Series Sailboats for South Pacific

[Antonio Alcalá]

Wich are in your personal opinion those boats capable to cross the South Pacific in fine conditions? Does anybody knows somebody did it in a "non capable" boat? Does anybody knows the behavior of a STIX 40 in those waters ?

Best winds

[Landlubber]

This is a seriously leading question, but I will answer it accordingly. I have spend many a day and night cruising the Pacific, one trip from Brisbane to Noumea (on the way to Fiji), was so peaceful I could have sailed a dinghy across it. It took 10 days to sail the distance that was normally less than a week. Now if that allows dinghys to sail the ocean, i doubt it, it was just a matter of circumstances.
I have also been out there when the foam and waves were so bad that the boat (a 12m Halvorsen Freya, in steel) actually sank to the coaming as there was no bouyancy in the froth that we were surrounded in. Conditions were obviously pretty bad, and nothing other than a sound vessel would have survived.

So there, either a dinghy in perfect conditions, or a very sound steely in not so pleasant conditions........this still does not answer a question that really has no answer to be honest. A well found vessel with an experienced crew can basically handle anything that mother nature throws at us, a poorly constructed bit of crap, with an inexperienced crew would most likely go a few hundred miles before the vessel and the crew part company, and only meet in Davey Jones' locker.

Many boats have crossed the Pacific that shouldn't have, lucky, maybe, but really, i could only advise anyone wishing to travel off shore, to have a boat more than capable to do so, and if you are experienced in sea conditions, i am sure you would agree. I would expect any flimsy thing could be nursed across, but , well, you only have one life, and it ends and begins again when you make land and leave land.
Please respect that, and do not play with nature, you will get burned.

[masalai]

Landy, sound and sage advice... The consequences of tempting nature at sea, is more than likely to result in drowning (as opposed to burning, but not excluding burning as well.)

I have been surprised by the number of solo sailors who island-hop in WELL FOUND 30 ft monohulls. Going up from NZ, thru New Caledonia, E to Fiji, Samoa etc or at New Caledonia, north through Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Louisade group & PNG north coast to north/east Indonesia & Philippines etc..

These guys are experienced & knowledgeable sailors who carefully follow the seasons & monitor regional weather by HF.

Know your boat. Make sure it is well found and seaworthy for your purpose. Carry appropriate communications. Gain lots of experience before that long distance cruise.

[westlawn5554X]

solo? loniness, sleepiness, weather, the right boat handling experience and right chance to avoid pirates and other factor play into the senario...

As for boat most right design boat would be perfect for the south pacific...

[FAST FRED]

The Slocum SPRAY , was certainly not what one would contemplate for southern ocean use today , yet it performed well for a sound sailor.

FF