Question from a monohuller: 28 ft tri offshore?

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by shanedennis

He is insane.

Smaller multihulls capsize too often in bluewater leading to loss of life. It seems multihulls need to be much bigger to be safe for ocean crossings.

I would not take my family on an ocean crossing on a multihull less than 50'.

Yet you'd go on a 34foot mono? LMAO!

[Factor]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

Yet you'd go on a 34foot mono? LMAO!

It caused me some mirth as well. As usual tradition and inherent bias will triumph over reality and fact.

[smj]

Originally Posted by Factor

It caused me some mirth as well. As usual tradition and inherent bias will triumph over reality and fact.

I really think he has a great boat in his PS 34', but he doesn't seem to have much insight into multihulls.

[twinzerfan]

in a few ways, I'm like your friend. I bought a 1963 30' Piver nimble that's been sitting on the hard for 25 years. A few people on here told me not to get her, and I understand why. There were a lot of repairs to do, many that I found while doing other things. If I wasn't a carpenter, and laminator, I would have been lost from day one. And, even then, we slid her down the ramp, and found a couple pin holes that needed attention. My point is, if your friend is handy, or capable, he maybe lucky enough to get a solid hull with enough effort, or sweat.

Even with my confidence in my work, I plan to sail the river as much as possible, in as many crappy conditions as possible, and push the boat in relative safety before even going in the sea. If she's as solid as I think, I may go to the Bahamas at some point. I would in no way however, think that I could jump on, and sail that short trip right away, let alone cross an ocean...

Another point is that I'm a single guy, and pretty basic in my needs - although I'm not a radical nudist yet. There's not a whole lot of space for my modest junk, and rations, (minimal) safety gear, galley supplies, batteries, water, and everything else. I can't possible imagine 3 more people on her for more than an afternoon sail, and I've got 3' on your friend. I'd say he needs to spend a week sailing with the family, and then see if his plans change.

Jim Brown's book as mentioned is priceless reading material, for sure

[twinzerfan]

I realize that my post may sound like i'm bigging myself up, i'm not, i'm on your side here, and hoping my experience will be helpful to your friend...

[nial]

I want to know about the people who have x number of years sailing experience "under their belt". How do they get it in there? And why would they want to keep it there? The only thing I keep under my belt is really, really useful.

[snort]

Speaking of Piver Nimbles, here's one that made its way from England to San Diego: 1991 Piver Nimble sailboat for sale in California

This 30-footer crossed thousands of miles of some rough ocean and made it in one piece, but to me, those windows are just screaming, "C'mon, ocean, just smash me in the face". Nevertheless, the proof is in the pudding. This time, in the Piver.

[svseachange]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

Yet you'd go on a 34foot mono? LMAO!

Smaller cruising cats are fine for the lower latitudes, like my home waters of Queensland and PNG, where I learned to sail on tris and cats. Not an anti multi person speaking here.

But they are not popular amongst the high latitude folk I have met. And I did not see many to see above 45 N. Plenty of 30-40' monos. Damn good reason for that, I say.

[Factor]

As far as I am aware the only sailing vessel to recently do the north west passage is a tri. But I could be wrong. As for the lower latitude thing, depends what you define it as, there are certainly plenty of small cruising cats doing the circum nav of Australia thing, which obviously includes the bight, bass straight etc and indeed costal tassie, so thats around the 40 degrees. Above that you may be correct, I wouldnt do it is a GRP mono either, I dont know because I see absolutely no reason to cruise above 45 Latitude. But good luck to those that do. Which is not to say the I wouldn't go there, just dont want to spend much time cruising there.

[Teleman]

Regardless of the seaworthiness question, spending more than 24 hours on a 28' tri with a wife and two small children will become an ordeal, especially for the mother and kids.
Trying to live aboard will lead rapidly to divorce or selling the boat.

[svseachange]

Takes all types. We met a couple with two kids living aboard a 26' mono recently. They seemed happy as clams.

Made our life aboard our 34' mono feel extravagant. Which was good because I had just a few days before been on nice Passport 40+ cruiser which made our boat feel miserly!

