Love his little series you have done. Could you please do the same for catamarans. And if it some info for setting up for single handed would be even better. Love your work.
Great video. The bluewater 56 is also the Hylas 56, you might want to mention that. Outbound also uses the same hull. I honestly think this is one of the better videos put out to the sailing community because it gives real information regarding trips people want to do/dream of doing.
Hi James, My wife and I recently upgraded to a 2006 Oyster 56 and feel as do many she is the finest blue water for a couple made. We have so far sailed her with just ourselves, but have found that with 4 on board we can't dream of a better boat for extended off shore passages. She should have made your list. We both love your new format ! . The background is terrific as you also look great ! Am looking forward to more content, keep up the great work.
James, my thoughts after watching 1 & 2 of 2: If what I know now I had known when I was 18, I would have headed to Florida walking the docks to get on board a sailboat as crew to learn. Had that boat been you or someone with experience like yourself, I would have been like a sponge - wanting to learn about all aspects of the boat, sail selection, sail material, how to plan movement, navigation. weather, tide, current, charts, tools, how to repair, where to go, and whatever else. I would have wanted to be educated. Your 2-part series and the episodes with Plucky discussing what different types of boats offer are eye-opening. So much to learn, so much terminology. Best I can do now is to watch the channels and enjoy the content. Terrific 2-part series. See ya! :¬) Webhead USA
Excellent advice, and hopefully those new to sailing will follow it. An observations: the illustration for the West Sail 32 is really a Hans Christian 33T which in fact is a very dry boat. In the 100k and under category I would recommend the Contest 38s which is not only properly built but also a very good off-shore boat. Finally, thank you for featuring my Hans Christian 48T Bravura . I had her custom built in 1987 and owned her for 32 wonderful years. She carried me and my crew safely and quickly over 50,000 nm without serious failure or concern. A true blue water boat.
James, I'm 63, with 52 years on the helm. I've owned 7 boats, and driven hundreds... Your words are SFA!! (So ucking ACCURATE) - seriously touching on the key components of boat review, choices, rakes to step on... I know you would throw my boat under the Cruise Ship but like you said it's a trade off and hundreds of them have already globe trotted... and I get my varnish wholesale...and a sucker for pain it's my second one!!! Wishing you and your family the best! If I dip on the farm / castle building series I already did that when my kids were born and sold Sea Whisper for a ranchita...Anyway thanks for some great content!! You know your shizzz...
@@thelastpirateI have a topic that I’d like to hear your opinion on. For those of us who are doing the best we can with the boats we have, even though they may not be the ideal blue water cruisers. What kinds of things can we do to make them more seaworthy? I have a C&C 35 mkll.
Really good advice!!! Heaving to is critical!!! My S&S swan is the gold standard as far as I am concerned. She checks all your boxes! 😊Olin was a genius ! She has proven herself on many crossings and through many storms in excess of 50 kts.
Very well stated video from knowledge and experience. I have owned and done long range ocean cruising on the following boats: Alberg 35 sloop, Kelly Peterson 44 cutter, Cal ll-46 Ketch. My students often ask me. Which did I like best. A. They all worked well offshore. B. The KP 44 and Cal 46 both were amazing well build solid glass center cockpit true blue water boats. Many have circumnavigate. I crossed oceans in them a number of times. For an all round live aboard cruiser, the Cal was hard to beat. Center cockpit, ketch rig, WALK IN stand up head room in the engine room with a work bench with drill press and vice. And watermaker. 270 gals of diesel and 220 water!! This is so often a neglected feature of a cruising boat! NO jugs on deck! Thank you. 17’ of galley. Super well behaved at sea. The KP 44 was also very much a winner. But lacked the incredible amenities of the Cal. Both great sea boats that had near 200 mile passage days. They both were good performers. Not at all dogs. I could easily singe hand either. Especially the Cal with Ketch rig and 2 speed electric primaries.
A riveting video. I learnt a great deal. Chock full of easy to understand no nonsense hard data. Thanks for posting. Are you planning on a similar series about catamarans? I would love your insights. I have a ton of catching up to do on your excellent channel.
Love love love this topic. Love it when you share your knowledge. I just purchased a tank lol. WS 32. I wanted a GGR approved boat, solid FG hull, comfort rating greater than 45, capsize less 2, full keel, slower, chill, safe, full of teak, high gunnels, pullits. Cutter rig, tiller, and more. I will be refitting to sail around the world 🗺️ solo at retirement. She is simply strong and uncomplicated.
lol 😂😂😂 don’t want to see my grandma standing on the mast great advice just what I needed I sail a Hanse 430e which is comfortable fast beautiful boat but changing it for a 390 Najad as I am now heading out to ocean sailing So watching this has cemented my decision for a change even more Great advice Thank you
Amazing, comprehensive video! Would have been great to have your opinion on aluminium centerboard sailboats. You’ve mentioned Garcia but would be nice to have some in depth analysis on the pros and cons of such settings. Thanks a lot for the content 🙏🏼
Great video! Being able to handle your rig is basic, the less sails the easier to short hand, in my opinion. I'm a short guy 5'7" and the issue for me has always been being able to reach everything. All your points are solid I would just add that the captain has to be able to reach all the hardware while offshore. Keep up the content!
We have a 130% genoa on our main forestay. We are Solent rigged. The inner forestay has the staysail. It's our perfect rig and we would not change it. We are also ketch rigged. The mizzen mast allows us to set a large mizzen staysail, that sheets to the mizzen boom. It's our favourite sail
Hatches must always be mounted to raised flanges that are mounted above the molded deck. Our boat a sceptre 41 lived on board in the Caribbean for five years. Never a problem other than maintenance, keeps you young.
Excellent, especially in the way you prioritize what it is important when sailing offshore and how that is reflected in boat design. My wife and I are going to buy a Kraken 50 and are interested in your views about whether to install in-mast furling or slab reefing for the mainsail. I hear that in-mast systems have improved a great deal and are more reliable now than in the past, but there is a LOT of conflicting opinion out there, even among very experienced, offshore sailors.
