Which Boat to buy?

[KetoNomad]

Hello fellow sailing enthusiasts,

what better place than here to get some opinions on which boat to buy. I'm a very new sailor and, as it turns out, I get seasick very easily now (never used to). I previously owned a San Juan 24 thinking I could make do with its shortcomings as a cruiser but it was so unstable I couldn't stand to even be on it after a short time. I sold it at a huge loss and want to avoid that situation happening again.

Fortunately, I had the opportunity to go out on a 20'000lb steel sloop (36 foot) and was almost completely fine aside from a few moments of nausea.

Now I am contemplating purchasing a relatively heavy fibreglass boat that will handle coastal cruising in British Columbia as well as being capable of heading out into bluewater. I am 6'8" tall so that makes the sleeping situation tricky but I will singlehand the vast majority of the time so I could even sleep on the cabin sole if need be while I rip out part of the interior to make way for my extra length. I don't care about racing at all, I just want something I can live on for extended periods that will go anywhere and can be rigged up with a fridge and freezer for all the bacon and steak I eat

I like the Contessa 26, Albin Vega (27 footer), Alberg 30 and am even contemplating an Alberg 37 because who doesn't want to live in a palace? Hah. It's fairly chilly in BC in the winter when I like to take off work (past freezing at night and maybe 55F or 14C for the daytime high) so the drier the ride the better; not a normal feature for a folkboat, I know. I have a drysuit but it's nice to not have to wear one all day especially for weeks at a time.

I would like to explore all the places most people don't get to see in my province like the fjords along the south and central coast. Remote places with probably no resupply opportunities for long distances in the winter. I'd have to carry lots of water and fuel and have wind generators and solar panels. I really do eat a TON of meat and fat as I'm on the ketogenic diet so I need to keep lots of food cold . I can eat 1lb of bacon and a lb of beef a day pretty easily (giving a rough idea of space needed). How much juice do those fridges guzzle?

Anyway, I picked these boats because they are said to be "seakindly" and relatively heavy, so no bobbing like a cork for every ripple like my San Juan. They are aesthetically pleasing (to me, anyway) and fairly inexpensive (I'm not Bill Gates).

I've got about $36'000 CAD right now which is not a lot but since I'm a long haul trucker and living in my truck I save most of what I earn. I can put thousands in the bank each month so by the time I'm ready to trade asphalt for salt water I should have about 90k or more. I like the Alberg 37 a lot but I gather the cost of ownership goes up exponentially after you break the 30 foot mark and I'm pretty lazy so the less hull I have to scrape and repaint the better. I'd also rather spend my money on food for cruising than more square footage but the A37 looks like the last boat I'd ever have to buy, I could live on it for good and probably go for months without resupply, so yeah.

Oh yeah and for those who are unfamiliar with the place where I'll be cutting my teeth sailing has a lot of narrow channels with tides around 18 knots and pretty significant rapids if you try to go through at anything other than slack tide so how the boat handles these conditions is no small consideration. The channels are too beautiful to miss and lead to some secluded bays.

Thoughts?

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by KetoNomad

Hello fellow sailing enthusiasts,

what better place than here to get some opinions on which boat to buy. I'm a very new sailor and, as it turns out, I get seasick very easily now (never used to). I previously owned a San Juan 24 thinking I could make do with its shortcomings as a cruiser but it was so unstable I couldn't stand to even be on it after a short time. I sold it at a huge loss and want to avoid that situation happening again.

Fortunately, I had the opportunity to go out on a 20'000lb steel sloop (36 foot) and was almost completely fine aside from a few moments of nausea.

