Since I am new in this matter I would like to get in contact with peoble with experienc, My goal is to get me a boat that is strong and seaworty to sail the Atlantic east to Evrope. Is there anyone who can help an old fisherman? Torfi
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Read and ask local sailors
We read "Choosing a Cruising Sailboat" by Roger Marshall in the chandlery of this site for great general advice, and design statistics on many modern boats. But if you are going to buy a boat in Iceland, much depends on what is available. If you can talk to any local sailors, they will have good opinions based on local conditions and available boats. The lighter, coastal cruiser designs featured on this site are not made for sailing in the high latitude weather and waves of Iceland. We chartered a Fantasy 37 made on Tjoern on the West Coast of Sweden last summer. The Hallberg-Rassy yard is nearby. Either of these makes would be a good starting point for your search. Good luck, David Lady Lillie
We read "Choosing a Cruising Sailboat" by Roger Marshall in the chandlery of this site for great general advice, and design statistics on many modern boats. But if you are going to buy a boat in Iceland, much depends on what is available. If you can talk to any local sailors, they will have good opinions based on local conditions and available boats. The lighter, coastal cruiser designs featured on this site are not made for sailing in the high latitude weather and waves of Iceland. We chartered a Fantasy 37 made on Tjoern on the West Coast of Sweden last summer. The Hallberg-Rassy yard is nearby. Either of these makes would be a good starting point for your search. Good luck, David Lady Lillie
Thanks for advice
Thank you David for your advice. The boats here in Iceland are of all kinds, not all for sailing in bad conditiones as it offen are in this part of the Atlantic. I am a experinced sailor as I have been a captain on fishingboats for 40 years but have never worked with sails. I have read all the books and magasins that I have laid my hands on about this matter so now I know a little. I was thinking of buying a boat in the States and spend some time there, than sail up the east coast and to Greenland, then Iceland and east to Europe Regards, Torfi
Thank you David for your advice. The boats here in Iceland are of all kinds, not all for sailing in bad conditiones as it offen are in this part of the Atlantic. I am a experinced sailor as I have been a captain on fishingboats for 40 years but have never worked with sails. I have read all the books and magasins that I have laid my hands on about this matter so now I know a little. I was thinking of buying a boat in the States and spend some time there, than sail up the east coast and to Greenland, then Iceland and east to Europe Regards, Torfi
More ideas
OK, Torfi, that answers some of my questions - You are planning to cruise in the high latitudes, but are looking for a boat here in the States rather than Europe. In Marshall's book, he describes a voyager type with these characteristics: - a 6 foot bulbed keel, and skeg hung rudder. - big tanks: 180 gallons of freshwater, and 240 gallons of fuel oil. This is for 4 people in a hull over 40 feet. I think two people could go as low as 30 feet with some comfort. And could do with less tankage. - SA/D of 18.3 - D/L of 259 - Capsize screen of 1.80 - 26% overhangs (LOA-LWL)/LOA - 3.06 Length/Beam - excellent storage for supplies, dinghy, and ground tackle. On this site, the only design that comes close is the Cherubini 37c, a cutter rig with an excellent record at sea. You would have to convert it for sea cruising by strengthening and upgrading systems and watertight integrity, but others have done the job, and everyone who know them loves this boat. Other current boats listed in Marshall's book that are close to his Voyager spec are made by Pacific Seacraft, Island Packet, and Cabo Rico. There are a number of others, of course. David Lady Lillie