Thanks a lot! Very informative! I bought a Najad 343 from 1983 for appr. $55k (built like a tank) and I will probably have to spend $30-40k to get her in perfect circumnavigation shape. Boats like her aren’t built anymore but would cost $250-300k new I guess. ⛵️ Best of luck to you and fam with your new life.
Based on your video. I think Dick Koopman's designs basically fits "the ideal bluewater sailboat" he also designed Breehorn and Victoire(polyester), Hutting (alu). Dick Zaal is also the designer of Atlantic: aluminium lifting keel yachts besides Contest. All of these boats are also quite pricey even for the older ones.. of course the price asked is one thing and the price paid another. The most affordable is some older Victoire. Thank you for the great video!
My Bavaria C57 sails very well upwind (10knts in 15-18knts of wind). She can slam in steep short period waves but we mitigate this by changing course to hit the waves at an angle. We have in boom furling and can reef up to 80 degrees off the wind so don't have to turn into wind. The main issue with the Escape tragedy was the mainsheet cutting across the cockpit and striking the poor couple when they lost control of the boom. Also reefing required someone at the mast which is not the case with my system. It can all be done from the cockpit. I love the transom door and dinghy garage on our C57 which provides easy safe stowage for our dinghy. I could fit latches in future as an added precaution to the transom door although I have no worries at present that it may fail and open by itself give the size of the hinges and dyneema winch rope.
Great work James. I love this new tack you have taken. No joke. They are out of style now but it would have been good if you had touched on smaller boats for voyaging, say 35' and less for the solo sailor like myself. I recently completed a 10,000 NM solo circuit of the Pacific in my 27'er. There are plenty of folks out there with under $100K budgets and want a boat that is cheaper to own and easier to handle. I'm looking for a bigger boat but no way 40'! Thanks, Ben S/V DAWN
This is probably the most authoritative thirty minute guide to choosing an off-shore passage maker that I've seen in several years of watching various sailing channels. It saddens me hugely to see manufacturers putting stern doors into transoms of boats that will be sailed predominantly by amateurs. If you're in North America you've likely never heard of the Princess Victoria Ferry Disaster. In the incredibly destructive storm of early 1953 that took thousands of lives and caused billions of pounds of destruction across North America, the UK and Europe, a passenger ferry sank in the North Passage of the Irish Sea with the loss of 135 lives. One of those lost was my maternal grandfather, Robert White. A major contributor to the loss of the ship and passengers, was the fact that the stern doors of the ro-ro ferry weren't properly secured and when the ferry entered the storm raging in the Irish Sea. The sea eventually overwhelmed the stern doors and the ferry took on more water than the pumps could handle. The ship drifted some miles and despite valiant efforts by the RNLI and Royal Navy to reach the ship. It eventually sank not far off the Northern Irish coast. www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/Loss-Of-Princess-Victoria-Ferry/ for anyone who's interested. I have no memories of my maternal grandfather. He died almost a decade before I was born. Yet I always felt his loss and his death had terrible consequences for our family. I am getting fit again before embarking upon my RYA offshore sailing training in the Spring. While I can see the value of things like sugar scoops and I will probably need one, as I'm retired. I will always be very conscious of anything safety related on the water. Your comments about the ability to depower a boat in a hurry really resonated because I've been caught out many times from my earliest days sailing fast dinghies to medium sided keelboats. When I've needed to depower fast and not been able to, as quickly as I wanted. It sometimes left a real pit in my stomach, caused by a temporary loss of control and all that can flow from that. Your advice and how you deliver it is that of a master, skilled at his occupation. 'They' say it takes roughly 10,000 hours practice to really master a skill. The exact number isn't important. The important thing is that you know what you're talking about and are kind enough to share what you've learned. I know that many others, including other circumnavigators, hold you in very high regard. Obviously this is fully justified. It would be a privilege to buy you a drink if our paths ever cross in some far flung corner of a foreign sea 🍺🍺🍺
James, excellent video. Nice to learn from a pro. This will help me when I go cruising the world. Greetings from Holland. Contest, Halberg Rassy and Standfast are great boats.
Very good video with tons of info,thank you for shareing !! Please let us know a selection of a more modern boats,for those who dont like classic lines,pls.
We looked at the boat Pneumatic last fall when we were boat shopping. Decided to go with a custom Ted Hood design over a production boat. The hard dodger was actually better looking in person, i think it looks terrible in person. The one odd thing about the boat was that the gel coat was all chaulky and the boat was only like 2 years old. Lots of dried out rubber sealant too around windows and hatches. Its still for sale and its hylas counter parts that went on the market around the same price finally had a sale below $900K and it took over a year. Great market for buyers!!!
I am in love with the Gozzard line (31, 36, 37) with the "Brewer bite" out of a full keel with a great skeg and solo rudder for better maneuvering. But my big dreams are an Ovni 370, or a Puffin 42. Aluminum sounds so nice with the sealing and reduced creaking.
Excellent video. Keeping the deck uncluttered goes for more than the deck. For me every gadget you put on a boat means adding at least two new problems. So a good question to ask is, do I really, really need that thing?
Hello there, I am doing a complete Refit on my 1988 Beneteau First 435 E. I‘ve chosen her to live on bord an circumnavigate. She was in my budget and I really hope she brings enaugh security for all of my Plans with it. I think she fits in many of these bluewater aspects you talked about… Best regards JM
Camper Nicholson 47 cutter rig ,steel hull. My favourite. Well a bit biased, as I owner, sail her . Would like to hear about reefing systems. Thanks for the videos, nicely done.
