Hello everyone! I am thinking about taking a huge trip, one hopefully that will take me most of the rest of my life, I want to visit every country with a coast line and am wondering what would be the best boat for things like crossing the pacific, and atlantic.... dealing with bad storms, etc... I also have to consider things like water suply, food (lots of both) and stuff like that so I would need somewhere to put it all... At the moment I am looking at an over rigged Cape Dory about 28 feet long, but honestly am not sure what would be best. I have done quite a bit of research but am left with the feeling that all the people who have done things like this like their boat too much to give me an honest opinion (this dosent surprise me, but its not helpfull...). I would love to get some idea of what fokes here think as I have learned a great deal from these forums... Cheers! Neil
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Oh, I forgott!
Forgot to mention this, I have a Girlfriend, and 2 dogs, one small and one about the size of a Germen Sheppard... Sorry... Cheers!
Forgot to mention this, I have a Girlfriend, and 2 dogs, one small and one about the size of a Germen Sheppard... Sorry... Cheers!
The Conch Republic?
Hilarious! I had no idea that the keys had seceded from the union. What planet have I been on? Sorry, Neil, I know you asked serious questions. I'll let the circumnavigators chime in.
Hilarious! I had no idea that the keys had seceded from the union. What planet have I been on? Sorry, Neil, I know you asked serious questions. I'll let the circumnavigators chime in.
It all depends
...on how much money you've got. However, living the rest of you life with two dogs and a girlfriend... and may be kids in the future?... sounds a little tight in space.
...on how much money you've got. However, living the rest of you life with two dogs and a girlfriend... and may be kids in the future?... sounds a little tight in space.
Offshore Heavy Weather Sailing
Before making the decision I would highly recomend Adler Coles book Heavy Weather Sailing. Sailing in winds under 40 knots is pretty straight forward but when the going gets tough you really want a strong boat. Questions must be answered such as, are you going into the southern ocean where gales are frequent and winds in excess of 80 knots are commonplace accompanied with waves over 50 feet are not unheard of. The book covers many topics including traditional long keels vs. wing keels etc. It discusses advantages and disadvantages of various hull shapes. Angle of stability is important. I would definitly not take a Hunter or Beneteau offshore but many people do. Good luck with your sailing.
Before making the decision I would highly recomend Adler Coles book Heavy Weather Sailing. Sailing in winds under 40 knots is pretty straight forward but when the going gets tough you really want a strong boat. Questions must be answered such as, are you going into the southern ocean where gales are frequent and winds in excess of 80 knots are commonplace accompanied with waves over 50 feet are not unheard of. The book covers many topics including traditional long keels vs. wing keels etc. It discusses advantages and disadvantages of various hull shapes. Angle of stability is important. I would definitly not take a Hunter or Beneteau offshore but many people do. Good luck with your sailing.
Neil - re Money Question
Neil - currious, what is your income while on this cruise? It costs a lot to properly maintain a boat and keep her in proper condition. Wear and tear and the corrosive environment takes it's toll on everything. And the bigger and older the boat the more money it takes. Also, what is your starting budget for the basic purchase?
Neil - currious, what is your income while on this cruise? It costs a lot to properly maintain a boat and keep her in proper condition. Wear and tear and the corrosive environment takes it's toll on everything. And the bigger and older the boat the more money it takes. Also, what is your starting budget for the basic purchase?
Offshore sailing
I suggest that you get (and read) a copy ($19 at Barnes and Noble) of "Seaworthy Offshore Sailboat: A Guide to Essential Features, Handling, and Gear" by John Vigor. It will give you a lot to think about. Vogor also has a book out called "Twenty Small Sailboats to Take you Anywhere" which I haven't read yet but is probably another good buy/read.
I suggest that you get (and read) a copy ($19 at Barnes and Noble) of "Seaworthy Offshore Sailboat: A Guide to Essential Features, Handling, and Gear" by John Vigor. It will give you a lot to think about. Vogor also has a book out called "Twenty Small Sailboats to Take you Anywhere" which I haven't read yet but is probably another good buy/read.
