Sailboats for Elderly Cruising Couple

[Maineiac_sailor]

Hello all, my parents are looking to getting into the cruising lifestyle after coastal sailing for most of their lives. They are both in their late 50's and not in the best of shape. They are looking for a sailboat, (didn't like the trawler idea) sloop rig preferably for ease of sail handling, and comfertable down below. also a mast height under 65' and draft under 6' so they can do intercoastal.

Some boats ive looked at.
whiby 42
morgan out island 41
o day sloop
42' mariner ketch
bristol 40

they liked the whitby the most, as do i, but am interested in hearing what you guys have to say. so any elderly couples who want to weigh in on their choice of marine transportation?

[Minggat]

Brutally honest whippersnapper.

Electric winches were invented to keep the old folks on the water... I understand. I'll let you know when I get there. I'm only 60 so I can't say yet what it's like to get old, but I hear it ain't for sissies.

[PamlicoTraveler]

Originally Posted by Maineiac_sailor

Sailboats for Elderly Cruising Couple
...They are both in their late 50's and

Dude...Wait until you are in your 50's and see if you still call that "elderly".
I vote for the Whitby

[zeehag]

i found a ketch to be easier to handle than a sloop for cruising--- i spent last yr sailin g a sloop all over gulf with a friend--was then anyway-- and i wished to heaven i had had my ketch, as in the sudden squalls, when they hit, one has a LOT more control in a ketch than a sloop-- more and smaller sails, if full keel, better directionality and balance. fullkeel to me is also better as there is not spade rudder to break in accidental grounding on spoils banks... might consider this--mebbe HAVE THEM SAIL OPB WITH YE FOR A BIT SEE WHAT THEY LIKE---- could be they like the ketch with fuller keel and protected rudder and stuff easily repaired--- tiny spaces are difficult for us codgers.... we likes our stuff out and spread so we can see what we got without killing bod to get there. might be they like a cutter with a lil more ability to manage the sails than a sloop in heavy weather.
i have a garden design-- formosa 41. perry designs a really decent cruiser also--look into those as well..goood luck and smooth sailing.

electric winches--yipes--just 2 speed manual self tailing will do well, ty. electric is a bit over the top unless ye hasnt use of hands..... you say they already sail?? what is it they sail now?? how do they manage if they are so old they cant handle it anymore??
my uncle sailed until he was 95 on a gaff rigged racing sloop was and is a registered national historic treasure-but he didnt cruise-- he day sailed. big difference--sailing keeps ye YOUNG.....each of us has preferred kind of sailboat for each kind of sailing. what are they wanting?? d they have a variety if sailboat models under their sailing belt??

i bought my ketch because i own also a sloop--i will not cruise it--is a daysail/weekend tripper- lovely sweet boat. but is not a cruiser--many do cruise ericson 35mII, but i prefer something a little heavier with a bit more distance capability and an attached rudder, and more sails for good balance in storms . hint--ketches usually have shorter masts than sloops and cutters....full keels dont necessarily need to be 6 ft deep-- some are shorter for shorter water....
ps...i solo an d i am 60+..mky former sailpartner is 73 and solo sails. 50???is babies yet.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Maineiac_sailor

Some boats ive looked at.
whiby 42
morgan out island 41
o day sloop
42' mariner ketch
bristol 40

Add some catamarans.

[Sailor Doug]

I am just a out of shape 64 year old still pretty young & spry. I would recommend a fractional rig boat with RF jib and RF main. I single handle all the time mind you I never sail more than 65 k miles a day. A bit of mass also makes the boat. Motion a lot better. In another 10 years I might up grade to a powered winch handle.

[Maineiac_sailor]

thanks for all the replys, i think the catamarans are out of price range. they sail a 24' seafarer right now. i agree that a ketch has more options as far as reefing quick for squalls etc. but they would like all lines to lead into the cockpit, can the mizzen halyard reef etc be run forward into the cockpit? or doesnt make sense? They really like the whitby's, and we are looking at a few more. put in an offer on one as well.

i think what ever we do, will install at least on electric winch in the cockpit, for halyards, sheeting, etc. also electric windlass.

[boatman61]

This should get some laughs....
BVI Yacht Sales Ltd.&
Or this
http://uk.yachtworld.com/core/listin...g_id=18824&url=
But I'm totally serious....
Especially about the beneteau.... get real comfortable...

[Maineiac_sailor]

u look pretty comfortable in your hammoc!! maybe get them a pocket cruiser w a couple hammocs

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Maineiac_sailor

u look pretty comfortable in your hammoc!! maybe get them a pocket cruiser w a couple hammocs

Thats a Beneteau Oceanis 331.... I love beneteaus.....lol

[Maineiac_sailor]

we have chartered a few, and they are great boats, sail well, and have thought out interiors. just cant get over the lines. too modern

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Maineiac_sailor

we have chartered a few, and they are great boats, sail well, and have thought out interiors. just cant get over the lines. too modern

Ah well.... knowing a coupla three of your choices... as a 62yr old... I may be fit... but I'm happily lazy....
Good hunting

[roverhi]

I'm 66, not in the greatest shape but not a total couch potato. Just did a solo TransPac in my Pearson 35.

If you are too old to crank a winch, you are too old to cruise without a younger crewmember along. You may need larger winches but if you have to go electric, you won't have the strength to do the other things that will undoubtedly come up on a cruise.

I'm not all that big a fan of ketch rigs. They may have a smaller main and a slightly smaller headsail but not enough to make up for the performance hit. Roller furling handles a 130 headsail in most conditions. An asymetric spinnaker with an ATN sock is a piece of cake to handle. A slab reefed main with the all the mainsail controls led back to the cockpit is so easy and reliable to handle can't see the need for any other mainsail control paraphenalia.

Have given up my hand windlass for an electric. Didn't do it because I couldn't handle cranking by hand. Find that the electric windlass is just so much easier to deal with, especially single handed. Being able to retrieve the anchor from the cockpit while making sail is a boon to sailing out of crowded anchorages.

I'd lean to the Whitby though have a soft spot for the Bristol 40, the most beautiful affordable production sailboat ever. You might also look at the Pearson 365, 385, 425. The 365 is surprizingly roomy and dirt cheap these days. The Westsail 42/43 are hell for stout boats that have been almost everywhere. If you want a performance cruiser, the Kelly Peterson 44/46 are excellent sailors. The Morgan Out Islands were ugly boats when built and haven't gotten any better looking with age. The design was a gross compromise to keep the draft very shallow which makes them a leeway monster to weather.

Sailing has a way of improving your condtioning, btw. Handling the constant motion of a sailboat on a long passage means you are exercising 24/7 even while sleeping. Know the TransPac didn't help my flab much at all.

[Jim Cate]

Please retract the "elderly" label... they're just punk kids, in the prime of life. Shouldn't need geriatric aids at all.

Cheers,

Jim and Ann s/v Insatiable II lying Towlers Bay, NSW, Oz (about to celebrate my 73rd bd.)

[markpierce]

Steer them back to a "trawler" -- a diesel, single-engined boat designed to cruise at "displacement speed" at most, with nice sleeping accomodations for two, something between 30 and 40 feet in length.

They could get a trawler with a short mast with fore and aft staysails.