Carrying Capacity

tiempo2010 · Jun 30, 2010

You'll go down 1" for each 657 lbs you put on board

On Wed, Jun 30, 2010 at 7:29 AM, jantudor@...
jan.tudor@... wrote:

tim_klynn · Jun 30, 2010

So if the Vega goes down 1" for each 657 lbs, if you've got 22" of freeboard, theoretically you could carry 14,454 lbs before you sank, so maybe you would still be afloat carrying 14,000 lbs. I would recommend carrying less than 7 tons. Probably 2000 pounds would be ok. You could see how low (or high) you are already above the waterline if you can locate the 2 small screws, on on the bow and on on the stern, that are supposed to be at the waterline. My boat normally rides higher than the screws.

tom_rutter · Jun 30, 2010

You would need to be careful where the weight is stowed too. If you get a
vega here the fuel tank is still in the bilge this will help. If there's too
much weight in the bow, it could slam quite badly going upwind in a blow.
More a problem crossing Biscay than the Atlantic though I guess.

I've sailed a few times with four 6ft+ people on board and it worked out ok.
Water is the main problem with weight. Perhaps get a watermaker to shed a
few kgs?

Tom

On 30 Jun 2010, at 15:29, "jantudor@..." jan.tudor@...
wrote:
Hi there everyone, I'm currently looking at buying a vega and am wondering
how much they can carry in terms of weight of equipment and provisions
without dangerously altering stability.

I'd like to do an Atlantic crossing with four adults, comfort in terms of
the amount of space is not an issue, but safety is So, I was wondering if
any of you current vega owners have any thoughts on if this is safe or not.

Any info/thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

Best,
Jan

pjacobs55 · Jun 30, 2010

I once read somewhere that a boat the size of the vega "... eats 6, sleeps 4, and sails 2 ... "

Peter
#1331 'Sin Tacha'

tom_rutter · Jul 1, 2010

Yeah. With 4 on board, it is a bit like one of those puzzles with sliding
squares and one missing. Every time you want to move somewhere someone else
has to move to make space. For me, it's been fine with 3 though and this
would be ideal crew size for two or three day passages. (No idea about
longer passages though.) If you're not good friends at the start you will
be by the end!

With three, there's enough room for comfort in the cockpit (if you're day
sailing) and enough bunks for sleeping during watches (letting everyone
sleep 'downhill'). And in port, someone gets a bit more privacy in the
forepeak cabin. With 4 someone was always a passenger trapped in a corner,
and it wasn't possible for everyone to be doing something useful.

Tom

bobnlesafloat · Jul 1, 2010

That is great description of the Vega - though we did once (a communication breakdown) end up with twelve aboard for dinner one evening; fortunately it was a warm evening.

dougpol1 · Jul 1, 2010

One odf the things to think about is with food and water for four you
will be far enough down
on her lines the she will be conciderably slower so that means more food
and water and even slower. I would not even consider crossing the
atlantic with that much weight in a 27ft boat. Even if you put in a
water maker that means more fuel to make water. I think it's a really
bad idea and a dangerouse one. Vega is a two people boat for an ocean
crossing. I would look for a boat 35 ft. or more.

Doug

SVFlyAway · Jul 1, 2010

I agree, I wouldn't cross an ocean with four people on a Vega, but it has
been done. But, back in the 70s four Frenchmen crossed the Atlantic in a
Vega. It was written up in one of the magazines and Albin then published it
in an advertising brochure. I have a copy I could scan if no one else has it
handy (I have to get if off the boat first).

robwhelton · Jul 2, 2010

If too much weight up front is bad, then where else can we stow water etc?
I recently lifted my cockpit sole and was amazed to see how much empty space is under there. I was thinking that with a suitable frame to keep it clear of the prop shaft you could fit a sizable flexi water tank in there. Has anyone done this, or used the space for some other sort of storage?
Cheers

Rob

V1583 Mavanier
Stornoway, Scotland

j.hunter9999 · Jul 2, 2010

Chris - I'd be interested in reading the article if you have time to scan it in.

Jack

dougpol1 · Jul 2, 2010

Chris, Of course we agree here that four men in a Vega is not
a good idea. I knew somebody would site a case where four men sailed
the Atlantic there almost has to be at least one.. East to west though
is one where you get in the gulf stream and trade winds and go. You
can count on a trip that is a certain length even if you are using a
really slow boat.. West to east is another thing entirely. Some trips
have taken 60 days and a lot longer to go to England from the east
coast. I think the record is something over 100 days. An west to
east trip should be provisioned for 60 days in my opinion at least.
Unless you want to play the odds. That is a lot of supplies to carry in
a Vega. Doug

tom_rutter · Jul 2, 2010

Hate to suggest it on this group, but something like an Elizabethan 30 might
be a better plan? They're about 3 times heavier than the Vega and there's a
lot more space inside because of a much bigger beam. They don't cost much
more (if you can find one) but they are slower than the Vega.

wemccourt · Jul 2, 2010

There was also a VHF cassette that Sid Rosen was circulating about a Vega called "Little Mei" that 4 fellows sailed across the Atlantic. Don't know if this was the same Vega or not.

Bill-Reston, VA

vega1860 · Jul 3, 2010

Actually, that is "Drinks" six, eats four and sleeps two...

but creative variations are allowed...

d8^)

Chuck

vegatern · Jul 3, 2010

I knew it was somewhere. The article about crossing the Atlantic in the Vega "Little My" is available in the Newsletter Archives on the American Vega Association Website. See the Nov. 1991 issue, page 9. Perhaps also of interest is an article about cruising Great Slave Lake (Oct.1990) and Nick and Jenny Coghlan's (Vega circumnavigators) article "Provisioning for Offshore", (June 1991).
Craig Tern#1519

tiempo2010 · Jul 5, 2010

The ideal location for heavy weights is low and roughly over the keel. This
obviously isn't always practical but is what you should strive for. There a
re some weights like anchor and chain that are forward. Weight aft will
compensate as you don't want to be bow down.

j.hunter9999 · Jul 5, 2010

I love the idea of building some kind of frame to hold/house a flexible or fixed water tank. Best to remember that it may have to be removed some day to work on the engine. I keep saying that as soon as our MD6 goes, I'm replacing it with an outboard built into a well where the aft lazarette now sits, which would free up a ton of space under the cockpit sole. Unfortunately, the darn thing just keeps running!

Jack
Bella - V2620