Now I am contemplating purchasing a relatively heavy fibreglass boat that will handle coastal cruising in British Columbia as well as being capable of heading out into bluewater. I am 6'8" tall so that makes the sleeping situation tricky but I will singlehand the vast majority of the time so I could even sleep on the cabin sole if need be while I rip out part of the interior to make way for my extra length. I don't care about racing at all, I just want something I can live on for extended periods that will go anywhere and can be rigged up with a fridge and freezer for all the bacon and steak I eat

I like the Contessa 26, Albin Vega (27 footer), Alberg 30 and am even contemplating an Alberg 37 because who doesn't want to live in a palace? Hah. It's fairly chilly in BC in the winter when I like to take off work (past freezing at night and maybe 55F or 14C for the daytime high) so the drier the ride the better; not a normal feature for a folkboat, I know. I have a drysuit but it's nice to not have to wear one all day especially for weeks at a time.

I would like to explore all the places most people don't get to see in my province like the fjords along the south and central coast. Remote places with probably no resupply opportunities for long distances in the winter. I'd have to carry lots of water and fuel and have wind generators and solar panels. I really do eat a TON of meat and fat as I'm on the ketogenic diet so I need to keep lots of food cold . I can eat 1lb of bacon and a lb of beef a day pretty easily (giving a rough idea of space needed). How much juice do those fridges guzzle?

Anyway, I picked these boats because they are said to be "seakindly" and relatively heavy, so no bobbing like a cork for every ripple like my San Juan. They are aesthetically pleasing (to me, anyway) and fairly inexpensive (I'm not Bill Gates).

I've got about $36'000 CAD right now which is not a lot but since I'm a long haul trucker and living in my truck I save most of what I earn. I can put thousands in the bank each month so by the time I'm ready to trade asphalt for salt water I should have about 90k or more. I like the Alberg 37 a lot but I gather the cost of ownership goes up exponentially after you break the 30 foot mark and I'm pretty lazy so the less hull I have to scrape and repaint the better. I'd also rather spend my money on food for cruising than more square footage but the A37 looks like the last boat I'd ever have to buy, I could live on it for good and probably go for months without resupply, so yeah.

Oh yeah and for those who are unfamiliar with the place where I'll be cutting my teeth sailing has a lot of narrow channels with tides around 18 knots and pretty significant rapids if you try to go through at anything other than slack tide so how the boat handles these conditions is no small consideration. The channels are too beautiful to miss and lead to some secluded bays.

Thoughts?

Welcome again,
Ha! there are a couple truckers here from your neighborhood!
Here's one: http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...es-163941.html
and newhaul is another. Real nice guys and I'm sure they could give you some pointers too.
As far as boats, bluewaterboats.org has a good list but not the last word. Sounds like you'll be needing a nice big fresh diesel for the tidal currents and your fridge! Check the classics like BigNick did, looks like he got a good one.

A boat like this one may have the room and sea-kindliness you are looking for:
https://olympic.craigslist.org/bod/5803959417.html

boats with a pilot house may be where you are headed I would guess

[KetoNomad]

Originally Posted by Don C L

Welcome again,
Ha! there are a couple truckers here from your neighborhood!
Here's one: http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...es-163941.html
and newhaul is another. Real nice guys and I'm sure they could give you some pointers too.
As far as boats, bluewaterboats.org has a good list but not the last word. Sounds like you'll be needing a nice big fresh diesel for the tidal currents and your fridge! Check the classics like BigNick did, looks like he got a good one.

A boat like this one may have the room and sea-kindliness you are looking for:
https://olympic.craigslist.org/bod/5803959417.html

boats with a pilot house may be where you are headed I would guess

Hey thanks again for replying to my post

It's funny I know of another guy who sails that drives long-haul occasionally. It's kind of a good job in the sense that you can take all kinds of time off and find work easily when you need to replenish your funds.

Wow that pilothouse boat looks HUGE haha I'd probably spend half my time maintaining it.

I'm okay with having to crouch when below decks, I'm used to hunching over. Most of the time is spent laying or sitting down anyway isn't it?

Have you sailed any of the boats I mentioned? I've heard some people call the Contessa the worst boat they've ever owned hahaha. But I'm guessing that's just because of the wet ride and it probably isn't as fast as a more race inspired design.

