Boy am I confused and lost!

[etbdjr]

Finally got rid of my Grand Banks 42 and am going back to sail. My favorite past boat of the 12 I have owned was the Pacific Seacraft 34. Great motion, easy to sail and beautiful construction in and out. If it got really bad, heave to and go below with a bottle of rum. Worst boat, hunter 36. Painful to sail, self tapping screws into fiberglass every where and just awful. So.. now, I cruise the Bahamas, Keys and to the Virgins with occasional runs to the Chesapeake. I am torn between a 79 Tartan 37 and a Southern Cross 35. I know, how could you even compare as they are so different! I would like to hear if anyone that owns either of these boats does this sort of cruising and what they think of the plus and minus' of each. While I am at it.. anyone planning on setting out to cruise this summer for a few months that wants to chat> I am trying to motivate my spouse to do more than a couple of weeks and she is a social creature! We are in the Virginia area. Thanks everyone!

[deluxe68]

Have you looked at the PSC 37?

[blackkayak]

At some point in time PSC moved from California to North Carolina. Consequently, there are many nice PSC 34's and 37's to see in an around Beaufort, (Bo-Fort) NC. It's worth a trip down I-95.

[seacap]

I like the Tartan 37, probably one of my favorite modern designs. But I would go with the Southern Cross, hands down for cruising. She would have a better motion I believe, and you seem to appreciate that aspect.

[Bob tree]

Buy the boat you feel most comfortable with,you and your partner are the ones who are using the the boat so who cares what other people think.Your perfect boat is not everybody's perfect boat.

[etbdjr]

I have always loved the PSC 37 and 34... Both at the moment seemed to be silly money. I sold my 34 a 1989 ten years ago.... Same boat is now going for more! Thanks guys for the thoughts.... In general, the real question I guess is do I go for a more spacious cruiser or is it worth it to go for the heavier duty construction. Will post pics after I make some sort of a decision. I really like both.

[psk125]

Cruising the Bahamas might be easier with the board up on the Tartan. (4'2" vs 4'11" for the keelboat) On the other hand, there aren't moving parts to break with a keel. (You hope, anyway!) We have friends who cruise the east coast & Bahamas in their Tartan 37 and have a fine time. The cockpit on the Tartan looks like it might be more comfortable, though the Southern Cross's looks well protected.

[letsgetsailing3]

Are you going around the cape, or cruising the Bahamas? One needs to be smaller and more robust, and the other might lend you more living space.

Maybe you should let the actual use of the boat dictate which one you get.

[deluxe68]

Originally Posted by etbdjr

I have always loved the PSC 37 and 34... Both at the moment seemed to be silly money. I sold my 34 a 1989 ten years ago.... Same boat is now going for more! Thanks guys for the thoughts.... In general, the real question I guess is do I go for a more spacious cruiser or is it worth it to go for the heavier duty construction. Will post pics after I make some sort of a decision. I really like both.

For our next boat we are getting a dedicated, robust cruiser such as a PSC 37 to 44.

[gordwedman]

I think the Tartan may sail better however I don't think it was designed with long term cruising in mind. If you were to do mainly one or two week cruises I think either boat would be fine but if you have asperations to do much longer cruises I think the Southern Cross would be better.

[Wyoming pirate]

Where in VA? We hauled out last time in Deltaville and plan to cruise down to the NC sounds in April and then back to the Chesapeake for May. My wife is also a social butterfly and does well cruising...up to a year at a time. After all, we are far more social while cruising than at home. Our Draft is just over 5' and we do fine in the Bahamas. The smaller draft of the tartan would get you a bit closer at times and they are just fine. Go with the PSC 37!

[svseachange]

I am currently in the Bahamas on a 1989 PSC 34 . Maybe it is your old boat. We were looking at a Tartan 37 when we bought the PSC.

For Florida and the Bahamas I think a cat is the best choice if you have deep pockets. It is hard to see a lot of the Keys with a 5 foot draft and you have more choices in the Bahamas with a shoal draft.

The problem with cats and the Tartan is more things will break. Too many cruisers spend too much time fixing stuff in exotic locations. Broken gear stuffs up a lot of cruises.

Faced with a similar choice to the one we faced we spent more money on the heavily built, quality boat. Not much breaks. When we run aground it is a little embarrassing but not a show stopper. When we hop offshore or cross the gulf stream I have more confidence.

We probably could have got a cheaper heavily built boat and been just as happy. But I sure am glad we went with the heavily built boat.

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[letsgetsailing3]

If you're ever in doubt about *expensive name brand*, all you'll ever have to do is mention *expensive name brand*, and plenty of people with that particular brand of boat will eventually come around and tell you how great it is.

After all, they were sold on that boat enough to purchase one themselves.

I'm pretty sure this works for any premium brand of boat.

[svseachange]

Originally Posted by letsgetsailing3

If you're ever in doubt about *expensive name brand*, all you'll ever have to do is mention *expensive name brand*, and plenty of people with that particular brand of boat will eventually come around and tell you how great it is.

You must have missed my last sentence where I said I would have been just as a happy on a cheaper heavily built boat... and the guts of my post where I said a cat would be better... the OP says his favorite boat if the many he has owned was a 1989 PSC 34 so it was fair to draw the comparison.

In our case going with the expensive name brand was just easier than scrapping for a good old boat. At the time we made the buy we both had professional jobs, good incomes and no time. If we needed a new boat now our choice would be different because we now have more time than money.

Foe example, there a lot of IPs cruising Florida and the Bahamas. I have not yet met an unhappy IP owner. For those guys with deeper pockets and less time to scrap for a bargain the expensive name brand can be the good choice.

I think you will find no matter what name brand is mentioned people who have owned then will jump in the discussion. We all are passionate about our boats as linf as they treat us right. I was just as passionate about my Starwind 22.
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[letsgetsailing3]

Originally Posted by shanedennis

You must have missed my last sentence where I said I would have been just as a happy on a cheaper heavily built boat... and the guts of my post where I said a cat would be better... the OP says favorite boat was a 1989 PSC 34 so it was fair to draw the comparison.

In our case going with the expensive name brand was just easier than scrapping for a good old boat. At the we made the buy we both had professional jobs, good incomes and no time. If we needed a new boat now our choice would be different because we now have more time than money.

Foe example, there a lot of IPs cruising Florida and the Bahamas. I have not yet met an unhappy IP owner. For those guys with deeper pockets and less time to scrap for a bargain the expensive name brand was a
good choice.

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I didn't miss anything in your statement.

In fact, the two makes of boat I was specifically thinking about when I wrote it were PSCs and IPs, but I made a more general comment, as I believe it holds up for all the premium makes. Please don't take offense, as it's simply an observation.