Karen Larson and Jerry Powlas,Publishers of Good Old Boat magazine
Through boat reviews and advertisements, sailors are bombarded with product information about new boats in sailing magazines. They can tour new boats to their hearts content at boat shows. And they can compare these vessels in annual directories of sailing manufacturers and distributors. Eager vendors will readily send sales literature on request. But what of those of us who have elected to sail those boats euphemistically referred to as gently used or previously sailed? These boats, of course, are affordable, often well-equipped, and typically in sailaway condition without extensive commissioning. So how do you make comparisons and determine which of these boats is right for you? John Vigor has selected 20 from a vast field of older sailboats and offers comprehensive reviews and rating scales for comparison. His criteria for selection were that the boat must be seaworthy enough to go offshore and small enough to be easily handled by two. The boats he selected range from 20 to 32 feet. Lin and Larry Pardey, who have circumnavigated twice in sailboats less than 30 feet in length, argue that small and simple boats are better for voyaging couples. They have noted that large vessels are often the cause of abandoned cruising dreams. Theyre too expensive and thus steal too much from the cruising couple without the assistance of additional crewmembers or power devices that can fail at the most critical moment. Larger, more complicated, sailboats have more systems that break, testing the skills of even the handiest. Their advice in sum is to go small, go simple, and go with the confidence that comes of handling it yourself. In this book, John Vigor offers sailors a collection of 20 boats capable of taking you anywhere perhaps not in the comfort and style touted by new boat product literature but safely and with dignity. John has raced, crossed oceans, and cruised coasts. His views are fresh and insightful. He has the credentials to know a boat for what it is. Readers will be rewarded with valuable information that is more timeless than trendy. Lurking behind it all is Johns wry humor that steps in at just the right moment to remind us that logic has its limits and owning and sailing these vessels is meant to be fun. If we are patient, todays new boats will become older boats. When the best small ones have proved themselves by crossing oceans safely and in style, John may select from among these and write another book.


Cruising World Magazine, May 2000
Laced with anecdote and opinion..Very readable, and most useful for anyone looking at small boats for extended cruising.


Book Description
Anyone who has sailed small boats has surely experienced the romantic dream of crossing an ocean or even sailing around the world. But what was once fantasy is now reality. With a growing glut of good used boats on the market, its possible to sail around the world in a boat that costs less than a car. In this fascinating book, well-known boating author John Vigor turns the spotlight on 20 seaworthy sailboats that are at home on the ocean. These are old fiberglass boats, mostly of traditional design and strong construction. All are small their sizes range from 20 feet to 32 feet overall but all have crossed oceans. Many have circumnavigated the world. And all are inexpensive. There are many hundreds of small cruising boats sailing the seven seas at this moment. They explore everywhere, from the ice-bound shores of Antarctica to the high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. Most, however, ply the tradewind routes where flying fish play. The water is warm, and coconut trees line calm lagoons bounded by beaches of pure white sand. But choosing the right boat to cross an ocean or go around the world can be a confusing and exasperating experience, particularly if your budget is tight. Its well-nigh impossible to find objective comparisons. Vigor sets out to remedy that in this book. He compares the designs and handling characteristics of 20 different boats whose prices on the secondhand market start at about $3,000. Interviews with experienced owners (featuring valuable tips about handling each boat in heavy weather) are interspersed with line drawings of hulls, sailplans, and accommodations. Vigor has unearthed the known weaknesses of each boat and explains how to deal with them. He rates their comparative seaworthiness, their speed, and the number of people they can carry in comfort. If you have ever dreamed the dream, this is the book that will turn it into reality.