Rethinking the smallest boat circumnavigation

[Yobarnacle]

Originally Posted by wildbill

take along a good dog..... not only man's best friend but will appear quite tasty after a couple of weeks eating plankton....

practical but a small dog. A bigger dog? who eats who?

[Yobarnacle]

Originally Posted by Yobarnacle

practical but a small dog. A bigger dog? who eats who?

Wasn't the band "Three Dog Night" from Australia and the name referred to getting the dogs in bed for shared body warmth on a bitter cold night? A small dog doesn't eat or drink much. The companionship and mutual care is emotionally and mentally healthy. And the extra body warmth maybe a life saver. A dog is a good idea!
Only where will you walk the dog? In a 10 foot boat, hygene is gonna be a bit of a problem.

[stonedpirate]

You need to have a reserve supply of water that will at any time be enough to reach land; is 200ltr sufficient given your probable 1.5 - 2.5 kn speed?

It is not a non stop trip. Each leg should be no longer than 60 days.

I have been researching reliable watermakers. The small, manual ones seem to break often which would require carrying more than one. I found an electric one that is used on a lot of yachts that is small and light but has high power requirements.

I dont have enough deck space for solar panels, cant handle the drag of a windmill or tolerate the sound but have discovered a small petrol generator that can produce enough electricity to produce 1000's of litres of fresh water from only 20 litres of petrol.

Any calm weather patches will be for rigging up the generator and filling my multiple fresh water tanks.

Each tank gets one of those tablets for killing germs.

So fresh water doesnt worry me as i have enough for 100's of days.

I once fasted for 27 days. As in, no food, only water. It was easy and relaxing.

The average person can fast for 40 days with no real danger as long as they consume electrolytes.

So if i run out of food, i still have 40 days worth of body fat to live off. That should give me plenty of time to radio for assistance. Plenty of boats out there. If i starve to death i will be surprised. I will cary 60 days worth of food, can be rationed near the end to 80 days worth, and another 40 days of fasting gives me 120 days to either reach my destination, or call for help. Not to mention the chance of catching a small tuna or spear a mahi mahi

As for shelter, my new design has came up with a solution so stay tuned.

If I may- why?

Its a project that grew from the inability to afford the cruiser lifestyle.

I grew up on the coast surfing, kayaking, diving, fishing etc etc but never really knew about sailing.

One day i was fishing from a rock and seen a nice 30 footer sail past with this old hippy on board. He had his clothes drying on a line, solar panel and shaggy hair.

I thought, what a great lifestyle.

Thats when i started thinking about living aboard.

After searching for a 30 footer and doing the sums on yearly boat maintainence, food, storage fees etc etc, i realised i would have to be a millionaire or have passive income from sizable investments.

Either that or work half the year and cruise the other half but job insecurity in this economy makes finding work that much more difficult.

Bottom line is, cant afford to cruise.

Thats when i thought about small boats, discovered serge testa and the other micro cruisers.

Since the conditions on board these boats are uncomfortable, there is nothing leisurly about living aboard them so a record would be the only reason to build and sail one.

Either that or give up on sailing and wait for a lottorey win or bank robbery

[stonedpirate]

A dog is a good idea!

A dog is a good idea if i want to be charged with animal cruelty, carry more food and water for the dog, and live with his piss and **** onboard.

[mydauphin]

Let me know how much money you need for your venture, I will happily finance it in return for insurance proceeds and other post mortem profit ventures. We can get Geraldo to do a special on the different possibilities of your lose.

On Cruiser life style, I can tell you you can get a boat for nothing, except a little work. Try working as a crew on someone elses boat. This is will be preferably on a 40 or 50 footer and when you see what it does to that boat it will knock some sense into you.

At least read the book, Maiden Voyage, the story of Tania Aebi circumnavigation on a 26 foot boat.

[Milehog]

Methinks such an adventure would be a somewhat cruel to a dog. Possibly a stuffed cat would adapt better.

[Angélique]

Here some small ones (translation), 10ft seems to be big for Transatlantic crossings . . .

Here 3 vids of the last one (2008) on the linked page.

Cheers,
Angel

[stonedpirate]

If I were to attempt such a thing, my boat would have very traditional design elements. It would have a full length keel, for instance. In bad weather (except when fighting off a lee shore) the sails would be all brought in, the hatches firmly dogged, and the skipper belted to his berth.

My thoughts exactly.

All my designs were on traditional, heavy solid cruisers.

Your footbal design is not unlike mine.

Wide beam, deep hull, high sided with similar cockpit.

At this length, most boats will be similar in nature.

The only variations are rigging.

One far out design is 'Puffin"

The model seems to sail well and it is currently under construction.

http://www.microyacht.com/

It uses Matt Laydens chine runners.

Personally, i would rather a full heavy keel for the open ocean but his little boat would be a fun long distance coatal cruiser for people on a budget.

[stonedpirate]

Thanks Angel.

That was a great link.

Good summary of all the famous micro yachts out there.

I have read nearly every book that was written by these people and am aware of all these boats.

Good to have them all on one page

[CatBuilder]

Stoned:

Reading your last paragraph on post #78, I can't help but to think of a better way to get you to the goals and dreams you have.

If a 30' boat is out of the question and you want to have something really small, how about this?

Make something small enough to fit into a box that can be shipped overseas for a minimal price - a price that is probably a lot less than a watermaker or generator.

Or even make a 20' boat that can be shipped in a few boxes.

It will be several times more comfortable, you will enjoy your time at sea (while not having to cross oceans and nearly die) and you will have all of your dreams of cruising distant lands fulfilled. All for less than the cost of the watermaker.

[Yobarnacle]

incorporate in your design oars and ability to row. a ten footer could be controlled to keep off rocks or land in a surf or ...a cheap survival tactic if planned for

[stonedpirate]

Thanks Yob.

My original design had a small outboar for ports and emergenciees but would have to carry two lots of fuel for engine and watermaker.

I scrapped the outboard and have oarlocks on my new boat.

[Yobarnacle]

you already have an 18 footer...get a 2nd one...mate them stern to stern...ergo a 36 footer...i'm serious

[mydauphin]

The idea of crossing an ocean is extremely seductive to some people, forgetting the danger, do they realize how damn boring it is?

[stonedpirate]

On Cruiser life style, I can tell you you can get a boat for nothing, except a little work.

I realise this. I did search for a boat. The initial cost is nothing, but where i live, the west australian coats is massive with very few ports or bays.

Getting a mooring is hard. 10 year waiting list on my local marina. The cost of just anchoring a boat here is huge and there are vast distances to travel to get to the nearest port.

If you decide to crusie to another counmtry, you have visa issues. The costs just go up and up and the initial freedom of the traveller lifestyle is soon lost on the quest to make more money.

I would feel safer in the middle of the ocean on a brand new, heavily constructed 10 footer that i know everything about, than being in the middle of a storm on a 30 footer made in 1962 that i got for a carton of beer.