Your Opinions on Seagoing Vessels Requested!

[kismet]

Originally Posted by Liam Wald

In 1956 when I was six years old my family and I crossed the Atlantic fron New York to Hamburg on the USS Upshire. That felt pretty safe. The ship was about 500 feet long...........

Seriously, is it just me or is anyone else getting a little tired hearing this over and over ad nausium???

I crossed from Ireland to Nova Scotia in the same year. We were supposed to land in Toronto, but the St Lawrence Sea Way was frozen. I was 5 y.o. at the time but it seemed like a great place to have a birthday. As it turns out, I was the only one on the family to not get sea sick.
The train to Toronto was interesting as it was full of Hungarian refugees escaping the Russian invasion, taking place at the time.

[kismet]

Oh, yes I have a mod full keel ketch..old but reliable. and paid for

[roverhi]

"Honestly, when is the last time that you read a news release about a "modern" boat that failed and everyone died?"

Actually, day before yesterday though no one died. A J120 sank so fast that they ended up swimming out of the cockpit to the life raft. Boat was nudged by a few whales that probably ripped off the rudder taking part of the hull with it. On my good old Westsail, the whale would have had a headache and we'd still be sailing south.

Heavy displacment, full keel boats are plodders. They just keep on going at a pretty good clip but aren't 'fun' to sail. They react slowly, won't turn on a dime but those are attributes that are a big big plus on 2,000 nm or even a 100nm passage. The carrying capacity of this type of boat are phenomonal and the extra weight doesn't kill the performance like it does on the lightweight modern boats. They also aren't slow. We averaged 118nm per day, through the water, for over 10,000 miles, two passages through the doldrums, with virtually no engine time. Not bad for a 27' water line, fat and heavy boat.

Going to weather isn't their strong point but ours would point as close to the wind as we cared to survive with. 4 or 5 days to weather is enough to make any sane person insane. They also aren't great light air boats. They will still sail, just not as fast as a fin keel, low wetted surface boat. Having said that, we found that winds blow force 3-5 most of the time on the ocean so light air isn't all that much a factor.

It's not to say that a modern light weight boat of comparable water line length isn't going to make a safe passage. It's just that it might not be very comfortable and you'll have to compromise on what you load on it.

[David M]

There are a thousands of ocean worthy designs. If this were not the case then wouldn't all boats crossing the ocean look the same?

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by JustInTheBreeze

"Is there a specific hull design to be a blue water crosser?"

No.

Originally Posted by JustInTheBreeze

"What boats have you old salts sailed the Atlantic or Pacific oceans in, and felt most secure aboard than others. And would you like to share why you felt more comfortable in said yacht compared to others. Your opinions will be very much appreciated!

Small (26) double-ender, mid-displacement, built 1981. Probably the worst boat to go. Too small, rolls downwind like hell, too slow, too old.

Perhaps I would feel more secure in same thing just say 30'+ and 50% heavier. I would also feel safe in the light, fast things (Minis, Opens, etc.).

b.

[JustInTheBreeze]

I'm not asking for what book to read, with thanks to those that suggested a few. And I am not asking for your opinions on how I should research.
I am asking about your experiences in different boats you have ACTUALLY CROSSED IN!
Not what boats recently sank or how many times you've read or answered this question, and if you have, then don't post about it!
All I am looking for are your own crossing experiences! so please, no more post other than your own crossing experience, PLEASE.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by JustInTheBreeze

I'm not asking for what book to read, with thanks to those that suggested a few. And I am not asking for your opinions on how I should research.
I am asking about your experiences in different boats you have ACTUALLY CROSSED IN!
Not what boats recently sank or how many times you've read or answered this question, and if you have, then don't post about it!
All I am looking for are your own crossing experiences! so please, no more post other than your own crossing experience, PLEASE.

Gee, I thought you got a number of replies that answered that question exactly.

Maybe this isn't what you want to hear but the bottom line is, sailors have crossed the ocean (frequently and repeatedly) in just about every kind of boat you can imagine. Asking again won't change that and trying to make members of this forum reiterate something in a manner that you find acceptable will be an excercise in futility.

Further, to respond fully and properly about ones experience in crossing the ocean in a particular type of boat and all the ramifications is not a simple, one paragraph response, if answered properly. The complexity of a complete response is why it has been recommended you read some books on the subject. If it were that simple there would not be so many books on this exact subject.

If you want a simple list of boat types then I suggest posting your question as a poll.

[barnakiel]

OK, then:

-a small (26') double-ender, mid-displacement, built 1981 (design similar to a smallish Pacific Seacraft 34). 5 crossings, 35k+ Nm. Probably the worst boat to go. Too small, rolls downwind like hell, too slow, too old. Unsafe.

-an Open 40 (similar to Class 40). One crossing. Cream. Fast, safe, uncomfortable.

-a Catana 473 (cat). One crossing. Slower, safe, comfortable. Best home worst sailing boat.

b.

[S&S]

Originally Posted by JustInTheBreeze

I'm not asking for what book to read, with thanks to those that suggested a few. And I am not asking for your opinions on how I should research.
I am asking about your experiences in different boats you have ACTUALLY CROSSED IN!
Not what boats recently sank or how many times you've read or answered this question, and if you have, then don't post about it!
All I am looking for are your own crossing experiences! so please, no more post other than your own crossing experience, PLEASE.

Well, excuse us for trying to help you make an educated choice.
Any number of boats have crossed the pond, of varying design, via different routes, in differing weather conditions. So the data you collect may or may not be valuable.

The question really should be in what boat would you be happy/safe doing it?

[SkiprJohn]

1967 Mariner 35 all wood ketch. Easy Pacific crossing in 22 days from Hawaii to Washington State. No more than 35k winds.