I will check out those Youtube vids of Nick's

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by KetoNomad

Hey thanks again for replying to my post

It's funny I know of another guy who sails that drives long-haul occasionally. It's kind of a good job in the sense that you can take all kinds of time off and find work easily when you need to replenish your funds.

Wow that pilothouse boat looks HUGE haha I'd probably spend half my time maintaining it.

I'm okay with having to crouch when below decks, I'm used to hunching over. Most of the time is spent laying or sitting down anyway isn't it?

Have you sailed any of the boats I mentioned? I've heard some people call the Contessa the worst boat they've ever owned hahaha. But I'm guessing that's just because of the wet ride and it probably isn't as fast as a more race inspired design.

I will check out those Youtube vids of Nick's

I sailed a Downeaster 38 a bit... it is something like the CT35. You aren't going to win many races but it was strong and comfortable. I think you should look for some fair headroom for yourself because you'll be inside quite a bit and if you are always crouched or cramped it may not be as much fun. I didn't see too much more maintenance in that CT35 than any other.. It didn't have much varnish. But go for a design that feels right for you and tugs at your heartstrings! Myself I am prone to favor the old skinny, longer, deeper keels of Sparkman and Stephens or Carl Alberg and others for their seakindly and sea-worthy virtues.. but that is just me. (There were a couple of Bounty IIs in your neighborhood for sale a while back that I would have been tempted to see.) I also would love to have a Newick trimaran so go figure.
As far as the boats you mentioned the Alberg 30 and the Vega kind of bookend my design, Columbia 29. I like my boat a lot, but some folks don't like the "tenderness" and the occasional splash and the lack of beamy roominess. But for seakindlines, seaworthiness and strength, they are certainly well-known!

[barnakiel]

Albin Vega, C26, etc. are all small mickey mouse boats. Skip them.

Look for a fine Nicholson 31, a HR Monsun, a Contessa 32, a Morris Leigh (Victoria 30), a Vancouver 27, a Rival 32, a Westsnail 28, etc.

I have spotted a cheap Nicholson 35 for 20k recently. Can't say what's wrong with this one. Only that the price is just too good. It is out there if you google.

Go for a small boat but not for a very small boat - if you want to make any serious sailing one day.

Alternatively, if you are OK with a small boat, get an IF. 2k and you get a boat as much as a Contessa 26 that are normally priced at least 4 times that much.

Some very small boats have very strong following. Mostly among people who read one too many sailing adventure books.

Cheers,
b.

[Chenega]

Morris Leigh 30 - fantastic cruiser! We need to sell this boat with regrets. We've used her to sail Connecticut to Maine for many years. Ready to sail and travel... If interested, PM me

[Jim Cate]

I can hardly imagine the issues that arise from being as tall as you are... great if you like playing basketball, not so great if you want to live aboard a smaller boat. I can kinda extrapolate from my 5'10" size, having long ago cruised on a catalina 22 trailer sailor with about 5 feet headroom... maybe less. And honestly, in your place I'd be looking at bigger boats for sure.

There is a lot of rhetoric spouted about how expensive bigger boats are to own, mostly from folks who have never owned one.. Yes, a 35-38 foot boat will cost more to buy and to maintain, but not all that much more, compared to the greater livability they would provide for a bod like yours. The term "exponential" is often used to describe the increment in costs with additional length, and is simply not true. Something between linear and squared is more like reality.... I bet your truck has much more commodious trappings than any 26-27 foot boat (but I admit to never having been aboard such a truck!) And with the truck, you can always get out and walk around if you get cabin fever!

So, what I'm suggesting is that you visit some boats in the size range you are considering, and then do the same with some mid thirty foot boats and consider being stuck for a few days on board with no chance to get off (and yes, that does happen when cruising!). When you factor in such situations, the folkboat does not look very attractive!

Be interesting to see what you decide, mate...

Jim

[KetoNomad]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

I can hardly imagine the issues that arise from being as tall as you are... great if you like playing basketball, not so great if you want to live aboard a smaller boat. I can kinda extrapolate from my 5'10" size, having long ago cruised on a catalina 22 trailer sailor with about 5 feet headroom... maybe less. And honestly, in your place I'd be looking at bigger boats for sure.