OK, Torfi, that answers some of my questions - You are planning to cruise in the high latitudes, but are looking for a boat here in the States rather than Europe. In Marshall's book, he describes a voyager type with these characteristics: - a 6 foot bulbed keel, and skeg hung rudder. - big tanks: 180 gallons of freshwater, and 240 gallons of fuel oil. This is for 4 people in a hull over 40 feet. I think two people could go as low as 30 feet with some comfort. And could do with less tankage. - SA/D of 18.3 - D/L of 259 - Capsize screen of 1.80 - 26% overhangs (LOA-LWL)/LOA - 3.06 Length/Beam - excellent storage for supplies, dinghy, and ground tackle. On this site, the only design that comes close is the Cherubini 37c, a cutter rig with an excellent record at sea. You would have to convert it for sea cruising by strengthening and upgrading systems and watertight integrity, but others have done the job, and everyone who know them loves this boat. Other current boats listed in Marshall's book that are close to his Voyager spec are made by Pacific Seacraft, Island Packet, and Cabo Rico. There are a number of others, of course. David Lady Lillie
Westsail 32
The West Sail 32 that was designed right from the Scandinavian lifeboats comes to mind. She is very heavy, full keeled and well founded. They were avialable in varying stages of construction. Most buyers did their own interior finishing and rigging. They are out there and at a decent price. They are not the fastest passage makers, but are very seaworthy and tough. Good luck to you Bob
The West Sail 32 that was designed right from the Scandinavian lifeboats comes to mind. She is very heavy, full keeled and well founded. They were avialable in varying stages of construction. Most buyers did their own interior finishing and rigging. They are out there and at a decent price. They are not the fastest passage makers, but are very seaworthy and tough. Good luck to you Bob
Westsail Story
They can be slow. I know a couple who worked on theirs for four years getting it ready. It had all the cruising stuff, but not much room left for them. They got 1200 miles and hung up the cruising life. It took an eternity to get where they wanted to go, wallowing all the way. I don't mean to disparage the Westsail since there are plenty out there, but don't overload them and have good light air sails. Rick D.
They can be slow. I know a couple who worked on theirs for four years getting it ready. It had all the cruising stuff, but not much room left for them. They got 1200 miles and hung up the cruising life. It took an eternity to get where they wanted to go, wallowing all the way. I don't mean to disparage the Westsail since there are plenty out there, but don't overload them and have good light air sails. Rick D.
How many crewman?
Torfi, The Albin Vega was built in Sweden and is a tough little seaworthy vessel. But a little limited on size if you have more than 2 people on board for a passage. But for only 1 or 2 people it's roomy enough, fast, tough and easily sailed. Robert
Torfi, The Albin Vega was built in Sweden and is a tough little seaworthy vessel. But a little limited on size if you have more than 2 people on board for a passage. But for only 1 or 2 people it's roomy enough, fast, tough and easily sailed. Robert
Solo
Thank you all for replayng so quikly. I am going to be solo as nobody is as crazy as I am. This has been a dream for me a long time and I am going to make It come true. What do you think of Irwin, Allmand or boats that are more common in the States, I see a lot of them on the broker site´s. Is it to shoal keeled. In the future I am going to cruise the Med. an finish there as an old man, if it is God will. I just have to get the boat there. I am not going to cruise much in high lat. as you talked about David. I am going to buy a boat in the States rather in Europ because it kosl much less. I am going to spend at least 2-3 years in the States cruising until I get a grips og handeling sailboats.. I was thinking of a boat around 30-34 ft.
Thank you all for replayng so quikly. I am going to be solo as nobody is as crazy as I am. This has been a dream for me a long time and I am going to make It come true. What do you think of Irwin, Allmand or boats that are more common in the States, I see a lot of them on the broker site´s. Is it to shoal keeled. In the future I am going to cruise the Med. an finish there as an old man, if it is God will. I just have to get the boat there. I am not going to cruise much in high lat. as you talked about David. I am going to buy a boat in the States rather in Europ because it kosl much less. I am going to spend at least 2-3 years in the States cruising until I get a grips og handeling sailboats.. I was thinking of a boat around 30-34 ft.
Torfi, you have many, many choices...
