Three on a boat that size and that far is not for me. That said, I would add the Alberg 30 to your list. Similar to the Triton and bit bigger. The Alberg 35 would be a better choice, but you said not over 32 feet. These are all old boats so a careful survey is essential to be sure they are up to the trip.

 

I second an alberg 35. There available for around 15,000 not much more than an alberg 30. If you were doing serious blue water I would suggest an allied seawind but for Caribbean, it would just be a super slow difficult to maneuver boat. I would personally prefer a vega, i like the hull shape more than i like the triton, An alberg 30 would be a great choice too or any of the cape dory's a bristol 29.9, 30,32 or 27. A cal 30 would be nice too. And my own boat a contest 30 might make a good Caribbean cruiser too or a hughes 31. There are a lot of boats that you can cruise the Caribbean in. I had a dock mate who cruised the Caribbean with 4 people in a grampian 26.

 

Once you're in the Eastern Caribbean just about any well found boat will do... easy daysails between islands, mostly reaching.

Getting there from Florida is the kicker.. pretty much 1000 nm to weather can be quite the bash. That's where you need a boat with toughness, for the so-called 'thorny path'. But certainly there are plenty of 'tough old boats' to choose from. Whichever, it's going to be about survey, upgrades/refits, and tough enough (compatible) crew as well...

 

BOTH ARE EXCELLENT! get the best deal you can find...

the albin vegas sell for about 50% more than what a decent triton goes for at least when I was looking.

My dream boat when I was younger was always the pearson triton...west coast as it was a bit stouter, "full keel" and all, this even after having one of the best small wooden boats ever a herreshoff h28 and after that a marieholm folkboat...

the folkboat was perfect for a singlehander or a young couple...the triton is a beast both in size and interrior space compared to the folkboat

shy away from bigger is always better mentality and more towards money in your pocket for cruising and your family ideals instead.

Id rather have a completely outfitted and rebuilt 26 foot boat versus a big 35 footer that I cant afford to replace parts on...like winches and or rigging...even anchors get ridiculous after a certain size.

the albin vega is a wonderful boat too...I was on one in costa rica where I anchored my h28 right next to it in 2001 or so... a couple of surfing guys where cruising here big time! very bare bones style but it felt like it had more space than my h28 obviouly it had better headroom...and it was glass! no leaks! jajaja

they are also nicely built and strong...they do well in heavy weather as does the triton...

if you do decide to buy another boat because you are indeed too cramped after looking at some and maybe test sailing... then the alberg 30 is a might fine choice with a PEDIGREE...

cheers

ps. if you want sweet lines and want to stay with the same "class" of boat and under 32 the pearson vanguard although slow and doesnt do that well to weather is a beatiful boat for a cruising couple...its also well built just needs some attention in some areas but all boats do.

 

Tritons have crossed oceans. Vegas have rounded continents and I think the world?

I'd think the Triton, with a little more heft and room, may be the more comfortable boat for coastal sailing, and Vega for the way offshore stuff?

On either one, they'll have some age. Count on replacing the standing rigging, it corrodes inside the turnbucle fittings where you can't see.

 

tritons have done extensive circumnavgiations...james baldwins site is a must for anyone interested in a triton...his mods are some of the best ever for a small cruising boat

the vegas have done so too...both are safe offshore boats when modded appropriately...no doubts about that...

 

Both good choices. As others have said, the condition of old boats is the first thing to consider. You can spend a whole lot of money getting one ready to go offshore. Check #1: Condition of the deck core. If it's rotten (as many are) go no farther. #2: Condition of engine. It should have a replacement diesel. #3: Condition of the rigging and sails. Fixing just those three items could cost you 20-30 grand. There are lots of project boats out there which can be good deals IF you're into projects.

3 people and offshore supplies on a 30' boat is an iffy situation.

 

All the chatter about 30 feet not being enough room for three people makes me laugh.

You guys all need a Sequitor to cruise on?

3 young bucks who aren't married to a ridiculous amount of material possessions would get along just fine, on a Triton. The OP is motoring down the ICW and bouncing around the Carribean, for cryin' out loud.

They can stop daily to stretch their legs on the ICW, and all I ever hear about the Carribean is how you can hop from island to island in a day. They're not doing a circumnavigation.

