Good Center Cockpit Boats Under 40' ?

[SaltyMonkey]

Viking Sailor. This is a striking realization. I knew of the Fantasia via Bingham, but never looked at an interior layout till now. I see there is one in Alameda for sale - although a bit out of my price right now. This is a good candidate.

[SaltyMonkey]

Roy M - Multihulls AOK!

[Kindle]

Oyster had a 35 and 37 foot CC designed by Holman and Pye. There are a few for sale for just around 100 thousand if you google Oyster Mariner.

[SaltyMonkey]

ceases to amaze me that there is not one Oyster on Yachtworld in USA or CA

Nice 43' @ 185k though
1985 Oyster Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

[Doodles]

Originally Posted by SaltyMonkey

Viking Sailor. This is a striking realization. I knew of the Fantasia via Bingham, but never looked at an interior layout till now. I see there is one in Alameda for sale - although a bit out of my price right now. This is a good candidate.

Salty ---

I think you want to make sure and get a Mk II, not the Mk I model though. The earlier edition had the rudder too far forward. Bingham modified his own I understand, and then changed the design to a skeg hung rudder further aft. I forget the actual problem but I think it may have been extreme weather helm? Viking Sailor would know I suspect.

Check out the Fantasia 35 owners website for a few that are for sale, just skip "Queen's Ransom". Its in the same yard as the Vancouver 36 next to us and we looked at it. You don't want it. Its been sitting for several years after having taken a lightning strike.

But I love the boat, especially down below for a liveaboard. Very cool layout and a real workshop.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Marinheiro

a problem with most of the small (,42ft) centre cockpit yachts is that there are often no deck lockers or lazarette, because they have been sacrificed to squeeze in the accommodation.
If you consider that a 38' aft cockpit yacht usually has reasonable cabin space, then to retain this an have an aft cabin you need to add another 6-7 ft minimum to retain same features, ie 44-45'.
There are lots of old centre cockpit Moody's and Westerlys <40' in UK, they were popular over there. Also Beneteau had the Farr designed (re-hashed versions of my yacht) 40 and 44CC series for a time, eg
1996 Beneteau Oceanis 40CC Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

That's an important point. Even my CC boat, at 54 feet, is short of deck storage. I've got a big lazarette, but no dedicated sail lockers and no really good place for fenders.. The aft cabin goes right into the volume which is logical to use for deck storage.

Our previous boat, an aft cockpit 36.5 footer, probably had more deck storage than the 54' CC, but then again it was a Pearson 365 with no cabin space at all aft of the companionway.

[biltong]

HI Saltymonkey. I recently bought an Amel Sharki. a 41 centre cockpit for around the price you mention and I am so impressed with not only the reputation and seaworthyness of these yachts, but the ease at which she sails. Ask around, it will be difficult in beating the Sharki on all points, safety and comfort.

[SaltyMonkey]

Doodles - thanks for the focused tips. You always seems to know where all the good boats are

biltong -
Amel Sharki 39' - nice boat. Lovely layout. There is one - in Europe - if anyone wants to go for a ride. Also plans are posted there:

1983 Amel SHARKI Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

[Zydeco]

A less expensive boat that fits the OP's requirements is the Pearson 385. There were only about 40 or 50 built, but one comes up for sale every now and then. Two on Yachtworld today, and I think there is another one for sale in Panama City Flordia.

1984 Pearson 385 Center Cockpit Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

1984 Pearson 385 Cutter Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

Bill Shaw design. Solid fiberglass hull, cored deck, keel stepped mast. 48' mast height goes under most bridges. Sails nice, easy to handle by one person. At this size, outside storage is limited. The original design was a cutter, but most were build as sloops. Most are fixed keels drawing 5.5 feet but there were a few build with centerboards drawing 4.4 feet.

[speedoo]

I'm still hung up on why a single hander would want a center cockpit boat. There are too many disadvantages from a design point of view, including some that have already been discussed, like the lack of deck storage, and the need to actually be longer than 40 feet in order to have a decent sized aft cabin with walk-thru below.

Another design disadvantage: the center cockpit means you can't have a tiller, which I strongly prefer, particularly for single handing, for simplicity, gaining space in the cockpit by eliminating the pedestal, and being able to steer with the tiller between one's legs when tacking and doing other things that require use of hands. And then there is the issue of using an emergency tiller that has to be remote from a center cockpit.

With so many good aft cockpit boats that have adequate aft cabins, I would personally avoid center cockpits for single handing.

[SaltyMonkey]

speedoo - that's because you are stuck in your mental ways. I love a tiller for feel, and I have actually seen some on CC boats. But as boats get bigger, a tiller become impractical. I have nothing against wheels and they have advantages over a tiller in some areas.

But I am not fixated on any particular design. I like an aft cabin, more storage below, and I do have guests where additional space below is good. Doesn't matter if you have a CC or aft cockpit with aft cabin. Deck storage is lost.

i also like PH designs with aft cabins.

[Roy M]

This is too delicious to skip. On the Searunners (trimarans, that is) You want to raise a sail? The mast is just forward of the pedestal. Need to reef? Ditto. At 3 A.M., most cruising boats are single handed. No need to go forward on deck to the exposed mast. Lost deck space? None noted the last time I checked. The walk-through might be considered an issue if it's cold and stormy, forcing me to get on my hands and knees to go six feet through the "cockpit alleyway", but since I rarely need to go forward from the aft cabin, that one slips back in importance, also.

[biltong]

I forgot to add that one of the great features of the Amel Sharki (and there are many) . No need to find a place to stash the washboard. Just slide it down.

[SaltyMonkey]

Roy M - I think that also applies to monohulls. A number of CC boats have masts just forward of ped. making it easier to reef etc.

[42AFJ]

We liveaboard a 1982 Whitby 42 that we obtained for under 100k. We looked for a solid three years before boarding a Whitby. Amazing amount of space for the length. The center cockpit is a wonderful with a very large lazzaret. (extra lines, two scuba tanks with gear, and a cooler) The walkthrough to the aft cabin is not standing height but has never been an issue. The motion is very comfortable. Also two lockers on deck behind the aft stateroom. Have been aboard many boats of similar size with much less.