Build a boat to sail around the world

Crap, pure & simple.

There are so many examples of people who have done it in much smaller boats to prove you wrong that I'm not even going to bother listing them.

PDW

 

To chime in with no particular academic qualifications but I have done it (build my 'ideal boat') and cruised a little in it... Some of the drama is documented in "my little piece of peace" thread in this forum.

Consider your cruising style - are you into gunk-holing and exploring? the grand dash? or somewhere in between? (I like exploring and to be able to hide up a mangrove creek and shelter from severe storms).

Consider your preferred region - doing the round world for the sake of sailing the oceans and crossing equators and colder latitudes, or in the style of a 'Flâneur' (one who wanders and absorbs and observes the culture) in the pursuit of learning and understanding in pleasant climes (for me that is tropical)?

Do you desire to be independent of such on shore necessities as can be avoided - or submit to regular stops at marina berths? I am as independent as can be - necessitated by visiting remote places and able to stay for an extended time.

My boat allows me to operate in relatively shallow waters (3 ft), make 'windows of opportunity' crossings in comfort and modest safety, with 1200Litres of fuel I have a range of 2000 miles at 10 knots or 2400 miles at 6 knots under power only. (I am planning for a maximum fuel capacity of about 3000 litres - mainly to be able to carry coconut oil - but that is another project). I can carry 80 to 90 square meters of sails on a 12 metre stick where the radar is at present. (run out of money). I can careen, or sit on the boats bottom in comfort and reasonable safety. This design suits me and my intentions - That is what you need to decide and work out. - - 'CNO' surfs nicely at 19 knots and displays no real danger of broaching in crossing the "wide bay bar" at the wrong time and running with a storm in 7+ metre seas both maxing out at 19 knots on auto pilot. on a solo run to South Percy Island from Brisbane. The boat is about 40 ft by 21.5 ft and whighs in at 4500kg to 6000kg depending on load... CNO is for sale at Au$250,000 having cost me some $500,000 to get built. A reasonable production cat of similar size can be bought for as little as $200,000 in Au - take your pick.

- - what suits your needs? - KEEP AN OPEN MIND and do not let "love and romance' influence wise and practical decisions... - DO IT NOW, and go sailing before ageing, health and dementia stop you in your indulgence.

 

Lots and lots of crap in that post you quoted from, actually. Here's another pice of crap:

"A homebuilder can NEVER beat the cost and quality of a proffesionally built boat. NEVER"

You can always get a much better boat than a production boat if you do a one off. ALWAYS

 

Masalai. I truly love your boat. She came out very nice looking. I am not understanding the financials though.

Your boat cost you $500K to build? Why so much? Do you have a cost breakdown anywhere?

I know of a 44C with sailing rig that cost about $200K to build from the same designer.

I know my own boat (at 45 ft, Corecell foam, all epoxy, plus a full time employee, plus top notch finish for charter guests, plus generator, plus solar, plus engines and tender, plus sailing rig) costs not much over your asking price to build. (not including my hours)

I know marine things are very expensive in Australia, but are they really double the cost? I'm not doubting your numbers, just trying to wrap my head around them.

 

There are plenty of "world cruiser" designs available as stock plans from every design house. The choice is purely a subjective exercise for the prospective owner, based on their well developed SOR.

I tend to agree with Capt Teedge in regard to building his own version of a world cruiser. I designed a 50' cruiser for someone just like him, a fellow (and friend) that was approaching his retirement after a full career in the Merchant Marine. He had plenty of time, resources and money to complete the project, considerable experience and expertise, but just needed a design to suit his particularly redundant and robust desires. A stock design didn't satisfy his needs completely, so a modified version of one of my designs was done. He completed the 50', twin engine, fully equipped craft in 3 years, mostly by himself, jobbing out some of the "systems" work, because he was pretty anal about things being "right".

Decide the general genre (monohull, sail, power, propulsion, size, displacement, building techniques, materials, etc.) then look at the stock designs available within this focus. From there, you'll have narrowed the search considerably and you can hone down the choices.

 

I agree with your sentiments par, but, I have a feeling that Capt Teedge has not fully thought out his cruising needs/intentions sufficient to define the nature of the beast that he seeks to build and what regions and pace he seeks to enjoy.

