Where did all the small boats go?
At some point during our last passage, perhaps as we were struggling to contend with the waves that were pushing us around, Rebecca and I started talking about cruising on ZTC, our PDQ 32. While the comfort of ZTC’s ride in bumpy conditions may have been debatable, she always got us where we wanted to go safely. Invariably, when we’d arrive to our destination, especially once we had travelled south of the Bahamas, we’d almost always find that we were on one of the smallest boats in the anchorage, if not the smallest.
When we were still sailing in Lake Ontario, our cat was far from the tiniest boat on the water. I remember that the odd time that we did come across a boat over 40 feet, especially another multihull, they’d seem huge to us. As we made our way south though, we began to get a bit desensitized to the larger and larger yachts, and upon reaching the Virgins, with the huge fleets of charter cats around, we had fully come to grips with our place in the pecking order: our boat was small. By present standards, that is.
There was obviously a time when people crossed oceans in small boats. This website lists what they feel are 72 proven blue-water cruisers. Among the vessels listed on that page is the Vancouver 27, the boat featured in the book Winter in Fireland, a story I thoroughly enjoyed. Not only did the couple in that book go cruising in their 27 footer, they sailed from Africa to Patagonia in it! Would I have the balls to do that? While I’ve always felt that there was a bit of street cred in traveling on one of the smallest boats, I sincerely doubt it. It’s obviously doable though.
Vancouver 27 in the Straight of Magellan
All this begs the question, where did all the small boats go? Why is it that all of the boat manufactures are continually building bigger and bigger yachts? Does a cruising couple need a 4-cabin condo-maran to travel safely, and in comfort? And it’s not just the multihull builders that are following this track either. Our 46′ Amel, which at one time was considered large in their lineup of boats, is now tiny when compared to the 55 and 64 foot yachts that they are putting out. Obviously the boat builders have their bottom line figured out, and have concluded that they can make more money by selling larger and larger yachts. Their marketing departments have likewise figured out how to convince consumers that these larger boats are necessary.
If you like small sailboats with beautiful lines, check out our friend’s site, Hove to off Swan Point.
I’ll go on record to say that Rebecca and I never for a day felt that we were lacking when we cruised on ZTC. Sure, if we shared sundowners on our friends’ larger yachts, we might return home feeling fleeting pangs of jealousy. Those feelings quickly left us though when we saw how those larger boats extracted a toll, paid both in time and in money.
Recently, I had a conversation with a friend who is still in the planning stages, but nearing the point where he and his wife will be ready to purchase a cruising boat. He was debating the pros and cons of a smaller, outboard-powered cat – similar to ZTC in that respect, but still a bit bigger – comparing it to a mid-40s foot diesel-powered catamaran. There was nothing new that I could tell him, but I agreed with his thought process. That being, simple and easy to maintain is good, and going now is almost always better than waiting.
You made my morning Mike. You should warn your readers that a lot of slow sailing goes on off Swan Point.
Russ
With a name like “Hove to off Swan Point,” at least some of them might be able to guess that. 🙂
Its like you are listening in on my wife and I. We have been discussing the aspect of larger later vs smaller sooner. While we are not quite at the position of eminent departure we have been going back and forth on one cat vs mono and big vs small. It seems that we are starting to lean more and more to a smaller boat. When we started off we fell in love with the big boats. Lagoon 420s and Fountaine Pajot Bahias and even the “tiny” FP Athenas. Lately we have been discussing Jeanneau SO 36s. The simplicity of maintenance and the lower cost of slipping until we go could allow us to leave earlier and stay gone longer. There will always be some maintenance that I will simply have to farm out. Fiberglass and Gelcoat work is some sort of dark magic that I won’t dabble in. It also comes down to what percentage of our budget is allocated to being tied up and depreciated in the form of a boat. a used 50k boat such as that Jeanneau won’t kill us if after 2 or 3 years we decide its time to do something else and have to sell. Our loss in dollars will be significantly less than if we went with one of the larger vessels. If we continue too far though with our train of thought we will end up departing next week on a sunfish with an REI tent and a home depot bucket.
Did you ever see my post about the young couple who sailed from St. Martin to Venezuela in a salvaged Hobie cat? If not, do a search on the blog.
We love our IP38 but I do still get “boat envy” when I see larger, nicer boats. This boat suites our needs. It’s small enough for us to handle and it’s less complicated so it has less $#@! to fix and I was able to pay cash for it which was key from a freedom perspective.
