[C320-list] How far offshore?

[Jack Brennan]

Hi Graeme:

I believe it more comes down to the skills of the sailor than the boat itself, as long as it is in proper condition.

Webb Chiles sailed a Drascombe Lugger (an open British boat) around the world about three or four decades ago. Now, in his 70s, he sailed a Moore 24 (a small, West Coast racer that weighs about one ton) all over the place and maybe around the world by now.

I used to know John Kretschmer when he was a lowly delivery captain and our young daughters were best pals. He used to sail leaky, rickety boats all over everywhere when the price was right. But he obviously knew what he was doing, even when the boat was sinking on occasion!

So the thing is to work on your skills and get yourself into some mildly cranky conditions on occasion. That allows you to see what works on the 320 and whether you’re up for those conditions. And get good at judging weather  in your planned sailing area. Picking your weather window is a big part of the battle.

One old-time British sailor whose name I forget wrote he sailed his first time around the world without ever experiencing winds of more than 35 knots. He was very good at weather windows. He later purposely went out in a storm just to say he had been in a gale once!

As long as you’re not near land and you’re not in a hurricane, the boat will be OK if you get caught out. They can take a lot more than we can, usually. Remember that most of the abandoned boats at Fastnet were later found floating, some with no water in the bilge.


Jack Brennan
Sonas, 1998 Catalina 320
Tierra Verde, Fl.
Dolphin Cruising Club of Tampa Bay




Sent from Mail for Windows 10

From: Graeme Clark
Sent: Monday, August 31, 2020 3:04 PM
To: C320-List at catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] How far offshore?

Allan

For what it’s worth,  My wife’s  cousin, a now retired merchant navy master, told me that he has experienced worse weather in the Med, albeit very occasionally, than anywhere else in the world!

Someone said they would stick to “the intended use” of the 320. That’s the question really... who is defining the intended use? What is it?


Graeme 

Sent from my iPad

> On 31 Aug 2020, at 17:12, Allan Field <allanfield47 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Troy - Totally agree with you. I am just reporting what I found. There is
> no way I would cross an ocean in any Catalina, at least without first an
> almost total rebuild! I just crossed the Med from Preveza Greece to
> Gibraltar, 10+ days total in January in an Amel 54 that has gone around the
> world twice, and saw just how much that boat was beat up in that little
> jaunt. - Allan
> 
>> On Sun, Aug 30, 2020 at 8:24 AM Troy Dunn <troutwarrior at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> Allen
>> 
>> Yikes!   I am no expert on what makes a good blue water boat, but...I would
>> not personally feel comfortable or safe in a 320 off soundings.   Count me
>> out on a coconut milk run in the C320.   Love out boat, she's fantastic for
>> the market she was built for and her intended use.
>> 
>> Respectfully
>> 
>> Troy
>>