Small Boat for a Tall Sailor

[LLCoolDave]

Hi everyone. I've learned a lot from this forum in the short time I've been here. Thank you. I have a strong interest in long term/blue water cruising. I'm 6'3 and I'm frugal so a smaller boat is best but I don't want to be crouched over all the time since it will be a live aboard. I'm looking for a boat that is 20-36ft. So far I have the Southern Cross 35 and Downeast 32 that fit the bill.

I've been browsing bluewaterboats.org but they don't always list the cabin headroom.

Any help is appreciated.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by LLCoolDave

Hi everyone. I've learned a lot from this forum in the short time I've been here. Thank you. I have a strong interest in long term/blue water cruising. I'm 6'3 and I'm frugal so a smaller boat is best but I don't want to be crouched over all the time since it will be a live aboard. I'm looking for a boat that is 20-36ft. So far I have the Southern Cross 35 and Downeast 32 that fit the bill.

I've been browsing bluewaterboats.org but they don't always list the cabin headroom.

Any help is appreciated.

A friend recently bought a Cheoy Lee Luders 30, which is a strong, seaworthy boat in my opinion and has about 6'-3" headroom I think. Might be one to check. You might check pilot house versions of some smaller boats, but the only one I can think of at the moment is the Pearson 36 with a pilot house (which is a nice boat!). There are a few of them though. The older Columbias have a lot of headroom too and are generally well-built.

BTW there is a thread on here called "Best Pilothouse Sailboat?" you might check also.

[avb3]

I ended up with a Lippincott 30. I'm 6'4" and a bit, and it works for me. There are a few for sale right now, but they only built 100. It is a great little boat that I can easily single hand, and it is well built.

Data and specs:
LIPPINCOTT 30 sailboat specifications and details on sailboatdata.com

There are 4 for sale on Yachtworld right now:

http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listi...cyid=100Review

Boat Review

I think you will find the exceptional locker space available a real asset compared to similar sized boats.

[Don C L]

Here is an example of a Columbia 34: 7' salon headroom and 6'-4" in forward cabin

1971 Columbia mkII sailboat for sale in Florida

My only reservation about that design is I prefer not to have a spade rudder on a cruising boat, but that is me.

[LLCoolDave]

From what I have read, I'm trying to stay away from spayed rudders.

[laika]

Beyond bluewaterboats, atomvoyages.com/planning/good-old-boats-list.html and Mahina Expedition - Selecting A Boat for Offshore Cruising. The former is a bit more geared toward the minimalist and lists headrooms. The latter a good all around breakdown in designs. If you go smaller, look for tankage and storage space.

I sure as hell aint an expert, but I've definitely developed more of an appreciation for a more modern underwater profile the farther I travel. A skeg could still protect the rudder/prop from fouling and add a bit of strength. That said, there's a lot of great good old boats with full keels to be had on the market.

Good luck to you sir.

[Jon Neely]

big selling point for our HC33 was I could stand and sleep in it comfortably. I am a true 6'4'' and I fit in both berths and can stand strait up down the center and in the head. I can stand normally throughout the entire boat with my normal posture. Both berths are 6'6''.


Cheers,

Jon

[Steadman Uhlich]

Howdy CoolDave, Welcome Aboard CF!

What follows is written in a friendly tone of voice and with the sole intent to help.

Whenever I see a post asking about a boat or "help me find a boat that…" the first question that enters my mind is:

"What is the limit of asking price you have?"

With an adequate budget (i.e. funds to meet an advertised "asking price range") one can find a solution.

Without the adequate budget, it is asking folks to name what they would want, without necessarily any real fit for what you can buy.

My simple suggestion: Name the budget available for the purchase of the boat. Even better post the maximum asking price or advertised price you would seriously consider spending.

Ask folks here to spend that amount for you, virtually, of course.

Once you name the budget (the maximum asking price you would consider for a boat), you will narrow the field considerably.

The second important question: "Where are you located and where do you want to sail?"

And that leads me to a third question: "How far will you go to purchase the boat?"

For example: Will you only consider purchase if it is in UK home waters? Or, would you consider purchase of a boat in Turkey or Adriatic or elsewhere?

For example: If your profile says you are in the PNW, but your post says you want to cruise the Caribbean. Will you only look at boats in Florida, or the Caribbean, or only in the PNW or elsewhere?
___________________

Here is a thread I also suggest subscribing to if you want to see some noteworthy boats that are available now (for sale now) at a lower asking price point:
Boats Less than $30K
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ds-147098.html

One of those boats just sold for $3800. It was older, but looked like it was in very nice condition and had a recent survey etc.
_____________

One boat I also mention for the tall sailor who is looking at that size of boat (about 30-35 feet) is the Hunter 30T. The "T" model has somewhat higher headroom. Look in the 1990s for one and you can find them about $25K-$35K.

