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Old 13-08-2012, 17:24   #1
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Boats 27' to 32' Recommendations

After reading through this thread, http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...oat-24941.html
I'd like to know which particular brand or type of boat(s) you folks might recommend, and why?
-Bruce
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Old 13-08-2012, 17:33   #2
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Re: Boats 27' to 32' Recommendations

How many people as regular crew? Any kids?
Sailing experience?
What's your budget to buy and outfit the boat? (living and cruising costs extra.)
Where are do you want to sail out of? Which coast do you want to set off from and more specifically where on that coast?
Where to you want to go?
Are you looking to cruise extensively or liveaboard and occasionally take several weeks or months off to nip around the Caribbean or Baja?
Any really strong preferences to start with? (full/fin keel, mono/multi, spade/skeg/attached rudder, sloop/cutter/mizzen rigged)
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Old 13-08-2012, 17:39   #3
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Re: Boats 27' to 32' Recommendations

Well, tell us a little more? What type of water are you on, or looking to go to? How many in the party? How long do you plan on going, a one week cruise around the lake, or winter in Fiji? Budget? How handy are you. There are just so many things I'd want to know before recommending a boat. Have you read the "20 small sailboats to take you anywhere"? by Vigor? I originally went with a Bristol 27, but the wife thought it was too small (I'm a big guy, so yes, it really was, but man is she a fun boat!). Now we have an Alberg 37 because the price was right, even though the costs are higher. Look at a lot of boats and see what appeals to you. For me, it was the classic full keel Alberg design, and I've been hooked ever since. However, that's me. You might be drawn to a fin keel and the modern "low profile" euro look. It's what ever inspires you.
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Old 13-08-2012, 18:35   #4
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Re: Boats 27' to 32' Recommendations

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Well, tell us a little more? What type of water are you on, or looking to go to? How many in the party? How long do you plan on going, a one week cruise around the lake, or winter in Fiji? Budget? How handy are you. There are just so many things I'd want to know before recommending a boat. Have you read the "20 small sailboats to take you anywhere"? by Vigor? I originally went with a Bristol 27, but the wife thought it was too small (I'm a big guy, so yes, it really was, but man is she a fun boat!). Now we have an Alberg 37 because the price was right, even though the costs are higher. Look at a lot of boats and see what appeals to you. For me, it was the classic full keel Alberg design, and I've been hooked ever since. However, that's me. You might be drawn to a fin keel and the modern "low profile" euro look. It's what ever inspires you.

I agree with the Alberg design and I am the owner of an Alberg 30. These are great boats with a large following, which is great for repairs and support. Albergs of this era as well as many boats were simple, simple sturdy boats. However there are many others in the 27-32 range that will seem much larger and roomier. Westsail 28/32, southern cross 31, liberty 28, BBC 28, Allied Seawind II . The list can go on and on. Best to go out and look at as many as you can. Some will argue that the above designs are slow and require work, while somewhat true, fact is all boats require work and if you put enough sail up these slow boats will really move especially when the wind kicks up and the sea state gets up.
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Old 13-08-2012, 18:50   #5
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Re: Boats 27' to 32' Recommendations

I've got an Allied Seawind II and have also owned a Pearson Vanguard. The room in the Allied blows the Vanguard away. But the Vanguard was a hell of a lot more fun to sail. Both are good sea boats.....for full time cruising, the Allied wins hands down.
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Old 13-08-2012, 18:53   #6
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Re: Boats 27' to 32' Recommendations

budget? do you like spending a lot of time fixing things or not? ... and all the other questions above. Then we can help more....
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Old 13-08-2012, 19:10   #7
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Re: Boats 27' to 32' Recommendations

WOW! Fast replies!
Experience, do I need that? J/K, I've sailed a 25' boat by myself, and crewed on a 30' Jensen Marine, but that was all of 15 years ago.
I'd like to cruise the Pacific North West Coastal area around Oregon and Washington. (I'm leaning towards Washington)
Budget, cheap, under 10 K if I can.
I read in the other thread that Hunters were not so good? I just want to hear what you guys consider to be a good strong cruiser in this range.
-Bruce
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Old 13-08-2012, 19:18   #8
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Re: Boats 27' to 32' Recommendations

Bruce, PM me about a pretty nice 30 foot cutter I know of in Bellingham. Alot of boat for 10K or less. Yanmar FW diesel, roomy and got great lines....
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Old 13-08-2012, 19:36   #9
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Re: Boats 27' to 32' Recommendations

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Bruce, PM me about a pretty nice 30 foot cutter I know of in Bellingham. Alot of boat for 10K or less. Yanmar FW diesel, roomy and got great lines....
PM sent.
-Bruce
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Old 13-08-2012, 19:45   #10
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Re: Boats 27' to 32' Recommendations

Here is a great review to start with, written by James Baldwin:
Atom Voyages - Good Old Boats List

