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Rich,
If you don’t do much long-term cruising and limit your boating to coastal passages, a smaller sailboat is an excellent alternative to getting a power boat. Power boats are great for getting from A to B, basically a car (or an RV) on the water. A small sailboat, on the other hand, is a fun machine, there for the sheer pleasure of being on the water – unless or until you’re chronically physically debilitated, which, as you say, we’ll all have to face one day. But at that point even a motorboat may be too much.
While I was living & working in Rhode Island and unavailable to go cruising for 5 years, I kept a 24′ sloop dockside during the summers (photo attached). I single-handed her more often than not, crew only being useful for company. What fun it was to step aboard, hoist a sail and just go. A roller-furling mainsail would’ve made it even easier. The directness of the tiller in one hand and the main sheet in the other creates a connection with the wind and sea that bigger boats do not. I miss that now. And there was enough accommodation belowdecks for a cozy couple to “camp out” for a weekend cruise, sufficient and great fun. My girlfriend and I were like little kids pitching a tent in the back yard, cooking a simple meal on a camper stove, bedding down soon after dark.
When I can’t (or don’t want to) handle a full-size cruising boat anymore, I’ll get another little sister. It’s something to look forward to.
Tor
Silverheels, P-424 #17
http://www.silverheels.us
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I’ve considered a smaller boat. I went out on a friend’s Catalina-34 last weekend to see what it was like. I was disappointed. It sailed OK but was uncomfortable. I think I’m spoiled. I’m pushing 62 years old now. I still have a few good sailing years ahead of me. I don’t see myself running a big boat like this when I’m in my ’70s however.
Rich
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Rich, my aunt and uncle ran an 8 meter until their mid-eighties. 46 feet
long, 8-1/2 feet wide, 7-1/2 feet draft, 60 foot mast and absolutely
nothing to make the sailing easier. So you got a lotta years ahead of you!On Thu, Sep 19, 2013 at 9:08 AM, wrote:
Quote:I’ve considered a smaller boat. I went out on a friend’s Catalina-34 last
weekend to see what it was like. I was disappointed. It sailed OK but was
uncomfortable. I think I’m spoiled. I’m pushing 62 years old now. I
still have a few good sailing years ahead of me. I don’t see myself
running a big boat like this when I’m in my ’70s however.Rich
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Sweet little thing Tor……bet she was a lot of fun! As long as I keep my physical health after this little unknown length of time on the 424 jaunt, I’ll be going to something similar. My very first cruising boat being 30 ft and in the Caribbean was a delight to sail around Falmouth and English Harbor. She was very responsive for a full keel boat and easily single handed. Funny how many sailors at anchor would be nervous about me casually sailing through the anchorage gawking at boats. I only ever hit one in 4 years and that was a 20 something little Heineken day with friends aboard while anchoring under sail in front of Galley Bar for happy hour. Just a medium little T-Bone hit that everyone at the bar saw. At the bar, I was told we looked so good sailing in wing and wing with the sun setting on my varnished hull little boat, that it totally canceled out the T-bone. Even the owner of the other boat agreed.
“Those were the days my friend” -
Too funny, Ken! I T-boned a boat once, too, back when I was first getting
used to the engineless ketch Autant in Coconut Grove, around 1975. Not as
many witnesses as you had and the owner was a friend of mine in the free
anchorage. It wasn’t a very hard hit, but still I spent the next day doing a
little cap rail repair job on his boat, after which all was forgiven and
forgotten.It has been my experience in general that the smaller the boat, the more it
goes sailing. That little O’Day Tempest of mine, Adagio, (designed by Philip
Rhodes, no less) went out a lot during my summers in Rhode Island. Often I’d
just scoot off onto the bay for an hour after work, before it got dark.
Mucho fun. Almost anything under 30-feet works for that kind of sailing.Meanwhile, though, I’m really enjoying my 424. She’s a good, comfortable
home in the islands and a respectable, trustworthy passagemaker when I move
around. What I’d really like right now is a sailing dinghy. I’m keeping my
eyes open down here.Tor
Silverheels, P-424 #17
http://www.silverheels.us
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Too funny, Ken! I T-boned a boat once, too, back when I was first getting
used to the engineless ketch Autant in Coconut Grove, around 1975. Not as
many witnesses as you had and the owner was a friend of mine in the free
anchorage. It wasn’t a very hard hit, but still I spent the next day doing a
little cap rail repair job on his boat, after which all was forgiven and
forgotten.It has been my experience in general that the smaller the boat, the more it
goes sailing. That little O’Day Tempest of mine, Adagio, (designed by Philip
Rhodes, no less) went out a lot during my summers in Rhode Island. Often I’d
just scoot off onto the bay for an hour after work, before it got dark.
Mucho fun. Almost anything under 30-feet works for that kind of sailing.Meanwhile, though, I’m really enjoying my 424. She’s a good, comfortable
home in the islands and a respectable, trustworthy passagemaker when I move
around. What I’d really like right now is a sailing dinghy. I’m keeping my
eyes open down here.Tor
Silverheels, P-424 #17
http://www.silverheels.us
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Yeah Tor, my hit wasn’t that hard either. he had an alluminum extrusion rail similar to the Swans. I asked if he wanted me to straighten it and he said, ” nah, it’s just a wrinkle” I bought his beers for the night.
You mentioned those “free anchorages” ha, not too many of them around these days and if they are free they charge you to tie up a dingy….gone are….”those were the days my friend”
I hope to get down island as soon as I can but our house didn’t sell so that puts a big damper on the cruising kitty and me getting that little sailing Dyer dhow for cruising around while the big boat sit’s at anchor. Oh well, we should be having our first night aboard a week from this Tuesday. I’ll be a busy bee in my new home….
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Ah, the Sunfish, where it all started five boats and 52 years ago… and
ironically where it will all wind up at my lake home within a few
years….just me and the Sunfish. ‘Tis a gift to be simple, ’tis a gift to be free…~~~ ~ (_~~ (_~ ~ ~ fair winds ~ ~ (_
Capt Bill Tice, aboard s/v CHARISMAIn a message dated 9/19/2013 9:26:21 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
writes:I’m back in Georgia for a bit and have rediscovered the joys of sailing
our forgotten Sunfish. So close to everything after sailing the Pearson.
Love it!Dan Kalinowski
Jolly Lama #135
Keehi Lagoon, O’ahu
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