pyrojames
Well-Known Member
I have a big heavy boat but find that berthing is no worse than something small. In windy conditions the weight helps as she tracks better and the bow tends no to blow off. I don't have a thruster though....
Big yacht with small crew
- Thread starter milkysleep
- Start date
snooks
Well-Known Member
Ok first off what is your budget? £1.2m? Discovery 55. A bit less? Amel 55. A bit less again Rustler 42.
If there are just two of you, start looking at sail size and sail configuration - lots of smaller sails are easier to handle than a couple of big ones. Also if you go for a boat (such as those above) which are designed with short handed sailing in mind you start of with an advantage over the boats which were designed for larger crews.
If there are just two of you, start looking at sail size and sail configuration - lots of smaller sails are easier to handle than a couple of big ones. Also if you go for a boat (such as those above) which are designed with short handed sailing in mind you start of with an advantage over the boats which were designed for larger crews.
milkysleep
New Member
Hi,
our budget is € 1.5m may be we can stretch it a bit but not that much. Somebody asked my height I'm 5'10'' I think that I shouldn't have any problem to reach higher places.
our budget is € 1.5m may be we can stretch it a bit but not that much. Somebody asked my height I'm 5'10'' I think that I shouldn't have any problem to reach higher places.
RichardS
N/A
grumpy_o_g
Well-Known Member
With that sort of budget why not take a charter on something like this http://www.burlandyachtcharter.com/ and see if you and your OH can cope whilst you have the safety net of a professional crew. You'll also (hopefully) see how a crew of two manage a boat of that size with the aid of a good design and the right systems..
I would say 45 to 50 ft is a reasonable top-end for two regardless of budget and systems as after that you spend all your time cleaning and polishing, etc. I reckon that much above 30 ft and you can forget about using brute force to solve a problem if there's a decent breeze and a larger boat is often easier to manoeuvre in a wind as it's slower to react to gusts, etc. Also I'd probably not want more than 2m draft whatever the size of boat though.
I would say 45 to 50 ft is a reasonable top-end for two regardless of budget and systems as after that you spend all your time cleaning and polishing, etc. I reckon that much above 30 ft and you can forget about using brute force to solve a problem if there's a decent breeze and a larger boat is often easier to manoeuvre in a wind as it's slower to react to gusts, etc. Also I'd probably not want more than 2m draft whatever the size of boat though.
Monique
Well-Known Member
Nice stash!!
I have an Amel Super Maramu 53 footer and it is a very good cruising boat. We are departing for a RTW circumnavigation in July and have all comforts on board. My GF does the close to shore boat handling and I do the manly work. No problem if one uses common sense and reflection nearing a marina/port/mooring. GL in your search and keep us posted
I have an Amel Super Maramu 53 footer and it is a very good cruising boat. We are departing for a RTW circumnavigation in July and have all comforts on board. My GF does the close to shore boat handling and I do the manly work. No problem if one uses common sense and reflection nearing a marina/port/mooring. GL in your search and keep us posted
Sinnot
Member
I had very little sailing experience when I bought my 39'. The learning curve was steep as I was single handed, But I learnt quickly 
If I had read all the advice I should have gone with a 30/32' but now find I have no problem handling the 39' on my own. I'm actually thinking of buying something else in the 45 / 50' range and it wouldn't bother me singlehanding. You'll find you'll get used to it very quickly. I've seen boats with full crews wonder how I can manage to get tied up before them.
The first year I didnt have any bow thruster, 2nd year I got them installed and it made all the difference knowing if I started to get into trouble I could always use them. Mentally, that made my sailing much more enjoyable.
If I had read all the advice I should have gone with a 30/32' but now find I have no problem handling the 39' on my own. I'm actually thinking of buying something else in the 45 / 50' range and it wouldn't bother me singlehanding. You'll find you'll get used to it very quickly. I've seen boats with full crews wonder how I can manage to get tied up before them. The first year I didnt have any bow thruster, 2nd year I got them installed and it made all the difference knowing if I started to get into trouble I could always use them. Mentally, that made my sailing much more enjoyable.
snowleopard
Well-Known Member
With a crew of 2 it is essential that one can handle the sails on his/her own.
On my cat I can handle the sails by myself in anything the weather throws at me. Mine is 40 ft with a 15 metre wing mast and 60 sq metres of sail. I did a passage with a friend who has the 55 ft version with a 20 metre mast. Even in moderate weather it took 2 of us to tame the rig and it was a whole order of magnitude harder. The weight of gear and forces involved go up by at least the square of the length if not the cube.
The critical point is not whether you can handle the boat in normal conditions but can you still handle it when things start to go wrong? What if the nice electrically-operated mainsail furler jams in a rising gale? Or the engine stops leaving you to tack up a narrow channel and berth under sail?
On my cat I can handle the sails by myself in anything the weather throws at me. Mine is 40 ft with a 15 metre wing mast and 60 sq metres of sail. I did a passage with a friend who has the 55 ft version with a 20 metre mast. Even in moderate weather it took 2 of us to tame the rig and it was a whole order of magnitude harder. The weight of gear and forces involved go up by at least the square of the length if not the cube.
The critical point is not whether you can handle the boat in normal conditions but can you still handle it when things start to go wrong? What if the nice electrically-operated mainsail furler jams in a rising gale? Or the engine stops leaving you to tack up a narrow channel and berth under sail?
snooks
Well-Known Member
Is that for the boat and the trip or just the boat?
Would you like to buy new or second hand?
With that sort of money, I'd be tempted by an Allures 46, Contest 45, Rustler 42, Hallberg Rassy 43mkiii or I'd approach a yacht like Sirius and see if they would be interested in building a 45. And keep some money in that bank for the trip, and equipping the boat.
If you didn't need to save the money you could go for a Discovery 55 mkii, a bigger Contest, Rassy or Rustler, I don't know what their 53 will come out at, but I'd definatley be looking at the plans...