A few weeks ago we hosted two other cruising couples here at Base Camp and, as we were settling in for a pre-dinner glass of wine, it struck me that it would be hard to imagine three more different boats than those owned and cruised by the group.
Let’s look at that. I will start with a short cruising bio for each couple.
Marilyn and Steve voyaged fulltime for over 25 years, including crossing the Pacific from Mexico to New Zealand and then recrossing the Pacific to B.C. (the hard way), before transiting the Panama Canal to cruise both sides of the Atlantic. A few years ago they sold their boat and are now land-yachting.
Thelma and Wilson have made extensive voyages in the North Atlantic, and Wilson singlehanded their boat from Newfoundland to Scotland and then returned doublehanded, with their son, to Nova Scotia against the wind in April—probably the toughest passage any of us have taken on.
And, of course, most of you know about our own voyages, over the last 26 years, on Morgan’s Cloud.
Now, let’s lift the curtain on the boats each couple own, or owned, in the same order.
Marilyn and Steve: a 40-foot steel replica of Joshua Slocum’s Spray. They had the hull built and then finished her out themselves.
Thelma and Wilson: a 38-foot wooden cutter designed by Atkin before World War II, but updated with a Bermuda (Marconi) cutter rig. Wilson self-built the boat some 20 years ago, all the way from a pile of lumber.
(Given that build project and his against-the-wind passage across the Atlantic in April, you must be wondering about the advisability of hanging out with Wilson, but having done so quite a bit over the last few years I can testify that he’s not actually that crazy, and really perfectly safe to be around.)
Phyllis and John: a 56-foot aluminum McCurdy and Rhodes-designed cutter with a modern—at least in comparison to the other two—fin-skeg hull form.
Three very different hull forms built in three different materials.
So what’s my point? Well, so much discussion in the cruising world revolves around what’s the best boat for cruising. (And a lot about the best hull material too.) And many, perhaps most, of those participating in that debate lean toward whatever boat type they own or have had the most exposure to. (I know I have been guilty of this confirmation bias.)
But really, all of that is pretty much a waste of time, because what really matters is what kind of boat works for each of us, is safe for our intended purpose, and, most importantly, makes us happy. And there are nearly as many different answers to that question as there are cruisers.
So, while I think it’s perfectly acceptable to say “I prefer this particular kind of boat for cruising”, saying that a given boat type is best is just plain silly.
For example, in the past I have been pretty harsh about modern lightly-built wide-sterned mass-production boats with huge interiors. But really, if the owner plans to primarily cruise inshore, doesn’t need a lot of gear storage, and, most important of all, likes that kind of boat, then the type can make perfect sense—writing the whole genre of boats off was definitely a mistake on my part.
That said, it does make sense to think about and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of different boat types, because this debate can help those looking for a cruising boat decide what’s best for them, as long as we remain non-judgemental.
And that’s going to be my New Year’s resolution for 2018: More of the former (analysis) and none of the latter (harsh judgement).
That said, having as much varnish on a boat as Wilson does is just plain nuts.
Further Reading
- How to Buy A Cruising Boat Online Book
- Colin on good design
???
John, I had to laugh a lot about the end of the article.
I really like your fine sense of humour and self irony.
I found it in many articles before, but now it is really time to mention it.
And I completely agree with your conclusion. It is useless, to discuss which cruising boat is the best one. Tastes and needs are so different. And sailors are probably the most individualistic people on earth.
But let me finish with telling you, that my AMEL Santorin is the best cruising boat in the world… ?
Happy 2018!
Daniel
Daniel,
You are completely, absolutely, irremediably wrong. Every Amel owner ought to know the Amel Super Maramu is, quite of course, the best cruising boat in the Solar System.
???
Here’s to a great 2018,
FM
currently Herzliya, Israel
Daniel, very well said ! I agree to everything you write, except the one about the best crusing boat, which undoubtedly is my 33ft. steel Reinke Taranga sloop… 😉
Hi John.
There are reasons to believe that some dinners and such with the mentioned people have had much laughter! I like it.
All will agree, of course, with your statement that there is no boat that is the perfect boat, and it all depends on what It’s intended use is and personal preferences. Thus, there is an endless number of right boats. That makes it hard to get to useful conclusions. You have already narrowed it down quite a lot in the title, as that suits the purpose of this site.
