Looking for a Good Single-Handed Offshore Boat

[OaklandSailor]

Originally Posted by Ken on Satori

Pearson Vanguard. Simple, stout and in your price range. However, you best plan for 50% of purchase price to bring any boat up to snuff. Older boats might not be as fast as Jeff's new ones, but they are built like a brick SH. Ken

I have the Vanguard on my list and as soon as I see one near enough to walk on I'll be there. By the way, I've a handful of years sailing on the SF bay and while nowhere near being a Hal Roth or a Pardee I feel confident of what I do know and also of all that I don't (the latter being enough to fill a library, as you can imagine).

As always, great to find all of you here for the wisdom of the ages.

[OaklandSailor]

Originally Posted by SimonV

Have a good look at the Islander 36 yachts. Well built, easy to single hand, good resale.

Simon, FWIW, I'm not sure I agree with you on this, as I was regular race crew on an Islander 36 for six years and know the boat well as a bay racer, at least. Roomy and reasonably well built though they are I've found very little reason to think of this boat as a distance voyager. First, nearly all shipped with an Atomic 4 which may/not have been replaced, nearly all are wheel steering which I think is a disadvantage in nearly every way and also this boat would be waaay more than a handful for a singlehander under anything but moderate breezes. Last, they are not the least inexpensive, at least here in SF; $30k and above for anything worth owning. In fact, the very boat I crewed on all those years is now for sale. Built in the late 70's it is offered, like many others of its vintage, at $34k. Although I'm still looking, I don't see this boat as a good value for offshore sailing. Just my 2 cents.

[SaltyMonkey]

OaklandSailor - I would disagree on most of your notes. I believe strongly that the boat could be handled solo and there is history there of successes to back it up that statement. In fact, I believe there is a 36 in this years transpac. We also know there have been a few circumnavs.

As for the wheel, I see no problem with having a wheel and may be an advantage on a larger boat, and I am a tiller bigot. I feel good about this boat - the sailing characteristics and speed are most desirable.

None of the listings in our area have Atomic 4 engines or gas, so I don't know what you mean.

I believe the Islander 36 is quite a capable boat for offshore sailing along the southern run. The only "personal" concern would be some of the design - the skeg rudder not being streamlined into the main keel / fin

But alas, you are correct about price - in our area approx 30k - 45k

[SaltyMonkey]

In our area under 20k, I see:

Pacific Seacraft 25' - 2 of them. No headroom really but its a strong boat.
29', 30' Ericson
32' Coronado Center Cockpit
33' Morgan Out Island 33
30' Pearson
27', 31' CAL
27', 30' Catalina Sloop (some have gone to Hawaii from here)
29', 30' C+C

I don't vouch for how far you take her, just what I see as examples under 20k.

[OaklandSailor]

Originally Posted by SaltyMonkey

OaklandSailor - I would disagree on most of your notes. I believe strongly that the boat could be handled solo and there is history there of successes to back it up that statement. In fact, I believe there is a 36 in this years transpac. We also know there have been a few circumnavs.

As for the wheel, I see no problem with having a wheel and may be an advantage on a larger boat, and I am a tiller bigot. I feel good about this boat - the sailing characteristics and speed are most desirable.

None of the listings in our area have Atomic 4 engines or gas, so I don't know what you mean.

I believe the Islander 36 is quite a capable boat for offshore sailing along the southern run. The only "personal" concern would be some of the design - the skeg rudder not being streamlined into the main keel / fin

But alas, you are correct about price - in our area approx 30k - 45k

Sir: I respect your opinion on this question and have no wish to belabor the subject but I do submit that Scheda's quoted statement at 18:15 says he's looking for something to singlehand offshore. My impression is that he is starting at square one, and if that's true, and if I were him, I wouldn't give a moment's thought to my beloved I-36 as a blue water boat. Price aside -and they hold a high resale for many of the right reasons- one rarely sees this boat outfitted for blue water. One will find such an example when searching but they are hardly abundant. Now, I wouldn't be the least surprised to learn that you have knowledge that I do not, but I have not seen the Islander 36 on a "buy list" for offshore boats. Last thought from me at least, is that I personally have never seen even one that had any of the visible signs of it being a cruiser in port, i.e. wind vane">Aries wind vane or the like, dinghy lashed to the cabin top, mast steps, radar, photo voltaic cell arrays or wind turbine standing at the stern, etc. My opinion is that with so many highly regarded offshore cruisers to choose from there is little reason to put this boat anywhere near the top of one's list.

Last, and as a gesture of goodwill to all, I offer this URL to a fascinating website that some of you might not have discovered:

Famous Small Boats

Here you'll find sailboats ranging in size from 5'4" to 26' that have made successful crossings.

