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08-12-2017, 13:23
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Tromsø, Norway
Boat: Långedrag steel, 1988, 40ft
Posts: 89
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Advice for old but sturdy 25-30ft blue water cruisers
Hi all,
We just sold our beloved 40ft steel boat Kiwi, and now I want to buy a blue-water capable fiberglass 25 to 30 footer in the Med (and later maybe elsewhere). My budget is 10000-13000 Euros, and the boat should be more or less good to go and will hence be old.
With a steel boat background, fiberglass looks a bit fragile to me, and I'm mainly worried about the attachment points of the chainplates (which more often than not are just bolted onto the deck) and that the mast sometimes has no support under deck.
Another thing I wonder about : does polyester become brittle and unstable with age? I understand that stress-cracks etc. can occur from long usage, but is the material itself significantly weaker if, say, 40 years old?
Hence, I'm looking for some advice on what to look for in old fiberglass boats to ease my mind when bad weather is approaching during a longer passage and maybe a list of boats which fulfill these requirements.
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08-12-2017, 13:34
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#2
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Houston
Boat: '76 Allied Seawind II, 32'
Posts: 9,626
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Re: Advice for old but sturdy 25-30ft blue water cruisers
If your looking for a small blue water boat, you won’t find any that qualify with the “chainplates bolted to the deck” and “no support under the mast”.
Here’s how our 32’ bluewater old boat attaches the chainplates
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08-12-2017, 13:46
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#3
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Senior Cruiser
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: puget sound washington
Boat: 1968 Islander bahama 24 hull 182, 1963 columbia 29 defender. hull # 60
Posts: 12,113
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Re: Advice for old but sturdy 25-30ft blue water cruisers
Quote:
Originally Posted by phipseml
Hi all,
We just sold our beloved 40ft steel boat Kiwi, and now I want to buy a blue-water capable fiberglass 25 to 30 footer in the Med (and later maybe elsewhere). My budget is 10000-13000 Euros, and the boat should be more or less good to go and will hence be old.
With a steel boat background, fiberglass looks a bit fragile to me, and I'm mainly worried about the attachment points of the chainplates (which more often than not are just bolted onto the deck) and that the mast sometimes has no support under deck.
Another thing I wonder about : does polyester become brittle and unstable with age? I understand that stress-cracks etc. can occur from long usage, but is the material itself significantly weaker if, say, 40 years old?
Hence, I'm looking for some advice on what to look for in old fiberglass boats to ease my mind when bad weather is approaching during a longer passage and maybe a list of boats which fulfill these requirements.
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ok don't know what's available in that market but a couple points .
1) chain plates are not bolted to the deck . They pass thru the deck and are either bolted to a transverse bulkhead or a reinforced point thru the hull.
2) compression posts or transverse bulkhead in the cabin below the mast if its not keel stepped. I have yet to see any cruising sailboat that didn't have one or the other.
3) there is no clear evidence as to end of life age for a fiberglass vessel. Its the ancillary items who's failure spells death due to repair/ replacement cost.
__________________
Non illigitamus carborundum
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08-12-2017, 13:47
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#4
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Senior Cruiser
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: puget sound washington
Boat: 1968 Islander bahama 24 hull 182, 1963 columbia 29 defender. hull # 60
Posts: 12,113
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Re: Advice for old but sturdy 25-30ft blue water cruisers
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sailmonkey
If your looking for a small blue water boat, you won’t find any that qualify with the “chainplates bolted to the deck” and “no support under the mast”.
Here’s how our 32’ bluewater old boat attaches the chainplates
Attachment 160272
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what's up with the rust streak at the base of your chain plate?
__________________
Non illigitamus carborundum
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08-12-2017, 13:49
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Houston
Boat: '76 Allied Seawind II, 32'
Posts: 9,626
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Re: Advice for old but sturdy 25-30ft blue water cruisers
Quote:
Originally Posted by newhaul
what's up with the rust streak at the base of your chain plate?
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Previous chainplates did that....,these are new (8 years) and have not leaked yet.
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08-12-2017, 13:51
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#6
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Senior Cruiser
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: puget sound washington
Boat: 1968 Islander bahama 24 hull 182, 1963 columbia 29 defender. hull # 60
Posts: 12,113
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Re: Advice for old but sturdy 25-30ft blue water cruisers
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sailmonkey
Previous chainplates did that....,these are new (8 years) and have not leaked yet.
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good glad to hear that I just noticed the streak
__________________
Non illigitamus carborundum
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08-12-2017, 13:53
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Houston
Boat: '76 Allied Seawind II, 32'
Posts: 9,626
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Re: Advice for old but sturdy 25-30ft blue water cruisers
Quote:
Originally Posted by newhaul
good glad to hear that I just noticed the streak
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I was fully expecting a comment about that or the gnarly peeling vinyl stuff that allied applied inside the cabinets.
