enjoyed our 30' Hunter for some 25 years or so before moving to the comfort power provides. The Hunter was rugged....regardless of what other opinions are out there and always got us home.

We spent about 3 weeks maximum on it during summers.... that was about all we could take. I added refrigeration to the ice box which did keep things from perishing. And if you needed something from it, it always seemed to be at the very bottom requiring removing just about everything to get at whatever it was we wanted.

My friend had a 37' Hunter and he always got there way before us. Boat length does make a difference pertaining to speed.

We even had a small TV, what joy! First Wifey would watch it and I could also if I stood up. After an hour or so, we would change positions, by that time the program I wanted to watch was over. I believe the best way to describe living or extended cruises on small boats is to try living in your bathroom and no cheating for a few weeks and see how you enjoy it.

Our 40' Silverton aft cabin is completely enclosed and has most of the joys we have at home including AC. No way would I want to "live" on it even though it has the size of 3 bathrooms.

One last comment on a 27 anything. I promise you that you will have plenty of excitement especially if you cannot see land. But these are my thoughts, others have different thoughts. Good luck

[john61ct]

Originally Posted by alaskaflyfish

those 2 items alone will (almost) exceed the initial purchase price of the boat. That's disturbing.

But very common, even inevitable when you start with an incredible bargain

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by alaskaflyfish

Thanks everyone for your support, I know my boat is able to compensate for all my sailing errors. I think I will continue with targeted safety upgrades on the Vega as well as including the wind vane steering and watermaker, which by the way, those 2 items alone will (almost) exceed the initial purchase price of the boat. That's disturbing.

Were it me..
I'd invest in an extra battery and solar panel to charge and run a tiller pilot.. Hell even if you bought a spare tiller pilot for redundancy it'd still be only half the price of a wind vane.
Folks may swear buy them but for me its a TP any day.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by foggysail

One last comment on a 27 anything. I promise you that you will have plenty of excitement especially if you cannot see land. But these are my thoughts, others have different thoughts. Good luck

Why would it be exciting if you can't see land?

First time my friends and I went out that far we were on my 14' aluminum boat with an old beatup 25 Evinrude. no radio etc....we were in our mid teens

Most folks that grow up near the ocean go out 10 to 15 miles on just about any type of boat and they cannot see land.

As far as the OP's question, you should know what you need for 40 days etc if you have gone cruising locally for a week or two

[toddster8]

Originally Posted by alaskaflyfish

Thanks everyone for your support, I know my boat is able to compensate for all my sailing errors. I think I will continue with targeted safety upgrades on the Vega as well as including the wind vane steering and watermaker, which by the way, those 2 items alone will (almost) exceed the initial purchase price of the boat. That's disturbing.

Keep watching Craigslist and Ebay and drop into the consignment stores once in a while and be patient. In the last couple of years I've scooped up a new-in-box (but 20 years old) water maker, a sailomat wind vane, SSB radio and tuner, and old but never-used storm sails that fit my boat - for about $2k altogether. Of course the other side of the coin is that each of these things requires a significant amount of time and additional expense just to install. (I'm currently scrounging for the hardware bits needed to rig the storm sails.)

[foggysail]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Why would it be exciting if you can't see land?

First time my friends and I went out that far we were on my 14' aluminum boat with an old beatup 25 Evinrude. no radio etc....we were in our mid teens

Most folks that grow up near the ocean go out 10 to 15 miles on just about any type of boat and they cannot see land.

As far as the OP's question, you should know what you need for 40 days etc if you have gone cruising locally for a week or two

As I stated, others will have different opinions. Now as to land, when poop happens.... 20+knot winds and the seas build to 4-5 you just might not like it and would better enjoy heading to a safe harbor. And yeah, we took our Hunter out great distances...Nantucket, Block Island, once to Nomans but we did so by starting from our slip and not in the middle of 5+ day cruise where weather changes can make a huge difference. No, I am not implying a 27' boat will be unsafe in 20+ wind but it certainly will not be comfortable.

[alaskaflyfish]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Why would it be exciting if you can't see land?

First time my friends and I went out that far we were on my 14' aluminum boat with an old beatup 25 Evinrude. no radio etc....we were in our mid teens

Most folks that grow up near the ocean go out 10 to 15 miles on just about any type of boat and they cannot see land.

As far as the OP's question, you should know what you need for 40 days etc if you have gone cruising locally for a week or two

I think the water requirements for the tropics is vastly different than that of the north pacific, but I get what you are saying. My 14 gallon tank is plenty of water for 2 people for a week cruise doing the usual drinking, dish wash and cleaning. In the tropics where you sweat even while you sleep, I don't know is 80 gallons is enough for 2 passengers on a 40+ day crossing? Not considering delays either.

[goat]

I'm in the sea of Cortez. It seldom rains here. I was told I'd die here without a watermaker. Not dead yet. I carry 70 gallons plus 5 in a tank. Used the 5 gallon tank once.
When I decide to tie up in a marina I tie the dock lines and go grab a cervesa. It seems the biggest problems people have are; watermaker, autopilot, electronics, waterheaters(WTF?).
Maybe I'm a caveman but if you keep life simple, life is simple.

goat

[alaskaflyfish]

Originally Posted by foggysail

We enjoyed our 30' Hunter for some 25 years or so before moving to the comfort power provides. The Hunter was rugged....regardless of what other opinions are out there and always got us home.

We spent about 3 weeks maximum on it during summers.... that was about all we could take. I added refrigeration to the ice box which did keep things from perishing. And if you needed something from it, it always seemed to be at the very bottom requiring removing just about everything to get at whatever it was we wanted.

My friend had a 37' Hunter and he always got there way before us. Boat length does make a difference pertaining to speed.

We even had a small TV, what joy! First Wifey would watch it and I could also if I stood up. After an hour or so, we would change positions, by that time the program I wanted to watch was over. I believe the best way to describe living or extended cruises on small boats is to try living in your bathroom and no cheating for a few weeks and see how you enjoy it.

Our 40' Silverton aft cabin is completely enclosed and has most of the joys we have at home including AC. No way would I want to "live" on it even though it has the size of 3 bathrooms.

One last comment on a 27 anything. I promise you that you will have plenty of excitement especially if you cannot see land. But these are my thoughts, others have different thoughts. Good luck

Thank you for your insights. You are correct about 2 people occupying the same space at the same time. Example-while a anchor. Over a period of time it does lead to some frustration. Also larger boats are more sea kindly and faster. I noticed in the yacht club races (I single-hand) I come in dead last every single time when up against larger boats. However, my boat does handle rough seas and gusty winds well. The newer designed boats of similar size as mine tend to reef much sooner than I do. Maybe I'm just doing it wrong. I have raced a Force 5 dinghy for the last few years and have done well with it. I dunno.

[Benz]

Originally Posted by Delancey

I am curious about this comment, would you mind explaining?

An attached rudder is one whose leading edge is attached to the keel, not hanging in space like a spade rudder. Even if it's only attached at a shoe on the keel and a tube with bearings in the hull, it's far better than a spade.

Though what boatman thought I meant in the post after yours is even better: a stern-hung is the best sort of rudder for a small boat.