CruisingDad, Kwaltersmi, & OsmundL - thank you for your respected opinions, I appreciate the dialogue & honesty. Much of what you are saying makes sense to me and as I get closer to the 'cut the ropes' date, I may revise my thinking. My previous posting left many questions unanswered I guess, and I see why you have formulated the opinion that I haven't quite thought things through. I think it's important to understand that much of what I'm saying comes from the heart, rather than experience, and represents how I want to do things right now. If there is a better way of doing things, I will take this onboard and most likely implement many of the suggestions. After all, this is this whole reason I'm asking you guys for your opinion - because many of you do have that experience and perhaps I may learn a thing or two.
Now on to address a few responses. I plan to calculate my power consumption and know precisely what my requirements will be. I will carry enough battery power to adequately handle my consumption (which I plan to be minimal). The question remains how I plan to recharge the batteries. Through solar panels and perhaps a towed generator. The solar power industry is making advancements almost daily and by the time I head out (March 7th, 2015) I believe I will have a solar solution in hand that will comply with my minimal weight & footprint criteria. Lighting will be a combination of oil and LED. Auto Pilot will be a wind vane, and I'm currently considering the German Wind-Pilot or the Canadian Cape-Horn. I will also have an electronic Auto pilot but hopefully only use this for port entry & departure. At no time have I ever considered steering by hand, that would only occur if I wanted some fun, or hands-on maneuvering in close quarters, or emergency situations. Additionally, I would fit a high output alternator and run the engine for 1/2 hour everyday to exercise it and to recoup any charging benefit that may provide.
I will carry both a SSB and a below-decks VHF, but use these sparingly. Most of my VHF usage will come from the cockpit hand-held unit I have. I charge this one direct from a dedicated battery.
The radar is something I have yet to come to a firm agreement on. I do not want one. I do not want the power consumption, nor the maintenance, nor the reliance on it. Having said that, I use the radar every single day at work and am well aware of it's benefits, particularly watching approaching weather systems roll in. I yearn to look at the sky and develop my own instincts and learn to rely on them as Slocum did a hundred years ago. As far as approaching shipping is concerned, I plan to use a very low voltage independent AIS system which takes up as much real estate as two coffee cups, one transmitter and one receiver. This unit has a tiny LCD screen the which displays distance and bearing of the target. I actually plan to keep a visual look-out at all times, myself or the Mrs, and utilize the AIS as a secondary measure.
Cooking and heating will come from propane and I'll carry two 20 lb cylinders which will last 4-6 months.
My navigation will come from paper charts and hand-held GPS units. I will carry a spare unit for the vessel and one for the dinghy (so three in total) Note, if a vessel I buy happens to already come with a chart plotter I will probably keep it. But, I do not want to get into the commercialism of merchandising the latest & greatest Nav product which quickly becomes useless because the charting software is continually being updated and re-packaged. As quirky as it may seem, I also plan on dusting off my sextent and re-learning how to use it. I must admit, trying to get to grips with a noon sight on a pitching and rolling deck is somewhat beyond me at this time, I'm sure I can do it. My hand-held GPS will provide SOG data. I do plan on investing in the best depth transducer on the market at the time.
At this point I should mention that if I go the J-boat route, it will most likely be a 40 footer, either the J-40, J-120 or J-122, and I am hoping it will be able to weather a storm of any magnitude. Put it this way, I have a wonderful year or so ahead of me to invest in research and test sails, and if I truly thought that the vessel was not up to the task, I would simply walk away. Safety is always my number one concern (especially for my Wife). The thing is, I'm reading accounts of guys transiting the globe in total control on J's and I'm thinking if they've done it safely, surely perhaps I can do it too.
For the 5% ****ty weather issue, I plan to get out there and rehearse some storm tactics first, so when I am caught out (and I know I will be) I am prepared the best I can be. I'll be purchasing a Storm Parachute and will have all the dedicated rigging pre-assembled and ready for use and KNOW how to heave-to at will. Both to get some rest when the need arises and to ride the storm if required.
Now onto tankage. Isn't life itself all about balance? Yes I would prefer more tankage in the J, but that is kind of what makes a J, a J. I'm prepared to live with it and use the theory "you can only piss with the **** you've got" If it turns out that the tankage is really too small then perhaps I will be forced to add more at the cost of something else--balance--. I tell you what though, I'm going to try and live with what I have (and adapt) first. Starting the engine to get off a lee-shore will always be an option because this is exactly what I'll be rationing my fuel for. Lin & Larry Pardy have sailed God's blue earth a few times and an engine wasn't an option because they didn't have one. I've also read about some Dude who had the Iolaire? and the first thing he did was rip out the engine. I love those guys! Between you and me, I'd actually like to do the same but my wife would probably have me committed at that stage. She threatens it now as it is... Anyway, you see my point, the engine use will be for charging purposes, Emergency purposes and port entry& exit.
My last boat had a total cockpit enclosure, to escape from the Pacific Northwest elements and actually I didn't like it. My next boat will not have one...until perhaps I'm ravaged by the sun, wind & rain so much that I beg for forgiveness and install one. But to begin with, I'm going bare back. I'll dress for the occasion...
I do not underestimate the importance of comfort although I know I sound like I do. Let me just say I take comfort in the simplicity of things. At work I'm surrounded by multi-million dollar marine systems and I'm sick of the complexities and specialist knowledge/tools required.
I will be definitely taking a tender but I admit I need more thought on this. My plan is to buy one of those hard bottomed sailing dinghy's from Walker Bay, the kind you can row, or sail, or put an engine on. The one's that have an inflatable ring around the outside of it. Not the belle of the ball I admit, but so so versatile. Not sure where on the boat I would carry it, but I will work on that. I do know that I certainly do not want to carry and jerry cans or kayaks or fenders on the lifelines. I want the decks virgin clear.
The only rebuttal I do not have for you CD is your last comment
"If you can circum with a J109 or any boat anywhere similar, and survive the trip (either by seamanship or your crew not killing you), then you are a better man and sailor than me."
That one kind of got me... I do not think I'm in your guys' league so that comment makes me think somethings amiss here. Perhaps I'll take a back seat for a while and keep sailing and then I'll get back to you. Can we both be right??
The "Nemier, you are nuts" comment made by OsmundL had me howling with laughter. LOL!! That was priceless. Have I asked my wife? Heck I've been mentioning this about 4 times a day everyday for the last 24 years. She knows I'm nuts, and yes it has caused a few heated discussions. We have been absolutely in love with each other for over 26 years and she takes it all with a pinch of salt by now. The 9% import tax on foreign built vessels is a fact here in Canada, BC anyway for sure because I have checked this out with Canadian Customs. In fact, that was the whole seed for this thread. I was going to import an Amel 53 from Trinidad when I was working down there a few years ago, That's another story though. But upon reflection, I take your point ( and others as well) that the $20,000 is small potatoes in the grand scheme of things and not something that should sway my decisions - so everyone - thanks for that, I needed to hear that. Finally OsmundL, your last comment
"There is a huge gap between the “old shoe” and a cruiser-racer, and it is in that gap you should be looking."
Perhaps you are right, but I'll be looking at that gap further to the right...methinks. All, thanks for your contributions, very much appreciated.