Looking for Center Cockpit 40-50 ft Sloop or Cutter Rigged

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

On the contrary, center cockpit boats are not "minority designs", certainly not over a certain size. Over 45 feet, aft cockpit quality (that is, non mass-produced) blue water cruising boats practically do not exist. Center cockpit boats are the rule in this segment. All HR, Passport, Contest, Oyster, Moody, Hylas over 45 feet made in the last 20 years are center cockpit, as far as I know. I think Swan made a few aft cockpit boats in this size, but most of theirs over 45 feet are center cockpit, too.

The budget requirement must have slipped from you're mind when you wrote that list of dream yachts

cheers,
Nick.

[Doodles]

Originally Posted by Richard Jordan

Other options might be Caliber 47, Hylas 49, Passports (various models in both aft and cc versions). GS 50 can be good boats but are very old. Difference between H46 and T48 is stall shower on Tayana. There's a couple cool Moody 48's in Lauderdale currently. Also some Amel and Dashew (Deerfoot or Sundeer) designs fit your reqs. Good luck.

+1 on the Amels.

After looking at a couple, I really, really like the Amels. They have several features you just won't find on the others. Before you buy, you should at least look at one.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

The budget requirement must have slipped from you're mind when you wrote that list of dream yachts

cheers,
Nick.

Well, I was responding to your thesis that center cockpits are a "minority" design in the 40 - 50 foot range. They're really not something oddball. My point was that they are practically universal in high-end boats over 45'. Mass produced boats, it is true, more often have aft cockpits even over 45 feet. There are plenty of center cockpit boats out there, if that is what the OP wants, and in my opinion there is nothing wrong with wanting one. With the caveat that at the smaller end of his range, they work less and less well.

[Noname]

I sailed with a friend on his Amel 48 Maramu ketch that he brought over from France. It definitely rates a peek.

[Richard Jordan]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Do you mean the Moody 49?

This would be way out of the OP's budget -- I've never seen one for sale at less than half a million dollars. Gorgeous boats, however.

Maybe the Moody 46? One from the 1990's could be had within the OP's budget. Also a nice boat but a little porkier and less performance than the later Dixon designs.

Woops, I meant 47. Prices are around $200k, and I have shown the 2 in Lauderdale from the 80's. I like their forward sleeping area though layouts vary.

http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listi...dedSelected=-1

[Seahunter]

CSY, Formosa (or other Bill Garden design), Endeavour 43 (or other Bob Johnson design re: IP), Irwin, Hans 41-43 (I like the Hans PH model as HCs don't have any headroom).

[sailorboy1]

Seems that almost all models have been suggested, which is as expected because for the most thye all have similar layouts etc.

The question is too board. Other that $300k we know nothing about what you want other than it being a CC. And in the 40-50' range there are aft cockpit boats with forward staterroms if that was the factor for the CC.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

Seems that almost all models have been suggested, which is as expected because for the most thye all have similar layouts etc.

The question is too board. Other that $300k we know nothing about what you want other than it being a CC. And in the 40-50' range there are aft cockpit boats with forward staterroms if that was the factor for the CC.

Exactly. There is a lot between a v-berth with moldy sailbags and an aft stateroom. There are a lot of pro's to a forward or midships stateroom, especially when at anchor which is 90% of the time or more. And while underway, unless we're ta
King about chartering, the couch in the salon can be the best spot!

cheers,
Nick.

[aboutgone]

CSY 44's......but I'm biased .......Ed

[gjordan]

PETERSON 44! I owned a Peterson 44 for about 8 years in the Carribean, and loved it. It sailed very well and had plenty of room for the 2 of us. For living aboard I liked the center cockpit so that I could get up early, bang around the galley, listen to the news and not disturb the Admiral. Mine was an ex charter boat so it didnt have teak decks(thank heaven) and it had too much water tankage (250 gal) that cut into storage a little, but the layout was comfortable. Sleeping in the aft cabin underway was no problem and allowed the watch to go to the galley and make coffee or whatever without disturbing the off watch. The only negative was the Taiwan Stainless steel. I had to replace several chainplates, but that wasnt too hard of a job. All of this talk about seasickness and cockpit location I think is silly. If you are prone to getting sick, you will get sick no matter where the cockpit is, and if you are not prone to being sick it wont matter anyway. Oh Yes, I mounted an Aries Vane on the boat and used it on a passage from Antigua to Panama and almost never had to steer(very important to a short handed cruiser) even in heavy down wind conditions. Overall a good boat to consider. My 2cents worth.____Grant.

