Is your boat fit for purpose?
We have just anchored in Newport, Rhode Island and it was through a thrill of racing memories that we sailed past Brenton Reef, the finish for three of my transatlantic races. The first was two-handed on an OOD 34ft which we had to bail for a fortnight, the keel falling off when lifted out in the yard. The second, and my greatest sailing achievement, was single-handed on a 26ft Firebird, a lightweight catamaran which saw me napping on deck with the main sheet wrapped round my wrist to ensure it stayed upright. The third was Aqua Quorum, the revolutionary 50ft swingkeeler that went on to compete in the Vendée Globe.
A diverse group of boats, now joined by our lovely Pearl of Penzance, a Garcia 45 Exploration whose DNA comes from Jimmy Cornell’s lifetime of cruising and 15,000 in-depth blue-water surveys. She is fit for purpose and is completely different to the other boats because we are cruising. This might sound obvious but we have come across so many projects, bad boat choices and heart-breaking stories that I feel compelled to share this most basic of observations.
First of all, define your dreams. Really define them, don’t accept your initial wishy-washy expression of wander lust. Where, when and how needs to be nailed, as that is the funnel that will narrow down to the right choice. We want to go to Antarctica and so a multihull was immediately out of the question. We wanted to be big enough to go anywhere but maintain the autonomy of being able to sail two-handed; 45ft felt right. The rule of thumb for cruising is 20 per cent sailing and 80 per cent at anchor. It’s a way of life so don’t get seduced by the weekend sailor’s formula to which most boats are designed with tons of berths, light equipment and a weekend’s worth of stowage, fuel and water.
Remove your racing goggles because there’s no point in a fast hull that compromises volume and goes to windward like a witch. Give up a knot, gain a comfortable cockpit and sugar scoop that is easy to swim from and it’ll be like a marina pontoon when you return with a loaded dinghy. In so doing you will reduce your draft and open up all sorts of lovely rivers, anchorages and, most importantly, safe havens.
A second-hand boat is a good option but don’t slide so far along the scale that you end up with a five-year project that crushes all your enthusiasm as every job unearths another two. Also, be aware that an outdated design will lose value on an ever-steepening curve and this loss might negate any savings you make.
Complexity is another danger. We come across so many frustrated owners waiting for parts that get lost, stuck in customs or won’t quite fit due to some small modification. Generators, hydraulics, electronics, washing machines, microwaves, fridges, freezers, air-conditioning, water makers. They all have their place but it staggers me how easily the luxuries of shore life can be dragged onto the water. Particularly when the push to go is often an urge to escape the pace of modern life that requires this stuff to sustain it.
We do our washing in a bucket. If needed we can putter ashore, bung a big wash in a machine and enjoy a beer. This has saved us a washing machine, generator, bigger water maker, miles of pipes, a ton of money and gained us space to stow our folding bikes. It has also increased reliability through simplicity.
You might not be racing, but fill your boat full of complex gadgets and you’ll find yourself wondering if you are there to serve the boat rather than the boat serving you.
First of all, define your dreams. Really define them