Being debt free is a blessing!
Nice article Mike…..It’s like …”you know” 🙂
Yes, I know.
When we first got the idea to buy a sailboat, sail the Caribbean and live our lives for ourselves, we did what I presume most inexperienced first timers do. Go to a boat show. Didn’t take long before we knew we wanted, a 46′ Cat. Who wouldn’t, they were nicer than most studio apartments. That took all of 2 hours and 4 cocktails, max. We knew right off we didn’t want a mono, we just didn’t want to deal with heeling and felt that a Cat was much safer for us newbies.
We went home, happy with our decision. Then as a few months went by, there was no way we could pencil out how to afford it. Dam reality checks! No prob, we just start looking at used ones on the mighty interweb. Another reality check, by the time you figured in the expenses for upgrades, possible issues with used charter boats, surveys, travel, etc. We still couldn’t pencil it out. We wanted to leave debt free.
This is when we got serious about what we had to do to make this happen. What if we didn’t like this change of lifestyle, boats can be very difficult to sell, let alone get a return on your investment. Our wish list came down to smaller Cats, yet in good condition that wouldn’t need a lot of upgrades. Heck, our first home was pretty small but it was home because we made it a home, and it served us well until we felt it was time to upgrade.
It took input and multiple conversations with people that had more knowledge than us, but we found a Cat that had been well taken care of, it was smaller than what we’d like, yet we knew it would be a great starter boat.
We found out very quickly how much the sun and time deteriorates everything. Thus, we’ve had a few more upgrades than expected, yet they are upgrades that will last us for years.
As we pull into an anchorage, I always acknowledge in my mind how small our 32′ Cat is compared to most of the other boats. Those thoughts are quickly replaced with how cost efficient our boat is compared to all those larger boats and how much better condition our little boat presents on the outside than numerous others.
For now, our little Cat, serves us well. Our lives are not inconvenienced, granted, besides having more room, there are many things I wish we had. One day, as we gain more experience and knowledge, I hope to grow into a larger boat. For now, we are living on a small boat, in the Caribbean, living our lives for ourselves. While others are still setting on land trying to figure out how to pay for that nice 46′ Cat.
Small boats = street cred. Just think how cool you look. 🙂
I think it’s a systems issue. The initial owner pays the prestige cost of the big hull. 10yrs out, you find ANY equipped boat costs 100k. Why stuff yourself in a 30 ft when a much faster nicer 45-55 is the same price? Yes, maintenance items will be more, but the buy in is bigger than the difference. For example: we need a new jib. A jib on a 30 foot may be 800 dollars. The comparable 50 foot jib is probably only 1000. Replacing a 35 horse main is 10k. Replacing a 55 horse main is 12k.
Condition and installed systems becomes a MUCH bigger issue than size. So why not get the bigger, faster, more comfortable boat?
I think your numbers are off, and stuffing yourself into a 30 footer would be a matter of opinion. But hey, the market agrees with you.
My frame of reference may be a bit different than your’s. I like COMPLETELY self sufficient, and I’m a family of 5. If it was just me, I’m on a 30-35 footer. But I’m 5x that with a wife in there.
The point, if there was one, is not that larger boats aren’t desirable to some, it is that smaller boats are not available. They just don’t make them, and not everyone needs a 50′ boat!
By the way, I’m sure my numbers are off. I haven’t had to do any of these things in a good long while. No boat for me right now – I’m in a landlocked city house trying to get these kiddos started off in the right direction.
Then you’ll only require a smaller boat. 😉
$100,000? Really, get a grip and do some shopping. My 27′ boat was 9K and I have more miles on it than most 40+ footers (Keys, Bahamas, Chesapeake Bay). Probably better equipped for emergencies at sea than most. I put the real money into a house on the water and investments. I also race, day sail etc. A complete engine re-power for me is a thousand, how much for a 40 footer? OK, you commit to actually leave then it may make sense. Most buy the boat and never leave.
Just my 2 pence worth, less is more.
Just out of curiosity Bill, what kind of boat do you have?
