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How Small a Boat?


Grinna

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Another thread and some random comments has got me thinking. What's the smallest sized boat you'd consider appropriate for an ocean passage .... say from NZ to a South Pacific island group?

 

I know that H28s have been sailed right around the world and Joshua Slocum did amazing things with a 26 foot basically open boat or whatever it was, but what about you?

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I have been offshore on a 72 and a 50 fter (keelers) - would love to try a 30-36fter for comparison.

 

Noted a big difference between the 72 and 50 tho.

 

Would also like to go offshore on a multi. Ron Given reckons you should not go offshore on a Cat any smaller than 40ft.

 

M

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I've been offshore in 54ft, 74ft and 84ft yachts and once you're out there even the biggest boats feel small. For that reason I'd go for the biggest I could afford but if I was pushed I reckon my personal min. would be about 45ft for a mono (no real logic just gut feel) for a mono. I know you can do it in smaller but why be uncomfortable if you can afford bigger? I also know that a small boat can be just as seaworthy as a bigger one i.e. seaworthiness doesn't automtically increase with size.

 

But bigger size def gives me a feeling of better seakeeping and it also makes life easier in terms of stowage capacity i.e. bigger tanks, lockers etc. You don't have to be so obsessive about what you carry in terms of weight or volume.

 

For coastal gulf cruising I love AC's aft cockpit and open transom but for offshore I would want to swap for a centre cockpit - again greater feeling of security. But I'd ideally like to maintain a sugar scoop stern for ease of access, swimming platform etc. So as you can see, I'm pretty fussy about my offshore reqs and so at 35ft AC wouldn't make it for me.

 

For a multi, no idea, never had one but I guess somewhere in the 40-45ft range as well for similar reasons.

 

The Squids and other purists of this world will no doubt disagree heartily and prefer a more minimalist approach and would no doubt be happy taking AC.

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29ft is the smallest I'd go.......and that's only because the Contest is such a heavily built boat for it's size. Ordinarily I think the perfect size is about 36 to 39ft. Once you hit that 40ft mark, the costs tend to take a sizeable jump up the ladder.

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A R830 to Pohnpei. Yes 830 knot 930.

 

As many will be now thinking Where TF?? The Federated Sates of Micronesia, Pohnpei is one of them. Around 500nm left of the Marshall's.

 

Oh and a 6.5mt across the Atlantic.

 

Oh again, a R930 to Fiji but I'm knot allowed to as it will kill me I'm told {insert Tui Advert here} :?

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One of the most enjoyable trans tasmans I've done was 2 up on a Chico 30. Often thought about going really silly small, maybe 20-24ft, but I'm married and eternally grateful that she comes with me, not going to even try to push it that far.

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Well, the Ogre was telling me on the weekend that he would take the Offender to Tonga, or Australia.

 

I mentioned it to 'the other half' and he said (and I quote) "Oh look hun, it's only 4 metre swells today, who's going to check the ama's?" :lol:

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:lol: I'll be watching this one with interest! Good to see Squid doesn't see any problem with taking a 30 footer offshore. Unlike me... but I'm committed now! No turning back! :thumbup:

 

I'm sure you've told us before BB but what have you got?

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Well, the Ogre was telling me on the weekend that he would take the Offender to Tonga, or Australia.

 

I mentioned it to 'the other half' and he said (and I quote) "Oh look hun, it's only 4 metre swells today, who's going to check the ama's?" :lol:

 

 

What are ama's?

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What are ama's?

 

The tri part of the tricycle - the outer hulls - or pontoons.

 

M

 

 

LOL..... Cheers M

 

Oh you means it's multi spec..... to hard for me! I have trouble enough dealing with ONE hull at a time! :lol:

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In fact....for that matter....I don't think "world's" should have one either. I THINK it should just be world??????

 

hehe..... :lol:

 

:lol: :lol: :lol: No actually, Rocket is right - my bad - no ' in amas.

 

But worlds should have an ' - as it is the apostrophes belonging to the world? Therefore, the world's .

 

But who is going to be that pedantic! LOL

 

(I know I usually am, and I apologise for that - do I need more typo errors or something?)

 

M

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