carribean cruiser choices

[robertoddhoven]

Gird up for battle old salts and armchair sailers alike and offer me your opinions.

My Mission : Use my newly acquired Bareboat ticket to test sail boats and within 9 months buy a boat I can single or short hand sail in relatively friendly waters to start
Purpose : Island hop, live aboard, dive platform, log time towards 6 pack license
Location : Florida and Caribbean to start
Size : 38 to 42
Status : Years of dreaming while sailing small craft, months of searching forums, articles, yachtworld etc ready to get serious.

BONUS !!! My job pays well and lets me work anywhere with internet access

Criteria:
-Comfortable (wife)
-reasonably fast
-well lit (work aboard)
-easy to sail
- folding transom/swim platform
- modern hull
- high production quality or better

Contenders and notes:
First choices
Hanse 388 or 418, X-yachts XC38, and Elan Impression 40
- sleek, modern, fastish, Love the coach mounted main sheets keeping cockpit clear, all lines led TO HELM not just cockpit, comfy interior, price, good reputation

Second Choices
Dehler 38 or 41, Grand Soleil 39, X-Yachts XP38, Comar, Comet 38 or 40 Azuree 41 - most of same reasons, lines not as efficiently run to helm andtrip hazzard traveler in cockpit,

[Mabel Page]

Hey,

I’m not going to be much help here, just some generic comments. I just went through the process of purchasing a similiar type boat to the ones you listed a couple of years ago. I think I would have been happy with most of those for the right price and condition. I don’t have much to offer other than to say I am very happy with my boat which is a Salona 44. I purchased it new bc it was about the same price as the other 5-10 yo used boats I was looking at. They are probably not actively being imported at the moment and purchasing a boat from overseas is challenging to say the least. It is however a real nice boat. I haven’t sailed the other boats you mentioned but researched them extensively. It seems most are a really good balance with good living and sailing characteristics.

[robertoddhoven]

The Salona was on the list at first as well but I didn't include it because I didn't see an option to include a swim platform/closed transom.

Is that an option? if so I'll add it back to the list. As a dive platform I feel that's imperative.

[Mabel Page]

Not on the 44 model, but I think on some others. Water access is real easy with the open transom, but no swim platform. Good luck. I’m sure you will be happy with whatever you get. Buying a boat was really one of the best decisions I have ever made, but the research and purchasing process was real difficult in my particular case. Parting with all that cash is stressful too, but absolutely worth it in my case. Getting ready to sail back from the Bahamas in a couple of weeks

[Cheechako]

BONUS !!! My job pays well and lets me work anywhere with internet access

FYI: You're not likely going to have internet access aboard much.

[robertoddhoven]

Been looking into this and other options but even if that doesn't work I am not opposed to staying in coastal Florida/Bahamas for the short term. I know i'll have access there.


https://www.telstraglobal.com/produc...B&gclsrc=aw.ds

[robertoddhoven]

Originally Posted by Mabel Page

Water access is real easy with the open transom, but no swim platform. Good luck.

yeah in addition to difficulty of climbing up with scuba gear I know that I'll some day stumble in the companion way and send expensive electronics out the open transom if i don't have it protected :-).

[a64pilot]

You don’t climb up with SCUBA gear, you remove it and climb aboard, then winch the tanks up.
Look into side mounting, it’s real easy to gear up in the water, in cave diving we never put on our tanks until we are in the water, and remove them prior to climbing out.
Of course the old school guys who back mount do.

[MartinR]

I am not especially fond of the new layouts, where all control lines go back to the helmsman. This might look good at the first look, but for cruising there is really no need. You do not trim sails that often, but when you do, you just activate the autopilot, and then do whatever you need to do. If you have to move 6´, so what. I want space when I work with lines. For racing, you really want space to work for several crew, so these layouts work very badly.

The reason the manufacturers of cheap boats place the winches like this is cost. Then they can get away with a minimum of winches.

[MartinR]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

You don’t climb up with SCUBA gear, you remove it and climb aboard, then winch the tanks up.

[zippy]

Originally Posted by MartinR

The reason the manufacturers of cheap boats place the winches like this is cost. Then they can get away with a minimum of winches.

No, the reason they do it is because it is more convenient, efficient and that’s what people want. It doesn’t cost extra to place a winch in the optimum position. Why move 6 ft to trim a winch when you don’t have to? Racing is a different story.

[Peeew]

My needs are similar. I bought as a first boat a Jeanneau SO469 and this has worked out well for me. I just finished a 4 month Bahamas trip mainly solo without any problems. Having the lines to cockpit works well with sails balanced and/or autopilot when needed. I took an extra person on board for the 5 day ocean/Gulf Stream portion as that made sense to me. I never have thought to having lines led to helm but never missed it. Roller furling helped. Otherwise fast and comfortable as this boat sails well with minimal heel. One more general design to look at. And Bahamas internet was great with an ALIV SIM card in my phone/hotspot.

[Mogle]

Originally Posted by robertoddhoven

Second Choices
Dehler 38 or 41, Grand Soleil 39, X-Yachts XP38, Comar, Comet 38 or 40 Azuree 41 - most of same reasons, lines not as efficiently run to helm andtrip hazzard traveler in cockpit,

I am a Grand Soleil owner. Love them.

The Grand Soleil 39 is great but too small. Go for bigger and even older boat and upgrade or refurbish. If your job really pays well go for the new Grand Soleil 42.

[Paul L]

Looking at your proposed cruising ground and use, why are you not looking at Cats?

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Mogle.