How small for how far…… ???

[oded kishony]

I've been admiring the Pacific Seacraft "Dana 24" recently.

http://www.pacificseacraft.com/cgi-bin/sitenav.php?2401,sailboats

IMHO fantisizing is an important part of the cruising life  :)

Oded Kishony

[Pixie Dust]

Pacific Seacraft are beautiful boats.  When I had the boat at the marina, I used to see several of these come in as transients.  They always caught my eye.
As for dreaming... dreaming and pre-planning/preparing for trips just makes the adventure last sooo much longer.    ;)
I agree!

[CharlieJ]

Spent last Tuesday afternoon in Houston visiting a friend who is refurbishing a PSC 25. Very nice boat and quite well built. But I can stand up in Tehani- the 25 doesn't have standing headroom.

Oh well, EVERY boat is a compromise of some sort.

[Pixie Dust]

Frank, I was reading your posts regarding small boats and needs/wants in a wee vessel.  I found myself nodding my head and saying yes me too, yes me too.   Those were all things I wanted in a boat.  I also wanted to be able to cook easily since that is a large part of enjoyment on my boat as well.  I did not get my oven, however, I am learning to work around that.  (origo stove, pressure cooker and gas grill)  When I bought my boat, my thoughts were...she is my first; a great little boat to learn on and then move up to larger vessel with more room.  Since then, I have changed my line of thinking entirely!  Thanks to a lot of you and to just realizing the practical side of keeping it simple and the advantages of "smaller boats".   My boat is not a blue water vessel, so that may be the one reason for me to swap boats later, but size is no longer the focus.  Cost alone in upkeep is bad enough with 27'.
Spending time and energy on PD, reading articles, books and listening to small boat owners input, I no longer have the false illusion that bigger is safer, better, smarter or necessary in order to cruise or spend extended time on our beloved boats. Now, this is IMHO.  Of course, I have many friends who feel like they could never survive on anything under 34'.   Everyone has to determine what is within their comfort zone and financial means.  We are all a little different and we do not all have to think alike and that is the beauty of it! 

[Frank]

I think you have a GREAT boat !! I could not see you wanting/needing to trade vessels unless you got into very serious extended offshore passages. Your current boat is MORE than able to do the Bahamas..then island hop southward to ?????? If the weather is that bad..wait !! It wouldn't be fun out there in anything !! I'd invest in a good SSB reciever for weather reports before I'd invest in a bigger boat.....that is unless you 're thinking BoraBora or the Med.

[Zen]

Well my two cent$, yin, pesos is, I wanted something small for all the reason$ $tated, and I did/do have plans to blue water. I spoke with several people who have my boats sisters, and they have been to Hawaii and back ( and through a 4 day offshore storm) and another around the world including Cape Horn (on a good day). That along with the basic comforts of the boat convenced me that it was a good way to go. The ONLY reason I would change to up to another size, which would only be 1 foot would be having a diesel, a shower and totally outfitted to go off shore and a good price plus all the positive stuff about my old, heavy, full keeled boat. Since that is doubtful to happen, my small boat works for me.

Got wind...? ;)

[mariner3302]

By "water pump" do you mean electric water pump on your potable water, or something else?

Electric... pressure water is a wonderful thing if you have good tankage.

[Frank]

The extra water you use with 'electric pump' as well as battery drain and potential for 'no pump' with a dead battery (exactly that happened me in 02 in the Bahamas) leaves me liking my hand pump....but again ..it all comes down to being honest with yourself how you will use your boat. Coastal cruising with lots of available water and plug-in power is different than weeks 'on the hook' in the islands

[CharlieJ]

I HATE hand pumps. Almost as much as electrics. Amazing how fast water can get used up with an electric pump. And picture this-

You are washing your hands, with soap. So there you are with two soapy hands and you have to pump some water- BINGO-soapy handle. So you rinse one hand, and now you pump to rinse the other- OOPS- more soap on the hand, from the pump handle. SO you switch the hands to re rinse that one- and get the second hand soapy again, from the handle ;D ;D

I'm being a bit funny here I admit but I think there's a better way than either hand or electric pumps.

