uldb Olson 40 SC40 etc for Carribean cruising

[seahorse7]

Jeff/Others:

What are your thoughts? Santa Cruz 40, O40, Wylie ? I expect they will pound more to winward, less carring capacity etc. - are they viable choice for 3/4 month cruise for a family of 4? I just like sailing fast. I have read over Jeff Hs list of good cruisers in that range.

"Beneteau 38s5: Luxuious interior at the price of performance.

Cal 40's: More cruiser than racer

Dehler 38: Well built fractionally rigged with quite a bit of Euro-panache.

Express 37: Great all around boats.

Fabola Diva 39: Good fast boat, that should be very easy to handle short-handed.

Farr 37: These were more racers than cruisers but in good shape they offer reasonably good performance and a reasonably nice interior (with optional vee berth) I thought that the rig looked a little vulnerable and was put off by the IOR hull form but you find these boats in nice chape pretty cheaply. They were also a little deeper than I wanted to go.

Farr 38 (Farr 11.6): Good all around boats. A little long in the tooth as an out and out race boat, but great short-handed performance cruiser. I ended up buying one in my seach and have been very impressed with the boat in a wide range of conditions. At the club racing level we have had 7 first, 2 seconds and a third the last season I raced her, and I have won all of the single-handed races that I have done with her.

Frers F3 (36): Nice design crudely executed by Hinterhoeller.

Frers 38: Nice design crudely executed by Carroll Marine.

Hood 38 (built by Little Harbor, Bristol and Wauqiez): these are good all round boats. They excell in a breeze or where shoal draft is an asset. Not so great in light air and are not the easiest boats to sail short-handed.

Hughes 38/Hinckley 38: These S&S designed early 1970's era were good all around boats for their day. Hughes built the hull and decks for both. Each built their own interiors.

J-39: Somewhat spartan but nice boats.

Oyster 37: I looked at one here on the Chesapeake. It was a pretty nice boat but it didn't ring my chimes.

Ranger One Ton: I raced these boats back in the 1970's. They were a little squirely but some of these boats have been adapted as distance cruisers. They are similar in concept to the S&S designed Catalina 38 but seemed to be better built and slightly better sailing boats.

Sigma 38: I thought that these were neat boats that made it onto my short list.

Sweden 36: Very classy boat but not that fast.

Tartan Soverel 39: Pretty well built but limited by their IOR origins.

Tripp 37 (Holby 37): Really well built, really neat boats. The full race versions has a bit of a spindley rig.

X119: Fast and fun"

[seahorse7]

Any thoughts?

Some one must have tried these 2 out or another uldb. Not intending a pacific cruise - just a summer in the carriebean.

[Faster]

We have done close to 1000NM island-hopping the eastern caribbean over the last 4 years or so. All of it on our friends' Beneteau/Farr 36.7 - a boat that fits into your genre in some respects.

Since island hopping in this area rarely involves true windward work, pounding does not seem to be an issue. If you heading south down the chain you are usually on a beam to broad reach. Heading north up the chain you can end up fairly close to the wind, but usually your destination will be a fetch as opposed to actually having to beat. However, these legs can be very wet and tiring even so. The good news here is that wet doesn't mean cold!

We have enjoyed splendid fast sailing, steady 8-9 knots with thrilling surfs into the 'teens down the swells in key areas like the northern end of St Vincent, and in the Bequia channel where the swell can really develop.

As a high powered boat, the normal sails set are a small jib and at least one reef in the main. Squalls usually involve trying to roll up the jib before (or when) they hit but they generally pass relatively quickly. Spinnakers hardly ever see the light of day (exc for one memorable day from Jolly Harbour to Nevis - nearly DDW with the kite up for 50 NM)

We have done these trips with as many as 6 adults, but 4 leaves more space for everybody. Our friends routinely do this with just the 2 of them. The sailing is really quite simple, few maneouvers, limited tacking/gybing. Keeping a weather eye out and making the right sail selection for the day seems to be the key. Also paying close attention to the ham reports ("George" and "Chris") and swell predicitons are helpful in selecting what will be viable anchorages.

While getting there may be another thing, once you're there any of these boats would do the trick. Ventilation (or lack of it) would be a factor in choosing the boat as well.