Is there a perfect boat for me?

[steve yates]

Do you really think that the sort of design you see in the modern globe races arent seaworthy? You are falling into the trap of thinking that only old fashioned is good when the reality is that boat design gets better every year, albeit more slowly because of conservatism than car or plane design.

The long keel narrow hulled sloping bow designs were like that because thats the only way in the old days that you could make a boat from dead trees. It wasnt because they could have made modern designs but decided not to do so.

I think they are ultrafast racing machines, but no I dont think they are seaworthy for cruising.
Would you drive a formula 1 car on a camping tour of europe? You wouldnt get very far before you had broken down or your tyres had gone.
And where did I say only old fashioned is good! I said just because its modern, or just necause its the most common, does not make it the best option. Thats not the same as saying only old fashioned is good. Not for me anyway.
They made trawlers from dead trees for hundreds of years in case you hadn’t noticed, wide beamed fat arsed things they were too
They west coast puffers that were a workhorse of transport were flat bottomed, so they could beach themselves to unload cargo.
Those narrow hulled designs were heavily influenced by racing rules of the time, nothing to do with trees.

 

[Kelpie]

I think anybody who has heard of team Vestas would agree that an IMOCA 60 is no match for a reef.
Whereas plenty of old fashioned long keel boats with protected rudders have bumped their way over a reef and lived to tell the tale.

 

[Birdseye]

I think anybody who has heard of team Vestas would agree that an IMOCA 60 is no match for a reef.
Whereas plenty of old fashioned long keel boats with protected rudders have bumped their way over a reef and lived to tell the tale.

 

[dunedin]

I think anybody who has heard of team Vestas would agree that an IMOCA 60 is no match for a reef.
Whereas plenty of old fashioned long keel boats with protected rudders have bumped their way over a reef and lived to tell the tale.

What nonsense. Vestas hit a reef (that the navigator should have known about) at considerable speed.

And plenty of yachts of all types have been wrecked on reefs, even when hitting much slower.

Perhaps you just forgot your

Actually there are quite a few successful fast cruisers now based upon Open 40 /60 design principles, albeit modified slightly - one green one cruised very extensively and now on the market if you have a million plus Euros.
And twin transom mounted rudders with pop up fuses perhaps the ideal fail safe cruising rudder.

 

[Kelpie]

What nonsense. Vestas hit a reef (that the navigator should have known about) at considerable speed.

And plenty of yachts of all types have been wrecked on reefs, even when hitting much slower.

Perhaps you just forgot your

Actually there are quite a few successful fast cruisers now based upon Open 40 /60 design principles, albeit modified slightly - one green one cruised very extensively and now on the market if you have a million plus Euros.
And twin transom mounted rudders with pop up fuses perhaps the ideal fail safe cruising rudder.

Are you suggesting that the aspect ratio of the keel does not in any way affect the survivability of an impact?

 

[jonic]

And I suspect that what you actually spent living each year as a family during your 8 year tour of paradise was probably less than what you would have spent living back here in those 8 years, you would have certainly been more stressed

Without a shadow of doubt.

 

[James W]

How about a Jeanneau Voyage 12.5? A bit longer than you asked for, but two double aft cabins, full skeg hung rudder, two heads with showers, lovely forepeak berth, huge nicely profiled bolt on keel. I sold mine last year as it was too big for my needs but what a yacht.

 

[ridgy]

Maybe you should think about a cat. Unsinkable and comes with a spare rudder.

 

[Goldie]

Maybe you should think about a cat. Unsinkable and comes with a spare rudder.

The Hanse abandoned (due to steering failure) abandoned on the recent ARC had a spare rudder…..

 

[Fr J Hackett]

The ideal boat is one that you can handle, maintain, afford and will hopefully suit your intended purpose. Anything else is a compromise.

 

[Wansworth]

The ideal boat is one the wife likes?

 

[Fr J Hackett]

The ideal boat is one the wife likes?