Under 10K you will find your choices very limited in a boat that you will actually be able to sail without doing a lot of work and/or investing more money than you originally thought. It will be old, but hopefully someone else has spent a lot of money on it they will never recover. Remember there are other necessary items you will need from the outset that add up, like new batteries, a dinghy, a bigass anchor and chain etc. An exception is the Triton 28, you can find a pretty nice one sometimes in the 7 to 8K range and most of them have had their systems updated due to their age, there was one that had a diesel and lots of updates that sold for $4500 in City Island NY in June. An Alberg 30 is a great boat with rabidly loyal followers, but in this price range will not include a decent engine and may be essentially a project boat, they are usually 15K with a diesel. Avoid Atomic 4 engines unless you want to go to marine mechanic school. Cape Dory? Only if you are willing to do a CD25 without standing headroom. Here is a Bristol 30 (basically a new and improved version of the Triton 28 built by the Pearsons) with a diesel for sale in MA at a Marine museum for $8200 firm, it's well equipped but dirty- of course that won't help you on the west coast but this was the situation I found looking at the market recently. I was determined to find a full keel plastic classic from the list, but blundered into a real steal on my boat the first day a guy with a bad back posted it on Craigslist at way below market... it was extremely overequipped with a brand new radar and 16K BTU AC, two pages of upgrades including professional new wiring, a nice Yanmar with low hours etc- got it for the price of a project boat. Crappy rubrail, headliner and coaming boards and really, really dirty. While I was inspecting it (for five days straight) three more potential buyers placed full price offers if I were to refuse the boat so occasionally you can get a bargain.
http://www.sailboatlistings.com/view/28043
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Old 13-08-2012, 20:16   #11
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Re: Boats 27' to 32' Recommendations

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Here is a great review to start with, written by James Baldwin:
Atom Voyages - Good Old Boats List
Thanks for the link and insight.

Atomic 4's are a bad choice? Hmm, I had two buddies that had Atomic 4's in their Jensen Marine Cal 30's. Both of them seemed to be frugal on fuel and reliable? Then again, maybe they were just lucky?
-Bruce
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Old 13-08-2012, 21:09   #12
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Re: Boats 27' to 32' Recommendations

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Thanks for the link and insight.

Atomic 4's are a bad choice? Hmm, I had two buddies that had Atomic 4's in their Jensen Marine Cal 30's. Both of them seemed to be frugal on fuel and reliable? Then again, maybe they were just lucky?
-Bruce

There is a reason people spend 10 or 12K to upgrade from an Atomic 4 to a diesel on a boat that is worth 10 to 12K after the upgrade beyond the fear of having an IED aboard. Of course, on a Triton 28, Bristol 29 (same as B30 with a lazarette in the stern) or an Alberg 30 you could mount a 6 HP outboard inside the lazarette the way James Baldwin does for his customers (CSY Yacht Service) and save a lot of money if you are an accomplished sailor and only need the motor near the dock or in a calm harbor. Look at how long it took ChrisNCate to sell their absolutely beautiful Alberg 30 for 15K which lacked only a diesel but was otherwise a showpiece. They had 15K+ worth of new accessories bolted to the boat and hundreds of hours of labor invested. When considering what could be weaknesses in a boat you are interested in, try reading about a restoration project done on a similar boat- recoring decks, repairing hull/deck joints, weak deck stepped mast supports, keel problems etc. If you buy a 10K boat without a diesel that really would benefit from one (mine burns 0.5 gal/hr at medium cruise and most diesels are as reliable as anvils when maintained) how will you ever be able to justify upgrading?
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Old 13-08-2012, 21:26   #13
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Re: Boats 27' to 32' Recommendations

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When considering what could be weaknesses in a boat you are interested in, try reading about a restoration project done on a similar boat- recoring decks, repairing hull/deck joints, weak deck stepped mast supports, keel problems etc.
That's a brilliant idea.
It seems that a lot of the boats I have looked at have diesel engines. In fact, I have spotted a 28' boat with a single cylinder Yanmar diesel for around 6K.
I figure I had better do a bit more research before doing anything yet. This is why I'm here picking you guy's brains on the subject.
-Bruce
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Old 13-08-2012, 21:37   #14
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Re: Boats 27' to 32' Recommendations

For your price range, a good place to start are local harbors that have boats which no one is paying slip fees on anymore. After the file against them, they often go up for auction starting at $500!
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Old 13-08-2012, 22:05   #15
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Re: Boats 27' to 32' Recommendations

Wow, that size range covers everything from old, heavy displacement monohulls that don't have standing headroom to more modern catamarans costing 20 times as much.

I own a 5 year old Beneteau 32. and a 1989 Hunter 30. The Beneteau is much nicer. The Hunter is much cheaper. The Hunter has taken me to the Bahamas and back twice. Personally, standing head room is a must for me which excludes many of the older, smaller but solid heavy displacement pocket cruisers. Storage room is also a problem with some of those, though many are well built and currently selling very cheap.
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