Max draft for South Pacific cruise?

[DtM]

Jimmy,


Can you remember how wide the channel into Aitutaki is?


When I looked form onshore it looked narrow (we have a beamy catamaran).

[DtM]

Jimmy,


Can you remember how wide the channel is into Aitutaki lagoon.


When I looked from onshore it looked very narrow (we have a beamy catamaran)

[Jimmyhenry]

Originally Posted by DtM

Jimmy,


Can you remember how wide the channel is into Aitutaki lagoon.


When I looked from onshore it looked very narrow (we have a beamy catamaran)

Last time I was there there were several cats. Should be no problem.

[Dave852]

That's more like 2 meters at high tide

[Jimmyhenry]

Ooooops. Yes. Hi. Tide.

[sailorcherry]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Your real problem will be your wife.
Has she seen the interior of a Santa Cruz 52?
The one I saw had No privacy. No cabins, no partitions, shower in the cockpit. Was a joke. Fast no doubt, but no guests unless they don't mind the lack of privacy.

Performance on long Pacific legs doesn't matter as much as you think. What matters is not having to explain to your wife and friends they are going to shower in the cockpit in front of other people on their boats

Exactly, if your partner does not share the same zeal about going fast as you do and is going along with it for you or for doing so to travel via boat you really need to consider putting creature comforts and nice accomodations as much of a priority as speed, for his/her happiness.

Here's an offshoren performance racer with, what I am told, is a beautiful, comfortable, cruising interior - yet beats the pants off anything her size with a like interior, under 50' and now $100k (dropped to $84k). Just saying.....
https://youtu.be/P7-NJ5KeMn4

[giant]

I have sailed other peoples boats extensively around Australia mostly east coast and Great Barrier Reef as well as 18 months in Papua New Guinea, mostly the Louisiade Archipelago.

Personally if I am ever in a position to own my boat it would not have a draft more than two meters and preferably 1.8 meters or less. I would seriously consider a lifting keel not that I have ever sailed on one. A catamaran would also be on my list if I had the $$$s.

As Jim said some marinas have limited depth and 2 meter plus will limit access to some of them around Australia at least...... think fuel etc.

For me low draft is one of the most important factors in a cruising boat for the south pacific.

Deep draft and coral is very stressful...

[savoir]

Originally Posted by sailorcherry

Exactly, if your partner does not share the same zeal about going fast as you do and is going along with it for you or for doing so to travel via boat you really need to consider putting creature comforts and nice accomodations as much of a priority as speed, for his/her happiness.

Here's an offshoren performance racer with, what I am told, is a beautiful, comfortable, cruising interior - yet beats the pants off anything her size with a like interior, under 50' and now $100k (dropped to $84k). Just saying.....
https://youtu.be/P7-NJ5KeMn4

You might be a tad optimistic with the "beats the pants off" bit. That design is just a late version IOR boat and nothing special in terms of performance. There are plenty of modern cruisers that would give it a hiding. A buyer would of course pay accordingly for the newer boat.

[matauwhi]

G'day, Mate. Another point of consideration with a 10 foot draft is when you haul out to do the bottom maintenance. The deeper the draft the higher the ladder you have to work off of to get the bottom sanded and the new paint back on. Just something to think about. 7 foot draft here and never felt confined on our anchoring option due to the draft. Cheers.