As a live aboard for extended periods of time, something in the vicinity of 40ft loa is a start point.

Then comes the decision on cat, mono or trimaran, - - - sail and power systems, - - - Load, beam, draught to best fit in the preferred cruising mode and regions just to start the process - none seem to me to have been identified or reasoned out as yet...

So what can the "lounge-room-expert" offer when crucial considerations have yet to be defined?

 

Mas had it built for him.
Add in insane labour costs and shed hire

44c bought the kit and built his himself on his own property.

 

I tend to disagree going too big. The real problem with production boats is the lack of storage space,and thats the biggest reason to go big. But..with a onedesign boat its possible to have all the tankage and storage space of 45footer in 30footer just drop of a couple cabins and heads IMO

 

Amen to that! Last summer I was on board a 45 ft or so Bavaria with no less than 8 fixed beds (not bunks), all equally unsuitable at sea. Build-in TV, kitchen (not galley) and no storage to speak of. Not sure if it had 3 or more heads. What a disgusting display of polished plastic!
By the way Teddy: Don't forget to give me a call next time you are in Tromsø.
Regards
Walter

 

I will.. kanske på påsk ferie hvis de ae ok vaer..

 

Hi Teddy, it all depends on where and what purpose one has in mind. . . . 40 ft (which I suggested as a starting point) - the end user can go bigger or smaller and I do not wish to impose on that as the end user will have to determine that. . . . I chose 40 ft as being a convenient length (customs and etc wise) bigger costs more, and smaller does not carry enough load for my purpose.

I had been on a 33 ft (the Chamberlin C10 which is in my gallery), and determined that for extended cruising a 40 ft cat was necessary to carry the additional supplies.food for extended remote voyaging.

To cross the Coral Sea - which spawns the occasional cyclone and its own unique style of sudden and strong squalls, - a careful selection of a favourable weather window is still necessary with my 40ft demonstrated sea-kindly and capable boat. (in sail or power only configuration).

I happily ran with a 7.5 Metre high following sea from Yepoon to South Percy when the propellers then maxd out at 8.1 knots, catching regular surfing action at 19+knots with no dramas on autopilot and feeling quite comfortable about that.

I do not understand this thing about multiple berths, toilets and showers when water tankage is LIMITED and storage for food, clothes and fuel is also severely restricted...

My design came with 4 double berths (2 deleted for additional fuel and water storage) and I have ONE toilet and shower space in which these functions can be comfortably performed and one functional laundry with hanging space for clothes drying (no sundry clothes hung outside as pretend bunting).

There is clear space in the bridge-deck-galley-dining-sitting-cabin where two people can happily swing 2 cats by the tail or hang a hammock on those hot and sweltering nights.

 

Agree with Mas on this and have gone an extra step again
I am doing a 50fter which is a 40ft accommodation plan on 50ft hulls
Like mas I have done away with the 4 cabin and multiple bathroom and deleted a cabin divider so as to have just one large full width cabin with an actual king bed.
Cabins down aft are now storage
1 bathroom

There is nothing in the extra boat, but 50ft hulls make carrying the 40fter's load a breeze and also increase sea keeping abilities.

 

It all depends on what you can handle. I used to solo a wooden 63' ketch with over 6' of draft, all around the Caribbean. It was a bit much to handle and I'd likely use a well thought out (shoal) 40' yacht for similar efforts now, but it's a lesson I had to learn.

What I've found is most keep stepping up in size, until they find they've gone too far, then they back down to the size they found most comfortable. A couple can handle a bigger boat if they're a real team. If the wife is the cook and the man the skipper, then this isn't really a sailing team, just a division of chores, so this rule wouldn't apply to them.

One day when I'm rich a famous, I'll build a 52' boat of my design. I've had it in my head for some time and it's a trim 52', so everything is smaller then typical for a boat of this length. It'll be manageable and have 40' size equipment, which is a consideration.

My point is you have to know what you want, what you can handle and can live with. There's really only one way to get this information.

 

On that note, Walter - when are you heading down this way? I still want my diesel heater that you're minding for me

PDW

 

I'd never contemplate it on a 50 ft sailing cat, too much power to control.