Cabo Rico 38

[mtlcharlie]

Greetings Sailnet,

I am a brand new newbie. I am pleased to have the opportunity to learn so much from you.

I am retired, 58 in exc health (ride my bike 60 mi per day, 140 lbs). I have sailed very little, but enough to be bitten. I wish to liveaboard and seriously expect to go offshore, singlehand. My reading suggests a 38 Cabo Rico. I like the Shannon but it lacks the heart-tug. I possibly could afford a Hinckley 42, but I have not read they are worth the remarkable price increase.

Thank you.

[camaraderie]

That's a lot of boat to single hand...but they are beautiful and well made.
Are you looking to buy new or used? If new...check our Pacific Seacraft as well. Or perhaps a Robinhood36 (a new boat built in Maine from the old Cape Dory 36 molds.
If you are willing to look at smaller boats...check out the Gozzard 31...you seem to like clippers!
Gozzard Yachts - Profile

[aa3jy]

Ever consider a Cabo 34?

Regards,

Clay
s/v 'Tango'
Cabo Rico 34

[mtlcharlie]

Ty camaraderie for your reply. The picture wuth your response suggets a large vessel indeed. I may be wrong but I thought a 38 is manageable by one. But I will look into that aspect more carefully.

aa also tx. I noticed that the 34 CR is less narrow proportionally. This novice equates narrow with better. Do I exaggerate?

[camaraderie]

Charlie... Yeah...mine was a 52 ketch we double handed. 38 is not necessarly too much boat for one person to handle...but the CR has you working out a bowsprit and managing a rather large sail plan for someone almost as old as me and you don't have much experience...my thought is that as a single hander, you don't need nearly that much room and it would be easier to handle a smaller boat that is every bit as seaworthy.
If you go with the CR38...I'd advise to "automate" as much as possible to reduce the work and effort. Boom furl the main, roller furl the foresails, power winch for the main halyard and genny sheets, big windlass with a remote at the helm, wind vane & autopilot.
Of course, you need to be able to manage everything manually...but if you're gonna get a boat at the limits of your ability to manhandle stuff...it is a good idea to be able to do stuff quickly and with the least effort possible under normal conditions IMO. This makes for more complicated systems and added outfitting expense but you won't think of that so much when it is blowing 30 and you need to reduce sail in the middle of the night in big seas. Keep it in the cockpit is my motto!