I assume you’ll get into the topic either way, but I’ve often found that discussing this type of issues, it’s easier to not discuss solutions at all, until the “problem” has been sorted out completely. Not what type of boat is the best, but
What would you like to do with it,
Where would you like to go
How many will sail it
What type of sailing do they like
Which comforts do they want
Which price level is realistic
How long will the boat be used before sale
Which type of style boat do they tend to fall in love with
How many showers do they need, (and why so many???)
And so on
Then move on to prioritizing. Which single issue is the most important. And then the following numbers up to maybe five issues that are all essential. Then look at the other issues. Is it acceptable that any one of them can be not satisfied? If not, put it somewhere on the priority list.
With that priority list and the supplementing wish list, one can look at rough categories of boats and the sizes and rough price levels. That process will normally immediately show that the emotional priorities are not the same as the theoretically evaluated priorities, so the list needs to be developed some, since emotional needs are just as important as practical ones. Buying a boat cannot be done well without some love.
After this, things narrow down gradually by testing the list on boat types while adjusting the list rigorously. If one boat type is liked over another and the list doesn’t explain why, the list must be edited. The effect of this is mainly to get aware of ones own wishes and emotions. Also the process normally changes some of those items. Sometimes the whole thing is changed upside down. I’ve seen catamaran fanatics (I’m one) decide they’ll go for a monohull and visa versa.
This type of process is personal and develops over time, but I think it might be useful to discuss here some different rough generic usage profiles for long distance cruisers and how they may fit specific boat types. I think that could help many new sailors a lot.
Hi Stein,
I think that’s a very good analysis of an idea selection process. It’s interesting that we both came to much the same conclusion about limiting the number of issues that should drive the process, although I called them “vital capabilities”: https://www.morganscloud.com/2014/08/05/the-right-way-to-buy-a-boat/
As to your suggestion in the last paragraph, I think that’s a very good idea and will give it some thought.
Another fruitful way to analyze the pluses and minuses would be, I think, to take a hard look at current production boat trends in light of intended use. A lot of sailors start inshore/coastal on a boat fit for that purpose and want to take the same boat offshore. It’s not the same, as many here know, and it’s not always advisable to do so, but it’s hard to explain to those with an intermediate skill set why they should perhaps rethink their boat selection. I know I can usually spot the passagemaker visitors in any given marina or YC, and it’s got little to do with fin- or full-keel underbody and everything to do with the way their decks are organized and “state of readiness” I can discern.
Hi Marc,
Yes, very true, often the boat that we think is idea early in our cruising lives, turns out to be anything but once we have more experience and want to go further afield. We already have a lot of posts that will go a long way to help with that, but I will give thought to more.
You do indeed, but maybe not as directly as “Signs it’s time to change boats” or something along those lines. And, of course, I don’t necessarily mean “bigger” or even “better”, but “fit for purpose”.
Because I was sentimental and our offshore-capable boat was on the hard in refit mode, I kept our first boat for a few years in shared deals just to have something to sail when we chose. It was very informative on a number of points, like I suppose having a Fiat 500 and a Land Rover is informative during a Nova Scotia winter.
Well, John, I will be happy to teach you the joys of varnishing if you think you can show me that there is any joy to be had in unravelling marine electronic and computer interfaces. I will go first: your hands on lessons can start as soon as you are back in the jurisdiction …
That aside, I agree with your thesis. It would be a very boring world if we all decided to go on the same voyages and agreed on the “best boat” in which to do them. And, if we did, AAC would not be the interesting and useful site that you and Phyllis have created.
Wilson
Hum, I think this may be a Tom Sawyer type move to get me into sanding your varnish and then sorting out your electronics. I was born in the morning, but it was not this morning.
Seriously, I kind of agree with you about the horrors of fighting with marine electronics, and thanks for the kind words.
Great article! Brought a chuckle from a lot of people. Thanks again!
Rob
Excellent points, John, including the last one (smile.)
