scotty123
Well-known member
Got any details of those trips?
What are the capabilities of a 31ft yacht
- Thread starter Sblaton113
- Start date
Got any details of those trips?
capnsensible
Well-known member
Why not?
macd
Active member
...which seems to be something else you don't know much about, judging by your curiosity elsewhere about a trip to the Azores.
Tranona
Well-known member
They were reported on the Bavariayacht forum about 18 months ago. However Australians seem to have gone quiet since, probably because they sold the boats when they got there.
It was quite popular a few years ago, buying either a ex charter or even new boat (mostly Bavarias) in the Med, cruising around for a while then sailing back down under. About 10 years ago it was also common for Med charter boats to cross the Atlantic in the autumn, sometimes as part of the ARC and return in the spring.
You will find Bavarias (and Beneteaus, Jenneaus, Hanses) built in Europe all over the world, having got there on their own bottoms.
scotty123
Well-known member
But, were they going via Cape Horn & against the weather as you suggested, or via Panama & Pacific?
Tranona
Well-known member
The two reported ones rounded Cape Horn east to west. Others have gone through Panama (like apnsensible has in a Bavaria). Neither routes are trivial despite what the Solent based owners of heavy long keel boats might think.
capnsensible
Well-known member
Doing it again soon! Leaving Lanzarote on 21st Jan weather permitting. Hope to transit canal early March. Bavaria 44. :encouragement:
Tranona
Well-known member
Lucky fellow. Enjoy.
capnsensible
Well-known member
Thanks!
doug748
Well-known member
Yep, I think we probably are.
The OP seems to have gone. Another Scarlet Pimpernel.
Following our finest advice, his last post tells us he was planning to buy a long keel Trintella 29.
Flica
New member
All is dependent on the competence of who is skippering. Boat size is (almost) irrelevant. Just that LWL is proportional to max displacement speed.
webcraft
Well-known member
.
I recently skippered a 311 in the Ionian - my first ever Med sailing - and we had one day hard on the wind for seven hours in a F6-7 - no problem, in fact mostly fun, a great wee boat. And we only did that because it was a delivery - otherwise we would have waited a day or two for more favourable weather.
After living on board a 27 footer for a year cruising from Scotland to the Canaries and the Azores I am very much of the opinion that it is not the size, it is what you do with it. The classic cruising advice is still the best - go small, go cheap and go now.
As for Bavarias - the previous week in the Ionian to the 311 was spent on a Bav46, which was a fantastic, steady platform - very comfortable, with a longish relatively shallow displacement fin keel. I would have been happy to take that boat pretty much anywhere.
- W
I recently skippered a 311 in the Ionian - my first ever Med sailing - and we had one day hard on the wind for seven hours in a F6-7 - no problem, in fact mostly fun, a great wee boat. And we only did that because it was a delivery - otherwise we would have waited a day or two for more favourable weather.
After living on board a 27 footer for a year cruising from Scotland to the Canaries and the Azores I am very much of the opinion that it is not the size, it is what you do with it. The classic cruising advice is still the best - go small, go cheap and go now.
As for Bavarias - the previous week in the Ionian to the 311 was spent on a Bav46, which was a fantastic, steady platform - very comfortable, with a longish relatively shallow displacement fin keel. I would have been happy to take that boat pretty much anywhere.
- W
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Go small, go cheap, go now.. wise words!
Jamestkirk
New member
Sailed my 30 footer down there for 14 years ,and no worries...someones pulling your leg
Jamestkirk
New member
LOL and cheaper too:encouragement::encouragement:
nortada
Well-known member
Had a Westerly Merlin 27 for 6 years, did Harwich - Ostend, Harwich - Falmouth and numerous Solent to France. Sailed all round the year (snow on the decks) and never any doubt about it's sailing capabilities.
Only reason we didn't venture to the Med because we didn't have the time.
Possibly a bit small for 2 (+guests) for extended passages. The longest stretch we did continuously on board was 2 months (in summer).
Hope this helps with your decision.
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Graham376
Well-known member
Have seen quite a few Westerly 31s down here, Renowns, Longbows, Berwicks & Pentlands, having come across Biscay and down Portuguese west coast, heading into the Med. We bashed around the Irish Sea in out Berwick for several years, sometimes in quite nasty conditions, without any worries.