I understand that a Triton or a Vega is sub-optimal for a liveaboard, retired couple in their 50's or 60's, but I don't get that vibe from the OP.

 

Based on the replies so far, I gather that I'm not "insane" for attempting this in a Vega. I really want to go with the smallest boat I can be comfortable in. Thank you for the input, I will check out some of the other boats mentioned as well.

 

My first thought was its kind of crazy trying to cruise 3 people on such a small boat. Then remembered in 2000 I was looking at a Vega for the exact same kind of journey.
Man, I have become old and soft in the last 13 years.

I just spent a week on a Cal 30. It would be high on my list, for this trip.

 

I think you need to decide what your ultimate goal is. If it is only to go as far as Trinidad and back I would go for a somewhat larger, more comfortable boat, there are lots of possibilities. If you think you might want to turn right and go through the canal you might want to stick with something more rugged. Quite like Vegas and we have seen three doing circumnavigations, but with one or two aboard. Would be tight with three. They seem to be becoming cult boats and prices are higher. Might also look at some of the older Bristols in your price range.

 

Aaron, check out Chuck and Laura Rose's video blogs on youtube,
cruising lealea - YouTube
They have crossed from Hawaii to Puget Sound, down to SF Bay, back to Hawaii, and then to Alaska, where they are now. They stay and cruise in their destination area for a season, a year, whatever they feel like. All in A Vega 27. They've been live aboard cruisers for quite some time - hell, they had the same cat, Boatswain Bree, onboard for 16 years!

 

Both boats are good choices for a tough classic affordable cruiser. Both are on the small side for interior space but offer simple systems, which I see as simple to repair and relatively cheap to repair.

Other boats you may consider if you like the lines of a Triton and idea of full keel boats:

Alberg 30
Pearson Vangaurd
Bristol 27

Check out Sailfar.net as a source for small cruising source

Also as others have mention
Atomvoyager.com
cruisinglealea.com
bristol27.com

Good luck in your search and decision. Just FYI I saw a Vega for sale on Norfol, VA craiglist a few weeks ago for $2k obo and a Triton for $1500. The vega looked to be in decent shape from the dock

 

What ever you do DO NOT watch this video Hold Fast on Vimeo If you go to sea in any boat less than 500' or with a budget of under 10 million dollars annually you surely wil DIE!

 

What ever you do DO NOT watch this video

Great video! I thought they were joking in the beginning when they said a de-masted derelict was their best bet for low cost cruising.

 

Aaron,

I have also considered the Albin Vega as well for a cruising boat. I was able to get a few minutes of Matt Rutherford's (Solo Around the America's Under Sail | An audacious attempt at sailing the Northwest Passage and circumnavigating entirety of both continents, to benefit Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating) time at the 2012 Annapolis Show to talk about the boat's capabilities. The one thing he said that really stuck with me was that it would not heave-to very well since it has a fin-keel. The ability to heave-to is something I consider paramount in a cruising boat. Which is why I sadly crossed the Vega off my list of potential boats. That may not be as important in the Carib though. Happy hunting!

 

I know you asked about the vega vs the triton, but consider this from Ted Brewer in "Good Old Boat" January/February 2008:
"Designer Ted Brewer has noted that given the choice between going to sea in a Triton or a P28-1 (which replaced the Triton in the Pearson line in 1975) , he'd choose the latter. Not that this denigrates the Triton - a proven circumnavigator many times over - in anyway; just that it places the P28-1 in the same class..."
My reason for using this quote, is to say that there are many more modern designs that will serve your needs better, may not be so tired (40+ years is a lot of wear and tear) and can provide you better sailing characteristics. Open your search a little, and don't worry so much about size. There is not much difference between 27 and 30 feet as far as sailing complexity, but a huge difference in creature comfort.
John

 

i would suggest if you want to do more blue water, an allied seawind is most likely your best bet, an albin vega is a better choice than a triton and is faster, easier to maneuver though. the sea wind would be heavy and slow, but would be the sturdiest if you decided to do say a circumnavigation after your Caribbean travels. You could heave to in a vega with a sea anchor like the pardey's use most likely.

 

Matt has his vega up for sale. americanvega .org / vegasforsale. html

 

The problem I have with the Vega is the same problem I have with our 27' boat and a lot of early <=30ft sailboats: The interior is dysfunctional. It's not that it's small, it's just poorly laid out.