There is a lot of rhetoric spouted about how expensive bigger boats are to own, mostly from folks who have never owned one.. Yes, a 35-38 foot boat will cost more to buy and to maintain, but not all that much more, compared to the greater livability they would provide for a bod like yours. The term "exponential" is often used to describe the increment in costs with additional length, and is simply not true. Something between linear and squared is more like reality.... I bet your truck has much more commodious trappings than any 26-27 foot boat (but I admit to never having been aboard such a truck!) And with the truck, you can always get out and walk around if you get cabin fever!

So, what I'm suggesting is that you visit some boats in the size range you are considering, and then do the same with some mid thirty foot boats and consider being stuck for a few days on board with no chance to get off (and yes, that does happen when cruising!). When you factor in such situations, the folkboat does not look very attractive!

Be interesting to see what you decide, mate...

Jim

Yeah probably the most annoying aspect of being tall is probably short people telling me how lucky I am...how would they know? I want them to pay for my clothing and food for a year and take the occasional gash on the scalp and then tell me I'm lucky. Plus the extra windage! haha

Yeah my Freightliner has enough room for me to stand up straight and put my hands over my head, haha. Ironically, I almost never do that. But yeah, I think I would go stircrazy on a small boat, well, maybe. I just like the price.

What do you think of the ALBERG 37? That seems like a nice middleground between folkboat and larger cruiser. I'm not sure what they have for headroom but it must be quite a bit more. I like the narrow boats because it makes it easier to grab onto something when you get destabilized. I also really like tiller steering so I don't want to go too big. I could be wrong but I understand the tiller steering is easier to fix/maintain and less likely to fail. So that's right up my alley. To give you an idea of how much I hate fixing stuff my jeep has had a vacuum leak for about five years. It still gets relatively good mileage so I don't bother taking it apart again. But yeah, simpler is better in my case. Also I'm just surmising here but the instability of my last boat I am assuming is because it was kind of tick shaped (and light) when I hear people complaining of heeling to 15-20 degrees I laugh. My last boat would rock like a tub toy 30 degrees was common. No wonder my whole body hurt after a day in that thing. Not a huge fan of getting splashed but I think it's inevitable. I will most likely be wearing a drysuit most of the time anyway. Winter singlehanding above the 49th parallel when you're a rookie...just seems prudent

Any recommendations for bigger boats? Something pretty bare bones ie: no teak or cosmetic stuff just a good functional boat? I was considering a Brent Swain 36 steel bilge keeler but I was turned off of the idea for a number of reasons. For one thing the sails on one of those would be bloody expensive. Plus you would probably need a 50hp engine. all that so I can avoid paying haulout fees by beaching it? Nah.

[markwesti]

Thanks for the mention barnekakile , but for the OP I would not suggest a W28 although there is a ton of storage space and tankage also a really big built in ice box I think a man his size would have difficulty down below or maybe not . I would suggest a W32 or a W42 -43 the W42-43's are built on the same hull , the 42 is a center cock pit and the 43 is aft . Because Westsails were designed for off shore work there was a emphasis on storage and tankage space . The 42-43 is nothing like the 28-32 , 28- 32's have a lot of exterior wood the 42-43 has minimum exterior wood . http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_id=2257

[Sea Dreaming]

In the height issue it works both ways. Often I am told I am "lucky" for being 5 ft tall. But no, I really cant buy clothes off the rack, no I am not ok with riding with the luggage and I really dont fit, so mam/ sir it is not ok to talk to me like a child. And please stop stooping when you talk to me! Rant over.
On the westsails, the 28 and 32 have short v births. We nixed them because Jim.at 6'1" was too tall.

You will probably be stooping some on any boat. But pay attention to settee layout. Some are 7 ft, that gives you at least one place to stretch out some.

Personally I think the Alberg is a fine boat, but check the condition well. Survey of course!

