Help With Boat Selection

[cferguson53]

I've sold my beloved Pearson Vanguard in favor of something a little larger--planning to retire in 3-5 years, want to get a 36-40 foot boat for weekends and week crusies until then, and probably cruise the caribean on retirement. Have always like "traditional" cruising boats for comfort and safety, but want more performance in light air than the old vanguard. Am considering Pacific Seacraft 37 or 40 or Cape Dory (Robinhood) 36-40. any thoughts?? or should I give up and go more modern--tartan, sabre, J42??

[Mimsy]

Never mind what everyone else says, buy the boat you love. No one here is going to wake up every day, look at it, work on it, outfit it and care for it. You are going to be doing all that so your opinion is the only one that really counts.

If you don't love it, DON'T buy it no matter what the experts say.

[JJ77]

Tim Jackett and Bob Johnson must have had the same thoughts,go traditional or built something a bit faster,this is what they came up with;
Blue Jacket Yachts - Performance Cruising Sailboats | BlueJacketYachts.com

A new 40 foot fast cruiser.it sits problably in a high price range but then again a Pacific Seacraft 40 ain't cheap either.
It looks like a modern take on taditional cruising boats or should I say a traditional look on modernity?uhhh dunno actually,but it looks good.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, cferguson53.

[barnakiel]

Most bigger boat will deliver some extra in terms of light wind performance - they tend to be less influenced by the seas than the small craft.

If you want good light wind performance, I would steer towards a crusier-racer boat. My friends cruised extensively in a converted J-35. Just enough space onboard for an intimate two and very fine performance in light winds.

If such an 'extreme' boat is too much, stay with classic hulls that have low displacement and plenty of sail area - preferably tall and simple rig - no staysails - just a big main, a jib and a furlable kite (super light genoa/Code zero replacable with a APS for broader angles).

Keep her bottom clean and go for a feathering prop if you care too.

b.

[Kenomac]

Take a good look at Island Packet. Our friends in California have a really nice IP38. The Island Packets are designed very thoughtfully for a cruising couple, with a surprisingly large interior... and built like a tank.

[Mr Mac]

Originally Posted by Mimsy

Never mind what everyone else says, buy the boat you love. No one here is going to wake up every day, look at it, work on it, outfit it and care for it. You are going to be doing all that so your opinion is the only one that really counts.

If you don't love it, DON'T buy it no matter what the experts say.

Honestly, that is one of the best pieces of advice you can get! Some boats are better at this, and some boats are better at that, but in the end, if you end up wishing you had this boat or that you'll never be happy.

As you shop, keep an open mind and she'll find you!

[Saltyhog]

I'll third the idea that you need to love your boat. Life is too short to have an ugly boat, or a slow boat, or a boat that's too small, or a boat that's too big, or whatever criteria *YOU* find important. Once you find and buy what *you* want, don't look back, don't second guess, and don't EVER look at yachtworld again.

[Cheechako]

Go with what you love, but keep in mind, Pacific Seacraft,and Cape Dory are generally older style designs with shorter water lines. But moving up in size will give you better speed if that's what you mean by performance.

[barnakiel]

I too subscribe to the idea of 'buy the one you love'. Sure thing, get the soundest and cleanest sample there is on the market too!

So many things in our lives we do out of explicitly financial calculations. I think my boat should not be one of the things.

b.

[Randyonr3]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

If you want good light wind performance, I would steer towards a crusier-racer boat. My friends cruised extensively in a converted J-35. Just enough space onboard for an intimate two and very fine performance in light winds.

b.

over the last few years We've seen a good number of "J" boats gone cruising.. I'm a firm beliver in open ocean racers turned into cruisers as the boat is built for extreme use in "Off Shore" conditions.. something a cruiser will likely never use.. and we all love a "Fast Passage"

[Mr Mac]

One other important question is, what is your budget?

[barnakiel]

Yep.

You cab get a 'classic' with longer LWL too but likely it will not be anything anglo-saxon. And longer LWL may give some speed potential but this does not imply a faster passage.

What gives you faster passages is a boat match with the conditions, and, (at least when crossing the ponds) one that does not waste 50% of its energy rolling helplessly.

Hence, if you want not only a potentially faster boat but rather one that will be able to convert the potential into real world sea miles then IMHO classics are great , upwind. But if you want to sail in light conditions or if you want to sail fast downwind, look for flatter boats with plenty of low placed ballast - minimum roll, maximum mainsail area and a kite that you can furl away.

Just one take, there are many ways to sail and many ways to solve speed challenges.

b.

[oldragbaggers]

Originally Posted by Mimsy

Never mind what everyone else says, buy the boat you love. No one here is going to wake up every day, look at it, work on it, outfit it and care for it. You are going to be doing all that so your opinion is the only one that really counts.

If you don't love it, DON'T buy it no matter what the experts say.

Perfect advice. I can't tell you how many crappy comments I have read about Cape Dorys. They're horrible at this and lousy at that...I wouldn't sail one to a dog fight...blah blah blah.

And then at the other end of the spectrum they have cult classic standing and are almost worshipped. It's a matter of preference and taste.

We loved all three of ours and would buy another in a heartbeat. Anyone else's opinion didn't matter for squat. They weren't the ones paying for it, taking care of it or sailing it.

What others think is immaterial. What makes you happy is all that matters once you have determined that the boat is capable and sound and possesses the sailing characteristics that are important to YOU.

Buy what strikes a chord in your heart and satisfies the requirements in your mind and enjoy.

[barnakiel]

Cape Dorys are IMHO very nice boats. I like one of the bigger ones (36? 37?) very much - well built and sails very well too.

b.