A Fast Offshore Cruiser - 5. How big?

The size of the yacht is based on what the owner wants. It is totally reasonable to say that people generally would like the largest boat that they can afford and/or handle with the desired crew size. This is especially true in this situation, the crew will be aboard for long periods of time, and therefore they will want as much space as possible, yachts are small things.

In this case it is very likely that the controlling force behind the size of a yacht will be the handling rather than the price. A few years ago it was generally regarded that 38ft (11.6m) was about the optimum size for a short handed cruising boat and that 46ft (14m) was large. Now it is possible, with the advances in yacht design and equipment and powering, for two people to sail across oceans in 70-80ft (21.3-24.34m) yachts e.g. Beowulf, designed/owned/sailed by ‘Steve & Linda Dashew’ (3). This is a very large yacht, possible to big for the marinas and harbours with only two aboard.

To confirm this here is a quote from the "Mystic yachts" web site.

"A 46 ft yacht 10 years ago would have been regarded as large……indeed equipment and design has developed so that even 70 - 80ft yachts can be sailed similarly short handed (with appropriate design and power assistance)." (6).

Organised flotilla ocean crossings like the ARC has given people the confidence to use larger boats with a small crew, weather or not this is over confidence.

It is quite acceptable for a boat of 50ft to be sailed by two people so this is the size that will be aimed for. This size will provide a large enough interior to produce an airy space that feels comfortable combined with a small enough size to be handled well in harbour and give good performance without over working a crew of two. This is the overall length that will be used.