What Makes a Boat "Bluewater" Capable?

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by tropicalescape

If you have got to change the Rigging ,chainplates,beef up the rudder,change the running rigging,put in extra water tanks ,fuel tanks,better sails, etc you might not a have a blue water boat..

James Baldwin did that and more on his 28' Pearson Triton:

Atom Voyages - The Sailboat Atom

And I believe he circumnavigated in that boat a couple times at least.

[s/v Beth]

This thread has gone everywhere: Its the captain, no its the small boat, no the bigger cat, no the production boat , yada yada yada. Well I was down running my diesel for a minute and checking up on my bigish boat. This little guy sails the chop and currents of the Columbia and the Columbia bank. Though he disappears for a while, he always comes back. Always sails cause I don't think he has a motor. BTW he has been trying to put a bowsprit on it for a couple of years, I think he finally gave up. Couldn't find high enough quality savaged wood.
Now there's a blue water boat.
And I bet he got it for free.

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by thomm225

James Baldwin did that and more on his 28' Pearson Triton:

Atom Voyages - The Sailboat Atom

And I believe he circumnavigated in that boat a couple times at least.

Thats my point ,if you have got to do all those things to it just to fill safe then perhaps it was not meant to be a world cruser from the factory...If you change anything on an airplane it has got to have a new "type certification" and then it is no longer what it was ie ,Piper Cub and you change the engine from 65 hp to say a 0-200(100 hp) then you change the shape of the rudder to allow better handling with the more powerful engine you now do not have a Piper Cub...

[sneuman]

Originally Posted by Randyonr3

I keep hearing about this "motion comfort" in heavy weights compared to light weight boats both under sail and at anchor, and it might be true in some conditions but what boats are we speaking of.
Because most of the boats, being production boats , are not designed for all out racing so weight is not a designedfactor and fall into a middle weight boat.
I can see comparing a Melges to a cape dory or a Hans to a J 24, but that's to the extreme. The Beneteau , unless its a new first below 30 feet is not a light weight boat.
And at anchor, this crap about being more comfy at anchor, if thats true, why is it that the gatheringpoint for dinner or drinks happens to be the new production boat with the walk thru transom and double wheels.
Fact is, most new production boats fall into a middle weight class, not heavy, and not light, but right where it should.be......

You don't even have to leave the dock to see what I'm talking about. Watch the boat masts as a wake goes through a marina. The boats whose masts barely move or stop their pendulum motion quickly are typically going to be the better sea boats than the ones that don't. This isn't rocket science, really.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

I think the differing viewpoints over the term "blue water" is in itself informative.(...)

+1!

b.

[sailorboy1]

You know, as an owner of one of the new style modern production boats I don't really have any problem with people sailing the older full keel type of boats. I feel they are fine boats that sail as as one would expect and make just fine passage makers. If their owners like them that is OK by me.

I just wish for a change on one of these threads that those owners could show me the same courtesy of believing the same is true of my boat choice that I spend a lot research time and money on.

And for some posters it would be a great change if they would stop trying to suggest what an unreasonable fool and general idiot those of us with modern boat designs must be!

[Snore]

Don,

As someone who reads this forum to learn, posts like yours, Marks and Boatmans have convinced me that modern designs are capable of ocean crossings. So hang in there, you have one convert.

My remaining concern is Krackens. On several full keel forums there are numerous postings of how Krackens are attracted to these newer designs.


Regarding the thread, I will add one thing. IMFO, a bluewater boat should not be fickle or demanding to operate. The more forgiving, the less effort on sailing, the fresher the crew.

Cheers

Bill

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

You know, as an owner of one of the new style modern production boats I don't really have any problem with people sailing the older full keel type of boats. I feel they are fine boats that sail as as one would expect and make just fine passage makers. If their owners like them that is OK by me.

I just wish for a change on one of these threads that those owners could show me the same courtesy of believing the same is true of my boat choice that I spend a lot research time and money on.

And for some posters it would be a great change if they would stop trying to suggest what an unreasonable fool and general idiot those of us with modern boat designs must be!

Don... when I had my 37 the Hunter knockers loved telling me 3 had sunk that year around C. Lookout...
I just had a little snigger... its what you know you have... not what others think you have...
Don't think I seen a former Hunter owner on here saying it was a load of crap....
Mine was....


Just kidding...

[sneuman]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

You know, as an owner of one of the new style modern production boats I don't really have any problem with people sailing the older full keel type of boats. I feel they are fine boats that sail as as one would expect and make just fine passage makers. If their owners like them that is OK by me.

I just wish for a change on one of these threads that those owners could show me the same courtesy of believing the same is true of my boat choice that I spend a lot research time and money on.

And for some posters it would be a great change if they would stop trying to suggest what an unreasonable fool and general idiot those of us with modern boat designs must be!

But I sense just the opposite going on. I don't feel particularly defensive about it though!

[sailorboy1]

This isn't about Hunters, hell Hunter bashing is a sport!

It's about the old boats verse the new boats I was talking about. When it comes down to it the "modern" boats far as design have been around 20 years now. Yet based on lots of these "what is a good boat" threads there isn't a single good thing about then other than for sitting at the dock. Isn't it time to get over it and face the facts?

I think it is just a "my dog is bigger than your dog" battle where it doesn't really matter which dog you have.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by sneuman

But I sense just the opposite going on. I don't feel particularly defensive about it though!

I think your T37 is a fine boat and wouldn't have a problem going out in one if the boat was in good condition properly fitted out.

Would you be willing to say the same of my H410?

[sneuman]

I feel the same way. I have been on lots of different kinds of boats. I actually go out of my way to sail on opbs of all sorts.

[endoftheroad]

I didn't get the impression that old/modern or fin/full were unequally judging here. I've learned some and enjoyed this reading,

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by endoftheroad

I didn't get the impression that old/modern or fin/full were unequally judging here. I've learned some and enjoyed this reading,

Real sailboats heel over!...lol..

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by endoftheroad

I didn't get the impression that old/modern or fin/full were unequally judging here. I've learned some and enjoyed this reading,

\

All these threads to me have become generic. There are at least 3 threads with "bluewater" in the title going as active in the past few days. Then you add the one about keels a week ago. And the one about rudders the week before.

All of which get presented as some type of "learning" thing but just go down the same old "discussion