[quote=pbegle]ANY small cat can be reefed (albiet better done before you leave shore). Reef patches & grommets can be sewn in & pigtails attached to halyards. I have cruised thru the North Channel of Georgian Bay (above Lake Huron) for a week on a Stiletto 27 and while pleasant enough, not amenable to beaching on rocky shores--need to anchor out in a protected cove. Stop the wondering & rent/borrow a 400# boat, put a 100#'s on it (you'll have at least 32#'s water for two days out) and practice beaching the boat over the tide line & up a slope of 4-6'. The guys on the Northwest Passege voyage were afraid of capsize as they couldn't right their 460 # H-18 with wings loaded with all the food & water needed. You must have everything stowed away & be able to right from capsize in my opinion. A P-18 will carry two people and 100 #'s gear easily and its V shaped bottom (which can even be re-inforced) will slide over rocks leaving only gel coat tracks. A 100 #'s makes a big difference. I cannot pull a H-18 (420) onto its trailer myself, but a P-16 (300) is easy to do alone. Light weight & ease righting from capsize are critical to enjoying peace of mind long range cruising. Pete[/quote]
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