Long Range Cruiser

[SheetWise]

Look at the Idlewild

A lot of people have said they think she's ugly. I disagree.

[FAST FRED]

"Look at the Idlewild"

Such treasure that she has been for sale for years ,with no interest.

[SheetWise]

Yes ... the price has been an obstacle ... but I think she's pretty.

[viking north]

Actually not a bad looking vessel- maybe a little too much on the military looking side which could be rectified with a few changes to soften up those lines, a sloped windshield and eyebrow, raked side cabin windows to match the slope on the windshield and the drop curved sheer in the deck directly under it. Remove the railing on the cabin roof and build a set back fly bridge with a sloped front to match the windshield (fly bridge can be non functional as far as controls are concerned strickly for looks) Build curved sidewalls on the rear exterior of the cabin to parallel the drop deck sheer curve. Lower the railing along the hull but create a pulpit looking rise at the bow and stern. Cap the top rail with wood or tan coloured plastic and fill in under it with white plastic coated cable lifelines and the topping on the cake a nice paint sceme. Anyhow if she were mine these would be my mod. dream list.That join in the hull plating is an eyesore and should be faired invisible but all in all she looks like a good seaboat. Geo

[u4ea32]

Except that Idlewild is so ugly, its a beautiful boat.

The same concept, but without the mobile home design language, would have sold by now. Yet another example of how designing to save money is a great way to lose all your money.

But I like that ACF 47! Tad, you are amazing in what you find and know. Obviously, you are no less obsessed than I.

[masalai]

Hi Bruce46,

Consider where you will cruise,
Will you regularly use marina berthing - - or - - Be totally independant and swing off the pick?
Atlantic requires a different set of considerations to the Pacific

Have a look at my build, "My little piece of peace", which is more attuned to Pacific island hopping and totally independant living when completed... Easy downwind sailing with the capacity to point upwind under sail and alternatively, motor at 6 knots for about 4000 N miles or more... A sistership does 1.4litres/hour and 6knots... Using a single engine and with twins I can walk sideways and turn on the spot...

I have 1400W of solar panels and can increase to 2270watts by adding 5 more panels... Galley is "mains" power (240VAC European/Asian/Sth-Pacific appliances)...

Adding a 12M stick, (It will go where the radar mast is now), and twin Genoa - one to each bow on the cat, and I have an easily single-handled rig... Remember, about 80% of the live-aboard cruising time is swinging on the pick... When live-aboard cruising, there is NO HURRY and 'downwind sailing', is far more comfortable and only requires better seasonal timing of your passages... Being able to sneak into shallow, protected bays and lagoons is important to ensure a comfortable stay, wherever you may be visiting...

Carefully select your design for where you will cruise... In the Pacific, fully serviced marina's do not exist around every other magic island stopover... Fuel and spares need to be ordered and airfreighted or sent by occasional cargo ship unless you carry most critical parts and can fix it by sitting on a nice sandy creek made sandbar and doing the repair/maintenance yourself... In the Pacific a cat with an LOA of less than 12M or 40 ft and a beam of about 21 ft seems ideal, with an ability to happily sit on her own bottom, of critical importance...

Considerations for Atlantic Ocean cruising is an entirely different matter...