Express 27, boat was 13K and I sold the trailer and other stuff I didn’t need for about 4. http://express27.org , it is the “Ultimate Sailing Machine”… My next engine is a Honda 2hp, I have a 20 year old Mercury 3.3 – 2 cycle. I guess it still has 10 years of life left in it. Once anchored I put it on the dinghy. 25 pound Mantis anchor and 50′ of chain so I NEVER worry about dragging with a 2450 lbs boat. I plan to race in the SH TransPac someday, the boat has won both versions during its history. Perfect for one when cruising, a little tight for 2… it is the big brother of the Moore 24′ Mr Chiles is circumnavigating with. Does 14-16 knots downwind easily, you haven’t sailed until you experience that. Different sailors – different boats. I also own and race airplanes without engines so I guess I am a different breed. Always my best.
Wonderful. Thanks, Bill!
Here is a fun video showing a sister boat, they did 20+ knots, watch them pass a Melges 24:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ued2dKHHyOc
If you are a cruiser type and don’t practice in heavy weather perhaps you should. Knock downs happen, do you know what to do?
Do you know how to heave to in a storm? Here is a good explanation by a real pro: http://estarzinger.com/estarzinger/pdf/heavingto.pdf
And here is a great 27′ boat couple: I admire them. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3Tzm1C2N2FHS0dg80oX6dQ
I’ll check them out, Bill. Thanks. 🙂
Great post, and exactly what I noticed last summer as we were enjoying the first season on our 25 ft boat after a decade on dry land. Boats are much bigger than 10 years ago, this goes for motor boats too despite the fuel prices. Also, the systems on modern boats are a lot more complicated, which really puts us DIY fixers and our ancient little boat in a very small minority these days 😉
It’s a very good idea to buy a small, inexpensive boat for the learning curve, and then decide where to go from there. Many theories can be tested on a smaller scale and sailing is actually good fun on a small boat – especially when you haven’t spent all your life savings on it!
I really like your final sentence.
Big late model boats are driven by the money. The days where a middle class person spends extended periods at anchor in the tropics are over. Those people have been replaced by successful business people who live a small yacht lifestyle, grabbing moorings, hanging out in marinas, and living in the AC. You’ll notice its not just the boats changing, its also the service providers and facilities. People who own a 30-50′ boat, and want a do it yourself environment will continue to struggle to find affordable facilities, and dockage. More and more waterfront is becoming privatized and off limits without paying.
Certainly there are many who are bucking this trend, but 50′-70′ appears to be the new small. Anything less is a tender.
And I would still consider a 40-50′ boat to be big!
As a small boat owner (Edel 665) my boat envy ends when I sail my 22 footer out of the marina, by myself, and I look over at all of the 40+ foot boats that rarely leave the dock except for perhaps the Canada Day sail past. I come back later in the day and they are all still docked and “3 sheets to the wind” indeed refers to how many beers they have had while I was out sailing.
When I am out by myself of course I wish that I had more waterline beneath me as I “race” against that other, bigger boat that keeps pulling away from me. But even though I am watching someone’s stern pull away from me I am usually sitting there at the helm with a huge smile on my face…a smile that has been brought on by the magic of sailing and not alcohol.
Sure I would love to be able to own a larger boat but the one major criteria (besides having money )is that it would have to be of a size that my inexperienced wife and I could safely handle.
In the meantime I am a perfectly content and proud small boat owner.
Sounds perfect.
Mike
have clicked on your Amazon box a few times now – is it supposed to work?
Mick
Thank you! The ads, and the search box in the right hand column, are in theory linked to our affiliate account. That means that if you go on to purchase something, Amazon throws a few pennies our way. The amount we earn is not enough to feed us, or even pay our wine bill, but it’s better than nothing. 🙂
When our HR Rasmus 35 was new it was considered to be “too big” for just a couple cruising, and very extravagant unless a third person or a second couple was along and staying in the extra cabin. My, how things have changed in 40 years.
I don’t see how people can cruise “comfortably” in a boat much over 40′ with just 2 crewmembers. As boats get much bigger than that they become a little hard to handle in all conditions, especially in tight harbors. Sure, in good weather someone who is skilled can single-hand a 40+ boat but after a few days of rough going when both of you are tired and beat up that 3 or 4 hour watch by yourself starts to get a little on the overwhelming side day in and day out. I don’t see the “comfort” in that when a 35′ or smaller boat is so much easier to handle short-handed/single-handed.
Everyone has different “needs” and desires, it appears. I find it funny how things have changed, and that smaller cruising boats are just not being made.
