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| Selections from "Sail Away" | ||
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Part 3 - Outfitting
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| What
Size Boat? We have met sailors cruising happily aboard boats from 21 feet right up to a family cruising on a 101 foot sloop. Under 28 feet the boats are generally single-handed. Longer than 50 feet is quite rare for a liveaboard cruiser. Yachts 30 to 40 feet long make up the great majority in anchorages around the world. Ten years ago the average was in the lower 30-35 foot range and now it has crept up to the 35-40 foot range. The key here is that these boats are all actually out cruising - if you look at boats just tied up in marinas you get a different answer! Choosing a boat for cruising, and living aboard must obviously involve compromises. The smaller boat will be more affordable but may feel cramped and make slower passages because of a shorter waterline length. The larger boat will be more comfortable at sea but will cost more to purchase, maintain and dock in a marina. There are other factors less obvious. A large gleaming yacht will look like more of a target in a harbour in one of the poorer nations. If you plan to cruise "the road less travelled" it may be a good idea not to look like a multimillionaire as you cruise in on a boat where any one of a dozen deck fittings costs more than double the annual salary of the locals. The dimensions of a boat can restrict her cruising grounds as well. For example, a sailboat with a mast more than 65 feet off the water will not be able to transit the Intracoastal Waterway on the American east coast. Fixed bridges restrict passage to 65 feet height, and in fact, boats over about 62 feet must watch the tides or be ready to collect things like masthead lights, wind instruments etc as they rain down on the deck! Choosing the right boat for a cruise is important, but there are so many unknowns if you haven't done it before. How much gear will be needed? How much personal space should there be to live aboard and cruise full time? These are difficult questions, and when we tried to answer them in preparation for our first cruise we looked through boat design books and went to boat shows. After deciding to build a spacious 50 footer (!!) reality intervened and we started looking in the 32-38 foot range. The choice has been perfect for us. At 37' Two-Step is cosy and comfortable belowdecks, and has lots of storage space. Sailing mostly in warm weather, we find we are outside a lot and don't miss the extra living space in the cabin. The size of boat will be a very personal choice, and very affected by financial considerations. A 40 foot boat will cost substantially more than a 35 footer since it is much bigger not only in length, but beam and depth. On average a 40 footer is 50% larger than a 35 foot sailboat of similar design, since the volume increases by the cube of the length. The extra space inside will definitely cost more! No matter what kind of boat you choose, the key factors are that the hull is sound, the gear and rigging are able to withstand the strains of voyaging and that the crew are comfortable and confident handling her. |
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