ocean sailing
 

Hi guys

I want to sail from usa to greece. and I was wondering if you guys can
send
me some advice on;
1- what is the minimum size sailboat I should have,
2- what boat material is better,
3- what engine size and sail I should have?

thanks
James

You could also ask the question to the rec.boats.cruising newsgroup.

If you are alone then you can go with anything... depending on the expected
comfort :) Bombard crossed the ocean on a dinghy... But seriously try to
find a good used boat in the 25-30 feet range. Then you will have to
upgrade it to ocean condition, check rigging, replace parts, install
watertight hatches and so on. Count for 3 months of preparation.

If you ask about material then you should also ask for boat design. For
example steel is nice for serious around the world cruising but under 30
feet it's too heavy. Aluminum is best but costly unless you intend to build
yourself. Fiberglass is exactly what it is... cheap and almost impossible
to build watertight and collision proof.

Engine size, suppose you find a 30 feet sailboat of 10 000 pounds loaded,
then engine is only for getting into ports and in case of emergency; if so
you would need at least 30 HP to keep your boat under control on a gale.
More if the boat is heavier.

Personnaly i wouldn't go on this kind of trip without a boat that can be
watertight and collision (small one) safe. There are plenty of books of
people having spent time modifying and upgrading pleasure boat to cross the
ocean.

Good luck !


wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi guys

I want to sail from usa to greece. and I was wondering if you guys can
send
me some advice on;
1- what is the minimum size sailboat I should have,
2- what boat material is better,
3- what engine size and sail I should have?

thanks
James

On Tue, 13 Sep 2005 14:08:45 -0400, André Langevin wrote:

You could also ask the question to the rec.boats.cruising newsgroup.

If you are alone then you can go with anything... depending on the expected
comfort :) Bombard crossed the ocean on a dinghy... But seriously try to
find a good used boat in the 25-30 feet range. Then you will have to
upgrade it to ocean condition, check rigging, replace parts, install
watertight hatches and so on. Count for 3 months of preparation.

If you ask about material then you should also ask for boat design. For
example steel is nice for serious around the world cruising but under 30
feet it's too heavy. Aluminum is best but costly unless you intend to build
yourself. Fiberglass is exactly what it is... cheap and almost impossible
to build watertight and collision proof.


This statement borders on idiotic. I would wager that more small
fiberglass sailboats have circumnavigated than any other type of
construction. And fiberglass is just as water-tight as aluminum or steel.
I don't know what "collision proof" means, but plenty of fiberglass boats
have withstood hard groundings or been recovered even after washing up on
reefs.

Engine size, suppose you find a 30 feet sailboat of 10 000 pounds loaded,
then engine is only for getting into ports and in case of emergency; if so
you would need at least 30 HP to keep your boat under control on a gale.
More if the boat is heavier.

Personnaly i wouldn't go on this kind of trip without a boat that can be
watertight and collision (small one) safe. There are plenty of books of
people having spent time modifying and upgrading pleasure boat to cross the
ocean.

Good luck !


wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi guys

I want to sail from usa to greece. and I was wondering if you guys can
send
me some advice on;
1- what is the minimum size sailboat I should have,
2- what boat material is better,
3- what engine size and sail I should have?

thanks
James

Ummm... I don=B4t want to be a critic here but beware of generalities.
First of all, boat size depends one what you want to do. Personally, I
wouldn=B4t be caught dead in some oceans on a vessel less than 34 feet.
I know my limitations and I like stability. I want a heavy keel under
me if the s&%* hits the fan. But I know many people (friends, not
acquaintences) who are happy on 30. Go sail a few boats in heavy seas
first. Then decide.

Engine depends on vessel design, not just LOA and displacment. Check
the designer=B4s recommendations, then decide how much fuel you want to
carry. If I had the space to carry the fuel, I=B4d go for the bigger
engine in the designer=B4s specifications only because I sail in seas
where I might need that extra power...

Construction material is another world unto its own. I like metal. But
I own metal. I=B4ve sailed fiberglass. It=B4s bloody strong when
constructed properly. I prefer not to take it into ice, but some people
down here have. It=B4s plastic, of course it can be watertight if
constructed properly. Watertight bulkheads can be a good idea. And NOT
all fiberglass is cheap. Ever look at an Oyster?? The key to fiberglass
is that it=B4s compartively easy to maintain and more difficult to
=B4melt=B4 with another metal. Ever see what copper does to Aluminium?
You don=B4t want to sit in a poorly grounded marina with an aluminum
boat. It won=B4t be there if you leave it for a couple of weeks.

There are lots of good boats out there that vary in size, material,
layout, etc... Know what you want to do first.... then look at what
boats sail in those conditions...