A great video well done. I’ll forgive you for not including the Oyster 56 the most popular Oyster ever built. In the English side I would also add the Rival 34/38/41. Bowman 49/55, Excellent boats many over 40 years but still sailing. From Australia the Cavalier 39. From NZ probably any boat ever built that sailed away. Especially from aluminium they have some fantastic yachts. I also really like the Garcia and think aluminium is the future for many sustainable reasons. Where do all the old glass fibre boats go to die? Great video looking forward to more.
I'll add here two other factors related to how dry a boat is at sea. Reserve buoyancy is a big one. Older designs with long overhang at the bow and boats with topsides flare add reserve buoyancy. Another factor is pitching moment. Boats with heavy ends and rigs have more pitching moment which may cause them to pitch more, but generally have an easier ride with less pitch acceleration.
Another great show I enjoy shows you learn things and how they work How about shorter boats like Catalina 34 foot. Our club has a length restriction of 36 feet due to ice in winter
Amel Super Maramu is in the wrong category. I agree one of the best ocean sailing boats designed specifically for a couple to circumnavigate (bias I own one). It should be in the 100k to 250k budget really. Ours was €135 bur a deal and we have spent over 80k on it. However 250k to 500k would get you a very nice Amel 54 (newer model)
James, this is absolutely the most informative and best sailing video I’ve ever seen. Thanks so much❤ My own tiny pocket cruiser - the 27ft Albin Vega, has always been described as having “reverse sheer”. I think I now understand this means she’s higher at the stem than the stern (which she is). Is this correct?
What an amazing vid, brother! Great content. Clear and concise. I'm wanting to pull the trigger on a Nauticat 37 [2002]... any thoughts you can share? Year round living and cruising.
Look, I've got a lot of friends on Beneteau boats. They are great sailing boats. They aren't really built for offshore work, which you'll see - the bulkheads will start delaminating, the hardware will break, they can torsionally twist, but as long as you're willing to keep fixing her she's get you where you need to go.
Good video, but I have to point out a small error in your discussion of the Solent rig. You even used the pictures of White Dragon, the first Kraken 66. In the very video you use, you can actually see that there are three headsails visible. The inner most one is furled in. The Code-K is out, but that one is removable. In basic configuration you have a 140% Genua and a 95% Jib. So if the wind picks up, you roll in the Genua and roll out the Jib. The Code-K will be rigged when you know the weather is right for it.
Thanks, man, nice catch. I stand corrected. Sometimes the visual aid isn't perfect, but the shot is perfect... The point of the video was that on a solent rig there is no stasail set closer to the mast for storms. A 95% set on the bow is not a storm sail, it's more for sailing upwind in 30kts. If caught in 40+ kts it would add a lot of lee helm, making the AP work harder, etc etc. I am just going over the pros and cons, it's always a compromise. I put a removable split stasail on my Oyster, so the dingy could fit underneath, with the (soft shackle) hanked on stasail in a bag on the top of the dink. Thanks for the comment.
@@thelastpirate you are entirely correct. The Solent is a compromise that has an advantage in lighter winds. The Jib furled is lower and closer to the mast than the Genua would be. I still would need a storm sail for rough weather.
@@thelastpirate yes I agree. The Solent is a compromise that has an advantage in lighter winds. I would still need a separate storm sail for really rough weather. The reefed Jib is still lower and closer to the mast than the reefed Genoa would be, but it can't replace a Staysail.
Hello seilig Zingaro I've been following you and your family for a while It's a great channel you have and it's easy to understand you, I just have one question, are they the only Monohull sailboats you recommend, you see I'm retired soon and want to live the way you've done it for several years but I'm not fond of boats that lie on their side in the sea I like flat floor I have decided Multihull ore Catamaran with a lot of space and living area with a good view and 3 to 4 large cabins so my weeks can come and join when they have vacation or free time or that I can bring crew Is there anything you can recommend of them
I had to separate the monohull vid and the catamaran vid. They are two different animals. Some of the ideas cross over, but better to have a dedicated video to multihulls.
Hi there, I’ld love your opinion on the Laurin Koster 28, mine is in need for a complete refit, but I am pretty sure the hull is bulletproof…. What’s your opinion on converting to a junk rig (as I’ll be sailing singlehanded) I totally agree with your view on cruising; it is NOT about speed or performance, it is about safety and ease of handling…. With a purchase price of just under 3K I am definitely in the ‘under 100K’ range…. Love your vids, greetings, Henk, the Netherlands.
Aloha! The Whitby 42 is a solid bluewater cruiser and has a loyal following for a reason. It’s got that classic feel with tons of storage and a hull that can take a beating, making it a pretty good option for long-distance. That said, keep an eye on the rigging and engine-some of these boats are underpowered and still running the original setup. If those have been upgraded, you’re looking at a really capable cruiser that’s gotten a lot of sailors around the world comfortably
Great channel and thanks for the information. Looked at a Whitby 42 a few weeks ago and thought it was a good boat in great shape. Do you have any thoughts on them for sailing across the Gulf of Mexico to cruise around the Caribbean.
Terrific videos. My boat A hunter 456 Passage isn't on the list. And it shouldn't be. She's crossed oceans before I owned her. She has incrddible pluses, and a lot of bluewater add ons, but a few too many compromises to make this list. Completely understandable. My point is, if you know what you're getting into, then okay, otherwise learn Jame's key aspects and go from there. My boat has an unprotected spade rudder....but it's on an upgraded steel shaft, a Whitlock steering system and a solid autopilot.... Still it's an unprotected spade rudder. So it also has a Hydrovane. The reason you shouldn't want the gimmicks and the big aft garage is, boats are complicated enough. If you really want that and you've already fixed stuff on sailboats for at least a few years -- okay. Otherwise, less complexity is generally better. (I spent three weeks pulling my hair and other stuff out, to fix my Vacuflush system. After I was done, I happened to meet the local go to guy for them. He said there is a point where he just takes them out and puts in something simpler. I think I got past that point, but it drove me nuts! (If I'd paid him for those hours, it would've cost $5000.) But now my system is fixed (It'll hold a vacuum for two days). So if I was out boat shopping and found a boat with a non functional one of these? I'd have an incredible advantage. No problem. I can't imagine trying to figure out how to fix something like it on a remote island. Actually I can because I've done it. The 'under $100k and learn how to fix everything,' is a brilliant tip. Once you spend day after day fixing this and that and this again.... you build up your chops. You learn your boat. You're safer at sea, more capable, able to fix things more quickly. You'll have on board the tools, and spare parts, you'll need. This leaves you time and peace of mind for .... no, not to admire the view, to fix all the other stuff that'll need it. Fixing stuff has to be part of the fun or only sail on other peoples' boats.
