Plan is to circumnavigate with the family.

[mark_morwood]

Originally Posted by fxykty

Not true at all - any of the big 3 cats in whatever size are demonstrably capable of coconut palm circumnavigating. And their focus is on space, comfort, amenities and toy storage - just what this family wants. Nice full hulls and plenty of capacity for supplies and toys. And arguably the best value for novice sailors.

I agree absolutely. We met many families while we were out cruising who were in all sorts of boats. In our personal choice of boat we had sacrificed some space and comfort for the ability to sail in lighter winds as that was important to us, but I think the particular boat or model had very little to do with the enjoyment each of us was getting from being out there. Just get something that meets your needs - comfort, performance, price.

And though experience usually helps - attitude, some decision making skills, and an ability to have your crew/family work together as a team is much more important to safety and enjoyment in my opinion. We met some very experienced sailors out there who I would not have been happy having my kids do a passage with and some relatively inexperienced crews who I would have sent them with.

So keep talking to people, keep listening, but be cautious of anyone who says anything too definitive and prescriptive (including me!). The one thing I would suggest is to start as easy as you can. Spending a winter in the Bahamas is a great way to get comfortable on the boat in an environment that most families find lots of fun. You can then decide what to do next. I personally would avoid anything like the ARC that has a strong schedule, including setting your own. You want to adapt your plans as you learn what is good for you and your family.

Mark.