The Best Transportable Full Keels

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by Jalaniel

I want to become familiar as much as possible with sailing in various weather conditions, non-GPS nav skills, etc because of my ultimate goal of soloing in a 35ft range boat.. in say.. 2 yrs.

Everyone else seems to be covering the what boat to buy question quite well.

For the non-GPS nav skills goal, I will offer the unsolicited advice that you acquire 'Piloting and Dead Reckoning' by Shuefeldt, Dunlap and Bauer, and 'Celestial Navigation for Yachtsmen' by Mary Blewitt.

[cal40john]

Originally Posted by Jalaniel

PS- I was at the dock today, and two guys were launching a 28ft foldable Trimaran, and were going to sell it. I must say, I was rather impressed with the ease of putting in. They had crossed to and sailed the BS. Been in races etc.
A few things bothered me- a) I do not want a trimaran. b)they were pushing the boat as some sort of marvel- at 8500.00 - which seemed awfully cheap. c)what most bothered me was their response when I asked what kind of bilge pump it had: "No need for one, cockpit has auto/deck bailing etc". I responded- "most boats have self bailing for the deck..I am speaking of the bilge.... ummm what if you run over a buoy or rock and ripped a hole w/out a pump?"
answer: "The hull has a galvanized steel bottom- never happen" ... perhaps I am ignorant about this matter- but the "Titanic" came to mind when he said this....
He affirmed that they did have one of those portable plastic pump bilge pumps... which are not very effective in a boat 28 ft in length.. IMHO. I would want a fixed 15 pump at the very least..

With a trimaran if you hole the main hull the two ama hulls will keep it afloat. I'd still want at least a bucket to bail it out after I'd plugged the hole though.

JOhn

[Jalaniel]

Yes, I know the tri's you do not sink, and I have no idea what access (ie if a bucket would fit) to their bilge looks like, and how deep. But... going offshore, any distance, and taking on water..along with.. say running into high winds.. Since these guys were talking about "being able to go anywhere", I thought that it was somewhat flippant to think of a bilge pump as an afterthought.
Sorry I am going off topic.
Mme Adelie- thank you for the reference. I will note those for my "add to library" list.
Daniel

[chrisyse]

Do have their contact info? I am intriqued by the Tri and $8500 seems low. Probably too good to be any good.