But have you noticed that these boats are not just a reflection of their owners, but a cultural reflection of where they come from as well. I’m obviously generalizing here, but we all know the French like to go light and fast, the sterns are wide and the keels are thin (ok, sometimes even lifting keels), while the English go heavy and deep. The Scandinavians have exquisite interiors of high quality, while the French like to hose theirs down after a passage? The Italians are stylish and luxurious, while the Finns are reliable and conservative? Americans going big on everything, while Europeans prefer a more Spartan set-up? And us Canadians with our skinny C&Cs, graceful and fast despite their age…
Diversity is such a gift even in our nautical world, and despite the industry’s tendency to “uniformize” everything, it’s so great to see all these different boat shapes and sizes when cruising around the world. It’s proof of individual thinking, originality and ingenuity to meet different needs for different purposes.
Still, the amount of varnish on some boats is ridiculous indeed. Is that an English thing, by the way?
Hi Chris,
That’s a good point, although, as you say, there are lots of exceptions to the national stereotypes. And yes, I agree, the diversity is a lot of what makes offshore sailing so interesting.
Hi John et al,
The best boat is probably the one your wife is happiest in.
Now we can discus who is the best spouse?
Rene
Hi Rene,
Not going there!
“. . . My New Year’s resolution for 2018: . . . none of the latter (harsh judgement).” Be careful: We would not want you to become overly frustrated.
Hi Westbrook,
What a terrible thought. I will guard against it.
Nice article.
Given the number of articles and entire books on the perfect cruising boat, the number of dreamers, and the number of boats just sitting in marinas, cruising what you have, within the limits of its capabilities and your own, is the place to start. Much is said about the importance of seaworthyness (basic dependability goes without saying), but for the beginning cruiser, sailing near home, I’v always thought getting the systems dialed in well comes first; if you can’t handle the boat and all of its gear fluidly, you are not going to handle trouble well. Additionally, the process of tuning the equipment leads to understanding sailing and trouble better, and avoiding the latter.
Getting it dialed in always takes longer than expect. The reason is that it takes time to really learn a boat. Oh, you can learn to sail and cruise it in a few days. But it takes months to get inside the designer’s head and synthesize that with the way you look at sailing. I’m only happy when the two meet up. And then in a year I’m ready to sell the boat and move on. Isn’t that just pitiful?
I’ve always found I could be happy with whatever I had, so long as I had it dialed in to suit the sailing I was doing.
Hi John,
Not surprised.
But many years ago, a friend advised to take into account your wive´s wishes.
And I did and it paid dividends.
This in contrast to an old uncle sea captain, who said anyone who can´t pee overboard shoulnt be on board. Happy to see times have changed.
What ever kind of boat one chooses is the right one to be surrounded in the element
we were born in …….water!
Rene
Happy New Year!!!
Please don’t become too even-handed in 2018!! We like a bit of harsh judgement and the odd bit of damning criticism doesn’t do any harm either. I suspect it’s why so many readers subscribe to you rather than to the traditional yachting press which has become somewhat anodyne, in fear of losing advertising revenue.
All the best in 2018
Frank
Hi Frank,
Not to worry, I will still feel free to point out weaknesses in boats and gear. That said, I will also try not to write off an entire genre of boats when the weaknesses in question are not fatal for a given usage.
Hi John,
I do not believe that you can emphasize enough two crucial elements that go into picking a boat that will work for you: knowing yourself (as you say, what “makes us happy”) and knowing boats (“is safe for our intended purpose”). The questions: what will you use the boat for, and what are the boat’s design characteristics that will lead to you having the best shot at achieving those goals?
Knowing oneself as a boater is best achieved by experience. That said, the more one reads and absorbs the written history of our sport (The Hiscocks etc.), the more one talks with experienced sailors and reads sites like AAC’s, the more likely good decisions will be made on the road to gaining experience. And, of course, it is possible, even likely that one’s goals will change and evolve over time.
Looking at (assessing) boat design characteristics is an area, I believe, where real advances can be made in ensuring that a prospective sailor is likely to have a good experience. That and, as important, communicating the assessments to the sailing public. In this realm, I believe AAC comes closest to providing the broadest range of accurate information among all the marine media by a good margin. For that, you should be congratulated: not an easy road to travel.
Next, I find the marine industry to be more un-disciplined and far less professional than reasonable. From surveyors to dealers to boatyards to manufacturers to the media etc. there are completely unnecessary disappointments and frustrations, poor information or outright lies, shoddy work and cut corners, that even experienced boaters find hard not to experience. We (as participants in the boating community) can push the industry to more disciplined and professional in all these areas and make less likely people giving up the sport early on because of infuriating interactions in these areas.
