[C320-list] Is My Boat Big Enough

[RONALD HODEL]

You can check out our blog as well. My wife and I cruised from Southern California to Bandaras Bay Mexico and then summered in the Sea of Cortez for about a year. After dwelling on dirt for the last 5 years my dear co-captain has said, it’s about time to move back aboard and head off on another adventure. To where, that’s the discussion at this point. Inland Passage to Glacier Bay? Back to the Sea of Cortez (a place we loved)? Costa Rica? Panama? The 320 isn’t a boat for crossing oceans (although it could - and so could a rowboat under the right conditions) but coastal cruising . . . she’s an awesome boat for that. I’ve got my lists of things that will make the next adventure even better than the first - I’d be glad to share that with you if you want me to - publicly or privately doesn’t much matter to me - as well as how we’ve got Lokomaikai currently configured. Anyway, here’s our blog address. https://lokomaikai.wordpress.com/

Set a date and GO!
Don’t look for a better boat. The best boat is the boat you’ve got.

Ron Hodel
#1070 Lokomaikai 
Dana Point, CA

Sent from my iPad

> On Feb 17, 2022, at 10:49 AM, Michael Leschisin <mleschisin at imagestudios.com> wrote:
> 
> This time of year with subzero windchills and short daylight hours I start overdosing on Youtube sailing vlogs and dreaming of sailing off to Caribbean waters with our Catalina.  I’m hoping to someday pull the plug on the Great Lakes, drift down the Hudson and make that happen.
> 
> We bought our 320 about five years ago and have had a great time sailing the Great Lakes both overnighting and daysailing and the boat leaves little to be desired.  
> Keeping in mind that the bigger the boat, the more everything costs, (slip fees, bottom paint, sails, etc.) the 320 seems the perfect compromise between budget, seaworthiness and space.  I’m curious to hear however, what first hand experience forum members might have cruising, living aboard, Island hopping, etc. on 320s.  I don’t foresee crossing oceans with my boat, and from what I have gathered through experience and discussions I believe that Bahamas/Caribbean coastal cruising is well within the capabilities of the 320, but I’m also wondering about the livability factor.  I would foresee a scenario of anchoring out for a string of days, then pulling into a Marina for water, provisions, fuel; like we do now on the Great Lakes.  It seems that storage might be the one consideration that would be limiting, but there is no teacher like experience.  How far have you cruised, what is your longest live aboard, what are the limitations of the boat, what is the worst weather you’ve experienced?  Is this a realistic prospect for the 320 or should I be looking at something with more space and more systems?  If you’ve done any amount of cruising on your 320, what upgrades have you made; solar, tankage, navigation?  I know everything on a sailboat is a compromise and everyone’s opinions will vary, but I’d love to hear any and all first hand experience cruising with this boat.
> 
> Thanks for any input you might have,
> 
> 
> Michael Leschisin
> 
> Wild Blue Yonder
> #995
> Menonminee, MI
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