Perfect pro - is there such a thing....

[Alex.A]

Depends on so many things.....
Ccruiser or racer? Perceptions of the past and the future and what one wants out of it?
The WTW seems to balance the best cruising options - BUT.....
As with all boats - budget / compromise and needs/wants...

[Ad Hoc]

A boat, any boat, must have an SOR...statement of requirements. This defines the purpose of the boat and also the "limits" in terms of performance and cost.

This is what a naval architect designs to...the end result is what it is and must be judged against the SOR not against another totally different boat. Does the boat meet and satisfy the SOR...if the answer is yes, then the boat "could" be considered perfect, but only for that SOR, as it has been satisfied.

Thus, what is a perfect boat for you, is different for somone else. Hence that is refelcted in the SOR, so no two SORs will be the same, and shall be reflected in the resulting design.

Therefore, what you consider to be perfect, someone else will say...nay, not my cuppa tea, i want a longer boat, or more berths, or lighter rigging, or faster or cheaper or more efficient etc etc

Each boat is different for different reasons.

No such thing as a "perfect boat" that satisfies everyones expectations. But, there is the right boat for you, given your SOR and budget. Which you could call "perfect", if you wanted too.

[Inquisitor]

I'm assuming you are not talking about members of the oldest profession.

... so I'll take it as being an editorial on my thread. So, I'll be the first to say... no such thing as perfection... NO WAY!

I did qualify it with (1) "perfect for me" and (2) the pursuit of perfection. In my younger days, I would have had a totally different idea... probably closer to Rob's HarryProa's for world racing as a starting point... going even more radical from there. Even today, if I thought I had more than one building project left in me, I'd probably have a racing one. If I could afford to live near the ocean and have a boat slipped or even moored... I wouldn't mess with this trailering stuff. Lot of if's.

Although... I'd still like to cruise both coasts without having to go through the Panama canal.

[BigCat]

Really, as Ad Hoc says, perfect for what? You need a very clear statement of priorities to answer the question. As Ted Brewer said, you can't put a camper on a sports car and have a liveaboard race car.

Originally Posted by Alex.A

Depends on so many things.....

You said it already.........

[bearflag]

Someone has a webpage with the perfect sailboat on it....

It is a little bigger than a beach cat when sailing thru the harbor, but inside it is like Dr. Who's Tardis. Except decked out like the most fantastical cruiseliner, but where every room has panoramic views of the ocean...


Or as you said...

It is fiction.

One thing that is clear that most people never bring up though, is a boat that you can actually sail is more perfect than any that you can dream up, talk about, or make sketches about.

[Frosty]

Originally Posted by BigCat

Really, as Ad Hoc says, perfect for what? You need a very clear statement of priorities to answer the question. As Ted Brewer said, you can't put a camper on a sports car and have a liveaboard race car.

Sports car or race car --you swapped half way through,--- but.

Yes you can, you can live on it and it is a racing/ sports car, performance would be another issue but you did'nt mention that.

Your SOR was a live aboard sport/ race car and thats what you got.

[bearflag]

I don't know... there are some pretty salty French sailors who have done some pretty serious ocean traveling on things that look like beach cats with tents on them!!! But It really all depends on your personal idea of what comfort is.

If you were born out of a bit of lust from Poseidon and a french Sea Nymph, and weened from her tete on salted fish and sea spray while crabbing in the Bering Strait a tent on that wooden raft from Castaway might seem downright luxurious.

But yeah, as always everything is a tradeoff unless the compromises are exactly what you want, or in other words "perfect".

[Alex.A]

What would everyone (most) have on their list of wants/needs? Speed/Space/Low cost......
Average (me) people aren't too hassled with speed - fast enough is usually good enough - so that leaves space/comfort and cost.
But how little will people put up with? What is the minimum?
Poseiden - lust etc - sounds fun....
Perfect to me would be safe/capable without too much discomfort?

[cavalier mk2]

Alex, you should start building your perfect dinghy to get started and see what occurs to you as you are working. You will make progress and have plenty of time to contemplate as you build!

[Alex.A]

Yeah - but i have to wait.... too cold here now - Thick frost and cold days....
Not perfect but i will learn lots from it. Have started collecting materials tho and testing idea's will small scale models - fun but not the real thing! But you are right - i'm overthinking this and it's time to do.