I'm pretty sure that all of us have a quick list of things desired in a VolksCruiser and mine runs something like this...
- Somewhere between 26 to 36 foot
- Shoal draft
- Well built
- Reasonable condition
- Good performance
- Simple or no rig
- Sensible and comfortable interior
- Outboard propulsion
- Enough displacement to live on
- Reasonably priced
Pretty simple really.
Offhand, I'd be very interested in seeing what your lists looks like.
Tomorrow I'll expand on what those check points mean in greater detail...
Give this a try, more raid than cruiser though:
ReplyDeleteRequired:
Trailerable
Beachable
Outboard propulsion
Covered head
Dry area for 'crew' while underway
Enough displacement for a week for two or five for a weekend (tent ok)
Simple rig
Reasonable performance
Safe for a sail or motor San Diego to Catalina Island
Reasonably priced ( < $5000 US )
Reasonably easy to launch and stow
Simple construction if built
Nice to have:
Self bailing
Easy swim access
Good performance
Beach launchable
Well built
Weird like a proa or something Bolger-ish
Cheap ( < $2500 US )
Not required (but won't say no either):
Saltiness
Conventionality
Resale value
-Scott
For us it is, less than 10 meters (32 Foot), shoal draft, swing keel, open transom, enclosed toilet, sleeps 4, diesel engine, reasonable performance and price.
ReplyDeleteCheers
Mine looks pretty similar to yours, with a couple of added details like no thru-hulls and a tabernacle mast(s). Sounds a lot like a Bolger AS29 to me, but I'd have to build it myself as used ones don't exist in large numbers, and I don't really see myself trusting unknown amateur workmanship anyway.
ReplyDeleteCost is a big deal but after reading some of this I am sighing with relief. Currently have a 22foot power boat. When we got it, we could sleep all four of us in the fore cabin... kids grow. The boat had sat for a number of years and the big 160hp inboard is not revivable so I removed it. This meant the cock pit was wide open with no doghouse in the middle. Anyway, the "dinette" is only one person wide and will not fit four people but lowered will fit another adult. The steering station inside the house was taking up space so I removed it and moved the galley forward into it's place. By adding a small doghouse/cockpit seat, I was able to create a quarter berth and we now have sleeping for four. I put a 7.5hp OB on the back and we loaded up and went camping for three or so weeks. Thing is it is really too small, not a lot as we are figuring, but too small. So to your list, for our case, we need two quarter berths. I would prefer one of them to be double as that area of the boat should be easier to sleep in but that is a want not a need ;) We looked at a Gazelle because they are beautiful to see in full sail, like a gaff schooner but with less manpower to sail but soon realized that aside from the high price, it had less living area than many boats much shorter/cheaper. So no 42 foot boat for us. This leaves us in the 27 to 36 ish area... and as we go the length has been shrinking. There are a pile/bunch of Catalinas in this area looking closer to what we can afford so maybe one of those. I don't need a working motor as I have some 7.5 to 9.9 OB already and if I am ripping out the inside anyway (well probably rearranging it).... The only thing I am finding is I think I will need to buy without my wife (more expensive is better) along for the ride. She will be fine with a painted interior so long there is no green stuff. Sure just vacationing now but hoping to go much farther as kids move out and wife retires. This is mostly to see if the life is for us.
ReplyDeleteBTW have you looked at Emily and Clarke on YT? Bit bigger boat than a volkscruiser but $1000 a month budget which they go over monthly. Seems to work over a year. They also have some things to say about your lead acid batteries and lithium. Basically keep what you have and add a smaller lithium pack to extend the life of both.