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Old 09-29-2009, 07:49 AM   #4
Tom.B
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City: Cary, NC
Vessel Name: Skinny Dippin'
Vessel Model: Navigator 4200 Classic
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 5,841
RE: Blue Water Capabilities?

Hey... I'm ok with island hopper. That's basically what I'd like to get out of our boat... if my little trawler is really feasible for this type of island-hop cruising. But can long-ish jumps be made with these boats and are they able to handle some of the small to medium surprises that the sea can throw at us during a crossing? Is it true that the boat can handle more than the occupants?

There is a concern with current and wind. While sailboats can use this to their advantage or just ride with it because of the somewhat different relationship they have with the ocean, if it blows up from the wrong way, I could find myself fighting it hard. I suppose that the nature of powerboats by definition requires a fight with the seas. Still, could a boat with a max speed of 8 or 9 mph really compete in the open ocean with this? And when you say heavy seas, how heavy are you talking? What are the max seas these boats can handle? (Loaded question I know because it depends on the capabilities of the skipper.)

Now, when I say "affordable" when I talk about a future upgrade, you have to realize that we are a modest income couple. We have more disposable income than most our age because we opted to avoid children in our lives. However, we are still working stiffs bringing down a gross off $100K at best. Not really your average yacht owner's income level. But until now, we really didn't need that much to maintain the lifestyle we liked. So to answer your question, I'd say $200K or so is my definition of an "affordable" boat.
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