[Boatguy30]

Originally Posted by Factor

As far as I am aware the only sailing vessel to recently do the north west passage is a tri. But I could be wrong. As for the lower latitude thing, depends what you define it as, there are certainly plenty of small cruising cats doing the circum nav of Australia thing, which obviously includes the bight, bass straight etc and indeed costal tassie, so thats around the 40 degrees. Above that you may be correct, I wouldnt do it is a GRP mono either, I dont know because I see absolutely no reason to cruise above 45 Latitude. But good luck to those that do. Which is not to say the I wouldn't go there, just dont want to spend much time cruising there.

If you mean this year then maybe so would be interested in the link. A guy sailed around the America's pretty much non stop last year on an Albin Vega 27. I believe the ice is worse this year or at least so far. Was mostly smooth sailing last year.

[ripplemagic]

28 foot tri offshore? This is my first post here, and would like to throw in my opinion. I am getting a 28'6" tri in NW West Australia, and will be sailing down through the Bight and Bass Straight to the east coast of Aust over the next few months. Is that a hairy ride? Sure it is. I built and lived aboard a 33' Cross trimaran for years, and I truly think that the trimaran is the better boat. Monohull friends doing the same passages at the same times as me with following seas, tell me of the hours fighting the helm, and yet I am wandering around the deck taking pictures of the dolphins. Take your choice. Every boat, if mishandled, is a disaster waiting to happen. I agree about Jim Browns books. Multis should have parachute anchors on a bridle for the really bad stuff. That is the superior advantage that monos cant compete with. This bloke with the ideas of taking his family offshore with him should take them for a trial run first. I don't think they would go a second time. But for a guy on his own on a tight budget, a 28 foot tri is a good choice, if he is careful. Good luck mate! see you out there.

[Sand crab]

I would do it in a Corsair but not with the family.

[mr-canada]

Originally Posted by Teleman

Regardless of the seaworthiness question, spending more than 24 hours on a 28' tri with a wife and two small children will become an ordeal, especially for the mother and kids.
Trying to live aboard will lead rapidly to divorce or selling the boat.

hahaha. Thats exactly what I'm thinking. When his wife was pregnant with his first child (he was the CEO of his own tech startup and he thought it would help his image if he could talk with the other businesspeople about their kids - a startup entrepreneur should put kids off if at all possible) her description of the situation was, "This is what he did to me." (points at pregnant belly)

I'm thinking that they climb aboard and make it as far as Oregon and the wife and kids will be on the first Amtrak back to Canada. The boat will be effectively worthless even when he makes it seaworthy to his tastes. He is an IT guy who is a bit handy, not a fibreglass repairman, rigger, engine mechanic and boat restorer. I doubt he has enough sailing experience even on other people's vessels to know where to best put the winches on this hulk, nor what winches to get for the type of trip he wants to take.

Knowing him, he's going to troll around for the cheapest used crap he can find that matches or try to find stuff for free. I know he isnt working a lot right now and hasnt been since he moved the family into a commune. I think this hulk is his big ticket to living for "free".

Hard to imagine anything being free looking at this boat he has got. When i look at it I see the need for decent sails, winches, navigation equipment, electrical, engine, fibreglass work, bottom and topside paint, probably rigging, furling gear. If the boat came with sails its probably a set at least as old as the last time the boat was cleaned which was probably 35 years ago from the pictures he showed me, and probably not a complete set at that.

While I have a complete set of sails with my own lack of experience I've only used two, the genoa and the main; despite that I have a yankee and a backup yankee, a mylar blade and a spinnaker. I couldnt imagine what that would cost to buy new or used in good enough shape to trust offshore, definitely in the thousands if not tens of thousands.

I can see this guy just going for it and heading offshore with the family the moment he sells his share in the commune, ready or not be damned they're living aboard.

What worries me the most is his infatigable confidence in this hull design. I've nothing against multis but being of the mind that "the problem with monohulls is that they sink" and that trimarans "are impossible to sink" IMO is absolutely the wrong way to think of the mistress called the sea. She can get quite vindictive at times and with a crying wife and two kids in a 30 or 40 knot howl all manner of anything can go horribly wrong in a hurry.