How Do You Determine If A Boat Is "Seaworthy"?

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Suijin

Quality of workmanship is a fluid thing that can vary within a given line of boats from year to year based on what yard they were built in (many boats companies don't own a yard, they just contract out construction). And it varies even more granularly by who showed up to work that day.

Yes and No, with the larger production companies you get a consistent product ( in the main) what you can get is inconsistencies across model ranges, leaving you with some boat ranges that are better suited then others.

I think with an older boat reputation is king. It's based on the real-world experience of the people who actually sailed and maintained the boats after they left the factory, which is where the rubber meets the road. For a given boat it can help you narrow down what years were good and what years were bad, and that's about the best you can do.

Again yes and no. Often some models are living on unjustified reputation. Equally you are talking to the " converted"

Its a personal decision , the more you are personally experienced the more you will know whats suits you and not " in general", whats suits you may or may not be more or less seaworthy then the next guys boats, thats irrelevant , its what you believe you want at the time !

Most boats are bought on emotion anyway

dave

[goboatingnow]

This is certainly helpful if you're having a new boat built..even better if you actually visit the factory. I know quite a few people who have done so and changed their minds after what they saw.

Yes but only if you understand what you are looking at. Seeing a talented operator building a beautiful piece of furniture or laying a beautiful teak deck, is in no way a contribution to sea worthiness.

If you understand modern boat design, construction techniques, mass production processes versus hand built. etc. Then you can make a good judgement at what you are looking at. Most people can hardly tell the difference in the colours of the wood, and may just happen to like the coffee in the factory waiting room.!!!


dave

[Suijin]

Originally Posted by Julie Mor

In the end, if you want to know what you're buying, you have your work cut out for you.

Just buy a Cherubini 48 and be done with it. You know you want to.

[leftbrainstuff]

Originally Posted by Polux

It is not a pissing contest but I believe that you associate long range cruising with what you do, that is long range cruising and living permanentely on a boat carrying all your personal belongings. Most that do long range cruising don't live permanently on a boat even most of the ones that circumnavigate have an house where they are going to return to, where are the most part of their belongings.

Unless one lives in a very zen way the personal belongings one is attached too and constitute part of his live memories are considerable as are very different the needs of storage on a boat to carry all that or to live, even if for years on a boat, but having all personal objects stored at a home.

What seems to me is that you look at the storage of a boat not regarding the stuff that is needed for long range cruising but regarding the stuff one needs to carry if one lives permanently on a boat. Those are two different situations.

Those are two different situations in what regards load. The ones that live permanently on a boat are a minority regarding the ones that do long range cruising. Doing long range cruising does not imply that they are always doing long range cruising while the ones that live permanently on a boat, live permanently on a boat.

Regarding Monohulls suited to do that in what regards storage space the best I know off is the Sense series. However on a situation like yours i would much prefer having a boat like the Azuree 46 adapted at the factory, transforming one of the back cabins on a true storage space/workshop than sailing on a boat like a Sense. Do you have noticed how fine are the Azuree bow and frontal sections?

Sense 46:

We found that being very digital and having all our photos in digital form freed us from many of the trappings of the consumer way of life. It took us 6 years to kick the consumer lifestyle so that living aboard full time was viable.

Our boat a Liberty 458 has 110 lockers, an office, chart table, workshop, 2 staterooms, 2 heads / showers and a spacious aft deck. We haven't found a better cruising and liveaboard layout.

Storage space is not an issue for the stuff important to cruising and being self sufficient. Not having to deal with the physical crap we collected over the years because we're digital has been life changing.

We've been living aboard now for 15 months and loving it.

Sent from my SM-N900T using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Polux]

Originally Posted by leftbrainstuff

We found that being very digital and having all our photos in digital form freed us from many of the trappings of the consumer way of life. It took us 6 years to kick the consumer lifestyle so that living aboard full time was viable.

Our boat a Liberty 458 has 110 lockers, an office, chart table, workshop, 2 staterooms, 2 heads / showers and a spacious aft deck. We haven't found a better cruising and liveaboard layout.

Storage space is not an issue for the stuff important to cruising and being self sufficient. Not having to deal with the physical crap we collected over the years because we're digital has been life changing.

We've been living aboard now for 15 months and loving it.

Sent from my SM-N900T using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

Just to know of what boat you are talking about

[Julie Mor]

Here's what one worldwide boat insurance company says about "seaworthy":

"Seaworthiness" Defined
Courts of law have found vessels to be unseaworthy for a broad range of deficiencies:
• Lack of a bilge pump or other tools and equipment
• Defective gear
• Broken hand tools and other instruments/apparatus being in a state of disrepair
• Insufficient manpower assigned to perform a particular task
• Unfit crew members
• Improper methods of loading or storing cargo
• Unsafe work methods

An unseaworthy condition need not be permanent or present for a long time; it can be momentary and even arise after a voyage begins. General maritime law implies two different warranties of seaworthiness that marine insurers can invoke to deny coverage...

Here's another definition:

In order to be considered seaworthy, a vessel must meet certain requirements. The vessel must be suitable for all aspects of its particular voyage. That includes parts of the voyage that are close to land and those that happen on the open sea. It also includes the type of sea and weather conditions that the vessel is likely to encounter. So, for example, a ship that is seaworthy off the Atlantic Coast may not be seaworthy for a departure from Alaska. Some other factors to consider when determining seaworthiness include the class of ship and nature of the cargo being transported.

In addition to being suitable for all aspects of the voyage, the ship must have appropriate equipment and safety gear. It must also have an adequately staffed and trained crew.