Am I Stupid?

[Lostmt]

Would you have some pictures of your Reinell 22. I could only find powerboats. I have a Starwind 22 and would like to compare the two. I could live on mine but it would be too small for 2 people. I do have a pop top which gives more headroom at anchor or in the marina.

One thing you could always do is travel and use your boat as a camper. Lots of wonderful sailing right here in the states.

[anotherT34C]

FWIW (2 cents), the Reinell 22 is a very light, very small, very basic sailboat. You could of course, as you say; upgrade the rigging and sails. I wouldn't, I think. Boats about 30' and 20+ yrs old can be had pretty cheap.

The cost of running a ~30' boat will be about the same (a bit more) as that of running a 22', but there will be a world of difference in comfort. Running costs don't really seem to skyrocket until you go above 30'.

[Amgine]

Sometimes it's easier to work with what you have in hand to begin with.

I picked up a Skipper 21 (18' boat) in New Jersey with plans to cruise it back to Minnesota, because it was all I could afford at the time. A sisterboat owner actually ended up trailering my boat back most of the way (bless his sign-making soul), and I only had a few hundred miles working up the Mississippi with an outboard in a well. I managed a few thousand miles up and down the river in that 18' boat, including a 4 day weekend with four aboard - one of whom had a broken leg.

Yes, 18' boat. Yah, it was cramped. But we made do. And when I could afford it I moved up to 25', but I spent many enjoyable nights at anchor in that itty bitty boat.

[spooky alice]

I can stand up in the cabin of my Reinell, but I have made a platform over the footwell. I planned on storing water and other heavy items in this for more stability. I seem to have alot of storage space and don't think I will have a problem in space for supplies and gear. I plan on starting at New Orleans I figure on following the coast down toward the Keys. I figure by Tampa I should have a good idea if I need to go boat shopping or not. I wouldn't consider crossing a ocean in a 22 footer, but I feel I can navigate the gulf in good shape, if I keep a eye on the weather. For a older boat mine is in top condition and well cared for. it's not fast by any means but I feel comfortable in it and it's been very stable in sailing.
It's going to be just me and I think it will be just fine for room. It will require upgrade of standing rigging, some kind of bimini top, better navigation equipment and a upgraded main sail.

[Lostmt]

She sure looks nice and well cared for. Roller furling, wish I had one. If you can sew you could build your own bimini. The hardware can be bought online and have a plumber bend the tubing for you. This would save some money. A friend built a boom tent out of pvc pipe that looked really good after it was finished. Just roll it up and stow. Over on the trailer sailor forum you could get a lot of suggestions on this.

Only thing that I would like is more storage. I did add a 6 gallon fuel tank so I can carry 9 gallons of gas. From here to N.O. finding gas can be a problem from what I understand. I wouldn't think you would have that problem leaving from N.O.

We plan on sailing our Starwind 22 down to Fla next summer. Maybe our paths will cross.

Somethings that I have added. VHF, depth sounder, solar panel, dual batteries, storm jib, 3 anchors chain and rode. One is a 16.5lb Bruce. One item that I plan to add is a laptop with Seaclear for additional charts along with paper charts. I might even add a wind generator.

Don't forget extra spark plugs and fuel filter along with Seafoam. Condensation in the fuel can be a problem along the coast.

Fair winds
David

[Amgine]

You wouldn't think about neglecting your car's engine for years and years and then plan a cross-country road trip. Just so you need to plan on replacing sails before a huge leap. A new suit of sails would probably cost less than a new outboard, or a laptop.

Definitely agree about the boom tent, and I'm still working on a chance to build or have made a good bimini/dodger combo. Even the royal navy covered their boats literally from stem to stern when on station in the tropics: that sun is HOT.

I'll be interested to hear about both your adventures.

[harryrezz]

Hi, spooky - and an early Happy Halloween!
Reinell builds mostly price-point power boats, the vast majority of which are trailered and used in fresh water. Sailboats are almost an afterthought. While their hulls are not bad, the standing rigging is marginal at best, the deck fittings are low-end and not at all suited to saltwater, they are prone to leaks (poorly bedded fittings) and they have a rep for flexing a lot. NOT at ALL suited for ocean sailing - and never intended for it. I am quite a sense of adventure, but NO WAY would I venture off shore in a Reinell of any size! For what you would invest in an extensive refit to make your boat suitable (read: safe) for your intended use you could sell it and buy a much better boat to start with. You can essentially plan to strip everything off the boat starting at deck level - winches, cleats, everything - and start over with decent quality stuff designed for salt water. EXPENSIVE!!
That said, I've seen many a boat in the 25 foot range on an extended world cruise, or at least a Caribbean cruise. They certainly are not roomy, but lots of people make do. Just keep in mind that you'll be encountering seas like you've never seen before, and there is a world of difference between how a 22 footer handles them as opposed to a larger boat. Speed is also a big factor - the longer the waterline, the faster a boat tends to sail - and getting from point A to point B, especially alone, in a timely manner can sometimes make or break a cruise.
I'd really suggest that you try chartering a few slightly larger boats which were intended for coastal and ocean sailing and you'll soon see what we mean. Also a great way to evaluate potential candidates.
Bottom line - IMHO - don't waste your money on trying to make do with what you have, start over with a decent quality boat in just a few feet longer.