...if you will be purchasing in the U.S. marketplace. And if you want a seaworthy, good sailing boat, you really need to do some targeted, thoughtful reading before you start shopping. This is especially true given your plans, as sailing along the U.S. east coast is in generally temperate, stable weather systems with abundant harbors, crossing an ocean can be a big task for any boat (or captain), and sailing in the Med will require good sailing performance in very light winds and also heavy winds with steep chop & seas. In other words, you are asking a lot of a boat with those plans, and neither the Almand nor Irwin brands you mention are IMO very appealing choices. Given that you are starting with little knowledge, it would be hard to recommend books that wouldn't prove helpful to you. For starters, you might visit www.mahina.com/cruise.html and read John Neal's excellent summary of boat characteristics for offshore sailing boats (altho' his write-up is biased towards boats doing long-distance cruising). You would also do well to digest a few general references that teach you a bit more about both boats generally, and setting them up for cruising. Two (of many) examples that come to mind are The Nature of Boats by Dave Gerr, and The Cruising Handbook by Nigel Calder. Robert's recommendation of an Albin Vega reminds me that, for only a few dollars, you can buy both John Neal's Log of the Mahina and also Mahina Tiare: Pacific Passages. These might both prove useful to you as they were written in a time when there was less emphasis on 'systems' and more on the sailing and build qualities of boats, and both books offer Appendices that outline how to equip a boat for cruising and offshore sailing, with the emphasis placed on structures, design and sailing qualities far more than on boat systems. You can purchase these, used and for perhaps $10 total, via a Reseller by visiting Amazon.com. Look at the large U.S. market as somewhat of a trap: the inventory is huge and so it includes many boats that would probably prove disappointing to you. Your job is to screen out the few jewels from all the cut glass. Preparing yourself for that search is your first step. Jack
...if you will be purchasing in the U.S. marketplace. And if you want a seaworthy, good sailing boat, you really need to do some targeted, thoughtful reading before you start shopping. This is especially true given your plans, as sailing along the U.S. east coast is in generally temperate, stable weather systems with abundant harbors, crossing an ocean can be a big task for any boat (or captain), and sailing in the Med will require good sailing performance in very light winds and also heavy winds with steep chop & seas. In other words, you are asking a lot of a boat with those plans, and neither the Almand nor Irwin brands you mention are IMO very appealing choices. Given that you are starting with little knowledge, it would be hard to recommend books that wouldn't prove helpful to you. For starters, you might visit www.mahina.com/cruise.html and read John Neal's excellent summary of boat characteristics for offshore sailing boats (altho' his write-up is biased towards boats doing long-distance cruising). You would also do well to digest a few general references that teach you a bit more about both boats generally, and setting them up for cruising. Two (of many) examples that come to mind are The Nature of Boats by Dave Gerr, and The Cruising Handbook by Nigel Calder. Robert's recommendation of an Albin Vega reminds me that, for only a few dollars, you can buy both John Neal's Log of the Mahina and also Mahina Tiare: Pacific Passages. These might both prove useful to you as they were written in a time when there was less emphasis on 'systems' and more on the sailing and build qualities of boats, and both books offer Appendices that outline how to equip a boat for cruising and offshore sailing, with the emphasis placed on structures, design and sailing qualities far more than on boat systems. You can purchase these, used and for perhaps $10 total, via a Reseller by visiting Amazon.com. Look at the large U.S. market as somewhat of a trap: the inventory is huge and so it includes many boats that would probably prove disappointing to you. Your job is to screen out the few jewels from all the cut glass. Preparing yourself for that search is your first step. Jack
Prepare
Thank you Jack. I know that I have to prepare myself and the boat. Thank you for pointing out the material to read, I will sertenly look in to that. For me it is essentional to hear (or see) what you gay´s have to say about the matter as you seem to have professionally knowles. I will take good time to search the brokers sites and in no hurry. I was thinking of going ahead with this june-july this summer, so I think I have plenty of time, don´t you? Torfi
Thank you Jack. I know that I have to prepare myself and the boat. Thank you for pointing out the material to read, I will sertenly look in to that. For me it is essentional to hear (or see) what you gay´s have to say about the matter as you seem to have professionally knowles. I will take good time to search the brokers sites and in no hurry. I was thinking of going ahead with this june-july this summer, so I think I have plenty of time, don´t you? Torfi
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