Wendy wrote:

I think there is a lot of merit in this observation, Rodney. I'm probably
starting from the "what I would like to have" point rather than the "what
would best suit me at this time" point. That said, I've loads of time to
figure all of this out. I'll get more involved in the local sailing
community, which will, I am sure, help and affect my purchasing decision a
lot. I'm off today to look at some boats, and that may well be an
eye-opening experience.


Wendy,

A lot of the boats you are interested in are available for
charter if you hunt around to find them. The Pacific Northwest
would be a good place to look. Chartering will give you a
perspective that simply looking (or even day sailing) will never
give you. A feature that seems wonderful at first may be a deal
breaker after you try it out.

Also, you should be aware that some of the boats you are
considering have a maintenance premimum attached to them because
of their brightwork and the wood used in their construction. For
example, the teak decks on the Panda were very well made and are
the best non-skid in the world, but you will have to care for
them. Likewise, britework can be a joy or a curse depending on
your perspective and your approach to it.

Cindy



--
the return email is a spam trap
send legit emails to cindy_at_ballreich_dot_net

"Rodney Myrvaagnes" wrote in message
...

I suggest that buying a long-distance cruiser is premature. Until,
that is, you have tried different kinds of boats to find out what you
enjoy sailing.

I think there is a lot of merit in this observation, Rodney. I'm probably
starting from the "what I would like to have" point rather than the "what
would best suit me at this time" point. That said, I've loads of time to
figure all of this out. I'll get more involved in the local sailing
community, which will, I am sure, help and affect my purchasing decision a
lot. I'm off today to look at some boats, and that may well be an
eye-opening experience.

Wendy

On Fri, 30 Jan 2004 11:29:31 -0600, "Wendy"
wrote:


"Armond Perretta" wrote in message
...
However depending on boat size, having a canoe stern gives up a few
positive
aspects of transom stern boats without necessarily offering compensation.
I
want to suggest (at the risk of drawing ire) that there has never been any
real evidence that these designs are any better or worse than transom
boats
in rough going. We hear things about "parting breaking waves and seas"
and
so on, but I don't believe there is any quantifiable evidence that
double-enders do any better than any other designs. Not that they do any
worse either, but there's a suggestion of superiority out there that is
not
supported by any real evidence.

It seems like the design would simply *have* to be easier in a following
sea. I spent a lot of time running these boats
http://www.boatshow.com/POWER/CustomDivePro42.html which are rudderless
jets, and they were horrid in a following sea. But I admit that comparing a
300hp non-displacement hull to a 35-40 sailboat is an apples-and-oranges
thing. My experiences may well be a hindrance here... I am not committed
to a double-ender.

Wendy, you are indeed extrapolating from something unrelated.
Remember, essentially all keel sailboats are doubelenders at and below
the waterline. The visible "canoe stern" loses a great deal of aft
buoyancy in a following sea.

I suggest that buying a long-distance cruiser is premature. Until,
that is, you have tried different kinds of boats to find out what you
enjoy sailing.



Rodney Myrvaagnes J36 Gjo/a

The meme for blind faith secures its own perpetuation by the
simple unconscious expedient of discouraging rational inquiry.
- Richard Dawkins, "Viruses of the Mind"

Wendy wrote:
It seems like the design would simply *have* to be easier in a following
sea.

Like the song says, "It ain't necessarily so." There are a couple of
factors that affect how a boat behaves in a following sea, and it also
makes a big difference in how bad a following sea you plan to be in.

An important characteristic in any boat, sail or power, is reserve
bouyancy... in other words, as conditions (rolling, heeling, big waves,
whatever) stick the hull or a part of it deeper into the water, how
strongly does the hull, or that deeper immersed part of the hull, try to
rise? This is one case where more is better. And a boat with a transom
is going to have more enclosed volume, thus more reserve bouyancy, than
a canoe stern.

But keep in mind, most long distance cruisers avoid heavy weather and
spend less than 1% of their sailing time battling storms.

The one thing that I don't like about canoe sterns, and heard the most
complaints about, is that it severely reduces cockpit area (thus
available living space) and it's difficult to mount equipment on them.


Not the be-all and end-all goal. I'm not antisocial Being single, I
simply expect there would be times when I would sail alone. I may be best
served by something smaller, but 37' is attractive. The Pacific Seacraft at
32' would be fine, I think.

Size isn't really an issue for singlehanding (or shorthanding), people
have singlehanded surprisingly large boats... over a hundred feet LOA.
Equipment is a big issue though; and so is skill & forethought. In
former times, big sailing cargo were sailed by as few men as could be
done with, to keep crew expense down. You can read accounts of three
masted schooners being sailed by two men & a dog

One of the things I'd recommend is to get as much experience as possible
sailing OPBs. You seem to have the credentials to be a highly sought
after crew, it should be difficult to get a berth on some deliveries.
It's no problem at all if you're willing to bring boats back from races!