[SabreKai]

My first boat was a Grampion 26, and I was also planning on taking her to the Islands. I spoke to several people who had transatlantic experience, and all of them agreed that with proper equipment and some rework of the huge plexi ports I'd have no problems. 22 foot is a tad small but if you plan on hitting ports regularly, I'd say go for it.

However, given the current state of the world, perhaps judicious searching will find you a bigger boat for the adventure. I suspect that there are going to be a lot of them up for a song in the near future. He who has cash wins!

Sabre

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Spooky and Sabre,
Don't confuse Grampian with Reinell. As Harry has said and I alluded to the Reinell is not made for anything but small lake and river sailing. You can spend a lot of money trying to make the Reinell seaworthy enough to do the things you want and it will be more cost than buying a boat with all the necessary quality items aboard.
I once pulled a winch off a Reinell 26 because it had short steel woodscrews holding it in place and that was a factory installation.
Kind regards,
JohnL

[Cheechako]

No problems taking a small boat to the Bahamas or even Carribean. I should be a reasonably strong boat though. NOT the Reinell. There are a lot of bargains in small size. My first crossing to the Bahamas was in tandem with a couple who were both over 6ft tall and they were in a 25 ft production boat. Maybe a catalina... cant remember. A great but not well known pocket cruiser is the Bayfield 25. Five minutes on our local Craig's List turned these up. Not that I'm vouching for them.

Tanzer 26 sailboat with newer sails, remodeled cabin cushions, structurally sound.
Awlgrip paint job, well maintained. Depth sounder, outboard, BBQ, lines, spinnaker, 2 anchors, rode and chain, lots of extra equipment. $4500

30 ft US Yacht $5999 New paint and $2000 in engine work. (good design)
1978 Hunter 125 25' Sailboat - $4750
1976 Albin Vega 27 foot sailboat. Blue water sailor, Volvo diesel MD6B, All new bronz through haul fittings. $8000 /offer
24 Foot Islander Sailboat, 6hp outboard. Moving! $2500

[Caribsailors]

I originally thought my 24 O'Day would have been enough. I settled on a 38 Beneteau.

I have met sailors along the way, one from France who single handed to the Turks & Caicos Islands on a 24' steel hulled sloop.

Then last March I met a French Canadian who was on a 24' something, the make fails me now, in Cuba. He had sailed it up from Curacao with a stop in Jamaica.

My experiences,

Cheers

[waverider]

To quote an old quote: "Its not the size of the ship, but the motion on the ocean"

I have a 27ft with an outboard that I plan on sailing from Nova Scotia to Key West and beyond. Comfort is a personal issue and as long as you are comfortable you will do ok.

Of course I myself would not want to do it in a 22footer,


Cheers

[Kenneth Magee]

Dana 24s and Flikas are both very small boats and both have made circumnavigations. Joshua Slocum sailed an open dug-out canoe from S America to Mass. I think with his wife and small child aboard. What makes it all possible is in your Head and in Your Heart. If you want it you will have it. If you never acheive your goals in life it is most often because you were never willing to sacrifice or really didn't want it as bad as you thought. Just get in the boat and go. You will be fne.

[Pblais]

You could be stupid, but the concept is not for all the reasons outlined above. The only issue is your patience. If you have the discipline to pick your days it could be quite easy. If you should be in a hurry you are at your own peril. The ability to know the difference is all that separates life and sure death.

So the only question really is - Are you stupid? You may not be since it is the only question of importance and perhaps the one that needs to be asked. We sure can't tell.

In the end you have asked the only question that really matters. If you have to ask strangers it is not a positive sign. You could be smarter if you tried and that is the only hope you have. You can get some of that here but being able to do it is another step we can't predict. If you post more plans perhaps we can help you avoid something that won't be fun. In the end it really all is supposed to be fun.

[Lostmt]

Someone made mention of a boom tent. Here is one that I like.

Its made with pvc pipe and blue tarp from WalMart