Whilst sailing towards the Galapagos, we crossed the equator around a .overly, sunny lunchtime. I had the bright idea of heaving to for a swim to have a story to tell. It takes less than a second to realise you've jumped into something near a very big ice bucket challenge...
Just to put the "rounding up" issue to bed. Most of the J&J designed boats of the late 90s early 2000s have this tendency for 2 reasons. First some (like the very popular 34, 36 and my 37 - which were actually 35, 37 and 38 long!) were relatively light displacement (180 Disp/L) and the standard sailplan (SA/Disp 21) had a large 135% genoa because the prime market was light wind Med markets. The original sails were also pretty dire and full cut even when new before they quickly went baggy. Many UK boats changed to 115% genoas and fully battened sails (like this one, I suspect) and you have a different boat altogether. I did not keep my 37 long enough to change sails from the standard size (actually replacements I had made in Greece) but when I got the boat back to UK I always found it sailed better and more predictably with 2 or 3 rolls in the genoa. I sold the boat and replaced it with a new Farr designed 33 which was a completely different design with a more balanced rig and 106% foresail. I know it is heresy, but a furling main with a decent sail makes it much easier to balance the sail area, particularly in that 16-20 knot windspeed range when a first reef is too big a reduction in sail area.
I reckon that in flat water, a close reach is faster. For blue water stuff, close hauled in a seaway can be very bumpy. It's often better to bear away for comfort, not speed. Sooner or later the wind will change and get you back on track.
So what you're saying is the rounding up issue isn't even an issueI reckon that in flat water, a close reach is faster. For blue water stuff, close hauled in a seaway can be very bumpy. It's often better to bear away for comfort, not speed. Sooner or later the wind will change and get you back on track.
Trim the sails. Hey presto!So what you're saying is the rounding up issue isn't even an issue
With these regular discussions there always appears to be a gap between the yachts people are actually taking across oceans rather than those some people think can't cross oceans....
With these regular discussions there always appears to be a gap between the yachts people are actually taking across oceans rather than those some people think can't cross oceans....
But you are missing Tranona’s point. LOTS of people sail Bavaria, Jeanneau, Beneteau boats long distances across oceans. I have certainly witnessed this in places like the Caribbean, Bermuda and returning from Greenland / Iceland (i have personally not been in the Pacific but sure also the same). Generally many more than Westerly’s etc, because more built and most long distance cruisers are not ex-UK.
No need to be so patronising as if you are privy to something that others are not.
There's plenty of euroculture in the crabby ian, but I might be put on shore leave for going into it.
Polly ticks innit?I don't follow this; watermakers should only be used offshore, using one at anchor is a recipe for bunged filters.
Have you ever anchored in the Caribbean? Many of the anchorages we’ve been in have crystal clear water and we’ve often used our watermaker with no ill effects at all. Certainly no bunged up filters.
That's not what happens. People run their watermakers almost everywhere. It's only really chemical pollutants that are a problem.
That is very true, and exactly the point I was making. Rarely do boats come on the market that don't need £20-30k spent on them if you want a good level of decent up to date gear. However at least 3 of the boats suggested in this thread (the Bavaria, Oceanquest and possibly the Oceanlord in Southampton) do seem to fall into that category. The first 2 would be worth looking at based on a budget of £100k maximum, and shorten the preparation time.