Under 100k. Shannon 38, 100 -250 Shannon 43. Both built to go anywhere, dry ride, medium to heavy displacement, easy to repair, and gorgeous. Ok I’m biased. I have hull number 3 of the 43.
I love this stuff , you are right on the mark , but you don't need me to tell you that , people just need to listen to what you are saying. How about a Bristol 45.5
@@svsalserenity4375 I have sailed a couple back in the 80's when they were comparatively new. They have very small rigs and are too heavy by about 35%. Skegged rudders suck as well. If you can afford it find a fin & spade boat with proper construction - not a production boat - and moderate displacement, long waterline and moderate beam. All that weight needs more power to drive it so there is more load on everything including you. And if the engine is out of action you are never sailing out of trouble in a Bristol in light winds. I would classify it as a motorsailor at best. I would prefer something like a Kaufman 47, though I would change the rudder....
@@deerfootnz I disagree . I have had my Bristol for ten years and owned many boats in my lifetime . She ghosts along nicely in light airs . She not a race boat . I had plenty of those . Next time I’m sailing in those conditions I will post a video on my channel . Kaufman 47 is a great boat . Never sailed one .
@@svsalserenity4375 considerably better on all points and in all winds than any Bristol. My own boat is a Sundeer 60. It about the same size as the Bristol, but with a 60ft waterline and 13.5ft beam it's considerably faster and easier to sail. There are other boats -not race boats which I have never advocated for as cruising boats- like an Adams 54, Oyster lightwave 48, Chuck Paine Bougainvilleas or Kanter 50 some of Morris yachts or Lyman Morse's output. I don't accept that your Bristol is ok in light airs - I have sailed two - and these boats just don't perform any where near well enough for me. I have been delivering and working on boats for 40 years and 206,000 miles. Bristol's were always much too conservative. All that weight is speed lost, water and fuel and food and spares you can't carry and extra load on rig, steering and crew.
Excellent review! -- QUESTION -- Please, what is the make and model of the Ketch sailboat that you show @20:18 in the video? You showed it a few times and it looks great but I can't figure out what it is?
They look fabulous, with good light displacement and good mainsheet placement. It's a bit too beamy aft which us why it has to have twin rudders which I personally dislike intensely.
If you dig this content, please kill that like button. Much love!
Love his little series you have done. Could you please do the same for catamarans. And if it some info for setting up for single handed would be even better. Love your work.
Great video. The bluewater 56 is also the Hylas 56, you might want to mention that. Outbound also uses the same hull. I honestly think this is one of the better videos put out to the sailing community because it gives real information regarding trips people want to do/dream of doing.
Hi James,
My wife and I recently upgraded to a 2006 Oyster 56 and feel as do many she is the finest blue water for a couple made.
We have so far sailed her with just ourselves, but have found that with 4 on board we can't dream of a better boat for extended off shore passages.
She should have made your list.
We both love your new format ! . The background is terrific as you also look great !
Am looking forward to more content, keep up the great work.
James, my thoughts after watching 1 & 2 of 2: If what I know now I had known when I was 18, I would have headed to Florida walking the docks to get on board a sailboat as crew to learn. Had that boat been you or someone with experience like yourself, I would have been like a sponge - wanting to learn about all aspects of the boat, sail selection, sail material, how to plan movement, navigation. weather, tide, current, charts, tools, how to repair, where to go, and whatever else. I would have wanted to be educated. Your 2-part series and the episodes with Plucky discussing what different types of boats offer are eye-opening. So much to learn, so much terminology. Best I can do now is to watch the channels and enjoy the content. Terrific 2-part series. See ya! :¬) Webhead USA
Stay tuned, I'm going to go over all of that stuff. Just give me time, these videos take awhile to script and edit.
Excellent advice, and hopefully those new to sailing will follow it. An observations: the illustration for the West Sail 32 is really a Hans Christian 33T which in fact is a very dry boat. In the 100k and under category I would recommend the Contest 38s which is not only properly built but also a very good off-shore boat. Finally, thank you for featuring my Hans Christian 48T Bravura . I had her custom built in 1987 and owned her for 32 wonderful years. She carried me and my crew safely and quickly over 50,000 nm without serious failure or concern. A true blue water boat.
That was yours? Nice choice, my brother. I love the HC's. All of them. Beautiful boats. Much love, and thanks for the comment.
James, I'm 63, with 52 years on the helm. I've owned 7 boats, and driven hundreds... Your words are SFA!! (So ucking ACCURATE) - seriously touching on the key components of boat review, choices, rakes to step on... I know you would throw my boat under the Cruise Ship but like you said it's a trade off and hundreds of them have already globe trotted... and I get my varnish wholesale...and a sucker for pain it's my second one!!! Wishing you and your family the best! If I dip on the farm / castle building series I already did that when my kids were born and sold Sea Whisper for a ranchita...Anyway thanks for some great content!! You know your shizzz...
Your info and way of explaining it is fantastic. Cheers
Thanks James, really enjoying this series, much appreciated
Excellent info, thanks James, happy and safe sailing.
Thank you for these two videos. You have taught me important aspects about offshore sailing!
You're welcome. I'm glad you learned something. Anything in specific you'd like to learn next?
