Aft Cabin Options

[progers]

Hello all. My wife and I have been cruising in the Pacific Northwest for more than a decade (now with our 4 and 6 year old boys) on our Albin Vega 27. The problem however, is that the bigger the boys get (and the more rambunctious) the smaller the boat feels

We are looking for a 34' to 37' boat with an aft cabin (not quarter berth) and have looked at Catalina's and Beneteau's. I have been looking and researching for months and months now but am stuck on what other brands to look at, in that size range, with an aft cabin.

I am hoping you might be able to give me some other suggestions to check out.

Thanks for any help. Have a great day!

[Steve W]

There are probably others, but the Hunter 37.5 had a island queen bed in the aft stateroom. Cockpit is kind of small.

[Unicorn Dreams]

Welcome Aboard Cruisers Forum

[Dockhead]

Keep in mind that aft cockpits and aft cabins fight with each other for hull volume. Nice aft cabins are much easier to make in center cockpit boats. Below a certain size, however -- many people say it's about 40 feet -- aft cabins don't work well in any case because of problems with the passage from the main salon.

Aft master cabins are a very good thing IMHO because they spread the sleeping accomodations over a longer distance, giving more privacy. But you'll find it much easier to find a good aft master cabin in a boat which is 40 feet + and has a center cockpit.

[skipmac]

Morgan Outisland 36. Arguably the largest, roomiest 36' sailboat out there.

Not the best sailor in the world, at least upwind, as it has a very shallow draft and makes a lot of leeway. On the other hand, get into a crowded anchorage and you can always find a spot to drop the hook where the other guys can't fit.

Reasonably well built and if you shop around for a while you can probably find a good deal.

[Kettlewell]

My Finnsailer 38 has a wonderful aft cabin and a center cockpit, not that you will ever find one--very few in North America.

But, what I have learned, and I was not looking for this type of boat when I began my search, is that the center cockpit design with an aft cabin has many advantages: center cockpit is near center of motion for great offshore comfort, center cockpit can separate cabins making for real privacy if you have kids and adults on the same boat or when someone off watch wants to really sleep when offshore, huge and accessible engine space, centering of weights on boat helps reduce pitching motion, mast and sail handling is handy to cockpit, protected from boarding seas offshore, widest part of boat so cockpit is spacious and crew is well protected.

I personally like the Catalinas and Beneteaus, but I find many of the aft cabins crammed under a cockpit to be too claustrophobic and often ruin storage spaces. If you want something first class and comfortable look at Halberg Rassys, something old and cheap look at Morgan OI 41s, something old and good sailing look at Kelly Peterson 44s, something a little less glamorous but stout and decent sailing look at a Pearson 42.

There are quite a few good aft cabin center cockpit designs out there.

[David_Old_Jersey]

If you are talking Beneteaus etc - then my suggestion probably not quite right.....

Westerly Renown ketch archive details - Yachtsnet Ltd. online UK yacht brokers - yacht brokerage and boat sales

For a couple of kids that aft cabin would be about the right size - for adult sized people you would end up killing the other person inside a weekend..........

......I beleive a few of them (and the variations) made it accross to the US - albeit not as common as home grown brands.

[Viking Sailor]

Cruised and lived aboard with 3 boys for a number of years aboard our http://www.fantasia35.com

[SaltyMonkey]

Are you sailing in the NW? Try looking at a Fisher 37.

[sarafina]

Oh, I LIKE those Fantasias 35's... That's one of the boats I keep an info file in *just in case*...

There are two on the west coast right now for sale that look good to me...

[SaltyMonkey]

Sarafina - I like em too and have seriously contemplated. BUT maybe be warned since you like Cals and speed:


1) a whopping D / L ratio of 472 thats HUGE
2) a B/D ratio of only 33%
3) because of steering and balance issues, some owners have refactored and built skegs for their rudders rather than use the one built into the keel.

Interiors are very very nice, but I dunno about sail-ability. Perhaps Viking sailor can tell us more specifics??

[sarafina]

*sigh*

I know... it's hard when ya wanna have everything in one package...

But yeah... kinda a err... how to put this kindly.... a estate wagon of a boat... great for kids and families... not exactly a fiat or alpha....

And yeah it's ALL about the interior of that baby.

[SaltyMonkey]

and WHAT an interior. Really. When I first saw one I went ape. A workshop on a 35 ft boat! YEEEHAAA!

[Bash]

Originally Posted by progers

We are looking for a 34' to 37' boat with an aft cabin (not quarter berth) and have looked at Catalina's and Beneteau's.

If you've got two boys, I think you're making a mistake not to consider quarter berths. If you take a boat like a Cal 40, which has twin quarter berths aft, then mom and dad can take the forward cabin and each boy has his own "private" cabin, with the engine separating them.

[SaltyMonkey]

Check out
- C&C 37/40+
- Freedom Yachts
- Pearson 39 - aft cabn/aft stateroom
- Pearson 385
- westerly Corsair or Oceanranger