T-4 years to 14 month sail...and buying

[FritzN]

Newport 41

The author includes a review of the C & C 39 and says, "With prices ranging from the high 30's for the earlier models with gas engines, to the high 40's for 1974 models with diesel engines, the hard-to-find C & C 39 offers an excellant value on the used boat market. This is a boat I'd like to own."

Saildog

The boats listed in the top ten range from 35 to 50 feet, with the average length being 41 feet. Remember, this is a list of boats "to sail around the world."

According to Jimmy Cornell's latest Global Cruising Summary of the sailers who go on his worldwide rallies, the respondents' boat sizes were:

35-40 (4)
40-45 (11)
45-50 (13)
50-55 (4)
55-60 (3)
Over 60 (5)

When Livia started this thread, she said she and her husband were "getting geared up to cross some oceans," and I don't think that the boats selected by the author are too large for ocean crossings.

[sailingdog]

Fritzn-

I never said that they were too large for ocean crossings...just that I thought that they may be too big for sailing short-handed. A good example... look at Ken Barnes, who had to be rescued off of the Chilean coast from his 44' ketch, and compare that with Donna Lange, and her 28' Southern Cross... Ken had far more boat than he was capable of handling when the weather got heavy... and now he's back ashore...

Larger boats are only a relatively recent phenomenon when it comes to long-term cruising. Larger boats, as a general rule, cost more to maintain, buy, own, etc. Many circumnavigations have been done in boats in the 28-35' range, and the gear on them is far more easily dealt with in rough weather.

Mind you, this is just my personal opinion... I think that people who need to have a 40'+ boat and all the comforts of home are bringing the rat race with them...

[camaraderie]

Yeah....yer right dawg...I am really stressed out!!

[Alberg30]

I see the C&C line get batted around a lot on this and other fora as a good cruising boat. I have never sailed in one, but from what I've seen, they look like the last thing I'd want to cross an ocean in. Beamy, spade rudder, gargantuan cockpits - it all screams to me that this is a fun boat for a weekend race but not up to bluewater.

Am I missing something?