Definition of Coastal Cruising vs Blue Water

[toben]

Most of the true blue water boats are out of my price range. I'm not really interested in sailing across the Atlantic or Pacific anyways.

What I am interested in is sailing down to the Florida Keys, out to the Bahamas, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and back.

Is this close enough to the coastal cruising definition safety wise?

I'm looking at older boats size 27-30 range. Maybe a hunter, Catalina or Macgregor.

[Freesail99]

I know it doesn't sound like much. But there is a big difference between a 27 foot boat and a 30 footer. Go with the 30 footer. All the boats you mentioned in fair weather always with an eye to the weather are ( I think ) up to the Tass.

[Melrna]

Some of those are serious crossing like crossing the Gulf stream a few times or a night or two out at sea. Even in decent conditions the motion of the boat will be important especially if it is a small one like you are talking about. Unless you and your crew can handle the hobby horse motion for hours on end you will end up not liking it or be beat up by the time you get there. One can sail any boat to any destination if crew is competent, the weather good and the boat outfit right.
I would look at other boats and not the ones you listed like an Island Packet, Cape Dory, Bristol Channel, Westsail, or maybe Pacific Seacraft Orion

[JohnRPollard]

Toben,

You said: "What I am interested in is sailing down to the Florida Keys, out to the Bahamas, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and back."

I was with you up to the Bahamas. But once you start making passages through the Carribean to places like Jamaica and Puerto Rico, you are no longer talking about "coastal sailing". That is big water out there.

Melrna is right, people have made similar trips with the kinds/size of boats you are looking at, but that doesn't mean you should. If you were just going down the east coast to the bahamas and back, I'd be less apprehensive. But if you're set on roaming farther afield, Melrna's short list is a good place to start. Is price more important to you than size? If so, you might also take a look at the Pacific Seacraft 25. That's a blue-water capable boat in the same price range as you seem to be in.

[toben]

Originally Posted by JohnRPollard

Toben,

I was with you up to the Bahamas. But once you start making passages through the Carribean to places like Jamaica and Puerto Rico, you are no longer talking about "coastal sailing". That is big water out there.

Thats what I needed to know.

I can live with only going to the Florida Keys and the Bahamas.

I especially don't want to scare my wife to death.

When I am old and rich I will buy a bigger boat to sail around the world.

Legalities aside, what is sailing to Cuba like?

[USCGRET1990]

Unless you plan to sail in a lake other than the Great Lakes, you will be better off with a "Deep Water" cruiser. Just offshore is as dangerous as out of site of land, believe me...

[camaraderie]

Actually...you can get all the way down to PR simply by waiting for weather an making day hops...nothing over 24 hours is necessary. Nevertheless it does get rougher past the Turks and Caicos and you will be bashing into trade winds and seas. You need a decent sized boat for that and a VERY reliable inbard engine cause you ain't gonna sail it. I'd prefer to see you in something a bit larger or more robust than a small Hunter or Cat for that portion of your trip. But if you limit your trip to US Coast and Bahamas down to the T&C's you can do it in the boats you mentioned.

[USCGRET1990]

It could be done in a 16' boat...just depends on how big your nads are...etc.

[JohnRPollard]

I was trying to think of comparable priced boats that are designed for blue water. So that says to me the boat would have to be smaller and older. At the Pacific Seacraft rendezvous last summer, we had a couple in attendance that had cruised aboard their PSC 25 (Mark II) for several years, from the US down into the Carribean, to Venezuela and back. That's a boat you can pick up for $15-20K (sometimes less), often with a trailer. It has an inboard diesel. Small, but stout. Flicka is another possibility.

[CaptKermie]

Toben:
Like Comradiere said if you limit yourself you can make do with the boats you listed. And if you don't want to scare your wife to death, stick with closer destinations for the first few years. The boats you mentioned are easy to buy and easy to sell, get one and discover for yourself what your comfort zone is then decide from there if a bigger boat with bigger water is in your future.