I use and have used for a long time, whale double action foot pumps. They work about as fast as electrics AND you can rinse BOTH hands at the same time, without getting the handle soapy  ;D

[Zen]

I have an electric pump in the galley on s/v Zen which I am changing to a foot pump!
Lady Zen is not water conscious at home ( we all should be )  :(  ...habits are hard to break!  :D

[mariner3302]

I resent an implication that anyone using electric is some sort of dockominium, and further I have seen many more larger than smaller boats on the hook for weeks. I am usually out for at least two weeks and that is where tankage comes in. I also have a footpump on my boat and I can tell you that electric gives me MUCH better control of how much water I use. I think that what you use water for is important also. Washing dishes is best in seawater and then a quick freshwater rinse for example.
Bottom line is what a person's preferance is, but don't start bashing people with different opinions.

[Zen]

 :o Perhaps I missed it, but I did not read anyone bashing another for using a elec. They just stated a their preference and their reason. In my case my wife does not make a conscious effort to conserve water. She did not go through the drought that we had in CA. Therefore in order to not get into a big huff (me)about it and to minimize a possible future problem while on a passage. I prefer to simply change the system.

"I can tell you that electric gives me MUCH better control of how much water I use"

the key word in this is it gives YOU (I) better control.

I also said ("we all should be") = we need to as a people with a depleting resource be more aware of our water use. eg: leaving water running to brush teeth, running to rinse dishes, running while opening the frig door for something, running to soap down the boat or car. Where is the bash?  ???

what is a dockominium?  ???  :)

[Frank]

Charlie J...I agree with your findings that a foot pump is a great compromise. They do pump a lot of water quick if ya want them to....and just a 'touch' also.   Zen...I didn't read anyone gettin 'bashed' either. The thread is "how small for how far??" If our friend 'mariner 3302' doesn't agree with me that on average I would say "most people" use more water with an electric pump ...thats fine.It's only my opinion! This particular thread is "how small..how far"...Well ,"real small" doesn't have as much room for huge water tankage...nor huge battery banks....nor multi solar panels.  But I would have to assume his tartan 34 would have no problem !!! 

[AdriftAtSea]

I think the idea of going simple, small and now is a great one... Even though most of you are monohull sailors, I find this board interesting, and bring a multihull perspective with me.  I've sailed on both, and was considering both monohulls and multis when i was looking to buy my boat, and much of the reasoning behind why I chose the very specific boat I have now is on my blog...in the category called "Sailing" oddly enough.

Even though the manufacturer hasn't designed the Telstar 28 to be a "bluewater" boat, I believe that it is more than capable of bluewater passages with a few modifications.  It also needs some serious modifications to handle long-distance cruising.  I've written about much of the thoughts I have on both of these subjects on the blog as well.

Right now, I'm getting her ready for some shorter, coastal cruises.  Two pieces of gear that I think are necessities for bluewater passages are a watermaker and a windvane, but I haven't gotten around to getting either yet.  I probably will bey year's end.

[s/v Faith]

 ;D

  As the departure gets closer, the number of people who say Rose and I are crazy continues to grow.

  If I had a nickle for every time I hear that we are nuts....

  ..... *I could buy a bigger boat.....




_{*But I wouldn't}   :D

[Zen]

New sails would be nice and self steering and a new outboard  ;D

[CharlieJ]

They'd say the same thing if you were on a 35 footer. I know, I heard lots of that when we left on our tri.

You are disturbing their self conceived notions of what's the "right thing to do", plus making them uncomfortable thinking maybe THEIR life isn't what it should be. It probably isn't by the way :D

Just smile, nod your head and keep on keeping on ;D

[Captain Smollett]

You are disturbing their self conceived notions of what's the "right thing to do",

Wow, Charlie.  That's a mouthful.

I've noticed that as we talk about sailing/going cruising around non-sailing friends and family, we broad the topic very gingerly.  We talk about sailing like it is, and will remain, just a hobby.  We mention far-off lands in wistful phrases like "wouldn't it be nice," etc.  In short, we are avoiding just that reaction.

We also get this a LOT with our decision to home-school our children.  Oh my word, you cannot BELIEVE the garbage we get on THAT.  Swim against the current just alittle bit and you cause all sorts of collisions.

Story of my life, really; I should be used to it by now.

Keep your head up, Craig and Rose.  At the end of your journey, your life's journey, the path that will matter is the one you took, not the one everyone said you SHOULD HAVE taken.

[Zen]

indeed well said!

[Lynx]

I was eating dinner in Everglades City Rod and Gun Club and I told the waitress that I had taken my boat from Festia Key (the next key southwest of Key Largo) about 85 water miles away and she said that she would never do it although she fished often. Some people just do not have what it takes. 

Just stay with people who have the drean or who have done it and you will make it.