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SELECTING AND USING A BOAT
AS A FLOATING RETREAT
by Adam Starchild
Newsgroups: misc.survivalism
Subject: Selecting And Using A Boat As A Floating Retreat
From: taxhaven@ix.netcom.com(Adam Starchild )
Date: 7 May 1996 18:46:26 GMT
Copyright 1996 by Adam Starchild
Man's earliest
commercial transportation of importance was by sail boat. If you could
have stood on the banks of the Nile River, as long ago as 3000 B.C., you could
have seen flat-bottomed boats sailing upriver to the capital city of Memphis,
Egypt. The prowess of the Phoenician sailor was to become legendary, and
indeed, the spread of early civilization was due in large part to the commerce
established by the captains of sailing ships, as they plied their trade in the
ports of the ancient seats of civilization. So reliable did sailing ships
become, in fact, that when Christopher Columbus made his fateful voyage of
discovery in 1492, his biggest problem was a crew that became fearful and
mutinous because they were sailing in uncharted waters.
Columbus made his remarkable and unprecedented voyage
-- notwithstanding the trouble that he encountered -- in slightly over two
months, carrying a party of eighty-eight persons on his three sailing
ships. Now, as a hypothetical question --: Given the state of the
geographical and navigational knowledge of his day, could Columbus have made his
voyage with any more anticipation of success in engine=powered boats?
Surprisingly, the answer is no. For starters, considering the King's and
Queen's reluctance to finance the voyage, what might their reaction have been if
they were asked to provide and provision three engine-powered boats of
comparable size? What might have been the result, when the Pinta put in
for repairs, if Columbus were told that engine parts were unavailable because of
a machinists' strike in Tenerife?
However, putting aside such considerations as the
dependence of powered boats on the vagaries of economics and politics, what
about their seaworthiness? Is it only the hearty -- or foolhardy -- that
dare venture forth on them? The fact is that, except in very large sizes,
the sail boat is more seaworthy than its engine-powered counterpart. It is
a little-known fact that sails have such a steadying effect on a boat that some
engine-powered boats are equipped with a small set of sails, to be used in an
emergency.
Fortunately, the sail boat hasn't gone the way of the
horse-and-buggy, or the steam car, because a few people still think enough of
this ancient but reliable mode of travel that this continue to manufacture sail
boats, as well as do-it-yourself kits in various stages of completion. And
for the do-it-yourselfer who's not afraid to tackle a big job (up to four years
of concentrated part-time effort), there are sail boat plans available.
So, if you've got a yet for travel, the sailing boat
might be for you. It offers a little of the best of all possible worlds:
It offers self containment. If your boat is large
enough, you can carry household goods, as well as the accumulated
possessions of a lifetime, that you would normally leave behind with other forms
of transportation.
It offers security. With a sail boat as a base of
operations, and with a flair for independence, you might pick up
extra money from diving, fishing, or chartering tourists on pleasure or fishing
trips. It offers freedom. Consider, for example, the
feeling of waiting in a service station line (a possibility that still looms in the future), as compared to being propelled over the water by free wind
power. Gasoline and diesel fuel shortages, state and federal regulations
that are imposed upon land (and air) vehicles -- all are a form of state tyranny
that you can escape on a sail boat. And perhaps not least, is the thrill of discovery.
There are few places, available by land vehicles, that are not overrun and spoiled by civilization. Your discovery -- much as Columbus' -- might
be the beauty and solitude of some nearly uninhabited island, or the peace and
non-regimentation of a society less "civilized" than the one you left
behind.
As a matter of practicality your choice between a sail
boat and other forms of transportation, such as powered boats, land vehicles,
etc., is made just as you make all other choices -- by weighing the advantages
against the disadvantages. I've listed many of the advantages of the sail
boat, so what are its disadvantages? There are only two significant
disadvantages: (1) The sail boat is relatively slow, and (2) The sail boat
requires relatively more skill to operate. It is my opinion that these
disadvantages are slight as compared to the advantages, making the sail boat the
best possible choice for a floating retreat.
Once you've made your decision to obtain a sail boat,
either by buying it or by building it from plans or kits, you'll do just as you
would if you were about to engage in any other sport, hobby, or avocation:
You will learn all you can about sail boats, sailing techniques, maintenance,
and navigational methods and equipment.
Generally speaking, there are two basic kinds of sail
boats, the mono-hull and the multi-hull. Further, the multi-hull boat can
be either the catamaran (two hulls), or the trimaran (three hulls).
Mono-hull
As its name implies, the mono-hull is a single hull
boat. It's a traditional boat, which is an advantage, because it's been around,
in some form or other, for centuries. This means that if your choice is
ultimately for the mono-hull, you'll have many to choose from. The
mono-hull can carry more weight than a comparable multi-hull boat, but has the
disadvantage of being comparatively slow, with a speed of about seven knots (a
knot is equal to 1.15 statute miles per hour). Another disadvantage of the
mono-hull is largely one of comfort, because it heels some 20 to 40 degrees to
the leeward. Another, more serious disadvantage is the heavy keel of the
mono-hull boat, which virtually assures sinking if water leaks into the hull
through a break. Also, running aground in a keeled boat often results in
the loss of the boat.
