Vigor's Book arrived and my wife's #1 Pick Is

[Captain Smollett]

The Bristol Channel Cutter designed by Lyle Hess.  Oh yeah, don't get me wrong - I really dig the BCC, too.

Until I look at the price tag.   :o  $80,000 ish (or more) for a USED BOAT.

Ouch.

I will say that my "ideal boat" would be a cutter.  I just like the rig.  I also like the salty look of a bowprit, too, and there's no doubt about the "heavy" in "heavy cruiser" for the BCC.  If only I could find one someone is willing to donate to a good cause ...  ::)

Oh well.  We do have a year or two to debate it until we are ready to spend ANY money on a new (to us) boat.  We'll be squeezing in the 18 ft-er till then, and loving it.

[Zen]

Well, she has good taste. ;D

I'm sure you could haggle the owner down a grand by paying cash  :D

[oded kishony]

That book is like a Rorschach ink blot test. Every time I look at it I decide on a differnt boat depending on my state of mind.  :)

One of the interesting things about the book is how he's rated every boat for 'safety at sea'. I wish he had filled in his method for ranking for safety. The Contessa 32 is a really awsome boat,  wish she had a shallower draft, as is the Allied Seawind, wish she wasn't a ketch etc. etc.
It's my favorite boat book right now.

Oded Kishony

[Frank]

have you noticed one boat is in there twice?? (well-sort of) The Folkboat is well known for its offshore wind and wave capabilities...and relative speed. The contessa 26 is a folkboat from the sheer down ,with a raised cabin to make it more user friendly.

[Captain Smollett]

as is the Allied Seawind, wish she wasn't a ketch etc. etc.

I hear ya.  I'll be on the lookout for one of the cutter rigged Seawind's.

[AdriftAtSea]

Several other excellent books on smaller sailboats are:

Stan Grayson's Sailing Small: Inspiration and Instruction for the Pocket Cruiser,
Jerry Cardwell's Sailing Big on a Small Sailboat and
Eliott Merrick's Cruising At Last: Sailing the East Coast

The first two are more practical books, similar to Vigor's book, the last one is a great read, which takes various stories about sailing on the East Coast written by Merrick and weaves them in to a longer single tale. 

[oded kishony]

I own  "sailing big on a small sailboat" I thought is was a bit meager. The boats were mostly trailer boats with only Catalina and Hunter represented. No classic plastic boats, no full keel boats, no blue water boats. The book could be useful to someone, but I found it of only very limited interest

Oded Kishony

[prairie_sailing]

I agree with Oded.  "Sailing big on a small sailboat" is a book for those who will stay on inland waters.  It only covers Catalina and Hunter (mostly).  Lots of other boat out there that could do and do the same type of trip.  I suppose that if you only have a minivan and have to trailer your boat around then this book may be of benefit.  Purchased my copy on Ebay for a song...that's why I have a copy.

Greg

[castawaysailor]

I have owned a couple of the boats on the Vigor list including the Westsail, Contessa, Vega, Bristol and Norsea.  The NorSea is a Lyle Hess and I love it; best boat I ever owned; abid a bit smaller than the Westsail but very nice.

[CapnK]

The Contessa's are very nice looking boats, but I've never sailed on one. I've wondered if their relatively narrow beam helps with pointing ability. Any comments on that, castaway?

[castawaysailor]

The Contessa's are very nice looking boats, but I've never sailed on one. I've wondered if their relatively narrow beam helps with pointing ability. Any comments on that, castaway?

good windward preformance, excellent sailer