On Tue, 27 Dec 2005 08:15:01 -0500, Harry Krause
wrote:

80,000 pounds? 8' draft?

What's the point?

An eight foot draft is a real hindrance to a pleasure boater NOT wanting
to spend all his days on the high seas.

=========================================

Like I said, it's not for everyone. The boat was designed for long
range cruising under power, i.e., able to cross oceans and survive
seriously bad weather along the way. Too that end it shares many of
the same characteristics of offshore sailboats: Heavy ballast, deep
full length keel, small windows/ports, strong water tight hatches,
etc.

The people who own the boat would be the first to agree that the 8 ft
draft can be a serious hindrance. It wouldn't get very far here in
SWFL and lots of other places. We first met them in Baltimore inner
harbor where they were docked next to us for a few days, and ran into
them later at Solomons Island and in North Carolina. Nice folks with
a lot of cruising experience. Last I heard they were in the Leeward
Islands heading for Trinidad and Venezuela, and are probably there by
now. Try doing that in your average production boat.