Catamaran
Because of the upsurge in sail boat interest, and to
overcome the disadvantages of the single-hulled boat, the
multi-hulls are gaining in popularity. Actually, the multi-hulls predate
the mono-hulls, having been developed in the South Pacific islands many
centuries ago. It was probably their comparative complexity, in an era
when man was intrigued with mechanization, that cause their decline in
popularity. Now, however, catamarans are available that are very fast,
capable of 30 knots, and with a heel of less than 15 degrees, which makes them
fairly comfortable. Moreover, if the catamaran is properly build, and
equipped with flotation material, the non-keel construction makes it unsinkable,
even if both hulls become filled with water. From the standpoint of
comfort, the catamaran scores rather poorly, because the living arrangement is
hampered by two widely separated hulls. A more serious disadvantage of the
catamaran is its susceptibility to capsize in gusty winds (a capsized boat is
not a sinking boat, per se, but is nonetheless a serious problem when it occurs
far out to sea).
Trimarans
The three-hulled trimaran overcomes most of the
problems of both the mono-hull and the catamaran. Like the catamaran, it
is fast -- about 30 knots -- and relatively comfortable, with a maximum heel of
only nine degrees. Because of a large central hull, comfortable living
quarters can be arranged, and in trimarans over forty feet long, there is a
living space in the two outer hulls, as well as in the central hull.
Surprisingly, the trimaran is less expensive initially, and has more volume,
than a mono-hull of the same length. For an additional advantage, the
rigging is lighter. Perhaps the principal disadvantages of the trimaran
are that it will carry less weight than the mono-hull, and a large beam (width)
makes it not too easy to find a slip from which to launch it. However,
slips of any width are rare outside the U. S., so that with the growing
popularity of the trimaran, when new slips are at last built, they will be built
to accommodate this three-hulled boat. Finally, add to all the advantages
of comfort, the advantage in the fact that the trimaran is unsinkable (if
equipped with adequate flotation material), and that, to the best of anyone's
knowledge, it is uncapsizeable. The logical conclusion is that the
trimaran is the best choice in sail boats as floating retreats.
Rigging
The best choice for rigging is a ketch or yawl rig,
each with two masts, as compared to the sloop, with only one mast. Even though the sloop is slightly faster, a divided -- or two-masted -- rig
offers more ease of handling, as well as a greater variety of sail plans for different weather conditions.
Boat Size
Once you've decided on a trimaran, because of its
comparatively better safety, mobility, and comfort features, what
size trimaran would suit you best? Just as with any other major purchase,
decision must be a fine balance between your needs, desires, and budget.
The 25- to 30-foot trimaran will accommodate one or two
persons, but in a rather cramped style. Moreover, there is not a lot of
room on the 25 to 30-footer to stock supplies for an extended cruise.
The 35-foot trimaran will take two to six people in
reasonable comfort.
The 40- to 45-foot trimaran will accommodate four to
ten persons with plenty of space.
The 50- to 60-foot trimaran is, relatively speaking, a
luxury liner. It will take from six to fourteen people.
Shopping for the Boat
If you can afford it, the best way to get a boat is to
buy it, completely built and outfitted. When you buy from a
reputable dealer, you will know it is seaworthy and reliable. On the
opposite end of the financial spectrum, you may want to buy boat plans and build
your own; however, as I pointed out earlier, this is a major project for even
the heartiest do-it-yourselfer, requiring skill, patience and time to complete.
Kits, in various stages of completion, are available to the do-it-yourselfer.
Or you can buy a partially built boat, which you can complete. Or you can
buy a boat that is built, but not outfitted. Or you can shop for a used
boat. Before buying a used boat, however, familiarize yourself with
prices, construction principles, and features to look for in a boat. And
finally, before buying any boat that is for any reason un-inspected, have your
prospective purchase inspected for flaws by a marine surveyor who specializes in
trimarans.
Learning to Sail
Buy books that contain information on sailing and other
marine subjects. Also, it would be well to buy marine charts, not only of your immediate area, but also of other possible destinations.
Study the books and charts. Learn as much of the terminology of boats and
sailing as you can, so you can ask intelligent, relevant questions from experts.
After studying the subject of boating as thoroughly as
possible, there is no substitute for practice, as a means of
learning. But this doesn't mean that you should immediately buy your
cruising boat, outfit it, and go to sea. A better method would be to buy a
good, used practice boat -- about a 10- to 20-footer -- which would give you an
economical way to get the feel of sailing.
As a practice boat, the best buy is a sloop, with one
mast and two sails. One sail can be a small jib forward of the mast; and
the other a larger mainsail aft of the mast. By no means should your first
experience in handling a sail boat be in a catboat, which has the mast in the
extreme end of the bow, and has only one sail. A small catamaran would
suffice as a practice boat, but better yet would be a small trimaran, which will
emulate the mobility and maneuverability of the larger trimaran that you will
ultimately acquire.
Navigating
The basic principles of navigation haven't changed
considerably over the centuries, because natural navigational aids, such as the
sun, and other fixed stars, don't change their places in the celestial sphere.
Many engine-powered boat owners find it mandatory to equip their boats with
electronic direction-finding equipment, which in the end amounts to high-price
gadgetry, to comply with local regulations. However, the sail boat owner
is, strangely, subject to fewer of these rules and regulations. What you
will need is a knowledge of a simplified system of navigation; you'll need a
sextant, either new or used; and you will need a battery-powered,
transistorized, short-wave radio for picking up time signals. With your
sextant, practice taking sun sights by which to calculate the latitude and
longitude of your location.
Using Your Boat
Learn to use your boat the same way that you would
learn to use any mobile equipment that requires operating skill -- by taking
short trips at first. For instance, if you live around Los Angeles, you
can take your practice trips to San Diego. From the Puget Sound area you
can visit the ports of British Columbia. From Florida, you might even discover
some of the thrill that was Columbus', on October 12, 1492, when his first
landfall was the Bahamas Islands. Good Sailing!
Posted by Adam Starchild
The Offshore Entrepreneur at http://www.au.com/offshore
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