@@thelastpirateI have a topic that I’d like to hear your opinion on. For those of us who are doing the best we can with the boats we have, even though they may not be the ideal blue water cruisers. What kinds of things can we do to make them more seaworthy? I have a C&C 35 mkll.
Again, thank you very much. Another great video chalked-full of useful information.
Really good advice!!! Heaving to is critical!!! My S&S swan is the gold standard as far as I am concerned. She checks all your boxes! 😊Olin was a genius ! She has proven herself on many crossings and through many storms in excess of 50 kts.
Fantastic advice, best ive seen on how to choose a boat.
Agree! But maybe "heave to" choose a boat 😀
Again, tank you for another great video, taking wide perspective but at the same time making lots of sense from all of that! Much love :)
Very well stated video from knowledge and experience. I have owned and done long range ocean cruising on the following boats: Alberg 35 sloop, Kelly Peterson 44 cutter, Cal ll-46 Ketch. My students often ask me. Which did I like best. A. They all worked well offshore. B. The KP 44 and Cal 46 both were amazing well build solid glass center cockpit true blue water boats. Many have circumnavigate. I crossed oceans in them a number of times.
For an all round live aboard cruiser, the Cal was hard to beat. Center cockpit, ketch rig, WALK IN stand up head room in the engine room with a work bench with drill press and vice. And watermaker. 270 gals of diesel and 220 water!! This is so often a neglected feature of a cruising boat! NO jugs on deck! Thank you. 17’ of galley. Super well behaved at sea. The KP 44 was also very much a winner. But lacked the incredible amenities of the Cal. Both great sea boats that had near 200 mile passage days. They both were good performers. Not at all dogs. I could easily singe hand either. Especially the Cal with Ketch rig and 2 speed electric primaries.
@@roadboat9216 the KP 44 was way ahead of it's time
Oh, that was educational! I was happy to hear that the Cabo Rico 38 rode like a Cadillac. You mentioned several boat makers that I'd never heard of.
One of the best sailing videos I ever watched. Looking forward to the catamaran version
A riveting video. I learnt a great deal. Chock full of easy to understand no nonsense hard data. Thanks for posting. Are you planning on a similar series about catamarans? I would love your insights. I have a ton of catching up to do on your excellent channel.
Yes, I will be doing a catamaran version of these videos in the future. Different animal altogether, that's why I needed to separate them.
Love love love this topic. Love it when you share your knowledge. I just purchased a tank lol. WS 32. I wanted a GGR approved boat, solid FG hull, comfort rating greater than 45, capsize less 2, full keel, slower, chill, safe, full of teak, high gunnels, pullits. Cutter rig, tiller, and more. I will be refitting to sail around the world 🗺️ solo at retirement. She is simply strong and uncomplicated.
Like I said, great boat. And, to quote Lin Pardey, "go small, go now". There is a simple truth to that. LMK if you need any advice. Much love -J
lol 😂😂😂 don’t want to see my grandma standing on the mast
great advice just what I needed
I sail a Hanse 430e which is comfortable fast beautiful boat but changing it for a 390 Najad as I am now heading out to ocean sailing
So watching this has cemented my decision for a change even more
Great advice
Thank you
Great episodes. Full of right and serious knowledge
Thanks for recommendations by price range in particular. Very helpful, and you obviously know what you're talking about.
truely wonderful watch thanks James
Amazing, comprehensive video! Would have been great to have your opinion on aluminium centerboard sailboats. You’ve mentioned Garcia but would be nice to have some in depth analysis on the pros and cons of such settings. Thanks a lot for the content 🙏🏼
Great video! Being able to handle your rig is basic, the less sails the easier to short hand, in my opinion. I'm a short guy 5'7" and the issue for me has always been being able to reach everything. All your points are solid I would just add that the captain has to be able to reach all the hardware while offshore. Keep up the content!
We have a 130% genoa on our main forestay. We are Solent rigged. The inner forestay has the staysail. It's our perfect rig and we would not change it. We are also ketch rigged. The mizzen mast allows us to set a large mizzen staysail, that sheets to the mizzen boom. It's our favourite sail
I’ve seen my grand mother standing on the mast at least once after singlehanded exhaustion. Lol.
Great info
W0W! Where is the QUIZ? there needs to be a Quiz after this lesson!?
Thanx for educating us!!
Hatches must always be mounted to raised flanges that are mounted above the molded deck. Our boat a sceptre 41 lived on board in the Caribbean for five years. Never a problem other than maintenance, keeps you young.
Excellent, especially in the way you prioritize what it is important when sailing offshore and how that is reflected in boat design.
My wife and I are going to buy a Kraken 50 and are interested in your views about whether to install in-mast furling or slab reefing for the mainsail. I hear that in-mast systems have improved a great deal and are more reliable now than in the past, but there is a LOT of conflicting opinion out there, even among very experienced, offshore sailors.
As I've gotten TONS of questions, I'm going to make a Q&A, and this will be in there. It will be called "Bluewater Boats Q&A"
Thanks a lot! Very informative! I bought a Najad 343 from 1983 for appr. $55k (built like a tank) and I will probably have to spend $30-40k to get her in perfect circumnavigation shape. Boats like her aren’t built anymore but would cost $250-300k new I guess. ⛵️ Best of luck to you and fam with your new life.
Based on your video. I think Dick Koopman's designs basically fits "the ideal bluewater sailboat" he also designed Breehorn and Victoire(polyester), Hutting (alu). Dick Zaal is also the designer of Atlantic: aluminium lifting keel yachts besides Contest. All of these boats are also quite pricey even for the older ones.. of course the price asked is one thing and the price paid another. The most affordable is some older Victoire. Thank you for the great video!
Outstanding advice sir, thank you for this thorough review.
