INVESTIGATOR 563

I am sitting in a motel room here in Port Lincoln, SA. I am here because I came to look at a possible project; a 30 ft plywood keelboat. After deciding the 15 hr commute, it took to get here, was beyond the pale, and a $400 one-way plane fare as the alternative would soon wear thin - this boat had to be really something. It was - it was claustrophobic! Mrs. DP barely got inside took one glance at the crushing V berth and the laughably thin-person specific quarter berths to make the decision of not just no, but hell no. Brown paper bags were produced to control hyperventilation.

But seriously, you only start to really appreciate how good Investigators are when you look at what other boats don't have. This was a 30ft boat and - it was found wanting IMHO. Verdict - potentially a great day boat. But ... excuse me .... we were 'oping to sleep on it.

However, some good news. A friend has just settled on a Farr 1020 and was hoping I would be able to lend a hand from time to time. MMMMMMM let me check my diary!!!!!!

Before buying my Investigator I was in your position three years ago Peter. Motel room in Williamstown checking out S&S 34 my dream boat. It needed too much work on it though and after a disastrous down payment and ferry trip on a Compass 29 some months later where we lost a prop shaft off Kiama I decided T/S were the way to go.
It's all personal preference of course but I agree that the Inv
estigator crams a whole lot into a small manageable package without too many compromises Add being able to travel at 100kph between sailing grounds not having to find/organize crew haul out anti foul pay mooring costs then T/S's and the Investigator in particular makes a whole lot of sense.
Cheers

I think you might enjoy a bigger yacht Dr Pete, It will open up a new dimension of sailing if that is what you are seeking. My ultimate goal of sailing can't be achieved with a 563.

Steve

Steve,
I suspect you may be right and there may be another boat after Pip but a 563 works for me NOW.

Now I only use PIp for cruising and we go about four-six times a year. The rest of the time she waits in my shed or lately under a tarp near my backdoor. No mooring fees, no annual anti-foul, no real expenses at all since I bought the sails although I did pay for a 100 hour service for my outboard recently, and that was not cheap - but it does deliver piece of mind.

In the season I crew on a larger TS - its fun, its competitive and costs me pretty much - nothing. If we do away trips then usually I cover the catering; not a big deal.

I like the idea of a keel boat boat not the reality. Where do you keep it? Is that near enough to maintain an on-going interest in the boat. Is it costly? Is it burning a hole in my pocket?

At the moment Pip can sit and wait and it does not bother me. She wasn't expensive to buy and she isn't expensive to own. My e-gas Falcon pulls her easily to where we want to go and we have had great holidays in her. The big TS I crew on, scratches the weekly sailing itch.

Later, I may have more leisure time so a boat on a mooring may make sense.
Later, my friend with the TS may change his plans and so I will have an opportunity to change mine.
Later, I may decide that coastal cruising is what I want to do and I'd like to do that in a bigger boat.
Later, I may take a job that gets me closer to a sailing location and so a different form of sailing may be more appropriate.

However, NOW, what I am doing works for us and Pip, a wonderful little Investigator 563, really fits the bill. In fact, I reckon it would not be too tough a call to say that, if the Investigator had not fitted my needs quite so well then that next boat would have already been purchased.

I myself found that after a few trips out sailing, the 563 fell shorter and shorter away from my sailing ambitions, clearly I should have bought a bluewater yacht to start with, I thought the 563 would be a good introduction into cruising but what I should have done is spent the money I paid for the 563 on offshore sailing tuition and I would be miles ahead. It is a great little boat though and I will keep mine for some time whether I use it or not.
Steve

Steve,
For bluewater cruising you need to carry a lot of equipment and provisions, and you do need a bigger boat. IMHO the best value "small" yacht for this is the 25 ft Top Hat, which can be had for around $12k. See http://www.tophatyachts.com/

I read a lot of articles on micro cruising . Two reasons, microcruisers clearly are good at packing lots of amenity into small spaces, good tips can be found for TSing . Second it's amazing that they can and do blue water cruising .

http://www.microcruising.com/famoussmallboats.htm

I'm not remotely interested in offshore sailing nor am I recommending it in an Investigator , but given the many TS owners including Investigators who do not have the convenient access to large bodies of enclosed sailing waters that I have I'm certain with correct setup , equipment and modern electronics and weather watching its quite doable and a necessity for many. In Britain, look at Charles Stock and Dylan from Keep Turning Left. These blokes just pick their times. I've visited Britain in the autumn , most  recreational  sailboats large and small are off the water for winter by then I noticed, other than the inland lakes. The rest of the time it's open water or nothing for some ..just as it is in Oz. 

I've been on large ships in the Mediterranian, the Aegean, the Irish Sea, crossed Bass straight a few times in crook weather on the 'Spirit' and had a pleasant crossing between the islands in NZ but I would personally not want to be in a 25' on any of them in anything but the best weather. Then, I contrast this with the journeys of Webb Chiles.....

http://www.inthepresentsea.com/the_actu ... ction.html

..... and guess he would consider these as a romp in the park . Go figure.

The two things that make the 563 less open water friendly are the openings ( front hatch, poptop and storm boards) and the bracket outboard. Although it must be noted many microcruisers do not even have motors. 

I think it's boat handling skills that keep you safe in open water, that and a tight  waterproof hull. I've never surfed a yacht down a wave and as a former surf ski user I have no desire to do so. Yet, blue water cruisers often do it for days at a time. These are the sorts of boat handling skills that are needed I think . The biggest boat is not much chop if you broach it off a wave and turn turtle on your first day  out.

http://www.microcruising.com/paradox1.htm

One of my favourite micros Paradox ..13' 10" no centerboard only hard "chine runners"

Note the first trip in the trip log, Ft lauderdale to Bahamas, that's about 280k ...each way...open ocean ...Burmuda triangle....no centerboard ..... ..... ....

Makes a 563 look like the Queen Mary. Just an interesting comparison .

Despite all the extreme examples of tiny boats, I believe that once you head offshore you should be prepared to be out there for many weeks if necessary. Hence you need a lot of not only food and water, but also tools, range of sails, navigation gear, etc. Only when you get to a size of boat around 25 ft does this become half way comfortable.

I agree Ian they are extreme examples but they get there. Although not all of them did sadly. Still bad luck can befall the best equipped and largest yacht. Has to be a point where max skill compensates for max size.

In modern times we will probably see more of this stuff rather than less . Reasons ..

#Micro nav and com systems with convenient and cheap solar power
Includes cheap EPIRB although I don't think you should go out just because you can be rescued easily , but that opens up a whole can of worms in regard to big boats as well.

# cheap portable desalinators to reduce need to carry water

# dehydrated foods ditto

# better, stronger, lighter construction materials.

#better more durable sails.

http://www.gizmag.com/within-human-powe ... ale/22750/
Not sail but you get the drift

While we are on the subject of Investigators and open water sailing I should include the windows in the "openings " post above . My windows are now 30+ years old and I finally cracked the front one just leaning on it while rigging a few weeks back . Your windows are also part of your hull integrity and check they are up to being pounded on by large greenies . Really applies even in enclosed water in bad conditions. Mine are all up for replacement some time soon.

Even then I'll be sticking to LM and PS.

Clint Eastwood's 'Dirty Harry ' character is best known for his "Go ahead make my day "quote but I'm fond of the one he used twice in the the second movie, Magnum Force.

"A man's got to know his limitations"

In fact Ive been meaning to stick it on the cockpit bulkhead.