A few questions before I really get started

[Maze]

Hello everyone, for some years now ive been saving up my money to buy and renovate a dutch barge into my new mobile home, Ive always wanted to be able to come and go as I want and the idea of a boat has always been my dream, but my number 1 obstacle has always been gas...its to expensive and hard to come by when you need it sometimes, recently I started considering sailing as a more cost effective solution to using a barge...there are a few issues I have noted with sailing for myself..firstly is the lack of room for the living quarters compared to a barge, and being ill likely be manning this ship on my own... So id like to ask a few quick questions before I really bunker down into researching the possibility of sailing compared to my dutch barge

1.Is there a limit to the size of a boat that can safely be piloted by a single person with the proper rigging and experience?

2.Do some models of sailboats have more room under deck then others or is it solely proportionate to the entire length of the boat?

3.different models of sailboats have different types of keels, but what kind of average clearance from water level to the bottom of the keel does one normally get?

I'm sorry if these questions seem odd or if they have been asked a million times before I just need to get an idea of the things ill be able to do with a sail boat compared to a barge...Ive always wanted to go into the Canals in and around Europe so I'm kinda apprehensive about sailing but I cant Argue its appeal and lower cost compared to a barge

[bljones]

If canals are your intended crusing range, then a sailboat may not be your best choice of conveyance. masts and low bridges do not get along, and you would likely end up motoring for a fair percentage of your journey because the narrow confines of most european canals make effective tacking difficult, so motoring against the wind is a necessity.

[Maze]

Thanks for your reply, but its not that canels are my intended plan, just something id like to do, really more then anything Im looking for a way to live comfortable while traveling and working on my writing

[Salsipuedes]

if you rig your boat correctly, you can sail any length of boat by yourself. People have solo circumnavigated the world in sail boats over 100 feet long.
though if you havent sailed much before then i wouldnt try it right off the bat.

[celenoglu]

1. Although there is no limit for a good sailor, 30-50 ft boats are better for novice sailors.

2. Length is the main figure for the area (volume) of the boat. Better use of interior space and differences in width might also be affective.

3. The keel is something with an area and weight to balance the boat. It is up to the designer to increase or decrease the figures. A full keel boat is equipped with a horizantal keel which is very shallow. A fin keel is vertical and is very deep. That means you cannot have a mean measurement for keels. The only way to learn is to check for each individual boat.

[cruiserdave]

One thing to keep in mind when choosing a boat. The bigger it is the more expense and time it takes to maintain. If your going to travel you need to be able to make some repairs along the way, there isn't always a repair facility near by when you need one.

[paulk]

Turning a canalboat into a home is somewhat like taking a huge box and arranging the spaces as if you had a railroad apartment. Sailboats, even some large ones, do not offer the same simplicity of shape and space. Going to a major boat show or a large harborfront city with used sailboats to inspect would probably be a good way for you to learn what is possible within a sailboat hull compared to a barge.

[Sailormann]

Without wanting to sound too harsh here - if you can't afford gas for a barge, you probably can't afford to maintain a sailboat. Although sailboats don't need as much gas as barges, they do need some, and they need lots of other things as well.

I think that the best thing you could do would be to find an inexpensive houseboat and live on that. Converting a barge will cost you far more than the barge will ever be worth and there are certain things that you can't do on the cheap. You're better to spend the time and money refurbishing something that has been designed and built for the purpose you intend.

[Jay2]

I think he is saying in practical terms gas is not a good thing to be bank rolling and the reliance on it in remote locations is also a ball and chain you do not want. Just another reason why sailboats are great.