I'm at a standstill. I have the option of buying a 51' fiberglass
boat OR a 37' aluminum boat. This is for going offshore in the Gulf,
diving and fishing. Should I go for the bigger boat in Fiberglass or
sacrifice size for Aluminum? Also.....I found a 37' Bluewater boat.
Owner claims it has a 36" draft. You think that's enough for offshore
on such a big boat? Thanks.

Mark Sastre wrote:
I'm at a standstill. I have the option of buying a 51' fiberglass
boat OR a 37' aluminum boat.

That's a HUGE difference in size. Also (presumably)a large difference in
cost of upkeep.

There is no reason to buy the larger boat if the smaller one will do the
job... OK there is one reason: showing off


... This is for going offshore in the Gulf,
diving and fishing. Should I go for the bigger boat in Fiberglass or
sacrifice size for Aluminum? Also.....I found a 37' Bluewater boat.
Owner claims it has a 36" draft. You think that's enough for offshore
on such a big boat? Thanks.

Define "enough." My personal opinion (which some would regard as heresy)
is that there is no correlation between draft & seaworthiness.

However shoal draft would come in really handy around the Gulf coast.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

On Fri, 13 Feb 2004 10:46:29 -0500, DSK wrote:

Define "enough." My personal opinion (which some would regard as heresy)
is that there is no correlation between draft & seaworthiness.

OK, I'll bite: What's your thinking behind that statement? I am always
willing to entertain heresy, but some types of heresy will drown
you...G

R.

DSK wrote:
Define "enough." My personal opinion (which some would regard as heresy)
is that there is no correlation between draft & seaworthiness.


rhys wrote:
OK, I'll bite: What's your thinking behind that statement?

Simple and obvious... some shoal draft boats are quite seaworthy, and
some deep draft boats are not.

Getting the center of gravity very low is good, but can be accomplished
fairly well without a deep keel; furthermore it is not the only factor
in what makes a boat "seaworthy."


.... I am always
willing to entertain heresy, but some types of heresy will drown
you...G


I think that lack of knowledge or facility with a given boat's
characteristics are more likely to be drowning offenses than choosing a
certain type of boat. But that may be heresy to some ears, too

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

DSK wrote:
Define "enough." My personal opinion (which some would regard as heresy)
is that there is no correlation between draft & seaworthiness.


rhys wrote:
OK, I'll bite: What's your thinking behind that statement?

Simple and obvious... some shoal draft boats are quite seaworthy, and
some deep draft boats are not.

Getting the center of gravity very low is good, but can be accomplished
fairly well without a deep keel; furthermore it is not the only factor
in what makes a boat "seaworthy."


.... I am always
willing to entertain heresy, but some types of heresy will drown
you...G


I think that lack of knowledge or facility with a given boat's
characteristics are more likely to be drowning offenses than choosing a
certain type of boat. But that may be heresy to some ears, too

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

On Fri, 13 Feb 2004 10:46:29 -0500, DSK wrote:

Define "enough." My personal opinion (which some would regard as heresy)
is that there is no correlation between draft & seaworthiness.

OK, I'll bite: What's your thinking behind that statement? I am always
willing to entertain heresy, but some types of heresy will drown
you...G

R.

Mark Sastre wrote:
I'm at a standstill. I have the option of buying a 51' fiberglass
boat OR a 37' aluminum boat.

That's a HUGE difference in size. Also (presumably)a large difference in
cost of upkeep.

There is no reason to buy the larger boat if the smaller one will do the
job... OK there is one reason: showing off


... This is for going offshore in the Gulf,
diving and fishing. Should I go for the bigger boat in Fiberglass or
sacrifice size for Aluminum? Also.....I found a 37' Bluewater boat.
Owner claims it has a 36" draft. You think that's enough for offshore
on such a big boat? Thanks.

Define "enough." My personal opinion (which some would regard as heresy)
is that there is no correlation between draft & seaworthiness.

However shoal draft would come in really handy around the Gulf coast.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

The 51 will be much more comfortable, the boat probably weighs over 32,000
pounds and has a much longer water line. This equals comfort but is tough
to dock. The 37 probably weighs 14,000 pounds and will be much more lively
and this equals ease of use. Any boat over 24,000 cannot be man handled off
the dock in any breeze. To choose which is best for you is only a decision
you can make. Unless you plan on bouncing off coral there is really no
reason to choose aluminum over grp.

Regarding a 37 foot "offshore" boat with 3 foot of draft? Not me.

Good luck,

B

"Mark Sastre" wrote in message
om...
I'm at a standstill. I have the option of buying a 51' fiberglass
boat OR a 37' aluminum boat. This is for going offshore in the Gulf,
diving and fishing. Should I go for the bigger boat in Fiberglass or
sacrifice size for Aluminum? Also.....I found a 37' Bluewater boat.
Owner claims it has a 36" draft. You think that's enough for offshore
on such a big boat? Thanks.

The 51 will be much more comfortable, the boat probably weighs over 32,000
pounds and has a much longer water line. This equals comfort but is tough
to dock. The 37 probably weighs 14,000 pounds and will be much more lively
and this equals ease of use. Any boat over 24,000 cannot be man handled off
the dock in any breeze. To choose which is best for you is only a decision
you can make. Unless you plan on bouncing off coral there is really no
reason to choose aluminum over grp.

Regarding a 37 foot "offshore" boat with 3 foot of draft? Not me.

Good luck,

B

"Mark Sastre" wrote in message
om...
I'm at a standstill. I have the option of buying a 51' fiberglass
boat OR a 37' aluminum boat. This is for going offshore in the Gulf,
diving and fishing. Should I go for the bigger boat in Fiberglass or
sacrifice size for Aluminum? Also.....I found a 37' Bluewater boat.
Owner claims it has a 36" draft. You think that's enough for offshore
on such a big boat? Thanks.

So many more questions arise from your questions. It sounds like you just
want "a boat" without very specific requirements about size, layout, etc.

I remember reading a review of BlueWaters many years ago which described
them cleary as "coastal." If it's like the one around here which has a lot
of big windows, then that's not a "passage maker," if that's the quality of
boat you're looking for.

====

Charles T. Low
- remove "UN"
www.boatdocking.com/BDPhoto.html - Photo Contest
www.boatdocking.com
www.ctlow.ca/Trojan26 - my boat

====

"Mark Sastre" wrote in message
om...
I'm at a standstill. I have the option of buying a 51' fiberglass
boat OR a 37' aluminum boat. This is for going offshore in the Gulf,
diving and fishing. Should I go for the bigger boat in Fiberglass or
sacrifice size for Aluminum? Also.....I found a 37' Bluewater boat.
Owner claims it has a 36" draft. You think that's enough for offshore
on such a big boat? Thanks.