Shallow draft boat choices

[Frank]

Fact: most of us aren't going to cross oceans

Fact: most of us that escape winter will head to Florida and/or Bahamas

Fact: shoal draft is king in both those cruising grounds

Fact: most 23-25 foot boats can easiily do it with a good forecast

So, with that in mind, what would be your ideal Bahama boat?
Big enough to comfortably spend winter on, yet small enough to tuck into secluded anchorages when fronts blow though..
I'm thinking sub 3ft draft, either fixed shoal keel or keel/centreboard.

Several come to mind
What are your thoughts?

[CharlieJ]

I was quite satisfied with my Tehani- 25 feet, full  keel, stand up headroom, 3'6" draft. Never had a problem all through Bimini, Nassau, Berry's, Exuma's, Eleuthera, Florida Keys 

Wouldn't want much bigger.

[Frank]

CJ.....you know a lotta boats...
If looking for sub 3ft draft, yet decent room, what would you consider

[CharlieJ]

Kinda hard to say. The Compac's look good. Really haven't paid much attention to that sort of boat. Jim_Me is looking for something he can trailer-Maybe he has some other thoughts. We'll both be on the chat tonight, or should be

[CapnK]

Full-time rest of your life liveaboard, or seasonal few months of the year snowbird kinda person?

That's a big Q.

Solo, or a couple?

Another. :)

If solo, then my Ariel fits the bill, and I think she'd do alright with longer wanderings if it came to it. Gotta be super careful about your "stuff" though, and keep that list short.

But for a couple, something a bit bigger, maybe 30-32', and probably so with a swing keel, to be able to sneak in close but drop the board for offshore passage making, I think would be ideal. More space for, well, when that more space that is needed from time to time, by the individuals aboard.

Unless you are one of those novel-inspiring "we never fight" kind of couples. ?

They are real, right? :)

[CharlieJ]

Full-time rest of your life liveaboard, or seasonal few months of the year snowbird kinda person?  Probably seasonal. maybe a year away, then home

That's a big Q.

Solo, or a couple? Solo if I must,but as a couple iss much nicer- you have someone to share neat experiences with

Another. :)

If solo, then my Ariel fits the bill, and I think she'd do alright with longer wanderings if it came to it. Gotta be super careful about your "stuff" though, and keep that list short.

But for a couple, something a bit bigger, maybe 30-32', and probably so with a swing keel, to be able to sneak in close but drop the board for offshore passage making, I think would be ideal. More space for, well, when that more space that is needed from time to time, by the individuals aboard.

Did 2 1/2 years as a couple on a 25 footer. Did run into space problems with cold season clothes and warm blankets.
.
Unless you are one of those novel-inspiring "we never fight" kind of couples. ?

They are real, right? :) was for me, til it ended

[Frank]

Capt K....
solo or couple
3-4 month cruises
But...Not 3ft 8in draft...
SUB 3ft
2ft-2ft 10in range
Shoal keel or better sailing keel-centerboard
Standing headroom...or close
Boats?

[LooseMoose]

We (wife and I) lived and cruised on our Bolger Jessie Cooper full time for over four years in Europe quite comfortably and got into a lot of places others could not with it's one foot draft. All in all maybe my favorite Bolger design. A bit more about it here https://boatbits.blogspot.com/2009/12/jessie-cooper-why-first-loose-moose.html

Bob

[Frank]

That's an interesting boat!
How was the interior laid out?

[Cyric30]

Might i suggest a look at the Watkins 25. It has a a Shoal keel version thats draft is under 3ft IIRC it has decent headroom and is roomier than many others....
https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/watkins-25

A few of the Westerly boat with twin keels will keep you under 3'

and my personal ugly duckling favorite the Irwin 10/4
Absolutely the most room you will find in a 24" boat, whether it will sail or nots another question  ;D
i did read an article about a guy taking one to Hawaii thought... so it may be more than it looks.
https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/irwin-104

[Frank]

The Irwin certainly is roomy!
Crazy....a 10ft 4in beam on a 25.
Lots of sail area too

[Cyric30]

 ;D Come Join the Irwin 10/4 cult  ;D
But in all honesty i would like to take a sail on one and see what its like....

[CapnK]

I've been on one of those Irwins - it is indeed a crazy amount of room for the LOA. Shrink that beam just a bit in the waist, and carry all that width back thru the stern, and you have a Beneteau First 25.7 from the mid 2000's - 2.75m, just a smidge over 9' of beam...

(..and about as desirable, to me. ;) )

Best have a good dentist if you wanna sail fast in heavy chop. :D

[Owly055]

Multihulls are the cat's meow for shallow draft, not to mention the fact that they do not get into that wild swaying action in a swell at anchor, and offer lots of space topside.... either a trimaran or a catamaran, not to mention the fact that you can beach them at low tide, often even in areas with a relatively small tidal range.

                              H.W.

[CharlieJ]

"they do not get into that wild swaying action in a swell at anchor"

well, that depends on  how they are anchored. I ALWAYS used a bridle from the ama bows

[CharlieJ]

And one more thing- you would not believe how rough a ride you get in zero wind,, motoring across left over chop!! Makes it very hard to move around.

of course, a mono hull would be rolling hard in that :)

[Godot]

If I was just hanging in the Bahamas/Caribbean and was set on super shallow draft, I think I would try to build myself a Wharram. They always interested me. Plenty of room to hang outside. The smaller one's are a bit small inside.

[CharlieJ]

Wharrams are popular. But small inside til you get up above 35 feet. I seriously considered one before I built my cross 35. Talked to cross once, mentioned Wharrams. He said- fine oats if you like living in a sewer pipe. After I visied some folks on a 34 I saw what he meant.

But to the best of my knowledge, one has NEVER been lost at sea. Of course I've been  out of the multihull world since 1985.

[CapnK]

Had a BIG cat in the marina here this week - too big for ICW work (air draft). Offshore they were power-sail surfing along in I don't know how large of seas (but it has not been snotty here), when they surfed off of a wave large or fast enough that they stuffed both bows into the wave ahead deep enough that it not only stopped them but then shot out them *backwards* with sufficient force to kill the engine on 'landing'.

I bet that was a big surprise. :) But I know it can happen; I've done it on small cats.

Engine would not turn over on an attempted restart, so they came in on their second to get it checked out. Mechanics opinion is that the engine is basically hydro-locked with water forced up into the block from their backwards landing. Headed to Annapolis, they have gone on with just the one motor as most of the rest of the way can be done offshore and under sail.

[Crazer]

I really like the Com-Pac 23 Pilothouse, has everything I need, fully enclosed head and inside steering as a bonus. I also strongly prefer boats with an inboard if I'm motoring for any length of time. I used to think, before I did any real sailing, that I'd be one of those "sail all the time in any wind" types but not so.