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

DSK wrote:

Size isn't really an issue for singlehanding ...

Yes it is, Doug.

There! Howizzat fer a convincin' argument? I will omit the discussion about
hydraulic winches and furlers, athletic ability, age, pocketbook, and "real"
people.

At least for the time being.

--
Good luck and good sailing.
s/v Kerry Deare of Barnegat
http://kerrydeare.home.comcast.net/

DSK wrote:
Size isn't really an issue for singlehanding ...

Armond Perretta wrote:
Yes it is, Doug.

There! Howizzat fer a convincin' argument?

Well (he said abashed, scuffing one toe modestly) it *is* an issue, but
what I should have said... if I were in the mood to be more long
winded... that size of vessel need not be an absolute limiting factor.

... I will omit the discussion about
hydraulic winches and furlers, athletic ability, age, pocketbook, and "real"
people.

At least for the time being.

Agreed, with the caveat that skill is the biggest limiting factor and
one can learn, can't one? Money is a whole nother issue, and let me
remind you how much can be spent on even smaller vessels...

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

DSK wrote:
Size isn't really an issue for singlehanding ...

Armond Perretta wrote:
Yes it is, Doug.

There! Howizzat fer a convincin' argument?

Well (he said abashed, scuffing one toe modestly) it *is* an issue, but
what I should have said... if I were in the mood to be more long
winded... that size of vessel need not be an absolute limiting factor.

... I will omit the discussion about
hydraulic winches and furlers, athletic ability, age, pocketbook, and "real"
people.

At least for the time being.

Agreed, with the caveat that skill is the biggest limiting factor and
one can learn, can't one? Money is a whole nother issue, and let me
remind you how much can be spent on even smaller vessels...

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

DSK wrote:

Size isn't really an issue for singlehanding ...

Yes it is, Doug.

There! Howizzat fer a convincin' argument? I will omit the discussion about
hydraulic winches and furlers, athletic ability, age, pocketbook, and "real"
people.

At least for the time being.

--
Good luck and good sailing.
s/v Kerry Deare of Barnegat
http://kerrydeare.home.comcast.net/

On Sun, 01 Feb 2004 09:05:45 -0500, DSK wrote:


Size isn't really an issue for singlehanding (or shorthanding), people
have singlehanded surprisingly large boats... over a hundred feet LOA.
Equipment is a big issue though; and so is skill & forethought. In
former times, big sailing cargo were sailed by as few men as could be
done with, to keep crew expense down. You can read accounts of three
masted schooners being sailed by two men & a dog

For an extreme case, Alain Colas sailed a 240-foot four-masted
schooner in the 1976 Transatlantic race. It had eight self-tacking
sails, like a separate masthead sloop rig on each mast. All had a
semicircular traveler track that went right to the gunwale.

All the controls led back to a battery of self-tailing winches at
waist height behind a bulwark surrounding the pilot house. The middle
winch of each set of three was the sheet; the other two located the
traveler.

The Bicentennial celebration that year included a tall ships parade up
the North River (Hudson). All participants motored from the start
except Colas. He tacked into a northerly, slicing back and forth
through the massive fleet of spectators past the bleachers at Barttery
Park City.

A black squall line became just visible at the G Washington Bridge.
Colas managed to get all the sails down before it reached him. THere
were bikini-clad lovelies decorating the deck, but they didn't assist.
Colas did it all as far as I could see.

I went aboard the next day to see the hardware.


Rodney Myrvaagnes J36 Gjo/a

The meme for blind faith secures its own perpetuation by the
simple unconscious expedient of discouraging rational inquiry.
- Richard Dawkins, "Viruses of the Mind"

bull****. I was there. not a single boat sailed that day after mid morning.
NY harbor had more then 40,000 boats in it and there was zero point zero room
for sailing. In fact, the Staten Island ferry stopped running several hours
early due to the thick congestion on the harbor.

The Bicentennial celebration that year included a tall ships parade up
the North River (Hudson). All participants motored from the start
except Colas. He tacked into a northerly, slicing back and forth
through the massive fleet of spectators past the bleachers at Barttery
Park City.

A black squall line became just visible at the G Washington Bridge.
Colas managed to get all the sails down before it reached him. THere
were bikini-clad lovelies decorating the deck, but they didn't assist.
Colas did it all as far as I could see.

I went aboard the next day to see the hardware.


Rodney Myrvaagnes J36 Gjo/a

The meme for blind faith secures its own perpetuation by the
simple unconscious expedient of discouraging rational inquiry.
- Richard Dawkins, "Viruses of the Mind"