Reflections on Sailboat Sizes - The Case for a Smaller Boat

Many long distance voyagers have opted for smaller sailboats, from the Hiscocks in their Wonderer III to the Pardeys in Taleisin, as small boats offer many advantages. They are easier to handle, cheaper to buy and operate, and allow you to be closer to nature.

Reflections, Hartge Yacht Harbour, Galesville, Maryland

There might be a golden mean in boat size. Too big is too complicated and expensive and too small cannot hold all the supplies that are needed. Annie Hill, in Voyaging on a Small Income, also pointed out that if the boat is too small you cannot carry sufficient provisions and you are forced to buy provisions at much higher prices in exotic and far away ports.

Sizes and definitions vary; one man’s small boat can be another man’s ship, but for the purposes of discussion we will say that small single hull sailboats here are in the 30 to 35 ft (9 to 10 m) range. The numbers are not absolute of course, and what really matters is displacement (equivalent to volume), so let’s say in the 10,000 to 18,000 lbs (4,500 to 8,000 kg) range. This we feel is a size that offers comfortable long-term living for two adults.

There are boats that are smaller that have made many successful ocean passages and even circumnavigated the globe. A famous one that come to mind is the Flicka. Designed by Bruce Bingham for fiberglass construction, Flicka is 24 ft (7 m) overall, 20 ft (6 m) on deck, and has standing headroom, an inboard diesel (outboard engines were also an option), a galley and even an enclosed head. While boats that small are not for everyone, the Flicka is a very large small boat and many have lived on board Flickas for extended periods.

On the other side of our small boat range are the 35 to 40+ footers (10 to 12 m) which have larger accommodations, frequently a second stateroom and sometimes a second head compartment. On the larger sailboats you may also find generators, watermakers and almost always separate shower compartments.

But how big are these boats anyway? Here are some numbers to provide context. A 25 footer (7.5 m) sailboat will, typically, be about 8 ft (2.5 m) wide and weigh about 5000 lbs (2,300 kg). If the boat has a completely plum bow and was a rectangle, it would be about 200 ft2 (20 m2). The pointed bow takes away about 35 ft2 (3.5 m2) so we end up with 165 ft2 (16.5 m2). That's small even compared to a New York City studio!

If we move up to a 33 ft (10 m) sailboat with a 10 ft (3 m) beam we almost double the available "floor space" inside. But what really happens is that the volume inside the cabin increases. It's not just length and beam but also draft. The increase in draft and freeboard (part of the hull above the waterline) result in increased headroom and more volume down below. It's displacement, therefore, that is the better surrogate for boat size but length is frequently used as people can see 30 ft (9 m) where it's harder to "see" 15,000 lbs (6,800 kg). In a 33 ft (10 m) sailboat you will typically have 3 to 4 berths. While the salon will typically be designed to allow sleeping for one or two extra, in that size, four adults will be very snug for anything but a week-long cruise. Two adults and one child could live onboard but it would be snug on all but the largest 33 footers (10 m). In that size sailboat you would have standing room almost throughout with good storage for systems and supplies. An inboard diesel could be connected to a small (6 gal or 23 liter) hot water heater for very short showers in the head compartment (tankage and access to fresh water would determine their frequency!). Also you could have a small fridge and batteries to keep it going. Without room for a generator, energy usage will need careful monitoring.

At 40 ft (12 m) by 13 ft (4 m) and 20,000 lbs (9,100 kg) you will find a separate shower compartment and on a few sailboats a built-in diesel generator for 110v and battery charging. In that length, you can have more than a college dorm size fridge, a small freezer and more diesel and fresh water tank capacity. At 40 ft (12 m), this size sailboat is comparable to a small single bedroom apartment.

I should point out, however, that as the size of the boat goes up, part of the volume is used to accommodate the boat's larger systems/parts. Everything grows with boat displacement: engine size, diesel tankage, anchor size, anchoring chain and size of sails. As the size grows, you reach the physical limits of handling the boat and more systems are needed to safely operate her. While you can easily pull up the 20 lbs (9 kg) anchor and 10 lbs (4.5 kg) of chain on a 25 footer (7.5 m), you will need a windlass (electric or manual) to raise the 65 lbs (30 kg) anchor and the 40 lbs (18 kg) minimum of chain attached to it on a 40 ft (12 m) sailboat. So complexities increase rapidly with size and comfort.

The trick is therefore to get a boat that balances seaworthiness, comfort and complexity for the voyage you want to undertake. Too large of a boat and you will have more comfort but you will pay for it not only in initial cost but also with increased maintenance and systems dependence. Too small and you will be uncomfortable and not enjoy the voyage. The actual comfort level is an individual preference the same way some folks can live in a two bedroom condo while others need a mansion.

A few quick comments on trawlers and powerboats will follow in another post. Here is another sketch and thank you for following our blog,

Alex and Cheryl

The Old Dock