Thank you. I learned things today. Let's hope it sticks :)
My Bavaria C57 sails very well upwind (10knts in 15-18knts of wind). She can slam in steep short period waves but we mitigate this by changing course to hit the waves at an angle. We have in boom furling and can reef up to 80 degrees off the wind so don't have to turn into wind. The main issue with the Escape tragedy was the mainsheet cutting across the cockpit and striking the poor couple when they lost control of the boom. Also reefing required someone at the mast which is not the case with my system. It can all be done from the cockpit. I love the transom door and dinghy garage on our C57 which provides easy safe stowage for our dinghy. I could fit latches in future as an added precaution to the transom door although I have no worries at present that it may fail and open by itself give the size of the hinges and dyneema winch rope.
Quite the mixture of subjects covered , anything on cotpits or running rigging like cotpit vs deck reefing etc . Entertaining .
Cheers Warren
Great work James. I love this new tack you have taken. No joke. They are out of style now but it would have been good if you had touched on smaller boats for voyaging, say 35' and less for the solo sailor like myself. I recently completed a 10,000 NM solo circuit of the Pacific in my 27'er. There are plenty of folks out there with under $100K budgets and want a boat that is cheaper to own and easier to handle. I'm looking for a bigger boat but no way 40'! Thanks, Ben S/V DAWN
This is probably the most authoritative thirty minute guide to choosing an off-shore passage maker that I've seen in several years of watching various sailing channels.
It saddens me hugely to see manufacturers putting stern doors into transoms of boats that will be sailed predominantly by amateurs. If you're in North America you've likely never heard of the Princess Victoria Ferry Disaster. In the incredibly destructive storm of early 1953 that took thousands of lives and caused billions of pounds of destruction across North America, the UK and Europe, a passenger ferry sank in the North Passage of the Irish Sea with the loss of 135 lives.
One of those lost was my maternal grandfather, Robert White. A major contributor to the loss of the ship and passengers, was the fact that the stern doors of the ro-ro ferry weren't properly secured and when the ferry entered the storm raging in the Irish Sea. The sea eventually overwhelmed the stern doors and the ferry took on more water than the pumps could handle. The ship drifted some miles and despite valiant efforts by the RNLI and Royal Navy to reach the ship. It eventually sank not far off the Northern Irish coast. www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/Loss-Of-Princess-Victoria-Ferry/ for anyone who's interested.
I have no memories of my maternal grandfather. He died almost a decade before I was born.
Yet I always felt his loss and his death had terrible consequences for our family.
I am getting fit again before embarking upon my RYA offshore sailing training in the Spring. While I can see the value of things like sugar scoops and I will probably need one, as I'm retired. I will always be very conscious of anything safety related on the water. Your comments about the ability to depower a boat in a hurry really resonated because I've been caught out many times from my earliest days sailing fast dinghies to medium sided keelboats. When I've needed to depower fast and not been able to, as quickly as I wanted. It sometimes left a real pit in my stomach, caused by a temporary loss of control and all that can flow from that.
Your advice and how you deliver it is that of a master, skilled at his occupation. 'They' say it takes roughly 10,000 hours practice to really master a skill. The exact number isn't important. The important thing is that you know what you're talking about and are kind enough to share what you've learned. I know that many others, including other circumnavigators, hold you in very high regard.
Obviously this is fully justified. It would be a privilege to buy you a drink if our paths ever cross in some far flung corner of a foreign sea 🍺🍺🍺
Cool comment, thanks, Mike, much love my brother.
Very sane, quality oriented video. Thank you
James, excellent video.
Nice to learn from a pro.
This will help me when I go cruising the world.
Greetings from Holland.
Contest, Halberg Rassy and Standfast are great boats.
Glad it was helpful!
Don Street's advice on rigs still makes sense-- a 2-headsail yawl on a skinny hull. Drop the main and you can still sail in 35 knots.
Really loving the information you are sharing. This is giving me a lot of ideas to watch out for and plan for a blue water cruiser
Sounds like great advice. My dream boat is a Moody DS 48. This video makes me feel better about never being able to afford one lol
Great advice, thanks for taking the time to lay out what to consider when looking at sailboats for ocean crossings vs coastal cruising.
Something for everyone in this video, well done ❤
Very good video with tons of info,thank you for shareing !!
Please let us know a selection of a more modern boats,for those who dont like classic lines,pls.
MANY many nuggets of wisdom here!! Brilliant!
Awesome series James, much love, mano! 😎⛵️
Soooo good James!! Really enjoyed this, and as usual with your videos, I learned a few things! You are a treasure!
We looked at the boat Pneumatic last fall when we were boat shopping. Decided to go with a custom Ted Hood design over a production boat. The hard dodger was actually better looking in person, i think it looks terrible in person. The one odd thing about the boat was that the gel coat was all chaulky and the boat was only like 2 years old. Lots of dried out rubber sealant too around windows and hatches. Its still for sale and its hylas counter parts that went on the market around the same price finally had a sale below $900K and it took over a year. Great market for buyers!!!
Awesome content James
I killed that button! I LOVE OYSTERS!!! But, takin care of Mom. And I'm OK WITH THAT!! Love ya Brother, Anna and Luna🎉❤❤🥰
Really good information. Thank you.
Nice to listen to a real pro🎉. You are really good!
Spot on! Some of this might be hard to heed due to preconceived notions or desires. Buy his Oyster if it’s still for sale!
I am in love with the Gozzard line (31, 36, 37) with the "Brewer bite" out of a full keel with a great skeg and solo rudder for better maneuvering. But my big dreams are an Ovni 370, or a Puffin 42. Aluminum sounds so nice with the sealing and reduced creaking.
Excellent video. Keeping the deck uncluttered goes for more than the deck. For me every gadget you put on a boat means adding at least two new problems. So a good question to ask is, do I really, really need that thing?
Hello there, I am doing a complete Refit on my 1988 Beneteau First 435 E. I‘ve chosen her to live on bord an circumnavigate. She was in my budget and I really hope she brings enaugh security for all of my Plans with it. I think she fits in many of these bluewater aspects you talked about…
Best regards
JM
Camper Nicholson 47 cutter rig ,steel hull. My favourite. Well a bit biased, as I owner, sail her . Would like to hear about reefing systems. Thanks for the videos, nicely done.