Read This for answers
The Voyage of American Promise by Dodge Morgan. I finished it last week. In it he discusses many questions re: circimnavigating and things to be concerned about regarding boat design and survival. It is out of print, but you can pick it up USED at amazon.com. Dodge Morgan was the first American singlehander to round all five southernmost capes during a non-stop solo circumnavigation in 1985. He also set the speed record for the circumnavigation (150 days). A good read.
The Voyage of American Promise by Dodge Morgan. I finished it last week. In it he discusses many questions re: circimnavigating and things to be concerned about regarding boat design and survival. It is out of print, but you can pick it up USED at amazon.com. Dodge Morgan was the first American singlehander to round all five southernmost capes during a non-stop solo circumnavigation in 1985. He also set the speed record for the circumnavigation (150 days). A good read.
Go for it Neil, but...
how does your girlfriend feel about it? Some good relationships are ruined/made by living for days on end in tight quarters and it better be her dream too. My thought is you need something in the 40+ foot range. One couple - with their two dogs -is doing a lot of sailing and you might read their exploits. See the attached link. Al
how does your girlfriend feel about it? Some good relationships are ruined/made by living for days on end in tight quarters and it better be her dream too. My thought is you need something in the 40+ foot range. One couple - with their two dogs -is doing a lot of sailing and you might read their exploits. See the attached link. Al
I'm just a bit behind you...or maybe ahead
Hey Neil..good luck to ya. I have read on this for about 2 years, and probably by the end of 2 ore will be going off for a planned 10 year or so jaunt. I'm liking the idea of retracing Joshua Slocum's trip...maybe with some deviations. I like Don Casey's Thoreau approach. If you save up to sail, you'll never sail. If you wait for a bigger boat, you'll never go. I left the big city in 2000 and live on what I never thought I could live on, and still fed and housed the family. That's a good prep for heading off on an adventure. I think going straight from the good life to living on a cruiser would have been tough, but just as doable. I was in Miami last month and read a local paper about how there was a big controversy over an increase in the Bahama government entry charges. Its big bucks just to enter their waters. I'll just avoid those places as much as possible, but the thing that stuck out in the story is the pricing structure. If the boat is over 30', the charges double. I read an account of a panama Canal passage in Cruising World this summer. Under 30' was about 1200 bucks. Over 30' was about 5000 bucks. Almost every book I read about cruising talks about the 30ft price phenomena. On the other hand...man, 2 dogs and a girlfriend? Sounds more like keepin house than sailin. The dogs are gonna keep you out of a lot of countires unless you quarintine/kennel/etc. My 27 Hunter looks like its just right for me....and I plan on having a girlfriend aboard for some legs (plus I'm sure there will be some along the way), but the dogs would be a deal killer for me. Space and finances. I'll be living aboard full time next month...maybe I'll be singin a different tune by the end of the year haha Jack
Hey Neil..good luck to ya. I have read on this for about 2 years, and probably by the end of 2 ore will be going off for a planned 10 year or so jaunt. I'm liking the idea of retracing Joshua Slocum's trip...maybe with some deviations. I like Don Casey's Thoreau approach. If you save up to sail, you'll never sail. If you wait for a bigger boat, you'll never go. I left the big city in 2000 and live on what I never thought I could live on, and still fed and housed the family. That's a good prep for heading off on an adventure. I think going straight from the good life to living on a cruiser would have been tough, but just as doable. I was in Miami last month and read a local paper about how there was a big controversy over an increase in the Bahama government entry charges. Its big bucks just to enter their waters. I'll just avoid those places as much as possible, but the thing that stuck out in the story is the pricing structure. If the boat is over 30', the charges double. I read an account of a panama Canal passage in Cruising World this summer. Under 30' was about 1200 bucks. Over 30' was about 5000 bucks. Almost every book I read about cruising talks about the 30ft price phenomena. On the other hand...man, 2 dogs and a girlfriend? Sounds more like keepin house than sailin. The dogs are gonna keep you out of a lot of countires unless you quarintine/kennel/etc. My 27 Hunter looks like its just right for me....and I plan on having a girlfriend aboard for some legs (plus I'm sure there will be some along the way), but the dogs would be a deal killer for me. Space and finances. I'll be living aboard full time next month...maybe I'll be singin a different tune by the end of the year haha Jack
Re: Dodge Morgan book
There's one I haven't read. The Abebooks 2nd hand books website lists 80 copies beginning at $3.00. Actually 79--I just ordered it.