OS

[SaltyMonkey]

Well, thats not a first Oakland, judging a boat and the sailor by how much crap they carry on it - e.g. solar panels, wind charger, and whether it came in with a wheel! I must get down to WorstMarine right away and get some gear! And by golly, if that boat isn't on a list somewhere well, I guess it's just not worthy and we should just not consider it even though the specifications related to the technical design indicate that it is quite a capable offshore sailer and even though a number of people have successfully proven the boat in long extended journeys in reality..

Thanks for the list, but this is really old news to me.

I'll leave you with two Californians who circumnavigated in I36's since they are pretty well known:

Zac Sunderland 17 years old at end (last name sound familiar?)
Gary Gould

And of course this little useless glib...

"The popularity of the I-36 was demonstrated by the fact that it was selected as one of the World's Twenty Best Boats by Cruising World Magazine"

[OaklandSailor]

Sir, the hour is late. I yawn in your general direction.

[SimonV]

Back in 2008 I went to the states to get an Islander 36 to sail home to Oz (I admit I did buy a different boat as the Oz $ rose while there) I know of four I36's here on the east coast of Oz and have sailed on two of them. They were sailed across the Pacific by their owners and one has just headed back out planning to make Japan.

[Adelie]

Assuming the $20k is for buy & Outfit, then you can probably get away with spending $10k-13k buying.

The boats that come to mind that might generally be in this price range, reasonalby sized and capable to going would be:

Cal 34 (1 RTW)
Ranger 33
Allied Seawind 32 (1st Glass boat to RTW)
Rawson 30
Cal 29
Cascade 29 (2+ RTW's)
Pearson Triton 28 (Multiple RTW's)

The Rawson would be very slow, heavy without a lot of sail area to compensate.

There were 2 makers for the Triton, Pearson and Aeromarine. The Aeromarine boats were built for the SF bay area and would be slightly better for offshore: slightly heavier, less trim wood on deck, masthead rig, slightly more sail area.

The Ranger 29 also appears to be a good boat outwardly but when you look at the displacement compared to other comparable 29' boats from that era you realize there is a lot less material in the boat.

Mentioned in an ealier post was a Morgan 30 Out Island. The Out Islands were built for charter market in the Caribbean. As such they are tough, spacious below and don't draw much. They also tend not to sail well upwind, the hull shape needed for internal volume and the shallow draft are the culprits. That said I believe at least one Morgan 41 O/I has gone around which tells you it can be done.

[barnakiel]

I would be careful with the Morgans. I have only seen one (about 40+ and a ketch), Definitely poor built. Maybe other models were better. Still, a bit of extra caution not a bad idea.

b.

[Finditsurfit]

NOt sure if anyone already said this but check out the boats competing in the Jester race this year. About half a junk rigged half are bermuda. Most of them where built for your price range (except the one french guy sailing a full on race sled but he is french). I think these boats are ideal and proven. If I didn't love my wife and want her with me thats the way I would go, LOL.

[SaltyMonkey]

Jester is downright insane, but junks awaaaay

[wingonwing]

Am new to the forum.. Really enjoy the site though. Looking to link up with any 39' Ericson owners. A bit of advice as well... I race a bit on 33 but am looking to purchase a 39' now I know what kind of pressure and flux we create on the forestay in my 33' she's pure glass though and I have bullied her up for raceing still on a fractional rig I watch the stern like a hawk for sighns of flux. The Ericson I'm looking to purchase has'nt a rig !! Broker wont really say how she lost it. I'm guessing she was pushed to hard. Those old 39's were balsa cored. What kind of damage should I look for when inspecting the boat? Of course we'll get a surveyor to look at her but on my budgit any initial sighns that I can see myself and save meself a bit of time and surveyor fees would be helpfull... Allmost 1 1/2 years looking and researching and I keep coming back to this boat must be a sighn... Or it could be the price!! Any advice on structure building or otherwise would be great help.. Cheers

[Ken on Satori]

The OP sorta disappeared and the thread split up. Looking back to the OP topic, I noticed something I did not address in my reply.
That is if the OP does not know much about sailboats he really needs to first learn seamanship. It would be cheaper for him to fly to where ever he is going. It's not like driving LA to NYC. World is full of people with plans but no idea of what they are getting into. Ken

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by wingonwing

... Those old 39's were balsa cored. What kind of damage should I look for when inspecting the boat?

Hi,

Read up on lamination and de-lamination issues. Then look very carefully for signs of de-lamination as well as for any water ingress. If found, reject the deal.

Cored (sandwich) design is great when sound. Fixing de-laminated sandwich constructions is next to impossible and in any case time and money-consuming.

Otherwise check all the other structural things as if you would on any GRP hull, with due attention to mast support, keel-to-hull, hull-to-deck, chainplates and rudder area first and foremost.


barnie