# 22'-24' sail boat ocean worthy?



## saurav16 (Mar 22, 2007)

Hello again all,

I was looking at 27' boats to start on. But people brought up good points basically at my budget 5-7k I will be getting a 22-24' boat in better condition than a 27' boat. A cool thing about these boats is that they are trailer-able. I was wondering if you went on vacation to say cape cod or another beach. Would it be possible to sail this size boat in the ocean as a day sailor? I live on the hudson and it would def be fine here. Just wondering about ocean sailing. Thanks in advance!


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## Tartan34C (Nov 21, 2006)

It all depends on the boat and the skill of the skipper. I sailed a 22 foot Sea Sprite to England and thought she was just fine and the perfect choice for my first solo trans-Atlantic.

What brands of boat are you considering?
All the best,
Robert Gainer


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## tonic (Jan 22, 2007)

With good sailing skills, general common sense and a good conditioned boat of that size most boats would be fine for a daysail even on the ocean. Weather would basically be a defining factor here. Common sense, a good weather forcast, knowledge of tides and a good VHF is important and basic knowlege of the engine if any is alway a plus. Enjoy your daysailing. PEACE.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Saurav16-

Might want to take a look at John Vigor's Twenty Small Sailboats to Take You Anywhere. There are quite a few boats that are in the 20-30' range and in the $7000-10000 range that are capable of crossing oceans.


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## Sabre66 (Feb 3, 2007)

Tartan34C said:


> It all depends on the boat and the skill of the skipper. I sailed a 22 foot Sea Sprite to England and thought she was just fine and the perfect choice for my first solo trans-Atlantic.
> 
> What brands of boat are you considering?
> All the best,
> Robert Gainer


I envy your testicular fortitude!That had to have been quite the experience. You must have a few good stories from that voyage?


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Transatlantic in a 13 1/2' (WOODEN) sloop!!
http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t239/MACHTECH1990/Tinkerbelle.jpg


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

Yes ...Sabre26...ask him to tell you how he was declared dead in that crossing! El Grande Cojones!!


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

camaraderie said:


> Yes ...Sabre26...ask him to tell you how he was declared dead in that crossing! El Grande Cojones!!


Reports of Robert's demise are a bit premature... or he's found a way to get a good connection to the internet from the other side...


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## Tartan34C (Nov 21, 2006)

camaraderie said:


> Yes ...Sabre26...ask him to tell you how he was declared dead in that crossing! El Grande Cojones!!


Cam,
I didn't die during my first trans-Atlantic. In fact the crossing in my 22-foot Sea Sprite went well and for the most part was uneventful. And I am keeping the larger mistakes I made on that trip quiet until after I really die to avoid early death by acute embarrassment.

I was presumed lost on a later trip when I decided to sail through a hurricane on a 30-foot boat instead of just sailing around it. It was imposable to keep that mistake a secret because of the press coverage and book that was written after my rescue. It wasn't the most interesting trip I have ever taken but it was the most memorable.

Bob Manry sailed trans-Atlantic in a 13 foot Oldtown lapstrake centerboard boat that didn't even have a cabin when he started to prepare for his trip. His accomplishment was much more spectacular then mine for several reasons. The Tinkerbell trip was his first time sailing in the ocean and by 1974 when I did my trip I was already experienced in sailing offshore. When I was a teenager I soloed my first Sea Sprit to Canada from RI. And my second Sea Sprite was built custom just for the Atlantic crossing. The only real disagreement between anybody involved in my trip was about the windvane steering system. I didn't use one at the time and the Sea Sprite could sail herself by trimming the sails and balancing the boat. It turned out that by not taking the advice to use a windvane system the boat saved my life be becoming unbalanced after I fell off midway and she back-winded the genoa and turned around and run over me as I was floundering around in the water. Falling off my own boat without having a lifeline is just one of the mistakes I was trying to keep quiet at the time.

I read Tinkerbell when I was a kid and that's one of the things that made me want to do the trip. I was really pleased to see that I signed the official guest book in Falmouth only a few pages from Bob Manry's signature. It was a nice landfall and it was covered at the time by TV and a bit of press. I even got an invitation to meet the Queen. I was the youngest one to do the crossing at that point so the trip got some interest. I believe a thirteen year old now has the record.

And yes Sabre I do have lots of stories from lots of trips.
All the best,
Robert Gainer


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

Bob...Thanks for your memories! (G)


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## Sabre66 (Feb 3, 2007)

I'm impressed!.. Did a little bit of googleing, you sir, are the real deal. My hat's off to you and I hope to read/hear more of your exploits.


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