Hot weather boating - AWB vs MAB

[roblpm]

The people who drone on and on about rudders and keels are best ignored. They argue about how much safer it is to have encapsulated keels and rudders with skegs .... but the majority of them are more than happy to trust their lives to other modern works of the devil like inflatable life-jackets - and the vast majority of boating deaths result from ending up in the water when you didn't intend to, rather than your keel or rudder falling off.

Obviously a self inflating life-jacket can fail - it can puncture or fail to go off - or it can also go off when you don't expect it to and trap you - far safer to have a solid life-jacket made of foam or cork - that won't puncture or fail to inflate - but how many old-salts do you see sporting solid cork life-jackets to go with their boat designs from yesteryear?

The crew will give up long before a modern boat will - so don't worry.

Try not to fixate on one disaster scenario at the expense of the many, many more likely ones - going to sea is a lottery and if you worry about every remote eventuality, you'll never leave port - probably because you'll spend all your time and energy fixing up an old design and worrying, rather than getting out there sailing.

Buy the boat that suits the lifestyle you intend to live on her - one that speaks to you, and ticks all the boxes for the things that are important to you and your crew. If that turns out to be a long-keeled older design, then fine, if it's an AWB, that's fine too - both will do what you want and don't let anyone tell you any differently.

I totally agree. The thing that worries me most is local racing. Late in the season its dark and I don't like to think about what would happen if someone went ob and their lifejacket didn't inflate!

Also the lifestyle point is important. I want my partner to come with me. And the kids to visit with any partners/friends.

 

[roblpm]

I suppose sooner or later the op will do his transatlantic passage plus quite a bit further.

Some marinas are very good at pricing to encouraging catamarans. Nice to see.

There are some posters on here that own Prouts. I've met one of them. So it's just my opinion about going travelling long term aboard. But I've only sailed a a Quest, a Snowgoose and an Event for about three thousand miles in total so I might have missed something.

I know there are very well constructed. I helped a friend build one. But their design is somewhat dated now. I certainly looked at them twenty five or so years ago when looking for a liveaboard. Obviously didn't go for it. There will be lots of other boats for the op to choose from and when he narrows it down there will e some on here with extensive experience of sailing the real thing to help, I'm sure.

Eventually..... ?

The reason for buying locally is to actually practice sailing! ? I seem to spend most of my time going round and round in small circles..... ? I need to practice actually going somewhere! I do actually have a couple of pieces of paper that say I know how to sail and do the theory but it's getting rusty.

 

[geem]

That must have been a big increase on the standard rig...did you have to hunt around for an insurer?

The mast was fitted before I bought it. It was the tallest mast Prout would recommend. We lightened the boat somewhat as well. Replaced all loose ply with foam core panels. We kept it light. Insurance wasn't a problem. She had the single engine in the nacelle. Worked well as you lifted it clear of the water when sailing so super low drag. Compared to a standard Snowgoose 37 she was considerably faster with the big rig. We had a fully battened mainsail with four reefs

 

[dunedin]

Was it you putting the offer on this one in Scotland - or just missed it perhaps
Used Boat - Euroyachts

 

[Greenheart]

The mast was fitted before I bought it. It was the tallest mast Prout would recommend. We lightened the boat somewhat as well. We had a fully battened mainsail with four reefs.

I really want a Snowgoose now, myself. ?

I guess they mostly have the more modest rig, and for distance work are laden with cruising kit.

But the big cockpit and airy interior and the fact you can see out the windows from the saloon seats...(how many yachts allow that?), the disinclination to heel, the ability to dry out, and sail in waist-deep water...there's a lot to like.

 

[V1701]

The people who drone on and on about rudders and keels are best ignored. They argue about how much safer it is to have encapsulated keels and rudders with skegs .... but the majority of them are more than happy to trust their lives to other modern works of the devil like inflatable life-jackets - and the vast majority of boating deaths result from ending up in the water when you didn't intend to, rather than your keel or rudder falling off.

Obviously a self inflating life-jacket can fail - it can puncture or fail to go off - or it can also go off when you don't expect it to and trap you - far safer to have a solid life-jacket made of foam or cork - that won't puncture or fail to inflate - but how many old-salts do you see sporting solid cork life-jackets to go with their boat designs from yesteryear?

The crew will give up long before a modern boat will - so don't worry.

Try not to fixate on one disaster scenario at the expense of the many, many more likely ones - going to sea is a lottery and if you worry about every remote eventuality, you'll never leave port - probably because you'll spend all your time and energy fixing up an old design and worrying, rather than getting out there sailing.

Buy the boat that suits the lifestyle you intend to live on her - one that speaks to you, and ticks all the boxes for the things that are important to you and your crew. If that turns out to be a long-keeled older design, then fine, if it's an AWB, that's fine too - both will do what you want and don't let anyone tell you any differently.

Now that (IMVHO) is extremely sound advice. I would add if you are able to hold off buying all sorts of equipment and gadgetry because you think you might need it until it becomes evident that there is an actual need for it, you'll potentially save yourself quite a lot of cash. Obviously that wouldn't apply to deciding that you really ought to get yourself a lifejacket after you've fallen in the sea...

 

[Neeves]

The mast was fitted before I bought it. It was the tallest mast Prout would recommend. We lightened the boat somewhat as well. Replaced all loose ply with foam core panels. We kept it light. Insurance wasn't a problem. She had the single engine in the nacelle. Worked well as you lifted it clear of the water when sailing so super low drag. Compared to a standard Snowgoose 37 she was considerably faster with the big rig. We had a fully battened mainsail with four reefs

There are catamarans other than Prout, though you may (will) meed to be a bit more adventurous. Lots of ex charter vessels in the Med, Carib and NE Oz. You want to sail in good weather and warm - ever wondered why there are huge cat charters fleets in places with good weather......??

Or - do what Geem did.

We keep ours (cat not Prout), and have done for 20 years, on a swing mooring, don't you have swing moorings in the UK? You will need an inverter, for the power tools (and hair dryer). Prout do sail round the world, or half way round - one motored past us this morning as we had breakfast on Pittwater. Most people like to sail in benign weather but most sail plans seem to be designed round grotty weather - so look for something with a tall rig (look at Geems post) its easy to reef down but darned difficult to increase sail area when its gorgeous.

Think outside the box

Jonathan

 

[roblpm]

There are catamarans other than Prout, though you may (will) meed to be a bit more adventurous. Lots of ex charter vessels in the Med, Carib and NE Oz. You want to sail in good weather and warm - ever wondered why there are huge cat charters fleets in places with good weather......??

Or - do what Geem did.

We keep ours (cat not Prout), and have done for 20 years, on a swing mooring, don't you have swing moorings in the UK? You will need an inverter, for the power tools (and hair dryer). Prout do sail round the world, or half way round - one motored past us this morning as we had breakfast on Pittwater. Most people like to sail in benign weather but most sail plans seem to be designed round grotty weather - so look for something with a tall rig (look at Geems post) its easy to reef down but darned difficult to increase sail area when its gorgeous.

Think outside the box

Jonathan

Sure. But I think they are out of budget! I don't want to run out of cash 6 months after I have started.... ?

 

[roblpm]

Was it you putting the offer on this one in Scotland - or just missed it perhaps
Used Boat - Euroyachts

Not me! And probably not much use buying a boat until the pandemic is well and truly over (well of not over at least its legal to travel to the boat!).