As to your being less judgmental, that can be a good New Year’s resolution for many of us. And, while I do believe that we can and should move away from being judgmental, it is necessary to make judgments, take positions, and make assessments and be forthright about the ingredients that go into that assessment: which may be a better word than judgment.
Happy New Year to all,
Safe sailing, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
Hi Dick,
I think that’s a very fair assessment of the industry and a good way to move forward from here. I will give some thought to how we can do even more to help those new to offshore sailing to find a decent boat.
I had hoped that the A40 would be a benchmark, which would have been by far the best solution, but I just checked Kip and Erik’s web site and it appears that is well and truly dead since they have not posted since May and are not even answering comments.
Hum, maybe I could take the A40 posts and rework them into spec that would be a useful benchmark, even it the actual boat never gets built. That process would also leverage the experience of the many cruisers like you who would comment.
That’s a good idea, because (as I have a boat and would not therefore be a likely customer for the A-40) the process of conceiving the A-40 and why certain decisions were made was revelatory in a good way and reflective of collective experience at sea. So whether a physical boat ever gets built or not, the intellectual (and sometimes emotional) exercise of devising “the ideal cruiser” was not in vain in the slightest.
Hi John,
I think that (and A-40 benchmark) would be a very valuable addition to people’s getting good starts at assessing and thinking about offshore boats. I can remember my early years when given the CCA’s Desirable and Undesirable Characteristics of Offshore Yachts and how helpful it was and the time I spent reading and re-reading it. (I suspect some advice is dated–I believe it was published in the mid 1980s–, but much is likely still good food for thought.)
Another possible article (that I have mentioned before) might be to use your own suggestions and AAC’s reader’s suggestions to come up with the most useful books/articles in the various marine areas: navigation, design, sailing, heavy weather etc. I find younger generation sailors (very casual observation) not as well informed about the jewels that are out there that every offshore sailor would benefit from having under his/her belt. It should be noted as well, that maritime authors, like many mountain climbing authors, are generally quite good authors and make for wonderful reads as well as very informative.
My best, Dick
Dick, if you are like me, you’ve read literally hundreds of boat books, but you probably have only four or five increasingly grubby reference works you absolutely insist on having aboard. Only people with a lot of sea miles could explain why such books are perennials for the voyaging cruiser.
Marc, I’m sure that will be the case, would you share some of your ‘grubby books’ please for those of us starting out, thanks.
Paul
Well, they are frozen into place on the boat, but a few that come to mind are as follows:
Boatowners Mechanical and Electrical Manual 4th Ed., Nigel Calder
Marine Diesel Engines: Maintenance, Troubleshooting, and Repair, Nigel Calder
Boat Mechanical Systems Handbook: How to Design, Install, and Recognize Proper Systems in Boats, Dave Gerr
Metal Corrosion in Boats: The Prevention of Metal Corrosion in Hulls, Engines, Rigging and Fittings, Nigel Warren (particular to my situation!)
The Voyager’s Handbook: The Essential Guide to Blue Water Cruising, Beth Leonard, Evans Starzinger
The Complete Rigger’s Apprentice: Tools and Techniques for Modern and Traditional Rigging, Brion Toss
Those five are coming with me.
I also like the boat electrical references by John Vigor and Charlie Wing and anchoring books by Earl Hinz and Gary Goodlander and weather books by Frank Singleton and Les Chesneau. Lastly, there are several small-boat specific medical references out there, but the best thing you can do is to take courses in that for “hand knowledge”. I hope this has helped.
Thanks Marc, I’m sure those and a few others will be favourites with many on here.
“The people make the ship, the ship doesn’t make the people”…… and….
“there is always more than one way to do things”……
Observations from 30+ years at sea as a Merchant Marine Officer, life long sailor, and long time sailboat owner.
Hi Den,
Very true.
Hi John,
I have no trouble imaging a cruising yacht a lot different from the 3 you wrote of in this article.
First I would like to say that I am indebted to this site, for selling me on the multiple positives of aluminium yachts.
Coming up to 3years ago I bought “my ideal” yacht, a 5yo, 48ft alloy catamaran. Since then I have done 16,000 miles in her. Someone would have to offer me a lot more money than she is worth, for me to sell her now.
