Saturday, February 7, 2009

The Stiletto 27 - You Can Actually Sleep in That?


I freely admit it: I take great pleasure choosing adventures that seem a little bold to the casual observer, and I do as little as possible, at first, to dispel the mystique. My first loves were rock climbing, mountaineering and ice climbing - they share traditions firmly rooted in the collection of bragging rights. I've worked hard to build some skills and to plan, and I will revel in the results. Distance cruising in a small boat always hints at improbability. That we chose some waters few sail... all the better.
The first question about the Stiletto was always "can you actually live on it? Is there a place to sleep?" Well, just. My daughter is small, I am used to backpacking tents, and compared to those it is at least luxury camping. At least you don't carry your home. As the illustration shows there are 2 comfortable bunks, narrow and lacking sit-up room, but long. The other basics are there and no more. You live on-deck.
I cheated though; I took my daughter, who I knew would keep my spirits up. Anything seems possible with ambition, a kids dreams, and enough stout.
Would we do it again? We made many long trips. The weather is the key: warm, always a plan for lay-days, and always a way - an inner passage - to avoid the worst weather. In the end we moved up to a PDQ Altair... really, enough is enough. No, that's not it; the desire to go further simply overcame fiscal sensibility.

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