^^^ This. Especially for tropical cruising.
There are lot's of threads here about cruising on a
budget, and how to keep ongoing costs down, but sometimes the big picture
concept is not always thought through.
Wharrams don't need to be crap. Get a nice one (but still save
money on the
boat compared to a normal cat) and:
- Use the
money saved to add a substantial LiPo
battery bank.
- Install a big hard roof with a lot of
solar panel capacity across the open main
deck area, which is very large because of the no bridge
deck design.
- Fit drop down plastic curtains for wet days and a (hard?)
dodger forward for spray protection but otherwise leave open for ventilation in the tropics.
- Even on the Tiki 38 this would create enough space for a sailing
cockpit, a large table (who wants to eat below in the tropics) and a sunpad and socialising area. Because of the more open design the deck space can be reconfigured for different scenarios and the hard roof gives you the necessary shelter from both rain and sun.
- See what's possible with LiPo and a lot of
solar here (even if it's on a more limited scale than this boat):
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ey-201795.html
- Save money every
single day using no (or very little)
fuel or even
propane gas for
charging batteries or
cooking (use simple inductions hobs)
- With this
power capability install a
washing machine of some description (and a
water maker of course, that is a given). This might sound like heresy for some, but
laundry ashore is expensive and inconvenient so it will soon pay for itself and really add to self sufficiency when
living aboard (eg: I'm surprised that La Vagabond, with a million dollar cat, good
income stream,
battery and solar capacity, and a new baby, doesn't think a
washing machine is beneficial?)
- Add the simple
Wharram wind vane self steering.
Cheap, easy to
repair, no special
parts, you fit 2 (one on each hull) so you always have a back up, and they use no electricity. See here:
(and here La Vagabond who have been without their
autopilot for quite some time and will now need to fly a specialist
B&G technician down to the
Bahamas to fix it, and were concerned for there sailing
safety as
single handed sailing without the
autopilot is difficult:
https://youtu.be/kWt64cmb8EM?t=671 This would easily blow a normal cruising
budget for that month, or quarter..)
- Use two properly sized and properly installed outboards in retractable pods and have a
honda generator for
charging backup.
- This gives twin engines for maneuvering, a backup in case of a breakdown, reasonable cost, light weight, retractable for low sailing drag and drying out, and can even be winched off with a
halyard and taken ashore for
repairs if necessary, and a replacement (even a temporary ill fitting one) can be more easily dropped in place too.
- On a
Wharram portable
fuel tanks are normally located amidships on deck in vented lockers, and petrol
outboard fuel is available anywhere in the world. This means only one fuel to carry and topping up can be done by just taking a normal
outboard fuel tank or a jerry can ashore in the
dinghy.
- The simple rig lends itself well to
DIY dyneema, etc
rigging solutions. Easy
repair and
maintenance and saves money as no need to pay a rigger.
- Many other
parts of a w]Wharram also use simple line or block and tackle solutions. It couldn't be easier to fix, replace, or jury rig as necessary.
- As @boatman61 mentioned, dry out for underwater
maintenance. And there are (or can be) less of these in the first place because of the
rudder system, because no sail drives or shafts, because no centre boards, etc, etc. Combine that with a simplified and minimised through
hull system and a lot of maintenance can be reduced.
If a
haul out is necessary, no special travel
lift or boatyard is required. A crane can easily be used, or a tractor, truck, etc to drag the
boat up a simple
ramp or shoreline.
I like all these positives for a Wharram or similar simple cat to sustain the cruising life over a longer period.
Some initial wise capital investments and planning need to be made of course, but these concepts can really reduce cruising costs, simplify life onboard, and get sailors out there cruising.
Let's not complicate it again by changing the whole design ethos of a Wharram cat.
My 2 cents