[LLCoolDave]

Thanks to everyone for the posts. I have a budget of $40k-60k for a well equipped boat. Solar panels, wind generator, major refits in the last 5 years. Probably mid 1970's to mid 1980's. Is this unreasonable for a small boat?

I'm not looking for a project but a boat that is well maintained and I can continue the routine maintenance. I will most likely buy the boat in the US. Looks like the HC 33 is out of budget but it looks like a great boat.

I don't have a strong interest in complete circumnavigation but I want to cross the pacific and island hop the Philippines and Indonesia.

[CSY Man]

CSY33: Lots of headroom, prices between $30k to $50.
Tons of storage for live aboard and well built boats.

[laika]

Originally Posted by LLCoolDave

Thanks to everyone for the posts. I have a budget of $40k-60k for a well equipped boat. Solar panels, wind generator, major refits in the last 5 years. Probably mid 1970's to mid 1980's. Is this unreasonable for a small boat?

I'm not looking for a project but a boat that is well maintained and I can continue the routine maintenance. I will most likely buy the boat in the US. Looks like the HC 33 is out of budget but it looks like a great boat.

I don't have a strong interest in complete circumnavigation but I want to cross the pacific and island hop the Philippines and Indonesia.

That sounds good to me. Anecdotally here, $30k purchase (pretty expensive for a 27'-30') and later another $25k during a yearlong refit. If I tried to sell it now maybe, $35??

If you know what you're looking for you're in a great position to save yourself a ton of time/money. On the other hand, the plus side to finding a simple boat with sound basic systems is the sweat equity..you get to decide what you want onboard and how it's setup, and you get an intimate knowledge of those systems before they inevitably breakdown.

My time in a boatyard amounted to a crash course in boat systems. Very valuable to me as the learning curve was high. But it was not a prerequisite to just going out and doing it.

YMMV

[JaySail]

I remember looking at a Sabre 34 MKI in my search for a boat and was impressed that I could stand up in it (I'm 6'3") that being said I ended up buying something else that I have to duck a bit, I figured I wasn't going t be standing around much in the cabin, I would either be sleeping or at the desk or tinkering on something.... The lower headroom has not bothered me since I bought the boat.

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by Steady Hand

For example: If your profile says you are in the PNW, but your post says you want to cruise the Caribbean. Will you only look at boats in Florida, or the Caribbean, or only in the PNW or elsewhere?
_.

Mr Coolio...

Where is your desired purchase location?

Would So Cal be OK?

[VinnyVincent]

Originally Posted by JaySail

I remember looking at a Sabre 34 MKI in my search for a boat and was impressed that I could stand up in it (I'm 6'3") that being said I ended up buying something else that I have to duck a bit, I figured I wasn't going t be standing around much in the cabin, I would either be sleeping or at the desk or tinkering on something.... The lower headroom has not bothered me since I bought the boat.

I'm 6'4" and have a similar situation. I think mine is 6'2"-6'3" at it's highest point(which is about a 2'X2' area)...it's probably not as much of an issue as you would think.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Cool Dave,

Since you are new to the forum, I will give you one of my favorite tips for getting answers to questions (I have) when here:

Looking for Quick Answers?

This is the best and fastest method I have found to the answers I seek here.
Since you are relatively new to the forum, here is my favorite friendly forum search tip: Look at the menu bar on the forum pages for the drop down "Search" menu. Click on that to drop down a list of search functions. From that drop down menu select the GOOGLE CUSTOM search feature (the second box down) and then enter several different descriptive or key terms for your topic of interest. That will do a Custom google search of ONLY this site and it is likely to find answers to your questions or results for you. Note: this is VERY different from using the regular forum search box or field (which I never use because of poor search results). Also note, this is NOT found if you use the CF mobile app. It IS found if you use a web browser such as Safari, IE, Firefox, etc.

Note: The ordinary "search" field on this forum has yielded less helpful results for me when I perform searches. That is why I prefer and suggest the use of the alternative "Google Custom Search" instead. I see a very clear and big difference and find the Google Custom Search much easier for scanning (with my eyes) threads for relevant comments and information.

I am confident if you spend some time trying different search terms (key words) using this method, you will find much advice and many tips.

To show you what I mean, I did a quick Google Custom Search using the term "headroom" and found many threads discussing that. Here is a link so you can see those threads too. I am sure many boats will be mentioned in them.
Looking for Quick Answers?

headroom - Google Search