I don't think this is an issue of size as much as it is the designer/builder choosing to make the boat more accommodating for more people. I've been aboard 20ft boats that had more functional and useful interiors than ours, and 35ft boats with less functional and useful interiors. The design decisions are a compromise, they probably work ok for some people, but not for others. I never intend on overnights with 4 people on our boat, I'd rather that extra space be used and laid out better. I would rather the space be used for a nav table, easily accessible galley, storage, etc, than uncomfortable berths people won't use.

I've seen 27' boats with really functional interiors and those without. I don't really find size to be the issue unless you need more sleeping space and those features. With 2 people, 27' should be large enough, but it needs to be laid out functionality, which many boats that size are not.

You could probably rip out most of the non-structural pieces and build it to your liking inside, I've nearly done it a few times. The only thing holding me back is the same reason the builder likely didn't do it from the start, it would narrow the market for the boat when we decide to sell it.

 

What are some boats with good interiors, Shinook? I am a simple is better kind of guy, and I like the narrow beam on some of the older boats. I have limited experience with different sailboat interiors under sail, and I don't like the fact that the vega doesn't have a designated nav table. My understanding is newer boats have more room, but a wider beam. I could definitely redo the vega interior, but I'd like to be heading out to sea in less than two years, not four or five.

 

Oh, I agree on the beam and age issue, they don't have to be new/light/beamy boats to have functional interiors.

I like the interiors on these boats:

Vancouver 27
Vancouver 25
Flicka 20
Cape Dory 25D
Nor'Sea 27
Pacific Seacraft 25

There are others, those are just off the top of my head.

 

interrior layout is the last thing on my mind when picking a potentially offshore cruiser...I mean there is ballast to displacement ratio up there....keel design...displacement...sail configuration, tiller or wheel...rudder design...ETC!

like others have said you can redesign an interior especially non structuarl bulkheads but id simply rather fix up a POTENTIAL cruiser already than make a j30 the ultimate cruiser when it will never be

as to the p28 over the triton for a cruiser dont know what brewer was smoking but some late model pearsons are thin as heck with very fragile rudders or exposed rudders is a better term

Im a traditionalist but there are benefits to old school keel designs and boats
number one is you can careen and potentially fix a gouged hole if you find a nice bank to lean on..
this is almost impossible with most fin and spade or fin and skeg combos

and lastly there has never been a report of a full keel design boat with barndoor rudder having catastrophic keel failures like you sometimes do with new design racers and stuff

anywhoo

opinions we all have them...

my current boat is a skeg and fin keel...and yes I do think about the keel 99 percent more then when I had my h28 or folkboat...jajaja

peace

 

as to the p28 over the triton for a cruiser dont know what brewer was smoking but some late model pearsons are thin as heck with very fragile rudders or exposed rudders is a better term

Im a traditionalist but there are benefits to old school keel designs and boats
number one is you can careen and potentially fix a gouged hole if you find a nice bank to lean on..
this is almost impossible with most fin and spade or fin and skeg combos

and lastly there has never been a report of a full keel design boat with barndoor rudder having catastrophic keel failures like you sometimes do with new design racers and stuff

anywhoo

opinions we all have them...

peace

The next line in the referenced quote goes: "The keel-stepped mast rig is sturdy and well stayed. The beefy rudder is grudgeon-hung and protected by a partial skeg."

So, do we value the opinion of a celebrated nautical engineer or someone like me spouting off on sailnet?
When Ted Brewer gave this assessment he had no financial or legacy interests at stake. He had completed a life time of work designing, building and sailing boats and does not deserve to be dismissed with the allegation he was smoking dope.
I think it is important to proof read and edit what we write so that we clearly and honestly communicate our ideas.
John

 

I am just wondering why people are suggesting the Alberg 30 over the vega. Is it just interior space. I am assuming the vega is a faster boat

 

the alberg is just a nice design and well built it will have marginally more space than the vega

the alberg 30 is almost the exact same space as a triton...