It reminds me of the Adventure bikes. It used to be that a 750cc was a “big” bike. Then they went to 1000s, and 1100s, and 1200s, and now the big adventure bikes are pushing 1300ccs and 600 lbs unladen. Horse power went up from 75-160. For bikes that are supposed to go anywhere, mud, dirt, sand…. I don’t buy it. I recently got rid of my 1200 and went to a 1000, still big, but much smaller and lighter by comparison and much easier to handle when the going gets rough. It has 90 HP but that is plenty for my needs, and I enjoy it more.
I think the boomer generation is to blame. As they age and gain wealth, this generation (not ALL of them obviously, but as a generalization) has always equated bigger with better and more status. Bigger houses, bigger cars, bigger motorcycles, and bigger boats. The average house in the States has ballooned as well, as has car size. And, of course, the average weight of people.
I look at the blogs of some of the younger folks out there cruising, and, with a few exceptions, they seem to be on the smaller boats. Just like they gravitate towards the Tiny houses, and smaller cars, the millennial generation seems to be less about conspicuous consumption and more about doing what works on their budget and not being in debt. It is my hope that this generation will bring sanity back to sizing.
Even though I’d like to learn, I don’t ride motorbikes. That said, the increased sizing of motorbikes is lot on me. When I watched the Long Way Down and Long Way Round TV series, I couldn’t understand why they went with such big bikes. 90% of their problems would have been eliminated had they both been riding smaller, more-manageable vehicles.
As for the blogs you mention, maybe you should share some links. The ones I see most often have couple cruising on mid-40′ cats, or larger. It is also what I see in the real world too. I’m not judging, mind you. If we had the bucks, we’d probably be on one too! 🙂
They “Long Way Round” crew was going to go with smaller KTM single-cylinder on/off-road “dirt” bikes but the KTM guys were afraid that Obi-Wan and Mordred would fail miserably in their endeavor and they pulled out of sponsoring their adventure. So instead they went with the heavy BMWs as they were willing to front the bikes for them. Now everyone wants to buy a huge/heavy BMW “adventure-tour” bike because of those shows. KTM really missed the boat on that one. Imagine how different things would be if they had given loaned them the bikes instead.
I grew up riding/racing dirt bikes. I’ve still got an older Honda single-cylinder 650cc on/off-road bike (Honda XR650L) It’s really too big and heavy to do much serious trail riding on, and gets to be a real handful once the going gets muddy on single-tracks.
Yes, I recall the KTM/BMW thing. I agree, mistake on KTM’s part. But even once they had the BMWs, they were “training” on smaller bikes, if I recall correctly. Why not stick with them? What’s the advantage of the bigger bikes?
Some of the smaller boat blogs/vlogs I’ve enjoyed:
https://katieandjessieonaboat.com
Used to be on a small boat but moved up: http://sailingsimplicity.com
https://m.youtube.com/user/WhiteSpotPirates/videos
http://mjsailing.com
http://www.sailinguma.com
All between 34-38 feet. Nice to see. Should be inspiring for those who don’t have a spare half a million to buy a boat!
We started out in the little-bit-big category; our first (and current) is a 41′ monohull. Why so big you ask, especially for a sailing couple? Bunk space! My husband and I are both tall, long-legged people. Every smaller boat we really liked clearly had not been designed with the intent of anyone over 5’4″ enjoying a good nights sleep, let alone a couple who still prefer to share a bed, but not necessarily want to be stacked like lumber or banging ankles or noggins all night (I’m talking to you v-berths!). Knowing that no sleep = unhappy sailors for us, comfortable sleeping accommodations are a ‘must have’.
Now that we’re looking at Cat’s for cruising the islands next year (we’re currently on the west coast downsizing towards adventure) we are finding, yet again, it’s bunk space that’s driving us toward a larger cat vs smaller. Still have those long legs and added a shoulder condition that makes any ‘crawl into/out of’ berths an exercise in “ow!”. That means we need a ‘walk-around’ bunk and that means bigger boat.
We’ve seen boats with washer/dryers, ice-makers and dishwashers but boat manufacturers haven’t quite all caught on that a good nights sleep is far more valuable (IMHO) than ‘home-style’ appliance comforts. I can live with hand washing my dishes, but I am one grumpy grouch if I don’t get my rest!
Very good thoughts. You’re wise to have such a firm grasp on your needs.