[Don C L]

There was an Alberg 37 for sale near here a while back with a blown engine for pretty cheap. I didn't see it but pics looked good. I think they are beautiful boats with all the virtues and vices of the old school CCA designs (which I happen to fancy.) I think headroom for you will still be an issue, but if you are truly ok with crouching, it could be a great choice if in good shape. I still stand behind my idea that a pilot house is in your future, not just for headroom, but for your local climate. But the way you describe your dream boat, it sounds like one of my favorites too, a Pearson Rhodes 41. They have tillers and they are narrow, stoutly built old-timers, not much varnishing (except the Reliant.) The Bounty II and the Rhodes Reliant are nearly identical hulls. The Bounty had the engine down pretty low, I personally think the Pearson's interior layout may be better. Just for fun you may get a kick out of this link... a lot more than 35k though! Check out the Rhodes 41 refit:
Cruisers & Sailing Forums - refits of note
http://bluewaterboats.org/pearson-41-rhodes/
If I found one of those in really good shape with a quarter berth I might be tempted to the point of financial ruin to buy it!
That Spencer that BigNIck got is a good choice too.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by markwesti

Thanks for the mention barnekakile , but for the OP I would not suggest a W28 although there is a ton of storage space and tankage also a really big built in ice box I think a man his size would have difficulty down below or maybe not . I would suggest a W32 or a W42 -43 the W42-43's are built on the same hull , the 42 is a center cock pit and the 43 is aft . Because Westsails were designed for off shore work there was a emphasis on storage and tankage space . The 42-43 is nothing like the 28-32 , 28- 32's have a lot of exterior wood the 42-43 has minimum exterior wood . WESTSAIL 42 sailboat specifications and details on sailboatdata.com

Definitely, if a W43 can be had and held, it is a good choice. If 42 is not an option but a W32 is, this is also a good choice.

I was talking only small boats, avoiding too small boats, when I mentioned the 28. Sure 32 is more of a boat. Also easier to find.

External wood, in my book, is a no & no for the tropics, other sailors may have other opinions. I respect.

I think it is easy to buy a big boat but given a budget limit it is difficult to impossible to buy a big and good boat. Given that many 30 to 40 boats are so good and so available I think OP will have zero challenge getting something he likes.

Cheers,
b.

[laika]

Like Jimcate said, a bigger boat probably wont be exponentially more expensive..larger engine/sails/more rigging/etc will cost you a bit more to maintain, but you're still gonna buy a lot of the same gear that you would on a smaller boat. Engine spares/liferaft/watermaker/AIS/charts/etc/etc..it all costs the same regardless.

I got a pocket cruiser because I wanted high quality in a small price tag, and I wanted to be able to trailer it across country if wanted. A bit more flexibility in terms of long term ownership if not always 100% living aboard. But I'm 6'1" and was able to find something in that range that had standing headroom and was comfortable to me.

Bottom line is there's a million ways to do it and everyone's different. As long as you go into it with open eyes and a working idea of what you want, you can't go wrong.

[Island Time O25]

Check this model out. MARINER 36 (CANNING) sailboat specifications and details on sailboatdata.com

About only 85 of them built but many are still going strong and occasionally come up for sale as their original owners are getting on in years. A few years back there were about 5 or 6 on the market at same time in $25K-60K range, depending on condition, including one or two on the West Coast. One recently was listed for $19.9K and was gone quickly, meaning it was probably a good deal.

Well built, New England handcraft quality (built in NH not the unrelated namesake built in Taiwan in the mid 70s), 6'6" headroom in the main salon, 5ft draft with skeg rudder, solid fiberglass hull with keel stepped mast (51' clearance). Not the swiftest racer but once she gets going she gives you a nice comfortable dry ride. The data sheet says 16,000lbs but I think it is a typo as factory specs say between 17,000 and 18,000lbs plus stores. 15cft fridge holds all the food and beer you'd need. Lots of storage space and nooks and crannies, although much space not originally customized as storage but is substantial storage wise.