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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




        SELECTING AND USING A BOAT AS A FLOATING RETREAT

                               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 monohull and the multihull.  Further, the multihull boat can
be either the catamaran (two hulls), or the trimaran (three
hulls).


Monohull

     As its name implies, the monohull 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 monohull, you'll have many to
choose from.  The monohull can carry more weight than a
comparable multihull 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 monohull 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 monohull 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
multihulls are gaining in popularity.  Actually, the multihulls
predate the monohulls, 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 monohull 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 monohull 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
monohull, 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 uninspected, 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 mst
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! 

Copyright 1996 by Adam Starchild

Posted by Adam Starchild
     The Offshore Entrepreneur at http://www.au.com/offshore