Great video. I think you would also approve of the Vagabond 42. It's got a lot on common with the Valiant.
A great video well done. I’ll forgive you for not including the Oyster 56 the most popular Oyster ever built.
In the English side I would also add the Rival 34/38/41. Bowman 49/55, Excellent boats many over 40 years but still sailing. From Australia the Cavalier 39.
From NZ probably any boat ever built that sailed away. Especially from aluminium they have some fantastic yachts.
I also really like the Garcia and think aluminium is the future for many sustainable reasons. Where do all the old glass fibre boats go to die? Great video looking forward to more.
great lecture, keep it coming
Love my ted brewer steel pilothouse cutter.
I'll add here two other factors related to how dry a boat is at sea. Reserve buoyancy is a big one. Older designs with long overhang at the bow and boats with topsides flare add reserve buoyancy. Another factor is pitching moment. Boats with heavy ends and rigs have more pitching moment which may cause them to pitch more, but generally have an easier ride with less pitch acceleration.
Another great show I enjoy shows you learn things and how they work
How about shorter boats like Catalina 34 foot. Our club has a length restriction of 36 feet due to ice in winter
Best video ever 🎉
Amel Super Maramu is in the wrong category. I agree one of the best ocean sailing boats designed specifically for a couple to circumnavigate (bias I own one). It should be in the 100k to 250k budget really. Ours was €135 bur a deal and we have spent over 80k on it.
However 250k to 500k would get you a very nice Amel 54 (newer model)
James, this is absolutely the most informative and best sailing video I’ve ever seen. Thanks so much❤
My own tiny pocket cruiser - the 27ft Albin Vega, has always been described as having “reverse sheer”. I think I now understand this means she’s higher at the stem than the stern (which she is). Is this correct?
Thanks!
That was cool of you. Thank you!, Adam :)
Great article
What an amazing vid, brother! Great content. Clear and concise.
I'm wanting to pull the trigger on a Nauticat 37 [2002]... any thoughts you can share?
Year round living and cruising.
Awesome ~ Liked the First one too ~
Do an episode on safety equipment and runaway diesel engines.
Great video!
Very well explained mate. We’re fancying Moody 44 or 47. They also seem to tick your boxes. Would you agree?
Curious of your opinion on the Tartan 4700, and the Southerly 480. I love their interiors, but past that, I'm a poor judge. 😅
Freeboard is the name of my Lynard Skynard cover band.
🙂 People like us need people like you who know what they're talking about.
Lmao
Sounds like you sold the oyster, hope you and your family find a nice place to call home. Much love nor cal
You too, bud. :) Haven't sold her yet. Maybe I'll keep her....
@@thelastpirate where is your listing ?
Hey, I saw you at a boat show once dressed as a pirate, Parlay mate.
I really like those aluminum boats best.
Enjoyed the video I’ve done up a beneteau oceanis 36cc 1998 in mast furling kitted it out for circumnavigation I can hear you screaming nooooo now 😭
Look, I've got a lot of friends on Beneteau boats. They are great sailing boats. They aren't really built for offshore work, which you'll see - the bulkheads will start delaminating, the hardware will break, they can torsionally twist, but as long as you're willing to keep fixing her she's get you where you need to go.
@@thelastpirate buy another on the other side 😂
Good video, but I have to point out a small error in your discussion of the Solent rig. You even used the pictures of White Dragon, the first Kraken 66. In the very video you use, you can actually see that there are three headsails visible. The inner most one is furled in. The Code-K is out, but that one is removable. In basic configuration you have a 140% Genua and a 95% Jib. So if the wind picks up, you roll in the Genua and roll out the Jib. The Code-K will be rigged when you know the weather is right for it.
Thanks, man, nice catch. I stand corrected. Sometimes the visual aid isn't perfect, but the shot is perfect... The point of the video was that on a solent rig there is no stasail set closer to the mast for storms. A 95% set on the bow is not a storm sail, it's more for sailing upwind in 30kts. If caught in 40+ kts it would add a lot of lee helm, making the AP work harder, etc etc. I am just going over the pros and cons, it's always a compromise. I put a removable split stasail on my Oyster, so the dingy could fit underneath, with the (soft shackle) hanked on stasail in a bag on the top of the dink. Thanks for the comment.
@@thelastpirate you are entirely correct. The Solent is a compromise that has an advantage in lighter winds. The Jib furled is lower and closer to the mast than the Genua would be. I still would need a storm sail for rough weather.
@@thelastpirate yes I agree. The Solent is a compromise that has an advantage in lighter winds. I would still need a separate storm sail for really rough weather. The reefed Jib is still lower and closer to the mast than the reefed Genoa would be, but it can't replace a Staysail.
Sparkman & Stephen’s 52. Talk about a powerhouse. 3/4 keel, cutter rig, skew hung rudder. All rigging and wenches over sized.
3/4 keel & skeg hung rudder so it sails poorly downwind and is very hard to control under power. Not for me
could you do a video on the proper way to bed a hatch? asking for a friend.
Hello seilig Zingaro I've been following you and your family for a while It's a great channel you have and it's easy to understand you, I just have one question, are they the only Monohull sailboats you recommend, you see I'm retired soon and want to live the way you've done it for several years but I'm not fond of boats that lie on their side in the sea I like flat floor I have decided Multihull ore Catamaran with a lot of space and living area with a good view and 3 to 4 large cabins so my weeks can come and join when they have vacation or free time or that I can bring crew Is there anything you can recommend of them
I had to separate the monohull vid and the catamaran vid. They are two different animals. Some of the ideas cross over, but better to have a dedicated video to multihulls.
Hi there,
I’ld love your opinion on the Laurin Koster 28, mine is in need for a complete refit, but I am pretty sure the hull is bulletproof….
