The boat you have is always the best one. I think you have a great idea to move the boat to a nicer location for summer cruising next season to up the experience. Maybe after that you can discuss if this is something you really want to pursue further and also go a size up for comfort. Fair winds⛵️
Nice video, on looking at a boat with a bit more room I would look at some other models of 30-32 ft first, even some 29 footers offer a good deal of internal space. The Westerly Konsort being a good example, really good association for any issues you might have and invariable these hulls are of sound construction. Thanks for the mention, for a first year afloat you've done a good few trips...some don't leave the marina...or the bar for that matter, each to their own😎
@@samsails9820 thanks matey I do think that another season or two with this one will be fine once I get her round to the south coast for some sun and beaches
Decisions decisions! We started sailing five or six years ago with a little 23ft bilge keeler out of Falmouth. Just the two of us and the occasional son. After several seasons learning the lines and cruising between Dartmouth and the Scillies on a very basic boat we changed it for a late 80’s Beneteau Oceanis 320. So much more space and comfort which we both appreciate. A boat a few feet longer might give more space but then you start increasing the cost of maintenance and storage/berthing. And in our case with just two of us, apart from a few days of the season, the space below deck is perfectly fine. Whilst ours has previously done the Atlantic circuit twice, it’s not something we aren’t ever likely to attempt, coastal sailing and cross channel hops is enough for us and a boat of this size copes with that easily. We were lucky in that despite being an older boat it was in very good condition and whilst we have put some new sails on and replaced the standing rigging the rest has just been cosmetic work which gives me something to do over the winter. Would we still be sailing if we hadn’t changed the boat? Probably, but would we swap back, no. Do we envisage upsizing? Not without a darn good reason, we just don’t feel the costs are justified given our use case. Enough waffle, good luck with whatever you decide to do and we all look forward to being able to sail to and from our destinations more next season.
The hernia procedure went well so i will be heading back home on my boat at Airlie Beach north Queensland Australia. Next week i am going to do a small replacement on deck just a simple project to keep things moving. The link to my video log is SV GEMSTAR. There is a video i made last week. Hope you get time to look at it. Gerard.
This week i am in hospital having my hernia repaired. Have made the first vlog on my boat. More will be coming as i fully recover from the procedure at the hospital. Gerard.
@@Sailingdancingbear The link to my vlog channel is SV GEMSTAR. You ask the question if you bought the wrong boat ?. Well that depends on what your plans are in the future. Are you starting to use the boat more on the weekends ? Are you going on longer trips on your holidays and extending your time out on the water with the family ?. Are you planning to go blue water cruising in the season ?. Have a look at some of the other channels you will find a lot of people with 27 up to 32 ft cruising off shore and tripping around. So there are some thoughts about it. At present The main thing is, is the boat big enough for you to handle with the family on board and while you are still learning you may not want another boat for a while. Gerard.
I am glad to hear that. Bigger boats get very expensive. Registration, insurance, storage, maintenance all goes up, So there's a lot more to think of. My boat is big enough for me as at present it's only myself living on board. Gerard.
@Sailingdancingbear blimey! That is a really shallow draft for such a big boat. Forgive me, what boat do you have again? (I know you mentioned it in EP 1). I have an MW27, and our draft is 1.6 - 1.8. One of the things I learnt when looking at boats (this is also my first boat) was that small bilge keels slip & don't give a consistent or comfortable ride when healed (I don't know if you have experienced it at full heal yet?) But on the plus side, that slide is meant to be great in Big waves; as it slides down them instead of bite in and pull...(prob wrong terminology, but hopefully, you get what I mean)?