I grew up on the sub-tropical Australian east coast, raced dingies and then skiffs all through my youth and then a Laser around the cans in my 40s. This boat with her daggerboards and performance feels just like a big Laser. Nice and quick for making the most of favourable weather windows. We averaged 200mile days for the passage from New Caledonia to Australia a month ago.
I did the run up from New Zealand to Fiji last May, Catamarans are becoming very popular for cruising the South Pacific Islands. Personally I would not do it in one of the high volume production cats, which are designed primarily for the bareboat charter market.
How I would heat the interior for cruising the seas you sail in, I have not given much thought to, as cooling the interior is more of an issue here.
With her pop-up-rudders, daggerboard and folding propellers on shafts, she draws half a metre. Humpback whale number are increasing down here exponentially. Last cruising season there numerous stories of boats having to change course to avoid whale pods. Doing 10-14kts, it is nice to know that the boat would go over the top of one without breaking anything.
Again thank you for the site, it has majorly reduced my “yacht repairs and maintenance in exotic location”, wasted time cruising the south pacific.
Cheers
Francis
Hi Francis,
I’m a big fan of properly designed cats—relatively fine hulls and high bridge decks— and yours sounds like a great boat, particularly for your purposes.
(The problem with cats in the high latitudes is that the hulls tend to gather loose ice between them.)
Hi John.
As you know, I’m a multihull “fanatic”, but I think I’ll have to agree that a normal cruising cat is probably not suitable for areas where one has to push through ice. To avoid packing between the hulls one could try parallel inner sides of the hulls, as some older designs and many motor cats have, but that gives a lot of resistance so it’s a poor design and might not even help. The single wedge shape of a monohull seems better suited. Also, since most cats have foam cored fiberglass hulls, their resistance to ice is limited.
However there are possibilities. A fellow Norwegian and long time acquaintance of mine, Børge Ousland, an extremely tough guy, sailed around the North Pole ice cap in one season. They were the first to do that mostly sailing. A Russian sailboat was first to get around, same season, but mostly motored. Børge and two crew were on a 28 foot Farrier Corsair foldable trimaran. Reinforced slightly, but still a small and light boat.
Their strategy was to use the ability to go in shallow areas along the shoe where the thick ice doesn’t get, and in case of heavy ice, pull the boat over it rather than push through it. In case of serious weather and loads of ice threatening, they planned to pull it up on land. It worked well. This is not at all a boat or strategy suited for even the more extreme cruisers, but maybe light multihulls could have some useful features for high latitudes? Maybe then especially trimarans, as they have just one hull in the water and it’s very narrow.
I don’t think these types of issues are too relevant for the topic of suitable cruising boats, but as it was mentioned, i just thought I’d offer my thoughts.
Hi Stein
Here is a cat that will be close to your heart. They have all their priorities straight. Simplify, add lightness, and go have fun. Love the boat but I sure wouldn’t have been the guy who faired all the bog on the interior!
http://sailsurfroam.com/thevessel/
Hi Richard,
Thanks for the link. I spent a happy half hour checking out the site. I don’t have your (or Stein’s) knowledge of cats, but she certainly looked good to me. Also great to see younger people putting a cooperative project like that together.
Hi Richard and John.
Schonning is good at designing beautiful lines, and these guys have done an amazing job. The finish and build quality seems far superior of most production boats. The amount of work needed for that level of smoothness and shine is insane. The functional layouts look very well planned and this is a very fast cruiser, of course. This boat is far nicer than my own cat, but, even though this boat is way lighter than the standard floating house cats, I think it could have been lighter.
I think an essential part of seaworthiness in cats is that they handle the waves in a fundamentally different way than monohulls. They bob completely on top of them, rather than cutting through and being partially submerged by the bigger ones. It’s maybe the strategy described so well by Muhammed Ali / Cassius Clay: “Dance like a butterfly. Sting like a bee!”
In my opinion, a catamaran that can get green water on deck or in the cockpit is a fundamentally flawed design. That’s a pretty harsh judgement that will make most cruising cats fail, including my own, but is is definitely possible to pass that criterium. Many racing multis and the old TRT1200 cat are well qualified examples, even though they have other issues.
In addition to the mentioned low weight, a cat needs to be able to handle an overload of power without being bogged down. That ability it with much more buoyancy low down, so it has a wider section with loads of reserve buoyancy, not by flared hull sides, but by just a large footprint. This also makes it possible with straighter longitudinal lines, which more than compensates the larger wetted surface.
