See full version: Can a Canal Boat Go in the Sea or Coastal Waters
As I stated above, a narrowboat is designed in this way to fit on narrow canals. These inland waterways are calm, having at most a strong ripple on the surface. Compare this with the type of waves you might see on the open sea. The narrow hull of the narrowboat has the potential to become unstable in such conditions.
If you are the adventurous type, make sure you are fully trained and prepared before you take any vessel out into open sea. People have died on fully sea worthy boats when not prepared, so this is the most important factor.
There are some people that want to test a narrowboat to the limit and have in fact used one in the sea or even crossed the channel to France. more
For extended blue water cruising you beter think sail and not the off shore day sailers either. here
Sad but true many big boats are not built to ABS or International Ocean standards
If you not in a hurry Krogens have up in the 4000 thousand mile range [links]
Re: What size boat for ocean cruising?
Re: What size boat for ocean cruising? [links]
Just remember that fuel costs more in the abacos and bermuda than it does on the mainland!!
I would think experience is the main deciding factor when it comes to an atlantic crossing.
I mean, you have to have a boat that has a range of 4K+ miles. That's a shit-load of diesel to carry with you. I would assume you would have to completely cover your boat in additional fuel bladders.
Thank you. Those Nordhavn yachts look pretty intense. like the Kady Krogen. Thanks for your help! here
But a hell of a lot less in Venezuela!
In the 40 to 60ft range there are many boats that could do it although not nearly as many as sail. They would include Nordhavn, kaddy krogen, Selene, defever, among others. Generally you are looking for a full displacement hull type with stabilizers. Check out the book "voyaging under power" it is a detailed manifesto on exactly this topic. here
Spotz will launch from Dakar, Senegal, in late December and travel west with the dominant currents. It will take her 70 to 100 days to row 2500 miles across the Atlantic. She'll aim for Cayenne, French Guiana. But the boat's weight relative to Spotz's strength will make it difficult to counteract wind and northwest currents that could push her toward cliffs or rocks. Currents may also force her to row another 500 miles to Georgetown, Guyana. "The toughest part of the trip will be the arrival," Spotz says.
Boat design requires finding the perfect compromise, says Phil Morrison, who drew the plans for Spotz's 19-foot vessel. "The boat is relatively long and slender, making it easier to row," Morrison says. "But if you make it too slender, it becomes unstable." Unlike traditional rowboats, the craft has two watertight cabins--one for sleeping, the other for gear and food--that shield Spotz from wind as she rows.
A 100-pound tank of salt water supplies the 6 liters of drinking water Spotz needs every day. A hose connects the tank--which can be replenished by opening a valve in the footwell--to a desalination machine that can produce 6 gallons of fresh water an hour. But because the machine uses a lot of electricity and is prone to failure, Spotz will run it for only 20 minutes every other day. She'll eat 5000 calories of dehydrated food, energy bars and trail mix daily. here
The boat's instruments are powered by electricity from two solar panels--an 85-watt and a 65-watt--mounted atop the cabins. The panels charge two 12-volt batteries, which connect to the VHF radio, GPS and navigation lights. An Automatic Identification System sends the coordinates of Spotz's boat to surrounding ships and warns her when other boats get too close. Spotz will bring an iPod for music and a laptop to track weather and blog. She has a satellite phone for emergencies, but will also use it to update her Twitter account.
Sails are prohibited in ocean rowing, so the boat's only power comes from Spotz pulling against carbon-fiber oars. Her seat slides forward and back on tracks in the center of the cockpit, which increases the oars' angle of attack as they enter the water--making each stroke longer and more efficient. Spotz faces the stern and straps her feet into shoes bolted to a board in the footwell. Her right shoe is connected to a cable that runs through the rear cabin and hooks into the tiller, which is screwed to the rudder, so she can steer as she rows. If strong headwinds blow her backward, Spotz can attach a parachute anchor to the stern that inflates underwater and slows reverse travel.