[Cheechako]

I just dont see how a CC is called "wetter at sea". In heavy weather, my 47 mono aft cockpit would take waves down the side decks and put a foot of water in the cockpit. A CC with a well designed Dodger is much more pleasant.... The engine room alone might make me go the CC route... You can get all your "stuff" in there to work on... instead of spread throughout the boat under berths and in cubby holes...!
Although some of the older boats mentioned are great boats, With the budget mentioned I dont think they have to buy into that much work....

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

I just dont see how a CC is called "wetter at sea". In heavy weather, my 47 mono aft cockpit would take waves down the side decks and put a foot of water in the cockpit. A CC with a well designed Dodger is much more pleasant.... The engine room alone might make me go the CC route... You can get all your "stuff" in there to work on... instead of spread throughout the boat under berths and in cubby holes...!
Although some of the older boats mentioned are great boats, With the budget mentioned I dont think they have to buy into that much work....

When you compare you need to take all else equal. For boats with a clipper bow you basically get drowned anywhere aboard so dodger protection is needed whereever you decide to create the cockpit. But other bow/hull designs are much drier and do not get any water in the aft cockpit, while they do get plenty spray midships.

Engine rooms are not CC connected. My engine room beats most and I have an aft cockpit. It is just what the designers think is important to use interior volume for. Extra berths or engine room?

cheers,
Nick.

[Cheechako]

The 47 mono in question was a Passport 47. No clipper bow. Yeah if your boat is big enough then an aft cockpit can have a big engine room. But many CC boats have walk-in engine rooms with a door. It makes a nice machinery space. Just sayin' .... every boat's a compromise...

[minaret]

I'll just join the crowd and recommend my own boat. Center cockpit and a pilothouse, with a great Sparkman and Stephens pedigree. Palatial interior. There are a few on the market for right around 300k, but obviously most require some degree of refit. This one is local to me and I know it to be quite nice. In great shape, doesn't need much. They were asking over 400k at first listing, but that was a couple of years ago. Bigger than your requirements.


View Boat Photos - YachtWorld.com

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

When you compare you need to take all else equal. For boats with a clipper bow you basically get drowned anywhere aboard so dodger protection is needed whereever you decide to create the cockpit. But other bow/hull designs are much drier and do not get any water in the aft cockpit, while they do get plenty spray midships.

Engine rooms are not CC connected. My engine room beats most and I have an aft cockpit. It is just what the designers think is important to use interior volume for. Extra berths or engine room?

cheers,
Nick.

All other things being equal, naturally aft cockpit boats are dryer - you are sitting further from the splash.

But a CC boat will have the cockpit higher than an AC boat of similar size -- that will compensate somewhat.

And of course, the bigger the boat, the less the problem. With size you get a taller bow and greater distance between the cockpit and the bow. The bow is further from the cockpit in my present CC boat than it was on my previous 37' AC boat.

And you'll get wet from time to time in any case. Every ocean going sailboat of whatever size needs a good dodger. Mine has a fixed hard windshield which I highly recommend. I've been drenched once by a sea breaking on the beam (foolishly sailing on a beam reach in a F8 and huge seas) but hardly ever get more than a splash from the bow even in really tough conditions -- in a CC boat.

And one thing no one has mentioned -- a CC has much less risk of being pooped than an AC boat of the same size. As the cockpit is not only further from the stern but also higher.

Concerning engine rooms -- Nick is right, of course -- it depends on priorities of the designers. The Sundeers have the whole aft end of the boat dedicated to an enormous walk-in engine room -- the best engine space I've ever seen on a sailboat. But nevertheless there is a strong correlation between center cockpits and good engine rooms -- the Sundeers are an outlyer. I guess it is because the space below the high cockpit is so natural for engine space. Where to put the engine is a real problem on aft cockpit boats of less than 50 feet or so. My previous boat had a v-drive in order to contort the engine into the space behind the companionway -- ick! The only access, without ripping the boat apart, was from the companionway side -- it was pure hell to do anything (thank God the engine was so reliable). Most aft cockpit boats under 50' are a variation on this theme.