European Offshore Capabilities?

[owenbradford]

I'm currently looking at the PDQ 34 as a vessel to the Great Loop, and there's no doubt in my mind that it is well suited for that trip.

However, I have long-term aspirations to ship a boat to Europe. I know that a group of PDQ owners were in the low countries a year or so ago. I'd like to cruise that region and spend some time in the baltics, but I'd also like to make my way to the Med. The PDQ seems to be too beamy for any of the routes through the French canals to the Med, so it would probably be necessary to sail the Atlantic coasts of France, Spain, and Portugal and through the Straits of Gilbraltar to get to the Med.

Is the PDQ suited for that kind of offshore coastal cruising? Any thoughts or reactions would be greatly appreciated.

[Page 83]

Who were those guys that used to do it all the time in row boats? OH YEAH, the Vikings! I don't think the weather is any worse now than then!

But seriously, Coast-wise cruising, done in steps, watching the weather forecasts has taken a lot of the terror out of the trip you are talking about.

Another option is to ship directly to the Med. But again, weather planning is a must, cuz it can get pretty uncomfortable there too!

[MV Dana Louise]

The one great risk is all that wonderful
glass. You could install strong lexan storm
windows over the glass but that would add
weight which is generally a nono up that
high. The real question may be the reliability
of the weather forecasting for the longer
legs. IMHO the forecasts in many places
are inherently undependable.