Great Harbor ... Pro or Con

[trawler wannabe]

What are the advantages and disadvantages of these boats.

I understand that they are not designed for passagemaking but are "off shore" boats. Can one cruise these boats to the Bahamas/Carribean?

[trawler wannabe]

Any comments, advice, etc. will be appreciated!!

[Baldur]

do you have a link or photo?

[trawler wannabe]

from the company website.

[marshmat]

There's a similar discussion on these boats at http://www.passagemaker.com/discus/m...tml?1123084389
My own impression is that they're coastal cruisers, designed with maximum interior volume in mind. Not really heavy enough for their volume to ride well in a sea, and the hull's built more for initial stability than for final- making it comfy in a lake but nasty in 20-footers. The dead giveaway is the sliding windows on the aft deckhouse; something built to cruise open oceansr would have hefty fixed portholes or windows with wide load-distributing frames. So my impression is of a shippy-looking inshore trawler.
But according to the builder, they're designed for routes such as Florida-Bermuda etc.; they do not recommend going any farther than Calif-Hawaii though. As long as it's not hurricane season (which is now August to November it seems) they're probably OK in the hands of a competent captain.
http://www.mirage-mfg.com/ for the builder.

[trawler wannabe]

Matt.....

Great reply. Could the boat travel from Bahamas down into the carribean?

[mackid068]

Likely could, if it's 40 feet or longer. I've found that 30 feet is often too short, while 60+ feet isn't neccesary.Comfort-wire? I don't know how comfortable it would be, but you would certainly be relatively safe.

[marshmat]

The builder's site claims they're suitable for most cruising up to the Bermuda-Caribbean or California-Hawaii runs. Having never sailed on one I can't speak from experience, but looking at the hull and specs I think they're well-suited to this type of coastal cruising. But don't try to cross the Atlantic on one, and keep away from hurricanes.

[trawler wannabe]

Great replies.

Thanks

[FAST FRED]

The Passagmaker book By R Beede is a tome on the selection for offshore boats.

Try to find ONLY first printing as the book was taken over and rewritten by a boat sales force to pump their product.
(rather unsuitable for offshore boats).

The first book has very usefull information , the second is a complete waste of time.

A quick look at the Great Harbor would sugest she is a brown water boat ONLY , hardly designed for serious ocean work.

Should be quite enjoyable in the Bahamas or down island , about where a well found Boston Whaler can cruise , but with lots more comfort.

Don't think she will "round the horn" except as cargo in a hold .

FAST FRED