Bristol - Bluewater Capable???

[johnshasteen]

We've sailed our B29.9 from Galveston to Vera Cruz, Galveston to Isla Mujeres (trips of about 650 miles each way), and crossed the Gulf from West to East in all sorts of weather and she holds up very well - we have been weather so bad that we were worried for ourselves, but never worried for the boat.

[daveyjustin]

Hey Bardo

I read that your bristol 29 is for sale.
Has it already been sold? If not, can you please send me a detailed list of specs and as many photos of the boat as you have?

Thanks.
Justin

daveyjustin(at)gmail.com

[orientalnc]

We have made several offshore trips on our 35.5, but no ocean crossings. I respect the comment that offshore is 75-25 with the boat being less important. However, I worry that my 35.5 cockpit would be very slow to drain in heavy weather and that I cannot close the through hulls for those drains. Also, the anchor well takes on a lot of water, which, with my Hyspeed 510 windlass, drains into the bilge through the hause pipe . Could these be modified? Perhaps.

That said, I have been sailing my 35.5 for ten years and more than 15,000 miles. I have 100% faith that she is a better boat than I am a sailor.

[otaga05]

Hi oriental,

Do you have spartan seacocks on those cockpit drains? The seacock for the PS deck drain on my Bristol 35.5 was seized when I bought the boat. I spoke to the folks at Spartan and they recommended taking off the hose and filling up the seacock with Marvel Mystery on (Obviously on the hard and with a plug on the outside of the hull!) It took about five days of soaking, but it did eventually free up. I like to exercise all the seacocks regularly to prevent them from seizing. Spartan also sells lapping compound which allowed me to stop two weeping seacocks from dripping, and seacock grease which also seems to have helped a bit.

[orientalnc]

Yes, I have heavy duty seacocks on all my thru hulls. The problem I mentioned has to do with the 35.5 design. The cockpit drains through the engine compartment and the hull, so you cannot close the seacocks when offshore. Otherwise the cockpit would not drain at all. This, I think, is a design flaw. When offshore, I close all the seacocks and only open them when necessary to drain the sinks or flush the head.

The next time I have the boat hauled I will try your suggestion for greasing the barrel. Thanks.

[Murdock]

Originally Posted by SailingWY

Looking to pick up a boat for upcoming "retirement" (term used loosely). Would like to get a boat in the 32'-37' range, capable of being handled by crew of 2 and one in a pinch. Looking at coastal shake-out cruises over the new few years with some multiple week trips south. Ultimately, will be taking on more offshore sails. Many boat manufacturers "claim" offshore capability. Have looked at Alberg 37, Allied Princess 36, and S2 11. Each has nice open layout but obviously there is a difference in bluewater capability.

Question - are Bristol's built to handle these goals? If so, what models within the length constraints would you recommend?

Thanx in advance for any advice you can provide - directed at Bristol's or others.

Keith

we own two boats, an Apache 37 by Chriscraft and a Bristol 40, both blue water but one has to go. By the way the Bristol won twice the Maine - Bermuda race: blue water or what? And the older Albergs were very seaworthy.