There's one I haven't read. The Abebooks 2nd hand books website lists 80 copies beginning at $3.00. Actually 79--I just ordered it.
Bill, give us a review...
...of the Dodge Morgan book when you finish it. I finished it last week. The week before that, I had the pleasure of meeting Dodge Morgan as we had him as a guest speaker at the Maine Hunter Sailing Association 2nd annual rendezvous. In 1985 at age 53 he completed the non-stop circumnavigation. He is an extroardinary man. See the picture of him attached to this post
...of the Dodge Morgan book when you finish it. I finished it last week. The week before that, I had the pleasure of meeting Dodge Morgan as we had him as a guest speaker at the Maine Hunter Sailing Association 2nd annual rendezvous. In 1985 at age 53 he completed the non-stop circumnavigation. He is an extroardinary man. See the picture of him attached to this post
Attachments
Paul, cool
...picture. I look forward to reading the book even more now! I have been on a bit of a binge these couple of years, reading Moitessier, Merrien, Marin Marie, etc. etc. (so many Frenchmen!); the Pardeys; Robinson; Coles; Pidgeon; ... Always looking for more. Abebooks has been a boon to my "addiction" often finding books there at very cheap prices that I thought I'd never be able to locate.
...picture. I look forward to reading the book even more now! I have been on a bit of a binge these couple of years, reading Moitessier, Merrien, Marin Marie, etc. etc. (so many Frenchmen!); the Pardeys; Robinson; Coles; Pidgeon; ... Always looking for more. Abebooks has been a boon to my "addiction" often finding books there at very cheap prices that I thought I'd never be able to locate.
Amazon.com
Bill, I bought my copy of "Voyage" for 95 cents. Shipping was $2.95. I had Dodge autograph it but told him he didn't earn any royalties on it because I bought it for .95 as a used book. He laughed and mentioned it in his presentation.
Bill, I bought my copy of "Voyage" for 95 cents. Shipping was $2.95. I had Dodge autograph it but told him he didn't earn any royalties on it because I bought it for .95 as a used book. He laughed and mentioned it in his presentation.
Neil,
While it is true that you can learn alot by reading books about cruising and open ocean sailing, the fact is that all the reading in the world will not prepare you for the reality of being out on the ocean for a week or more at a time (regardless of the size of the boat). Before you buy the boat and cast off, you and your girlfriend should crew on a boat doing an offshore cruise.... like TransAt (Miami? to Bermuda) or similar. After you both have experienced the seasickness, the mental and physical exaustion, the dealing with all sorts of unforseen problems and other "fun" aspects of open ocean cruising, you will be much better prepared to decide if you really want to persue the dream. Good luck
While it is true that you can learn alot by reading books about cruising and open ocean sailing, the fact is that all the reading in the world will not prepare you for the reality of being out on the ocean for a week or more at a time (regardless of the size of the boat). Before you buy the boat and cast off, you and your girlfriend should crew on a boat doing an offshore cruise.... like TransAt (Miami? to Bermuda) or similar. After you both have experienced the seasickness, the mental and physical exaustion, the dealing with all sorts of unforseen problems and other "fun" aspects of open ocean cruising, you will be much better prepared to decide if you really want to persue the dream. Good luck
HAHAHA!!!
GRIN! I actualy DO live in the Conch Republic, the best part is that the US has totaly forgotten that after I think 10 years it actualy becomes reality.... The US never bothered to chalange us on this so we win!
GRIN! I actualy DO live in the Conch Republic, the best part is that the US has totaly forgotten that after I think 10 years it actualy becomes reality.... The US never bothered to chalange us on this so we win!
Thanks everyone!
