What cruiser to buy for family weekender / fun racing with friends

[nosssailor]

Hi All,

I have spent the last 3 months looking for a suitable boat for us to sail as a family (me, my wife and a baby) here in Hong Kong, but cant quite find the right boat.

I guess this has a lot to do with the cost / comfort / speed equation ie that you can have 2 out of the three but no all 3 !

Anyway, I am looking for a boat with the following :
- under 90000 USD
- we can cruise as a family around the islands, and overnight.
- do the odd fun race with friends, but short handed.
- comfortable enough that the family want to use it throughout the spring, summer, autumn.
- must be shippable ie under 42 feet (this is the max i can ship on a std container base. shipper has told me I can go a little over each end of a 40 foot contianer and they will still ship as std)
- must have seperate heads
- must have seperate sleeping cabin for baby
- ability to anchor easily ( ie has or can be fotted sensibly with decent stem fitting.)

Boats I have considered :
Elan 350 - lovely boat, thought it was maybe not very good in light airs that we predominatly have in HK,
J109 - none in this region but could ship,
First 40.7 - difficult to get a nice one that has not been thrashed
First 31.7 - great boat but none in region
Pogo 30 - too expensive
Djangos boats - none on second hand mkt so too expensive
C&C 30 - love this boat, but doesnt quite do the family crusing side
Hanse 375 - perfect but too expensive still I think

The Dreams
Besteaver 49 - dream boat
Boreal 44 & 47 - dream boat

Any thoughts
Thx
Nosssailor

[YachtBroker]

When you say seperate heads, do you mean two heads? If so you're going to be at least 38-42 feet before you see that. Now a beneteau 393 has two heads, so did some of the older 381s. Catalina 400's did as well but probably few in your area. Sounds like you're looking more at the racer cruiser style (First beneteau or Hanse, J etc). All good boats and have more of a following in your area. All are going to have fore and aft cabins. 90K USD, and if you could live with 1 head you could get a later model Beneteau in the 35-38 range. We have a fabulous Catalina 350 that has the deep draft version that is no popular in our area but would be in yours and I think it's down to $110K US and would be a great boat. (I'm biased though as I own the same model boat).
Probably cheaper to find something locally there.

[nosssailor]

Hi Yachtbroker
Thanks for your reply, apologies for the confusion, I meant that I didnt want heads behind a curtain as on some "performance" boats.
We only need 1 heads, as a family I dont think you need more than one as if it goes wrong you can always use a bucket

Which beneteaus in 35-38 rage are you thinking of ?
agree that J's & hanse also a good option.

osmething I am not so familiar (ie not sailed) are Jeanneaus, thoughts ?

[YachtBroker]

Ok that makes senses. Post 96 all jeanneaus are built by group beneteau. So you can buy one or the other and they are all beneteau, but they do have different models and interior looks of wood. As you get closer into the post 2000s boats they look a lot more similar and the sun fast boat was a comparable boat to the beneteau first. If you wanted the utmost in performance, the later 90s early 2000s Beneteau First 36.7 is hard to beat and there should be some in your price range but not sure if you can find any in your area.

The Beneteau models that end in 1 (331,261,381,411,461) or 3 and they are newer (343, 373,393, 423, 473) are all great boats. Sold a tn of them when I was a dealer. The 40' size and up are probably out of the price limit you set.
The same age boats in the first series in that price range is the First 36.7. I'm not as familiar with the Jeanneaus in this era because they were not as popular in the US until the last 5-8 years.
You can't go wrong with the Beneteau product for the price and models I suggested. They are all good sailing boats and will go around the buoys effectively.

[Hamish_ct]

For a suitable racer cruiser I would stay away from the J's. My wife hates ours probably the most uncomfortable boats made. Great for racing, fun and an all around great boat for racing crew, but as the old saying goes "happy wife happy life". I'm in the same situation as you. Currently I am leaning towards a C&C 99.. Recently I looked at the new Elan E4. What a great boat, I just have an aversion to buying new so will have to wait a few years.

[Scout 30]

How about something designed to fit in a container?

Far Harbour 39 Sailboat Review | Cruising World

[Stumble]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

How about something designed to fit in a container?

Far Harbour 39 Sailboat Review | Cruising World

A good idea but about 2.5 times the budget.



I like J boats but they are racers with some ammenaties they really are not cruisers in any sense of the word. I would steal you towards the Beneteau First series or Jeneau Sun Fast line. Both are comfortable first with a good turn of speed.

[AiniA]

If you like the C&C 30 why not get a larger C&C than has more of the amenities you want. Price should still be right even if you have to ship from the west coast of NA.

[akprb]

Check out "Hunter really?" at www.sailingohana.com

The 40.5 and 37.5 Legend are unique in their lineup. Can't speak to others.

[Djarraluda]

Hong Kong has changed a bit in recent years, my experience is limited as to the market nowadays, but I still love the Cheoy Lee 35 (or a Dragon, but that misses a couple of markers for you)
Can always look at the Flying Tiger and curtain the heads

[nalinjay1974]

Hi Nossailor

There is a first 31.7 listed for sale in the Philippines for USD 65k. Check out PGYC.org. There was a First 42 for sale a while back via the RHKYC but it may have been sold.

Do you have a mooring already? I live in HK too and as you probably know there is quite a shortage here at the moment!

Good luck with your search.

[nosssailor]

Thanks everyone

Love the 31.7 used to race one in uk and really could hit the spot.
Regarding the 36.7 I like the look of it but I heard they spin out quite easily in a blow down wind, does anyone know if that's correct ?

Thanks all as well regarding the J - boat comments as was quite keen onJ109 but I hear you loud and clear and will move on as this makes sense that they

So I am zoning in on first 31.7, 36.7 Hanse 375.

Does anyone know what the sun fast 3600/3200 are like to cruise or are they too basic ?


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