[sidney777]

[Jeff_H]

I do not think that the term ''small offshore cruiser'' is an oximoron. There have certainaly been a number of small cruisers that have been very successful in voyaging offshore. Of the boats on your list the Contessa 26 and Southern Cross 28 would certainly be good examples of boats that have been very successful in voyaging offshore. Contessas have pretty routinely made transoceanic passages and did well in some notable circumnavigations, despite the fact that they lack a CE open ocean rating, primarily due to their low freeboard giving an artifically poor STIX rating and due to downflooding issues.

Depending on how you plan your trip, your sailing venues are such that a reasonably well constructed and sailing coastal cruiser should suitable.

Especially in this size range, for a given length having a double end adds nothing for seaworthiness but does damage carrying capacity,useable volume, and speed.

Good luck,
Jeff

[sidney777]

[Jeff_H]

I have always had a tough time deciding what I think of these boats. I have never sailed on one but the numbers have always seemed reasonable for a moderate cruiser. They have a reputation for being well constructed, and yet they have a number of construction details, both major and minor that would be deal killers for me but which seems to be perfectly acceptable to the rest of the world. In stock form they are a little light on water (I usually want to see 30 to 40 gallons minimum per person). The few that I have seen under way seem to have a lot of windage and seem quite ''corky'' but I am not sure that is a fair criticism since as I noted above, I have never sailed on one.

In any event, another boat that you might consider adding to your list is the J-28 (from their cruising boat series). I have always liked these boats as a pocket cruiser.

Jeff

[Irwin32]

The trend in recent years towards bigger bigger has created a misconception that small boats are unsafe. It is similar to the gas vs diesel debate. We seem to forget that 30 years ago a 25 footer was a decent sized boat and a gas engine was standard. People took these boats all over the world and without weatherfax and GPS. The Pardees cruised the world on a 26 footer w/no engine and some guy, just a few years ago, was crossing oceans w/family of 4 on a Cal25. How many Atlantic crossing has Jester, the 25 ft Folk boat, made? If my memory is correct, Knox johnston took Sahula, a boat in the 30 foot range, non stop solo around the world.

[sidney777]

[thorJ30]

Hi
I own a J 30 ... and like her a lot. having said that, I think the J28 would be nicer to extended cruise with.
The J 30 needs to be sailed flat to be very fast. To keep her big butt planted on the water you need 5 persons on the rail....

And than again I race mine together with my wife ( doublehanded) And won the CLub championship against( partly , fully crewed) C@C 34, Catalinas, 30 Morgan, etc etc.

On one hand the J 30 can be a handfull , and than again she is sooo brave you trust her to go around the world right away ...

J 30 do not loose value, in fact I could sell mine for 5000 bucks more than i paid last year ( although lots of cleaning and tlc over the year )

Again I love mine. MAybe Jeff can lend a hand and explain better what I am trying to say ...


OHHH about that fastnet race.... The J 30 was NOT in the race, it was a delivery which happened to arrive at about the same time. He skirtet the storm. I certainly do NOT want to take away any achievements of the captain who sailed her.. but it wasnt in the race.

[thorJ30]

would I sail her to the Bahamas, Gulf, or across the great lakes ? ( She raced Chi-Mac before I owned her)

Sure no problem.

Thorsten

[thorJ30]

would I sail her ( J 30 ) to the Bahamas, Gulf, or across the great lakes ? ( She raced Chi-Mac before I owned her)

Sure no problem.

Thorsten

[sidney777]