How large a sailboat can a crew of 2 safely operate?

Question

How large a sailboat can a crew of 2 safely operate?

Answer 1

As big as you like

Answer 2

That depends on how well the boat is setup for short handing, and the abilities of the crew.  My wife and I live aboard a 37 foot catamaran, but we could handle a much larger boat.   If it was set up correctly I'd have no problem taking out a 50 foot cat with just the 2 of us (we've chartered 44 footers).  You need a good autopilot, and with a really big boat power winches might be in order.  For anchoring you need a windlass when you get to a boat that big.  Of course the bigger you go the more everything costs.  For the two of us a 37 foot catamaran is the perfect combination of size, speed, cost and comfort.

The real question is how big a boat are you comfortable with?

Answer 3

An experienced crew of two can handle a sloop rigged 50 footer. A lot depends on the rigging arrangements.

Answer 4

My girlfriend and her husband easily operate a 30ft Catalina. He plans on buying bigger.

Answer 5

We own a 35ft catamaran and she is very easy to handle with just the two of us.

Answer 6

It isn't necessarly the size that matters, its how the boat is confgured, a more traditional wooden boat without electric winches and a lazy jack will require more people, however the extremley large 3 masted Maltese Falcon can be crewed by 1 person, because it has a computer station where the sails can be adjusted simply by turning a small wheel and then it is carried out by an electric motor, and the furling of sails is also automatic.

I know someone with a 40 foot trimaran who can singlehand it because everything he needs is in the cockpit. So if you want as little a crew as possible, make sure all the lines end up in the cockpit with self tailing winches and that it has automatic steering so that you can adjust the lines without having to hold onto the tiller/wheel.

Answer 7

27' in the ocean. Our family used to have one. Alot of fun!!

Answer 8

Well the round the world crowd do it singlehanded, so there's no limit.

But sensibly, if rigged for minimum crew, 45-65 footer.

Answer 9

Rural is no larger than you can single hand>If 1 get hurt or sick>I did my 40 endeavor>But's that me>

Answer 10

In a Lake 40 foot.

In the Ocean, No more than 27 foot.