You are Bouba and I claim my 5 euro

 

[Stemar]

You are Bouba and I claim my 5 euro

But he isn't wrong. Happy wife, happy life...

Get the boat your wife (or husband) likes and you're far less likely to end up a perennial single hander

 

[SailingDog]

The ideal boat is one that you can handle, maintain, afford and will hopefully suit your intended purpose. Anything else is a compromise.

I agree but in a different order the ideal boat for the original poster is one he can afford maintain then handle.

 

[geem]

I can see merit in all your 'wants' but not the full keel. Their performance up wind is compromised. They do track well down wind but the huge wetted area makes them relatively slow in light winds. They manoeuvre poorly in marinas.
If you accept a fin and skeg design you will increase your options considerably and likely get a higher performance hull with less drawbacks.

 

[steve yates]

I can see merit in all your 'wants' but not the full keel. Their performance up wind is compromised. They do track well down wind but the huge wetted area makes them relatively slow in light winds. They manoeuvre poorly in marinas.
If you accept a fin and skeg design you will increase your options considerably and likely get a higher performance hull with less drawbacks.

Yes, I can see that, and would agree to a point. I would add though that for the heaving to ability and the downwind tracking, I would happily sacrifice the upwind and light air performance. ( mind i think the light air issue is less to do with a full keel per se and more that full keel boats tend to be heavy displacement) I have also mentioned before that I watched a rigger in ardfern marina through a full keel twister around in reverse like it was on a track, he put it everywhere he wanted to, when he wanted to, at speed, so I suspect they can handle well IF you take the time and effort to really practise and get to know how)

But he isn't wrong. Happy wife, happy life...

Get the boat your wife (or husband) likes and you're far less likely to end up a perennial single hander

But I like singlehanding . Actually, yes, the aft cabin double is a requirement of my wifes, so its extremely important.

I agree but in a different order the ideal boat for the original poster is one he can afford maintain then handle.

Very true, my wife likes the idea of bigger like 46 ft, I just point out the costs of marinas and fixing/maintaining it when something 34-39 ft would give us as much and leave more money to enjoy food, beer and cocktails rather than being skint!

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Yes, I can see that, and would agree to a point. I would add though that for the heaving to ability and the downwind tracking, I would happily sacrifice the upwind and light air performance. ( mind i think the light air issue is less to do with a full keel per se and more that full keel boats tend to be heavy displacement) I have also mentioned before that I watched a rigger in ardfern marina through a full keel twister around in reverse like it was on a track, he put it everywhere he wanted to, when he wanted to, at speed, so I suspect they can handle well IF you take the time and effort to really practise and get to know how)


But I like singlehanding . Actually, yes, the aft cabin double is a requirement of my wifes, so its extremely important.

Very true, my wife likes the idea of bigger like 46 ft, I just point out the costs of marinas and fixing/maintaining it when something 34-39 ft would give us as much and leave more money to enjoy food, beer and cocktails rather than being skint!

 

[geem]

Yes, I can see that, and would agree to a point. I would add though that for the heaving to ability and the downwind tracking, I would happily sacrifice the upwind and light air performance. ( mind i think the light air issue is less to do with a full keel per se and more that full keel boats tend to be heavy displacement)

We have a 44ft fin and skeg hull. She weighs 18t or more. We have a big rig and in light winds she is not slow. She tracks very well down wind and has done 3 Atlantic crossings with us using a Windpilot very successfully. She tracks very well. The days of full keel is a throwback to wooden boats when construction practises demanded that kind of hull shape. Good design will still provide the attributes you desire in a better package. We can power up wind in a hull that doesn't slam, Hove to totally reliably. What is there not to like? The 6t of lead encapsulated keel helps. There are plenty of good designs about that will do what you want

 

[steve yates]

Do full keels slam upwind? Thats not something I have heard before ?

 

[Buck Turgidson]

Do full keels slam upwind? Thats not something I have heard before ?

mine doesn't.