Again, these opinions are just that, my opinions, but after quite a bit of experimenting in various racing classes and a fair bit of ocean and serious weather in multis, I’m convinced that this is the way to go. One day I’ll build some boats again to prove it. 🙂
Hi Richard and John.
Schonning is good at designing beautiful lines, and these guys have done an amazing job. The finish and build quality seems far superior of most production boats. The amount of work needed for that level of smoothness and shine is insane. The functional layouts look very well planned and this is a very fast cruiser, of course. This boat is far nicer than my own cat, but, even though this boat is way lighter than the standard floating house cats, I think it could have been lighter.
I think an essential part of seaworthiness in cats is that they handle the waves in a fundamentally different way than monohulls. They bob completely on top of them, rather than cutting through and being partially submerged by the bigger ones. It’s maybe the strategy described so well by Muhammed Ali / Cassius Clay: “Dance like a butterfly. Sting like a bee!”
In my opinion, a catamaran that can get green water on deck or in the cockpit is a fundamentally flawed design. That’s a pretty harsh judgement that will make most cruising cats fail, including my own, but is is definitely possible to pass that criterium. Many racing multis and the old TRT1200 cat are well qualified examples, even though they have other issues.
In addition to the mentioned low weight, a cat needs to be able to handle an overload of power without being bogged down. That ability it gets by having much more buoyancy low down, so it has a wider section, often more than 50% wider, with loads of reserve buoyancy, not by flared hull sides, but by just a large footprint. This also makes it possible with straighter longitudinal lines, which more than compensates the larger wetted surface. The extra benefit of this layout for a cruiser is that it makes a boat that is way less vulnerable to extra weight. It will still be negative, but not necessarily crippling, as it is on several cruisers.
Again, these opinions are just that, my opinions, but after quite a bit of experimenting in various racing classes and a fair bit of ocean and serious weather in multis, I’m convinced that this is the way to go. One day I’ll build some boats again to prove it. ?
Varnish inside should be Ok shouldn’t it? The extensive varnish work in my 75 year old house is still fine, although the window sills could now do with a re-coat as they get the direct sunlight. Can I have a Bombigher interior* in a Nordkyn** alloy cruiser please?
Hi Paul,
Sure, in fact we have quite a bit of varnish trim below in our boat—the classic Herreshoff interior look, which we both love.
I do caution against all varnish interiors though as they can be really dark and a bit depressing, particularly if cruising places with cloudy and rainy weather.
The same boat can go from being the “best” to being a nightmare, or from being an ugly duckling to the perfect cruiser. It’s a bit like finding a partner/spouse: when you are young, beauty is the priority, but as you get older, you look for more than that. And, if you choose right, the love gets stronger with time. In other words, whether it’s the “best boat” (or the worst) may depend on the point in time that you do the analysis.
I have to admit that I bought our boat thinking that it’s, well, a bit ugly. (My first mate thought it was cute, or cute-ish.) But I bought it for its other characteristics (for example: NO VARNISH, indeed no wood at all, above deck), and those characteristics are what make it closer to “best” than not. We always thought our last boat was the cutest in the anchorage, and we really admired the hull every time we hauled it out. But it wasn’t what we wanted in other respects (no pilothouse!). My advice, then, is to look past apparent beauty if you can (not always easy with pleasure boats; they aren’t rational things at all). Same for spouses…
Hi Paul,
A very good tip. When we bought our boat she was covered in varnished wood and we thought that was beautiful, but over the years the varnished wood either fell to an air chisel or we painted it. Now the boat has a look-the-biz air that we find even more beautiful.
I’ve read this a few times and fortunately I also remember to keep my top 5 handy so as not to stray following these other great boats. At the moment I’m very keen on centerboard, lifting keel capability and while one can be spoiled for choice with older boats there are few modern choices. While the French AL boats are well documented, I’ve not seen anything interesting on the Jeanneau 389/379. I am debating between it and the Bristol 41.1 CC. And yes I’ve read the project boat vs newer boat articles. Who knew choosing a boat would be so intense!?
I know they’re fiberglass, but have you looked at the Southerly line of boats?
Regarding what we need on board, one of the best comments I’ve heard was on a morning VHF net in the Bahamas. One anxious cruiser came on and said he had an XYZ? on board that had quit working. He was asking if anyone knew how to fix them.