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08-12-2017, 14:06
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#8
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Senior Cruiser
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: puget sound washington
Boat: 1968 Islander bahama 24 hull 182, 1963 columbia 29 defender. hull # 60
Posts: 12,113
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Re: Advice for old but sturdy 25-30ft blue water cruisers
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sailmonkey
I was fully expecting a comment about that or the gnarly peeling vinyl stuff that allied applied inside the cabinets.
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I could care less about how a sailor decorates ( he has to live with it) just saw a potential safety issue glad its not a problem( anymore)
__________________
Non illigitamus carborundum
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08-12-2017, 14:07
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: South Carolina
Boat: 40' Jeanneau
Posts: 492
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Re: Advice for old but sturdy 25-30ft blue water cruisers
To the O.P.: You should be able to find a very good boat in that price range. There are several candidates. A Dufour Arpege or Albin Vega come immediately to mind.
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08-12-2017, 14:16
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#10
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cruiser
Join Date: Jan 2017
Boat: Retired from CF
Posts: 13,317
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Re: Advice for old but sturdy 25-30ft blue water cruisers
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08-12-2017, 14:29
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Toronto
Boat: Heritage 35
Posts: 419
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Re: Advice for old but sturdy 25-30ft blue water cruisers
You might find by going that much smaller you feel claustrophobic? I wouldn't be surprised that you might find something in the 34-37 ft range sitting forlorn in a yard somewhere. When I was last in Norway I came across a colin archer for free! It was wood of course and not what your looking for but I think it illustrates what you might find. I did a quick survey of the CA and figured I could make it work problem being did I tow it home to Canada or a yard in Ireland. I decided to leave it alone. Was sorely tempted though
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09-12-2017, 00:24
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Brazil
Boat: Custom Swedish Vindö 50 (35 ft)
Posts: 806
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Re: Advice for old but sturdy 25-30ft blue water cruisers
Have a look at the Hallberg Rassy Monsun. There should be a few in your area (or in nearby Sweden). Good, simple, solid little boats with potential for long trips.
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09-12-2017, 01:07
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#13
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Moderator
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Solent, England
Boat: Moody 31
Posts: 18,398
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Re: Advice for old but sturdy 25-30ft blue water cruisers
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tia Bu
To the O.P.: You should be able to find a very good boat in that price range. There are several candidates. A Dufour Arpege or Albin Vega come immediately to mind.
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I was just thinking the same:
https://www.apolloduck.com/boat.phtml?id=548719
Phipseml don't be put off if you haven't heard of them before, but they have a reputation for sailing like a witch and very well built.
Indeed for that budget you are looking at 1960 and 1970s boats. Manufacturers at that time were still unsure about GRP so put extra in just to be sure, result very thick hulls which will see us out.
A little contessa 26 hit the back of a previous boat causing extensive damage to mine and didn't even scratch the contessa bows
Another yacht that has been there and done it, with many ocean crossings to its name and again very solidly built:
Nicholson 32 for sale UK, Nicholson boats for sale, Nicholson used boat sales, Nicholson Sailing Yachts For Sale 1968 Nicholson 32 - Apollo Duck
Final suggestion and this one is a bit cheap but there are lots of these Westerlys around, you just need to know the names and the differences, some ketchs, some bilge keels and some have stern cabin but all on the same 31ft hull.
https://www.apolloduck.com/boat.phtml?id=453649
Again built like a brick out house, sailed in company with one a couple of years ago and it went well, probably my choice for blue water live aboard for 2 people. Another version:
https://www.apolloduck.com/boat.phtml?id=507835
Pete
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09-12-2017, 01:24
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#14
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Seville London Eastbourne
Posts: 13,406
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Re: Advice for old but sturdy 25-30ft blue water cruisers
__________________
- Never test how deep the water is with both feet -
10% of conflicts are due to different opinions. 90% by the tone of voice.
Raise your words, not your voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder.
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09-12-2017, 02:12
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Israel
Boat: Colvic Watson 23'9"
Posts: 81
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Re: Advice for old but sturdy 25-30ft blue water cruisers
Last summer I was looking for a boat in your approximate price range in the Med and found myself frustrated. There were a few in the Preveza-Lefkas area (Greece) in that range but all listed with one broker who is one of those who gives brokers a bad name. I ended up buying on the UK instead, where more are available sub-10,000 Pounds. Gotta get her down to the Med, but that's a worthwhile adventure! You might find yourself going the same route.
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