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Morgan 35' sloop transatlantic?

Discussion in 'General Sailing Discussion' started by sloop.odyssey, Sep 30, 2013.

  1. sloop.odyssey

    sloop.odyssey New Member

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    I'm thinking about taking my 35' (1971) Morgan sloop from New England to Spain next summer or the summer after. I can get very little info on these boats, and nothing on taking them bluewater. Info appreciated, esp. on weaknesses particular to this hull (skeg rudder? Keel bolts? Chain plates?). Many thanks
  2. rhinotub

    rhinotub Member

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    Can you drag a '80 foot Hatteras behind you? (For showers and movie night)
  3. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Change the rigging, the chainplates, the rudder, overhaul the engine, do the life-lines, clean tanks, etc, etc, then you can cross the pond...
  4. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    They seemed to build for about 24 years (1965-1990 a year when the economy tanked and so did a lot of boat builders). Yours seems to be a 1970. When I hear charter trade I tend to think space, not ocean crossing, although I have no personal experience with them..
    Sailboat designs of CharlesĀ Morgan by year
  5. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    I couldn't carry enough food to do a Transatlantic crossing on a 35' Sailboat.........showers would be nice also.....but food comes first!
  6. K1W1

    K1W1 Senior Member

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    Hi,

    35 ft isn't huge but it can be done, make sure your vessel is well prepared, check all the rig, sails engine tanks etc and pick you weather.

    Starting off from way up north there you will be able to go to Azores reasonably easily as a stop on the way, your biggest enemy in the summer going that way will be the Azores high pressure system.

    You will either have very little wind or if hurricanes develop a lot of it.

    Food and Water should be carried for twice the projected journey time and provision arranged to collect rainwater and collect it when ever you can.

    Have you ever done any long distance sailing before on this or another boat of similar size?

    Are you planning on sailing alone - if so there are a few other things that you should consider before casting off that might well save your life.

    This is not so much of a sailboat forum, most posters here know what one looks like but that is the limit of the experience with them.
  7. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    I've read some incredible stories of those sailing across, some on boats not much larger than this one. I'd recommend reading as many of those as possible to know what those successful encountered and the things they might have done better. Sailors are a different breed. The idea of sailing across in a 35 footer is totally foreign to me. But I do understand the desire to a sailor. i mean there are many here who don't understand why I want to motor in 100'+ instead of using Dockwise.

    Much like anything, redundancy and the ability to make repairs is a key. In the length of time it takes there will be many things to go wrong and while some of those things sound horrible to motorboaters, they are things sailors take in stride when well prepared. Probably the single thing I've read more troublesome in such a long trip is autopilot.
  8. K1W1

    K1W1 Senior Member

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    Hi,

    On a small boat like the OP describes the best way of steering by machine would be an Aries wind vane , it probably has full mechanical steering and this is the tried and proven way that a lot of cruisers steer their boats and it requires no power source other than the vessels movement.

    Here is a used one in what is said to be good condition for sale and was originally on a 35 footer.

    Aries Self Steering Gear for Sale
  9. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    Thanks for adding that as I know nothing about sailboat equipment, I just know that on a trip that long you sure need some machine steering and that losing it in one way or another has seemed to be a recurring theme on the trips I've read about.

    For that and many other reasons when sailing alone or with just a mate, sleep seems to become a huge challenge. Most seem to prepare for food and water in some way but don't seem as prepared for the difficulty in getting some sleep.
  10. Fishtigua

    Fishtigua Senior Member

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    Last edited: Oct 1, 2013
  11. Ward

    Ward Senior Member

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    Lots of people have done similar journeys in similar or smaller boats. There's one famous guy who's gone around the world a few times in 36' or 37'ers, and once (almost all the way) in an 18' open boat.

    lists

    There is a ton of information on his site about how her prepares for trips, unfortunately it's scattered through all of his postings, so you'd have to read a lot to get it all.

    Still, for anyone planning on long trips in relatively small sailboats, Chiles' stuff is pretty much required reading.
  12. Ward

    Ward Senior Member

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  13. Garry Hartshorn

    Garry Hartshorn Senior Member

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    Having completed a circumnavigation with my parents on a 37 ft ketch ( 1982 - 1983 ) I can attest to K1W1's comments. Preparation is key, every year hundreds of small sailing yachts depart on adventures the ones who are prepared have wonderful, successful cruises. The ones who are ill prepared don't and often scare themselves so badly that all they want to do is get rid of the boat and never go to sea again.
  14. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    Yes, I just finished reading a book written by someone who was terribly ill prepared when he started and seems very proud of it, in fact. On the other hand, I know someone who has been preparing for years for this trip. He and his wife tested themselves this summer in sailing just off shore from South Florida to Boston with no stops, as if at sea, but always having the ability to get quickly to shore if they faced something they couldn't handle. Basically covering the time and distance but not being in a place they couldn't abort. Part of it for them was just testing spending that many days on a boat with no anchoring, no docking, nothing but themselves and the water. They loved it, had the time of their lives. Well, the rest of the story might indicate just how much they loved it. When they returned home she was pregnant. So they answered their question but crossing the Atlantic is delayed. This was a woman who had tried for years to get pregnant and been told by doctors it just wasn't going to happen without using methods she didn't want to.
  15. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    Which brings up another matter: Keep a pliers handy for toothaches, and and and and. As for the guy who was proud he took no preparations, wonder how proud he'd have been if he died or worse. Before heading out on the water, whether it be for a day or a month, keep asking yourself 'What if'. What you don't have that answer for is sure to be the thing that bites you.
  16. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    Every page I read of him talking about his inexperience and lack of preparation I thought more and more, "You're crazy man." I also hoped that people weren't reading and thinking they could do it too. This should have come with a warning, "Not to be tried at home." Ask a million "what if's" and really find an inexperienced sailor to question you and see if you have answers to all he or she can hypothesize. I almost stopped in the middle of the book but partially just wanted to see what additional stupid things the guy would do. Yes, he survived and is fine and probably thinks I'm a fool for taking so many precautions. It's each person's own risk tolerance, at least until you ask someone else to assume risk to rescue you.
  17. Mr. Mark

    Mr. Mark New Member

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    I have done two circumnavigation in my life , once on a thirty foot islanders, the second on a 42 foot catamaran. Loss of sleep biggest problem if going solo. If your lucky 4 hours at one time is a lot. Storms, weather, prepare you will hit storms, 60 foot swells, 3 days and nights of staying awake during storms. I hit 5 storms on one trip. I went with someone. 3 days at a time at the helm. Thank God for 5gallon buckets. Porta potty, take extra water lots, lots.catch rain water if you can. Shower in the rain. It will challenge your inginuity
  18. K1W1

    K1W1 Senior Member

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    I wonder if the OP ever made the journey he was thinking of?
  19. sgawiser

    sgawiser New Member

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    You only hear from those who either don't go or make it! History of voyages is written by those who make it to port.