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Old 02-26-2007
rtbates rtbates is offline
randy capedory 25d seraph
 
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And a word of the obvious, but I've never seen posted.

A blue water boat WILL daysail/go coastal, BUT a daysailer/coastal cruiser would be advised not to go offshore. And nothing much is as bad as going for a casual coastal sail and getting hammered onto a lee shore. A good stout bluewater boat will claw off that shore. A better bluewater sailboat can be hove to on the OFFSHORE tack and proceed to slowly and with a relative amount of comfort gain searoom. A daysailer/coastal cruiser will be over powered and forced down wind onto the lee shore. I lean toward heavy, full keel, narrow vessels for any kind of ocean work. If it won't heave to stay close to shelter. BUT, be sure you can get in BEFORE the blow. The absolute worse case you can find yourself in is approaching land in worsening weather. Much safer to turn around and head to sea to gain searoom. And that's where you'll appreciate having a blue water vessel.
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