35 ft. engine-less sailboat what would you choose

[squarpeg]

This is just sort of a fun thought question I have pondered. Here is the criteria.

1.A boat of about 35ft that would be considered a comfortable boat to cruise or liveaboard long term.

2. The boat has no engine at all whether diesel, gas or electric. Think Lin and Larry Pardey.

3. The boats expected abilities would be east coast USA through the Caribbean. So, Maine, Bermuda, Bahamas, virgin Islands etc. Not necessarily across oceans or through the roaring 40's

4. You have to be able to purchase suggested boat for less then 100k

Having owned a number of shallow draft boats that could not sail to weather. At least not well enough to get themselves off a leeshore in a bad onshore wind (lets say 40knts) ...without the iron genny. I have wondered what boat would provide the greatest sailing abilities (safety) without an engine, and also allow liveaboard comfort.. Have at it...

[Paul L]

J-Boat J/37
Sails in all conditions, easy to sail with main only. Easy to remove the diesel.

[hooligan6a]

“Think the Pardey’s”. they did not have a 35 ft boat they had a 24 ft boat.

[BCCLover]

Check Kevin Boothby's YouTube channel, "How to Sail Oceans". He's been sailing his Southern Cross 31, engineless, across oceans and around places for years. Last year went from Deltaville, VA to Ireland and back; he left Deltaville about a month ago and is in Maine now.

[hooligan6a]

Yes Kevin is one of the best sailors on YouTube for

[Greatest Lakes]

If you shell out 100k for a boat, a fine running diesel would be perfectly within the realm of affordability. That said, costal live aboard that I have sailed off anchor a few times, Hunter 37c. The cutter rig is very controllable.

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by hooligan6a

“Think the Pardey’s”. they did not have a 35 ft boat they had a 24 ft boat.

And then they had a 29’ boat plus bowsprit and bumpkin.

[Adelie]

Cal 35 or 36.

[thomm225]

Keep in mind though that the Pardey's small boats were big in weight/displacement.

The 24-foot Seraffyn displacement was around 10,000 lbs and the 29' Taleisin was around 17,400......

And I'm sure neither would point worth a crap.

[Manateeman]

I grew up in sailboats. Wood, cotton sails, no radio, and most had no engines or one lung ones which while reliable, had little thrust. My grandfather boat had two rigs and beach stone ballast. We fished off No Mans Land in winter. People did ocean racing in boats like this. Yikes..I’m old. But it was fun. You were rich if you had a recording barometer. Nobody was going to come to your rescue if you got the weather wrong. Ocean race boats had no life rafts. I’m laughing thinking back but I lost friends too. It was all we had then.
Do I think it’s sensible NOW to have no engine...NOPE.
I sailed for years without a motor because they were too expensive and weighed too much. In some boats I owned...like lightly built Herreshoff boats, it would be difficult to install and would really hurt the sailing performance.
Lin and Larry were good wood boatbuilders. The second boat had no motor.
I did NOT think that was a good decision as it put the passengers at higher risk in any number of scenarios....But... Each to their own.
Can you sail on offshore passages without a motor. Certainly. Please just leave your EPIRB and VHF behind so no one needs to risk their life to save you. The Coast Guard rescue swimmers have families. Do the responsible thing. Try to sail such that you never have to call in a mayday. No motor? Well the yachtsman like thing to do is simple...the captain goes down with the ship.
Happy trails to you.
Captain Mark and his manatee crew who all have ACR strobes tied to their paddles cause there is no room in the crash bag full of pizza.