Go Back   Cruiser Log World Cruising & Sailing Forums > Cruiserlog's Yacht Club > The Tavern | Welcome Aboard
Cruiser Wiki Click Here to Login

Join Cruiser Log Today

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 04-04-2008, 10:39 PM   #1
Ensign
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 7
Post

Hi all!

My name is Jeff and I'm currently living in Los Angeles. I'm in the process of slowly weeding out all possessions that aren't currently in use or have great sentimental value and have my home for sale. (Trying to sell a home in this market is a story in itself)

I have been sailing a Catalina 36' around Santa Monica and Catalina Island for the past year, but it is bareboat chartered when I have a free weekend. I've sailed the Windwards on a 39' Beneteau and have sailed around the Bahamas during college on a Morgan '41 OutIslander.

I retire in few years and my current plans are to find the right blue water cruiser and move aboard, spending the last few years at my job as a liveaboard. Knowing that I need to know a lot more about boat systems before setting off, this seems the most reasonable way to get to know the boat well.

Since I have a bit of time to research and select a boat, I'm in no rush.

I am looking for a "4 wheel drive" type cruiser. Tough and dependable, not necessary the prettiest in the fleet. I've been looking at Amels, Hallberg Rassys, Island Packets, Norseman etc. and my price range is around $200K. Size considering ~ 40 to 45'

I'm stuck on a couple of questions.

1) At some point I'll spend a fair amount of time in Florida and the Bahamas due to my ties there. Most of the blue water boats have a fairly significant keel depth. At what point does that become a killer for the Bahamas and the East Coast of Central America?

2.) Some of the boats have fairly significant windage profiles with raised salons and hard dodgers, at what point does this become significant when beating upwind? Something to worry about considering shallower keels required from Question 1? (Something like a Cal 46 with a raised salon, hard dodger and only a 5' keel)

3.) (Referee, feel free to step in and set ground rules ) I've also been looking at cruising cats. I understand many of the plus and minuses, but in the real world, have cat owners found they were more limited in route selection due to upwind performance than monohulls? Or are the difference in sailing capabilities more numbers than real world? The reason for this question is a theoretical problem like this - If I decide to go to the South Pacific, am I stuck once I'm in Australia or can I get back east to say Tonga or the Cook Islands?

4.) I am also single, and whether I find someone to share the adventure with or not, I'm going. So the boat may be single handed for stretches at a time, should that factor into any comments.

Thanks everyone for a great site and I look forward to the lively discussion.

And for any of you lurkers seeking crew positions in LA, I'm out on the water about once a month if you just want a nice day sail. (No, I'm not looking for paid compensation... Ok, you can spring for my sandwich )

Jeff
__________________

__________________
GoneAstray is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-05-2008, 02:15 AM   #2
Admiral
 
JeanneP's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,098
Default

SV Watermelon was a Jeanneau Sun Fizz, moderate to light displacement "racer-cruiser", it had a fin keel, 7'2" draft. After last winter in the Florida Keys and the Everglades I wouldn't want that much draft there.

We sailed through the Bahamas on our way to the Caribbean, and although we loved the anchorages we found, there were places we couldn't go because of our draft. However, not enough that we regretted the boat's draft. Once we left the Bahamas we didn't find any place we were kept out of because of our draft, and I think that for blue water sailing it was better than a shallower draft.

As far as going east from Australia, it is tough, no matter what sailboat you choose. We sailed from Oz up to Papua New Guinea, east to the Solomons, then east to Vanuatu, and on to Fiji. It was hard sailing, particularly from the Solomons to Vanuatu, and we were pretty beat up. http://www.cruiser.co.za/hostmelon51.asp It's an area where a singlehander, on his third (or fourth) solo circumnavigation, went on the reefs between PNG and the Great Barrier Reef. Better to sail to NZ and then back up to Tonga or Fiji. Much easier, though not easy.

Can't speak for multihulls, though we know several couples who have circumnavigated on one.

Just one couple's experience.
__________________

__________________
In 1986 we went cruising for a few years. After 20 years and 50+ countries and several oceans, we are STILL "cruising for a few years".

SY WATERMELON |
MV WATERMELON (New) | Cruiser's Dictionary, free ebook

= Cruiser's Dictionary, North America,
JeanneP is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-05-2008, 08:03 AM   #3
Retired Mod
 
Lighthouse's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Home Port: Durban
Posts: 2,984
Default



Welcome aboard Jeff - good to have you here.

Good luck with whatever you decide.
__________________


The World Cruising & Sailing Wiki

Help to build this free, online World Cruising Guide.

"Built by cruisers, for cruisers''

I've Contributed to the Cruisers Wiki: Most sections
Lighthouse is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-05-2008, 04:53 PM   #4
Rear Admiral
 
imagine2frolic's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 396
Default

Welcome,

I am biased being a cat owner, but if you search for Maxingout. Dave has done a circumnavigation on a 39ft. cat. His website is full of information helpful to any boater. Although you will learn a lot about a catamaran that has been there, and done THAT!!!!!! BEST WISHES
__________________
imagine2frolic is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Thoughts On A Design chiroeurope The Poop Deck 0 07-14-2011 03:40 PM
Cruisers Thoughts On Firearm Possesion While Cruising. islandseeker The Poop Deck 5 08-16-2008 05:50 PM

Our Communities

Our communities encompass many different hobbies and interests, but each one is built on friendly, intelligent membership.

» More about our Communities

Automotive Communities

Our Automotive communities encompass many different makes and models. From U.S. domestics to European Saloons.

» More about our Automotive Communities

RV & Travel Trailer Communities

Our RV & Travel Trailer sites encompasses virtually all types of Recreational Vehicles, from brand-specific to general RV communities.

» More about our RV Communities

Marine Communities

Our Marine websites focus on Cruising and Sailing Vessels, including forums and the largest cruising Wiki project on the web today.

» More about our Marine Communities


All times are GMT. The time now is 02:21 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
SEO by vBSEO 3.6.0
×