 

I don't understand this I mean i don't get the animosity on sail net. I was away for a year and this is why, i just don't understand the whole righteousness bs some cruisers have. I mean people get so heated about these things and its almost like preaching here. I mean it doesn't matter like people come here because they like to cruise they come here because they want to know stuff to make that possibility happen for them. We shouldn't be attacking each other over opinions we should say well i think this would work and heres why and then let the person decide for themselves without this righteousness and this animosity. I mean as a cruiser you have the luxury no matter how poor you are of being able to truly experience the beauty of nature, of seeing totally undiscovered pristine lands of experiencing life in its most pure form, and yet we choose to bicker sitting behind a hunk of silicon and plastic. it's really sad, when theres so much beauty in cruising the way we act and this isn't singling either of you out its not your fault its just something to think about. This shouldn't be a war it should be a collaborative community where people help each other.

 

To the OP Just a quick FYI on boat construction and design. Neither of these boats are built stronger or better than a 70's Ericson 27. Neither the Vega or the Triton have full keels , just because a keel has the rudder attached does not make it a full keel, just less sea kindly. A $4,000 Ericson 27 will out perform either listed boat 95% of the time for less money and a more comfortable platform. I love all three of the boats but wouldn't consider any of the three for long distance blue water voyaging, they are all too uncomfortable to weather. Just my 2 cents

 

Neither the Vega or the Triton have full keels , just because a keel has the rudder attached does not make it a full keel, just less sea kindly.

this is not the first time I have heard someone say the Alberg 30(pearson triton) did not have a full keel. I have read that it is a full keel with a cutaway forefoot to help in tacking. And how the attached rudder makes these boat less sea kindly? I have also read the narrow beam of triton, vega and alberg assisted in sea kindliness...again exact opposite of your views. Please explain as I know nothing of boat design?

 

A full keel is a boat which has a keel which is as long as 50 percent or more of the LOA. The albin vega has a fin keel with an attached rudder, my keel is longer than the albin vega's but i have a seperated rudder, both are fin keels long fins but still fins the difference being the fact that the rudder on my boat is on a full skeg as opposed to attacked to the keel. The triton and alberg 30 are close to 50 percent of the loa in keel length, if they are over 50 they are barely full keels. They don't just have a cutaway forefoot their keels also terminate much before the stern of the boat. Ericson 27's have made offshore passages as well and are pretty decently constructed boats, I would prefer a contessa and an albin vega over one though. The triton and alberg's wine glass hull sections do contribute to upwind sea kindliness so i dont quite understand that, but downwind any cca era boat is awful to control. The comment about the rudder likely has to do with the fact that attached rudders that are forward of the transom tend to be less effective, look at it from a simple physics point of view where is the rudder going to have the most mechanical advantage closer to the fulcrum or further away. Obviously it takes less force to turn the boat when the force is acting at a greater distance from the centerline. With a vega, you can glass the existing rudder into the keel as an extension of the keel and then ad a transom mounted rudder, which makes the vega not as bad in this regard.

 

the narrow beam and overhangs are what make these cca rule boats nice to look at as well as when PAIRED with a nice ballast to displacement ratio make them very seakindly when compared to very light boats with fin keels and spade rudders

look at a folkboat or contessa 26...the folkboat has 50% ballast to displacement ratio and the contessa a bit less...

what this translates to is to safety at sea..they will right themselves much better than a huge above the waterline built boats commonly reffered to as bubble or bath tub boats...that have more weight aloft than below...

the whole reason(please dont think im preaching! jaja) that these older boats often make great budget cruisers is that their original intended purpose has become what we NOW think as laid back performance, in other words a cruiser racer or racer in the 60s is now a cruiser if we only look at performance...this doesnt apply to all boats but a surprising amount.

on the triton the initial tenderness felt quickly when heeling becomes rail like controllabilty once you heel to a certain degree and it will stay there

...east coast tritons are more tender and sail better and are more dinghly like to sail compared to west coast tritons for example

why?

west coasts where heavier built and some had shorter masts...the aeromarine tritons had no wood anywhere in the cockpit and were massivley built and make for some the best of the tritons to own...however they do worse upwind and have slower performance...a bit! worthless to a cruiser really.

I love wineglass shaped hulls..some overhangs not too much like an alberg 35 or 37 or like an invicta yawl but enough like a triton or alberg 30, or bristol 27 29 etc...some not too much

lastly these boats are great as when heeled over their waterline increases dramatically and they become much better performers when doing so...learn to sail your boat like the designer intended!

I too agree these forums are for gaining and sharing info...nobody can know it all and that is why we are here!

lets enjoy our community!

safe sailing!