Best 34-38 ft yacht for Pacific cruising

[Richard.]

Dear all,
I know there have been a number of threads in this forum on this topic and I have read quite a number of them and learned a fair bit. This encouraged me to ask this forum for advice:

I am in my 50’s and have sailed a fair bit on yachts (exclusively monohulls) in the Baltic, Med, North Atlantic, South China Sea, Pacific and East Coast Australia/Tasmania as crew and as skipper. I now want to explore more remote areas of this globe in moderate latitudes (e.g. Micronesia, PNG) and need to buy a boat - I have never owned a yacht myself.
After a bit of reading, talking to sailors and from my own experience I came up with the following ideal boat:

Monohull, 34-38 ft (40 the very max) in length, sloop or cutter rigged, moderate draft (no more than 6 ft), rudder skeg hung or long keel, no spade, no mast furling main. Hanked jib/staysail ok. The less non-essential gear, the better, in particular electronics. Sturdy hull, fibreglass, alu, steel, I don’t mind. Roomy interior, standing height for me (I am 6ft 2in), no teak deck with plenty of leaky screw holes. Does not need to be very fast, cruising at 6 kn is good. Kind in rough seas. Need to be able to sail single-handedly every now and then.
I live in Australia but don’t mind where I buy the boat – registering it in AUS from other countries will incur import duties and taxes, though.

My budget is about AUD 50k which I can possibly stretch to AUD 60k (USD 34-41k). I’d like it as new as I can get for my money, the rationale being that all parts will be less worn, but it looks like I won't get anything younger than 1990. I am happy to invest a few months of time to getting it ready and even rectify major defects, but don’t want to embark on a years long project. My questions:

Where in the world should I look right now? Australia, Florida/Caribbean, SE Asia, post Brexit UK, else? What are the ‘arrival destinations’ where people had enough and sell their boat?
What specific design/model would you recommend and why?
What is your take on hull material?

Any other comments are very much appreciated. Thanks heaps.

[Pete7]

Looks like a good shopping list, though the hank on sails might be a problem give that most will have roller furling genoa. Also you might have to compromise a little on the date for the budget.

We have no idea what will happen post Brexit for yacht prices in the UK, so best accept no real change in prices for a while after Brexit. Owners aren't going to suddenly drop the prices and give away yachts.

Since you seem to be shopping world wide, how about a yacht that is already in the Pacific or Carib were someone has given up on the dream, after spending a fortune on fitting it out? Otherwise I guess its the US just for the shear size of the market.

https://www.yachtworld.co.uk/boats/1...nced%20listing

[Pete7]

Would you accept something much older but heavily built with great tankerage?

https://www.yachtworld.co.uk/boats/1...nced%20listing

https://www.boatshed.com/moody_40-boat-260667.html

[Richard.]

Thanks Pete7. Furling genoa and staysail is no problem, nice for single-handed. From what I hear they seem to fail a lot less than the more complicated and expensive mainsail furlers. I have personally mostly sailed with hanked sails. I just don't want to get caught out in the biscay or her in the fourties in 30+ winds with a full main flapping about, unable to reef.
Yes, I am happy to look at older boats. I just came back from a round Tasmania trip in a 50 year old Ohlson 38. Seaworthy boat, but much less space downstairs than newer designs. That would not what I want for a longer trip.

[Marius Saunders]

Hi Richard - I read your post . I have a 34 ft steel van der Stadt that might interest you. I bought the hull and deck in Durban in 2013 and launched in April 2013. The hull and deck was built professionally by Marin Steynco engineers in Durban. Everything added since then is new and the boat is complete. I live in Cape Town, South Africa. I can send you a full inventory and photos should you be interested and the boat is well within your budget - I would be happy with ZAR 380 000.00. My email mischiefwines@yahoo.com and mobile 0824147393

[Stu Jackson]

Richard, often the "what's the best..." questions do not come with the experiences you have shared. Given that, and more importantly, given your height restrictions, you might want to consider a completely different approach.



You could start researching what boats will provide you with unrestricted movement down below FIRST, because if you don't have that, you really got nothin'. Then, once you have a shortlist of boats with your height dimensions as the primary consideration, start looking at those that fulfill your other criteria in terms of hull and interiors. That way you could avoid being overwhelmed with choices that may not include the interior height issue. Only then can you apply your budget constraints.

There have been some threads on this forum, and undoubtedly on other boating forums, where height down below IS the main question being asked. It appears to me that your post could well have been entitled: "What 1990 era bluewater boats have interior headroom for a 6'-2" skipper?"

We determined what boat we wanted, and spent a year looking ONLY at these boats. Saved a lot of time, actually, by not getting deflected at looking at things that we didn't want. We did our homework first.

Good luck, happy hunting.

[Mike Banks]

Tayana 37. Strongly built and well designed--and affordable. As comfortable as a small monohull vessel can be.

There are many others--just that these are commonly available for reasonable money--and allow for a little spending before you set sail.

[SV Sailfish]

Richard,

Check out boats for sale on Mexico's Pacific coast. La Paz, San Carlos, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, etc. Lots of boats here for sale where the owner's dreams have died. The west coast USA cruiser's rally the Baja Ha-Ha brings down about 200 boats every October and a good percentage of these people give up on their world cruise idea right here in Mexico. They fly home and the boat stays.

Also, I would look at boats for sale in Panama. Same thing there. People buy a boat in the Caribbean, East Coast USA, etc. with "the dream" and they do fine sailing their dream until they get to "the ditch" and then... they are staring at a 3,000+ mile voyage and it scares the crap out of a lot of them and... they quit.

Just these 2 markets should find you what you are looking for. Then just get her ship shape and sail her home to Oz.

Cheers and good luck!

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

Richard, often the "what's the best..." questions do not come with the experiences you have shared. Given that, and more importantly, given your height restrictions, you might want to consider a completely different approach.



You could start researching what boats will provide you with unrestricted movement down below FIRST, because if you don't have that, you really got nothin'. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


There have been some threads on this forum, and undoubtedly on other boating forums, where height down below IS the main question being asked. It appears to me that your post could well have been entitled: "What 1990 era bluewater boats have interior headroom for a 6'-2" skipper?">>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I'm actually quoting my own post, Richard, but holy cow, this just showed up. See???


Looking for a cruiser with headroom - Cruisers & Sailing Forums

[Ramona]

Buy the yacht in Australia. Buy one of the many American cruisers that have sailed out from the USA and the owners don't want to sail "uphill" on the way home. Boats like the Tayana mentioned above. These will generally be well fitted out and ready to go.

[grahamb]

.….Martz 35.....

[Manrico]

https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/198...owse%20listing

[navysurfer]

IMHO many well founded mono's are for sale. seems to be a buyers market.
I guess every wife in the world wants a large cat,,,,sail boat. I am very very happy with my Tayana 37 Pilot house.

Yep she needs work but the boat is solid and can keep her captain and crew safe, good luck

Cheer's Pop's

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Ramona

Buy the yacht in Australia. Buy one of the many American cruisers that have sailed out from the USA and the owners don't want to sail "uphill" on the way home. Boats like the Tayana mentioned above. These will generally be well fitted out and ready to go.

Yep, lots go on the market as the early November crowd arrives.

[Don C L]

Given your desires and budget constraint, it sounds like you'll be looking at fairly old (nothing wrong with that,) but well-found boats.
Maybe also tell us which boats have caught your eye and owners here can advise you about them?