What’s your opinion on converting to a junk rig (as I’ll be sailing singlehanded)
I totally agree with your view on cruising; it is NOT about speed or performance, it is about safety and ease of handling….
With a purchase price of just under 3K I am definitely in the ‘under 100K’ range….
Love your vids, greetings, Henk, the Netherlands.
Aloha James, what do you think about the Whitby 42?
Aloha! The Whitby 42 is a solid bluewater cruiser and has a loyal following for a reason. It’s got that classic feel with tons of storage and a hull that can take a beating, making it a pretty good option for long-distance. That said, keep an eye on the rigging and engine-some of these boats are underpowered and still running the original setup. If those have been upgraded, you’re looking at a really capable cruiser that’s gotten a lot of sailors around the world comfortably
Great channel and thanks for the information. Looked at a Whitby 42 a few weeks ago and thought it was a good boat in great shape. Do you have any thoughts on them for sailing across the Gulf of Mexico to cruise around the Caribbean.
Terrific videos. My boat A hunter 456 Passage isn't on the list. And it shouldn't be. She's crossed oceans before I owned her. She has incrddible pluses, and a lot of bluewater add ons, but a few too many compromises to make this list. Completely understandable. My point is, if you know what you're getting into, then okay, otherwise learn Jame's key aspects and go from there. My boat has an unprotected spade rudder....but it's on an upgraded steel shaft, a Whitlock steering system and a solid autopilot.... Still it's an unprotected spade rudder. So it also has a Hydrovane.
The reason you shouldn't want the gimmicks and the big aft garage is, boats are complicated enough. If you really want that and you've already fixed stuff on sailboats for at least a few years -- okay. Otherwise, less complexity is generally better. (I spent three weeks pulling my hair and other stuff out, to fix my Vacuflush system. After I was done, I happened to meet the local go to guy for them. He said there is a point where he just takes them out and puts in something simpler. I think I got past that point, but it drove me nuts! (If I'd paid him for those hours, it would've cost $5000.) But now my system is fixed (It'll hold a vacuum for two days). So if I was out boat shopping and found a boat with a non functional one of these? I'd have an incredible advantage. No problem. I can't imagine trying to figure out how to fix something like it on a remote island. Actually I can because I've done it.
The 'under $100k and learn how to fix everything,' is a brilliant tip. Once you spend day after day fixing this and that and this again.... you build up your chops. You learn your boat. You're safer at sea, more capable, able to fix things more quickly. You'll have on board the tools, and spare parts, you'll need. This leaves you time and peace of mind for .... no, not to admire the view, to fix all the other stuff that'll need it.
Fixing stuff has to be part of the fun or only sail on other peoples' boats.
Loved the content. Maybe work on the language for the kids and their parents? 😏
great info. how do you feel about dinghies on davits while passage making?
Under 100k. Shannon 38, 100 -250 Shannon 43. Both built to go anywhere, dry ride, medium to heavy displacement, easy to repair, and gorgeous. Ok I’m biased. I have hull number 3 of the 43.
Have never think to heave to when catching a fish
I love this stuff , you are right on the mark , but you don't need me to tell you that , people just need to listen to what you are saying. How about a Bristol 45.5
It's heavier than a cathedral and about as hydrodynamic. How about a sailing boat instead?
@@deerfootnz lol that’s funny , yes she is heavy but a modern underbody . Interior woodwork is like a cathedral. Have you ever sailed one ?
@@svsalserenity4375 I have sailed a couple back in the 80's when they were comparatively new. They have very small rigs and are too heavy by about 35%. Skegged rudders suck as well. If you can afford it find a fin & spade boat with proper construction - not a production boat - and moderate displacement, long waterline and moderate beam. All that weight needs more power to drive it so there is more load on everything including you. And if the engine is out of action you are never sailing out of trouble in a Bristol in light winds. I would classify it as a motorsailor at best. I would prefer something like a Kaufman 47, though I would change the rudder....
@@deerfootnz I disagree . I have had my Bristol for ten years and owned many boats in my lifetime . She ghosts along nicely in light airs . She not a race boat . I had plenty of those . Next time I’m sailing in those conditions I will post a video on my channel . Kaufman 47 is a great boat . Never sailed one .
@@svsalserenity4375 considerably better on all points and in all winds than any Bristol. My own boat is a Sundeer 60. It about the same size as the Bristol, but with a 60ft waterline and 13.5ft beam it's considerably faster and easier to sail. There are other boats -not race boats which I have never advocated for as cruising boats- like an Adams 54, Oyster lightwave 48, Chuck Paine Bougainvilleas or Kanter 50 some of Morris yachts or Lyman Morse's output. I don't accept that your Bristol is ok in light airs - I have sailed two - and these boats just don't perform any where near well enough for me. I have been delivering and working on boats for 40 years and 206,000 miles. Bristol's were always much too conservative. All that weight is speed lost, water and fuel and food and spares you can't carry and extra load on rig, steering and crew.
Excellent review! -- QUESTION -- Please, what is the make and model of the Ketch sailboat that you show @20:18 in the video? You showed it a few times and it looks great but I can't figure out what it is?
That's actually a South Korean built Venus 46. I know nothing about the build quality, but the drone shot is fantastic, right?
@@thelastpirate ..for sure a fantastic looking Ketch. Love the 485 though...
well said...just add sirius 35 and 40 on your list...what do you think?
What would your opinion be of Bristol 45.5, 47.7, Brewer44, whitby 42, and Venus 46 in terms of Blue water, safety, and everything in this video?
Hi there. Thanks for your content. I would like to know your opinion about the Pegasus 50 from Slovenia. Thanks.
They look fabulous, with good light displacement and good mainsheet placement. It's a bit too beamy aft which us why it has to have twin rudders which I personally dislike intensely.
I hate it when Grandma is standing on the mast
That was funny!
😂😂😂😂😂😂