Had her over in a 20knot blow but she seemed track well apart from trying hard to round up but I think that’s more to do with my lack of experience with sail trim and balance
The boat you have is always the best one. I think you have a great idea to move the boat to a nicer location for summer cruising next season to up the experience. Maybe after that you can discuss if this is something you really want to pursue further and also go a size up for comfort. Fair winds⛵️
@@sailingwyn thank you good advice
Nice video, on looking at a boat with a bit more room I would look at some other models of 30-32 ft first, even some 29 footers offer a good deal of internal space. The Westerly Konsort being a good example, really good association for any issues you might have and invariable these hulls are of sound construction. Thanks for the mention, for a first year afloat you've done a good few trips...some don't leave the marina...or the bar for that matter, each to their own😎
@@samsails9820 thanks matey I do think that another season or two with this one will be fine once I get her round to the south coast for some sun and beaches
Decisions decisions! We started sailing five or six years ago with a little 23ft bilge keeler out of Falmouth. Just the two of us and the occasional son. After several seasons learning the lines and cruising between Dartmouth and the Scillies on a very basic boat we changed it for a late 80’s Beneteau Oceanis 320. So much more space and comfort which we both appreciate. A boat a few feet longer might give more space but then you start increasing the cost of maintenance and storage/berthing. And in our case with just two of us, apart from a few days of the season, the space below deck is perfectly fine.
Whilst ours has previously done the Atlantic circuit twice, it’s not something we aren’t ever likely to attempt, coastal sailing and cross channel hops is enough for us and a boat of this size copes with that easily. We were lucky in that despite being an older boat it was in very good condition and whilst we have put some new sails on and replaced the standing rigging the rest has just been cosmetic work which gives me something to do over the winter.
Would we still be sailing if we hadn’t changed the boat? Probably, but would we swap back, no. Do we envisage upsizing? Not without a darn good reason, we just don’t feel the costs are justified given our use case.
Enough waffle, good luck with whatever you decide to do and we all look forward to being able to sail to and from our destinations more next season.
@@atschris thank you for commenting and giving a real world example. Your comments are really helpful.
The hernia procedure went well so i will be heading back home on my boat at Airlie Beach north Queensland Australia. Next week i am going to do a small replacement on deck just a simple project to keep things moving. The link to my video log is SV GEMSTAR. There is a video i made last week. Hope you get time to look at it.
Gerard.
This week i am in hospital having my hernia repaired. Have made the first vlog on my boat. More will be coming as i fully recover from the procedure at the hospital.
Gerard.
@@SvGemstar so glad to hear all has gone well, please send me the link to first upload when it goes up 👍
@@Sailingdancingbear The link to my vlog channel is SV GEMSTAR.
You ask the question if you bought the wrong boat ?. Well that depends on what your plans are in the future. Are you starting to use the boat more on the weekends ? Are you going on longer trips on your holidays and extending your time out on the water with the family ?. Are you planning to go blue water cruising in the season ?. Have a look at some of the other channels you will find a lot of people with 27 up to 32 ft cruising off shore and tripping around. So there are some thoughts about it. At present The main thing is, is the boat big enough for you to handle with the family on board and while you are still learning you may not want another boat for a while.
Gerard.
@@SvGemstar thank you for answering the question and I will think about what you have said. I think for next season at least she is all we need
I am glad to hear that. Bigger boats get very expensive. Registration, insurance, storage, maintenance all goes up, So there's a lot more to think of.
My boat is big enough for me as at present it's only myself living on board.
Gerard.
@@SvGemstar I’ve found small boats can also be expensive lol
Are you sure your draft is just 0.9?
@@NauticalSimulation yes it’s exactly 0.99m or 3.25ft
@Sailingdancingbear blimey! That is a really shallow draft for such a big boat.
Forgive me, what boat do you have again? (I know you mentioned it in EP 1).
I have an MW27, and our draft is 1.6 - 1.8.
One of the things I learnt when looking at boats (this is also my first boat) was that small bilge keels slip & don't give a consistent or comfortable ride when healed (I don't know if you have experienced it at full heal yet?)
But on the plus side, that slide is meant to be great in Big waves; as it slides down them instead of bite in and pull...(prob wrong terminology, but hopefully, you get what I mean)?
@@NauticalSimulation it’s a snapdragon 890
Had her over in a 20knot blow but she seemed track well apart from trying hard to round up but I think that’s more to do with my lack of experience with sail trim and balance