Bigger vs. smaller

[rtwhitman2]

I've never owned a boat under 30 ft., so I'm short experience for one side of this issue. However, I'm now considering a CD 22D, so this discussion caught my interest. What also caught my interest was how many responders lauded their experience with a CD 33. I had a CD 33 built as a sloop in 1984 and sailed her extensively for over 15 years – in all that time I felt as though I owned the perfect boat. My sailing tended to be longer distance cruising and much of it was single handed, sometimes offshore. I mention this because once offshore you do not always have the luxury of escaping deteriorating conditions, and I never once doubted the “33s” ability to get me through some challenging times. As a sloop, the 33 was very well balanced and I often sailed her under main alone in a blow or when maneuvering for docking, anchoring, in tight channels, etc. I've sailed bigger boats but did not find any advantages to an increased length over the 33. An extra three feet may not seem like a big step, but it equates to extra draft (not always welcome in shallow waters); extra sail volume that adds exponential force to sail handling in heavy weather; significant extra weight (another handling issue); extra free board (handling again); and extra mast height (an issue if you plan routes under bridges). So I agree, “bigger is better, up to a point”. And, as always, that point depends on your style of sailing. They say you are ready to sell a boat the day you leave her and don't look back – with my CD 33, I always looked back.

[Paul D.]

Aaahhh another 33 apostle. I admit to even more than drinking the cool aid, I tried making it. Asking Karen Larson, editor of Good Old Boat magazine, in complete seriousness, if I could do a review of the 33 for her publication, I proposed a thorough review not glossing over the warts and idiosyncrasies even though we owned one. She sent me back a one sentence email effectively killing the dream! I still plan on convincing her. The song from West Side Story comes to mind, "Somewhere, Somehow, Someday", but maybe the Tom Waits version.

But how can you argue with this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2Ak_rw7t70

[Sally Perreten]

We have gone from bigger to smaller. This will be our 3rd summer with our Typhoon and we have never had so much fun actually, really, truly sailing as in the past couple of summers. We have also never sailed so much. Or enjoyed it so much. This little boat reads your mind and does what you wish before you've even completed the thought. As for working on her in the spring? She is plenty big enough. We are ready to launch weeks earlier.

Boats grow 6' LOA when you're working on 'em, ....and they all shrink in the rain.

Sally

[gates_cliff]

I had been backing into my slip and finally realized it wasn't worht the effort or anxiety. The only benefit is it's easier to board and depart the boat, but that's becuase the finger peirs at my marina are relatively short. Now, I am bow first. Thinking about adding a pelican hook to the forward end of the lifeline so I can easily undo it to make it easier to board the boat.