Sail Boats over 50ft

[nesscapade]

I'm with the big boat crowd too. My wife and I easily handle our Hylas 54 and love it. It was daunting at first but now we have no problem and put 1200 miles a year on her here in the Great Lakes.

My wife LOVES being on the boat and didn't like it so much being on the Hunter 33. It's a completely different experience and I think if you can afford it, find the right boat/design (I'm particular to Hylas) and get as big a boat as you can afford as long as it's not much older than 10-15 years old. Whatever design you choose, make sure it's been successfully circumnavigated by a couple before. That's why I'm partial to the larger center cockpit boats like Oysters, Hylas, Passports, etc. Expensive but also incredibly expansive and ready for exploring.

[Douglas L Hale]

Thanks everyone for the input I appreciate it very much, my sailing experience goes back 30 years. I started with the 16 foot Hobie cat and then went to a 25 foot buccaneer on the Columbia River. Then we moved it up to the sound, the Bellingham Washington area.The reason it was on the Columbia River is that I'm a retired farmer and we retired 2 to 3 years ago. The farm was up in the Hermiston Oregon area. Sailing has been hit and miss I haven't done much sailing in the last 20yrs. My wife has made it perfectly clear that the boat had to be at least twice the size of the last one, she hated that boat it was too small. Size of the boat really isn't an issue with me. I know that size does intimidate some people, but I've been around large pieces of equipment my whole life and that's not an issue with me. I'm also a licensed multi-instrument rated pilot have thousands of hours, know weather patterns extremely well, an is a serious consideration when you're sailing I do understand that. I am extremely knowledgeable about most of the high-tech equipment such as GPS systems radar which is used in all the newer technology and sailboats also. The 62 footer that I looked at was all updated navigation equipment in 2010 and 11 and had all self furling sails that have been replaced in 2007 and 2008. the man that I talk to his wife wasn't crazy about it so he actually sailed this 62 footer several times single-handed would that be the truth or is this bs. I am going to take some serious time looking, I've only looked at a few so far, nothing in person everything's been over the Internet so far. I am not in any hurry whatsoever. Just wanted to give everybody a little history I know that was some of the questions that some people ask and see if this maybe changed anybody's mind on the size of the boat. Again, really appreciate everybody's input everything helps whether it's negative or positive thanks again.


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[Ericson38]

Originally Posted by Weyalan

I have been on board a couple of Dynamique 62 sail boats ("Helsal V" and "Magic Miles"), and have sailed a few hours the latter. They go ok in plenty of wind, but are pretty slow less than 15 knots and very slow in less than 10 knots. 25 knots, on a broad reach, you will have a smile on your face.

These are big, heavy boats. I, personally, would not consider them ideal, or even suitable, for short handed sailing. I guess with sufficient application of dollars, you could make them ok for short handed sailing, but you would be wanting electric winches for halyards, headsails and mainsail as a bare minimum. I will also say that both the Dynamiques I say were built in, I think, the 1980s and both had some fairly significant osmosis blistering in the hull, not to mention they were getting pretty tired and needed a lot of money spent on them.

Great reading about your racer to cruiser conversion (10 years ago) while we are snowbound over here. The originator of this thread could read through it too-
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...-mad-2654.html

Not sure how many have sailed the Dynamiques as you have, but if I were Doug, I would pm you for more information.

[barnakiel]

I met a French couple sailing one (in the Caribbean). They said it was a great boat. She looked fine too.

b.

[Nicholson58]

We are a Camper & Nicholson 58 center cockpit ketch; 15'-7" beam 45 LWL; 80 mast clearance; 36 tons with water & fuel. We draw 6'-8" board up & 13 ' board down. We rarely run the board. Modified full keel & skeg rudder. NO bow thruster. Maneuvering in twisty narrow waterways is a challenge. SLOW is the mode. It will coast a very long way and you don't stop it fending off by hand. Jib, cutter, main & mizzen all roller furl. The main is electric. We also have a 1/2" drive Milwaukee 28 volt right angle drill with a winch-bit. Sails stay up. The genoa is close to 300 pounds. There is not room in the cabin for the jib even if we cared to take it off the fore stay. We have a code zero and A-S kite that can be launched through the forward hatch. These have ATN socks. There is a Mizzen staysail we launch the old fashioned way. The genoa must be partly furled to tack but the Milwaukee handles that. There is a manual over-ride for the main in-mast Harken furler and this could be run using the Milwaukee as well or with a winch handle. All regular sheets and sail controls are run to the cockpit. The prop variable pitch control is next to the wheel. With or without autopilot, it is easy to sail for two us. The ride, as others have noted is great in otherwise crappy sea states. Just cracked off of close hauled it will make 10 to 11 in about 15 true. There are a lot of systems to maintain, more so it seems on large boats. I raced big boats for over 20 years and have been sailing for over 50 years. This is the biggest by far we have operated but our experience helped. I wouldn't recommend really big to a novice. Be sure you can insure it before you pull that trigger too.