This has been some good stuff! and the Charbonneau page at http://www.sailcharbonneau.com/ is wonderfull! thanks! Here are some answers for some of the people who asked questions... (please note that my spelling is hiddious! that and I am only half way into my first cup of coffee!) #1 Girlfriend No problems there! (PHEW!) #2 Dogs Both dogs are extreamly well trained, both know the command "GO POTTY!" and do so where ever we point.... (the nasty bastard down the street had better be a little nicer in the future!) Breston, the big one is a Dutch police dog and as such is astoundingly inteligent. When we took him on his first sailing trip within an hour he knew the word "tack" and that it ment he needed to hop over to the other side of the cocpit (we were in our 16' Com Pac). Both dogs basicly make us very happy, and we wouldent think of going anywhere without them... Quarenteens could be quite a drag though..... Hmmmmm.... #3 Money I devlope websites and do almost 100% of my work over the internet from home so I am not too worried about that one.... (I also work as a cook, which could be usefull just about anywhere there is food!) Anyhow, a good laptop, and a satellight phone/modem should take care of that. As for the emotional stuff, both of us have been through some horrifying things and dont get upset often.... and this trip will get me away from the thing that makes me the most angry (as in blind rage) the near total destruction of the coral reef here, it is advertised as north americas "only living coral reef" which is now a lie, its dead, and people killed it. ok... now I am mad again, it will be good to get away before I do something rash... oh... neither of us get seasick.... and neither do the dogs (so far.... oh god that would be awefull....) Cheers, and thanks again everyone!
This has been some good stuff! and the Charbonneau page at http://www.sailcharbonneau.com/ is wonderfull! thanks! Here are some answers for some of the people who asked questions... (please note that my spelling is hiddious! that and I am only half way into my first cup of coffee!) #1 Girlfriend No problems there! (PHEW!) #2 Dogs Both dogs are extreamly well trained, both know the command "GO POTTY!" and do so where ever we point.... (the nasty bastard down the street had better be a little nicer in the future!) Breston, the big one is a Dutch police dog and as such is astoundingly inteligent. When we took him on his first sailing trip within an hour he knew the word "tack" and that it ment he needed to hop over to the other side of the cocpit (we were in our 16' Com Pac). Both dogs basicly make us very happy, and we wouldent think of going anywhere without them... Quarenteens could be quite a drag though..... Hmmmmm.... #3 Money I devlope websites and do almost 100% of my work over the internet from home so I am not too worried about that one.... (I also work as a cook, which could be usefull just about anywhere there is food!) Anyhow, a good laptop, and a satellight phone/modem should take care of that. As for the emotional stuff, both of us have been through some horrifying things and dont get upset often.... and this trip will get me away from the thing that makes me the most angry (as in blind rage) the near total destruction of the coral reef here, it is advertised as north americas "only living coral reef" which is now a lie, its dead, and people killed it. ok... now I am mad again, it will be good to get away before I do something rash... oh... neither of us get seasick.... and neither do the dogs (so far.... oh god that would be awefull....) Cheers, and thanks again everyone!
if you have to ask!!
If you dont know what size boat is big enough , or what you'll need, you are very much in need of a few things. Sailing courses, seminars, take advantage of crewing opportunities. DO NOT GO INTO THIS ARENA UNLESS YOU ARE READY, IN SKILL ,KNOWLEDGE OR FINANCIALLY. You need heavy weather experience, good equipment and time to practice on it. good luck
If you dont know what size boat is big enough , or what you'll need, you are very much in need of a few things. Sailing courses, seminars, take advantage of crewing opportunities. DO NOT GO INTO THIS ARENA UNLESS YOU ARE READY, IN SKILL ,KNOWLEDGE OR FINANCIALLY. You need heavy weather experience, good equipment and time to practice on it. good luck
Neil, surely you jest.
I've enjoyed reading all of the serious responses. However, I believe you asked your question, tongue in cheek, to see what the reaction would be. I imagine you have had a good laugh. I know, I did.
I've enjoyed reading all of the serious responses. However, I believe you asked your question, tongue in cheek, to see what the reaction would be. I imagine you have had a good laugh. I know, I did.
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