Captain's Log

We are often asked by readers for advice on which boat to buy for safe and comfortable cruising and passagemaking, and we always have to think hard about how we answer because choosing a cruising boat is such a subjective process, which has to combine both the practical business of finding a boat within a budget that is seaworthy with the aesthetic need to find a boat that you can love.

These days, after more than 40 years of production fiberglass boatbuilding, all of the shoddy boatbuilders have gone out of business and those that remain - from the largest production companies to the one-off specialty shops - build boats that are strong, well engineered and safe. In essence, the boats you will see at a boat show or at the dealers' docks will take you and your family just about anywhere you want to sail.

If you are planning to explore the high latitudes or intend to make off-season ocean crossings when you can count on strong winds and high seas, then you will need to find a boat that is both extremely rugged and rigged for the worst the sea can throw at you. Most of us, however, will be pointing our bows toward warm weather and the trade winds and will be cruising these regions in the months dictated by insurance companies - not hurricane season. So most of us need vessels that are capable, safe and laid out for our specific living needs.

Tankage has always been an item that differentiates world cruising boats from coastal boats, but these days, with reliable watermakers available at reasonable prices and diesel fuel being available just about everywhere, tankage is no longer such a vital concern.

In the end, modern production boats are platforms on which we build our own specific voyaging boats. The gear and equipment we add to enhance safety, sailing performance and a comfortable lifestyle are what really differentiates our cruising boats. Some want and can afford to equip themselves with every item available; many more have to pick and choose and will exhaust their budgets on the "needs" list before they ever start on their "wants" list.

What is too seldom talked about when we are discussing new boats and the gear cruising folk need to carry with them is the fittingout process of the skipper and crew. You can't go to West Marine to buy sailing skills and good judgment. You can't go online to download practical knowledge of the sea and the weather you will find out there. Seamanship doesn't come in a box.

Selecting a good cruising boat these days is simpler than ever because just about every boat you will consider will be capable of safe mid-latitude and tropical cruising. But gaining the knowledge and skills to equip that boat correctly and then handle it in a truly seamanlike way is another matter. In our view, the right crew is what makes the right boat and not vice versa; experience and good seamanship are the most important acquisitions you can make before you head over the horizon.

Fair winds,