Defining Long Range

BandB said:

Would you be comfortable crossing to Hawaii or going to Anchorage or just down the coast to San Diego? If not, why not? Your experience? Something about the boat? Or just something you wouldn't be comfortable doing in any recreational boat?

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The boat is capable and ready. Last two years had hoses replaced and exchangers on the 671 and gen done. Not much would have to be done for a cruise up down the coast. A sister trawler crossed to Hawaii a couple years ago, and another been cruising the British Columbia coast. Crossing an ocean has 0 interest. Being retired when spent several months looking at evaluating California area, with some interest. I was born at Ocean Falls BC Canada, so that still has an interest.

So what is holding us. Well we bought the boat for a dock condo on Lake Union, and we didn't know under stand what the boat was capable of, except it met all our needs wants, and it was BIG. We became a live a board with out knowing it as we stayed on the boat to often. What is this LAB charge for. At the time my wife worked in Seattle and I was transitioning from male to female. So my our live style has changed to say the least. So now the Eagle and we are real high maintenance. :flower Darn I chipped a nail.

Would be easier to define gray.

It may not be that easy to nail down the definition of "Long Range" as it applies to boat capability, bu every one of us knows it when we see it.

My boat, a Bayliner 4788 is not a "Long Range Cruiser", or a "Passagemaker". It is a "Coastal Cruiser". We can go anywhere we want, along any coastline we want.

The Georgous Nordhavn 50 that is for sale not 300' from me is a "long Range Cruiser" or "Passagemaker". She can go anywhere in the world.

Both my boat and "Thor" are about the same size. Both are good boats, built for entirely different purposes.

Kevin

Is not the N50 about 3X your vessel's displacement? Kinda like comparing an NFLer to a equally tall soccer player.

A friend considers his vessel long distance because it can go non stop from Anacortes to Ketchikan thus avoiding high priced BC fuel. Long range is not an absolute, just a mere statement it would seem. But, there is an N57 out there called the Long Ranger. Thus your point is valid

OK, how about a different twist. A "passagemaker" is one that can cross an ocean. A "long range cruiser" is one that can do 1,000 miles with multiple stops with the crew living aboard and not returning to the home harbor.

I am borrowing (lawyers don't steal) this concept from the SCCA.

sunchaser said:

Kevin

Is not the N50 about 3X your vessel's displacement? Kinda like comparing an NFLer to a equally tall soccer player.

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Yes, you are entirely correct!

Two different boats, two different missions.

One is by any definition a "long Range Cruiser" One by any definition is not.

Like I indicated earlier, we may not be able to define the term, but we know it when we see it.

BTW, if I could convince my lovely wife to go cruise the world, that Nordhavn would be the kind of boat I would choose to do it in. Looking at it up close it is clearly a cut above any of the "yacht" type boats in the harbor in terms of ruggedness.

Bay Pelican said:

I am borrowing (lawyers don't steal) this concept from the SCCA.

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"Mediocre artists borrow, great artists steal". Picasso...who 'stole' cubism from west African ceremonial masks.

Bay Pelican said:

OK, how about a different twist. A "passagemaker" is one that can cross an ocean. A "long range cruiser" is one that can do 1,000 miles with multiple stops with the crew living aboard and not returning to the home harbor.

I am borrowing (lawyers don't steal) this concept from the SCCA.

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well stated.

I am with Kevin on being able to cross an ocean, but I am also of the opinion there are other considerations to the definition. The toughness to take the type of weather that you might unexpectedly (or expectedly) encounter and the hull shape to handle that weather while making good forward speed.

My little Willard has a range of over 2000 NM at 5.5 knots, over 1000 NM at 7 knots with it's 150 gallons of fuel. It is tough as a cinder block, and I have never been in weather that concerned me in it, as uncomfortable as it might have felt. But I did note that in large seas I lose much of my forward speed in going up and over the seas and my headway drops off considerably.

So to me, there is more than range involved in a "long range" vessel.

jmo

I think long range is a relative concept. My AT can go from Lake MI to Mobile, AL down the river system easily on one tank. We traveled occasionally with boaters that fueled up almost every other day. In that context, I think I have a long range cruiser.

High Wire said:

Would be easier to define gray.

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Or "grey" for that matter!