Best offshore yacht 20 feet & under

[OrangeRoughy]

If you were suitably adventurous, had 4,000 in the Bank and wanted to buy a good seaworthy 2nd hand small yacht 20 feet and under to sail to either Med or W/Indies, which would it be?
Anyone from the toffee nosed "you can't go that small offshore" club - please do not reply.

 

[ccscott49]

You can't do that!..................No, seriously, there was a guy who just did, a couple of years ago now actually, the ARC in a tiddler, his story was written up in YM or PBO, some fabulous voyages of monumental proportions have been done in tiddlers. Denis Kinnaird took his little boat down to Lagos, "Puffin" she was/is tiny! But sorry don't know the names of these type boats.

 

[OrangeRoughy]

Never heard of a "Tiddler". Not quite sure if your trying to be funny or sarcastic or what....but if you were then I 'aint laughing. Anyway, thanks for your reply and have a "wonderful fantastic sail" next time you are out there.

 

[ccscott49]

Not sarcastic atall, it's a term of endearment used to describe this kind of boat, and bollocks anyway, I have sailed "tiddlers" all over the country! A little old Maurice griffiths design, I can't remember the name of. Long time ago!

 

[OrangeRoughy]

Ah well you see I am not English so I thought the Tiddler was an actual design! lol!Apologies from me are in order.
Would your yacht have been an "Eventide"?

 

[ccscott49]

Actually think the eventide is bigger, but I also used to sail in a "Kylix" but they were 27', but lovely boats.

 

[Rabbie]

I read a story some years ago about a young man who sailed a Hunter 19 single-handed transatlantic. It was an excellent guide for the preparation needed for such a trip. The boat was called Griffin, but cannot recall the sailors name.
I would take my Sunstar 18 anywhere after a bit of beefing-up of rigging etc. Tough as nails.

 

[Calluna]

What about an Achilles 24? I know they are slighlty longer, but I've seen them for sale for under £4000, they are solid and some have apparently crossed oceans.

Have you seen the 'Escape on a 20 footer' posts on the Liveaboard forum? It looks like a couple of blokes are about to leave England for the Med in a Sygnet 20 - destination Turkey...

 

[halcyon]

The old faithful Hurley 19, comfortably in the £4000 bracket.
Did not a chap a few years back do Spain and the West Indies, writ-up in one of the mags, PBO ?.


Brian

 

[robstracey]

I recently bought a silhouette for that very purpose, you can pick up a decent one for little over £250, leaving plenty of cash for equipment.

 

[ccscott49]

Thats the guy! and the boat! a hurley 19, he was from tyneside I think!

 

[halcyon]

It was Alistair Buchan from Gateshead, sailed a Hurley 20 ( thought it was a 19 ) Mintaka, articles were in Yachting Monthly,

We get there in the end.

Brian

 

[halcyon]

Silhouette for offshore ?
Am I getting old, thinking of a differant boat.


Brian

 

[Bergman]

Last I heard Mintaka was up for sale, somewhere in Wales I think.

That could be a good choice - she will know the way.

 

[robstracey]

Whats wrong with taking a silhouette offshore?

 

[peterk]

hi orange,

great to see your query!
I started on a wooden 19 footer - so small I could not SIt upright inside,
sailed 2500 offshore miles in her.
I did an 11,000 mile solo voyage from California to Chile via Galapagos
and Robinson Crusoe Isdlands three years ago, - it was FANTASTIC.
The boat, huge for it's size
was a DM-22,
Sparkman Stephens design,
very well built in OHIO of all places.
You can find them used in the States from
3000 $ on up.

I think the 'Willing Griffin' was sailed in an OSTAR by David Blagden.
And then of course there was Shane Acton with 'Shrimpy'
check google.com

-the thing about small cruisers is that people
no matter where you go
actually like you, when you arrive in them,
instead of in something 'proper and yachty'.

Best of Luck! any questions - feel free!

...peter www.juprowa.com/kittel

on my site check out ' news'
and the forum for DH 22(misnomer)
and look for the link to 'Yevgeni'

 

[Mirelle]

I think that a good candidate must be the Laurent Giles design, 19ft I think, that was built, then sailed singlehanded round the world, by John Guzzwell - "Trekka". I am pretty sure that several have been built and that Laurent Giles and Partners sell the plans.

My point being that this little boat, a development of "Sopranino" which crossed the Atlantic in the 50's, is actually designed as a budget singlehanded long distance cruiser, whereas other boats in this size range are coastal cruisers, which entail some pretty massive compromises when used for long distance sailing. For example, bilge keels are extra drag and less righting moment, cockpits are designed to have the family in for day sailing and are too big, and so on.

I had a traditionally built 18 footer like a Blackwater Sloop for 12 years and crossed the North Sea in her twice but that was after I rebuilt the cockpit...

My alternative suggestion, admittedly bigger, would be a Waarschip 1/4 tonner - 23 ft, very strong capable boat.

 

[vyv_cox]

Don't know how many Corribees are still around but they were a super boat, have done several trans-Atlantics. Hurleys would be my other choice, 20 or 22. Brilliant little boats.

 

[oldharry]

How about the late Shane Acton and his 19 foot Caprice Shrimpy? Having owned one mayself I would reckon on its ability, but as with any 20 footer could most of us live in such a tiny space for extended periods?

I always wondered too how you get enough stores and water in to such a small hull for 2 - 3 months at a time?#

Tristan Jones writes of sailing a Debutante (21ft?) to S America, and then up by rail to L Titicaca.

 

[Guest]

Hi, Have to agree the Hurley 20 or 22, fin not bilge is the boat to go for. had a Silhouette for some years and their self-righting capability would have to be questioned when they are well laden. If you can find a Ruffian 23 (yup I know it's outside the criteria) they are remarkable in a blow and have good passage-making performance which is always the enemy in a small boat..... The longer it takes the more supplies to be carried which slows you down and the longer it takes....

Having said that, try and get a copy of 'Tinkerbelle' by Robert Manry (?) who crossed the atlantic w>e in his wooden 13 footer, many years before such attempts were made for the stunt value. It's a good read.

good luck

KCA