Great Harbor ... Pro or Con

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?

 

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

 

do you have a link or photo?

 

from the company website.

 

There's a similar discussion on these boats at http://www.passagemaker.com/discus/messages/2/633.html?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.

 

Matt.....

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

 

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.

 

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.

 

Great replies.

Thanks

 

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