After a pregnant pause, another cruiser came back with: “I used to have one of those. Learned to live without it.” Reinforces KISS.
Larry
Hi Larry,
We should all apply that approach far more often than most of us do.
Without a proper tender even a Boreal 52 is just another marina Queen! I just came across a tender that looks to put all others in the garbage bin.
https://octenders.co.nz/why-oct/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=12&v=eIvojjHi5D4
Hi Richard,
Indeed an interesting boat for those that can find room to safely store a hard tender.
These folding hard-bottomed inflatables also look intriguing.
http://foldablerib.com/
Hi Ann,
Yes, I have looked at those a couple of times. I agree, intriguing, particularly for those, like Phyllis and I, that would like a RIB, but still want to be able to clear the decks before going to sea. The sailing version looks fun too, although probably a bit big for a cruising boat.
Hi all,
I have just come across a dinghy (https://www.takacat.com/) that appears to check a lot of boxes: for me light weight and smaller size when deflated, as well as the other attributes that go along with inflatables. A friend owns one and is quite enthusiastic after one season and it looks well-made although I have no first-hand experience.
His is the “open transom” model (there are a number of design types) which he reports being quite dry unless one stops abruptly and the wake wave comes up from behind to whack you. Might be a great dinghy for warmer waters although my friend was happy with it in Maine this last season.
If others have experience with this design/performance etc., I would appreciate hearing about it.
Happy New Year to all, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
We have had a Frib for the past season. It has been great. Very quick to put up and down. Not substantially heavier than a conventional inflatable. Rows very straight. We use with an electric outboard, but have a friend with a large outboard 10+ and it planes easily.
It is large, so storage off the davits is a challenge, but it works for us.
Hi Richard,
Whilst I don’t own an OCT, four of our cruising friends have them and I have done a couple of offshore trips in the Pacific on a friend’s yacht where the OCT was being used. I can say everyone I have talked to absolutely love their OCT dinghy – they are easily pulled up a beach even with a 10hp motor. Hamish Wilcox – NZ Olympian 470 sailor and international coach commissioned the sailing version and he was very happy with the result when I last spoke to him at Minerva Reef!
They are very popular with multihull owners being so light whilst requiring a smaller O/B to plane and we also had a steady stream of monohull owners asking to come and have a go – and I believe the OCT order book is always full so wait times can be lengthy (especially the sailing version). The OCT seems really well built and easy to repair minor dings. Like John, the issue for me is deck stowage and most monohull owners I have seen have them just forward of the mast, so they can’t go anyplace if hit by a wave head on. But I would worry about the side forces if carrying an OCT on the bow. Otherwise I have only heard great things, and I can attest they always outpace our small RIB with its ally-floor and an 8HP, plus they have a superior, drier ride – great for fishing expeditions too.
Rob
Hi Dick, another NZ dinghy so I also have several cruising friends with a Takacat, all of whom rave about their properties. My own observation (not first hand mind) is that the smaller ones suffer from lack of freeboard with what looks to be a wet ride in stronger headwinds. The larger Takacats have good clearance and ride higher, more like a RIB surf cat and they seem to fly. They are certainly light and up close I have been impressed with the build quality. I haven’t heard any negative issues with owners having them for 5 years +.
I like that they can be completely deflated for below deck stowage, whilst having a much better ride than an equivalent soft floor RIB, with larger outboard and crew carrying capacity.
Rob
Hi Rob,
Thanks for the feedback which matches well my casual observations. The small one might be great for warm waters and/or a second dinghy for those who like redundancy in that area. Dick
Hi John
Not to be judgemental LOL, but if one only sees the endless rafts of condomarans that populate the Caribbean its easy to forget what a real cruising catamaran should look like!
The other cool thing about this site is the generation that it represents. The time to go SailSurfRoam is when you are young!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6g9l4Vy29ErU0zyqLsanfg
Any thoughts on the suitability of the Sceptre 41/43 for offshore work? https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/sceptre-43
Hi Jeff,
I took a quick glance at the boat and she certainly looks good for offshore work, at least as long as those big salon windows are really strong. That said, I only spent a few minutes and I have never even seen one, so don’t act on my opinion. If you want a real in depth look at the boat, Colin offers that service: https://www.morganscloud.com/services/consulting/
As does John Neal and Bob Perry.