Amel Santorin vs Moody 42 for a Bluewater family cruising boat

[chall]

Hi after an extensive search at the moment I'm down to choosing between two boats that are roughly the same price.

a) Is a 1991 Amel Santorin Sloop that is in reasonable condition but there would still be soon work to bring it right up to great cruising condition.

b) Is a 2001 Moody 42. It hasn't been sailed in over a year and needs bit of tidying.

Looking at a boat I can do a season or two in the Med in before bringing it back across to Australia.

I am interested in any thoughts and opinions.

[Dockhead]

The Moody 42 is a lovely boat, but in my opinion it's quite expensive for what it is, normally selling for over £100 000 in good condition. If I could afford to stretch the budget a bit, I would surely look for a Moody 46 which is a lot more boat, with a shaft drive and raised salon and more room. And for the same money you can get a comparable Halberg Rassy or Contest, which are also definitely worth looking at. I don't know why these old Moodys are so expensive. Pre-Brexit, £100 000 was $160,000. The devaluation of the pound has helped, but I still don't think they are particularly good values.


Here's a well-equipped Moody 46 for a little over €200 000. In my opinion more boat for the money.


https://www.theyachtmarket.com/boats_for_sale/1647622/

[chall]

Thankyou for the recommendations. I must confess I am fond of the Moodys.

I have seen that boat listing for the Moody 46 but yes it is more than I had hoped to spend, however it is worth perhaps another look and some thought.

My experience has been that I can't find a comparable HR without going back to the Enderlein designed era for the same money. I have looked at Westerlys but will also look at the Contests.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by chall

Thankyou for the recommendations. I must confess I am fond of the Moodys.

I have seen that boat listing for the Moody 46 but yes it is more than I had hoped to spend, however it is worth perhaps another look and some thought.

My experience has been that I can't find a comparable HR without going back to the Enderlein designed era for the same money. I have looked at Westerlys but will also look at the Contests.

The Moodys are lovely, but comparing them to later German Frers Hallberg Rassy:


The HR has a real glass windscreen and better sheltered cockpit
The HR has a considerably better engine room


HR & Moody have very similar Selden rigs and top notch deck gear


Moody has considerably better structure, with through-bolted bulkheads, massive chainplates, and massive framing system. Really built like a brickhouse, and something to consider if you plan to use hard and sail long distances. HR, depending on the model, start to be built more like mass market boats, structurally.



Moody has better quality electrical system


HR has considerably better quality joinery. Moody joinery is a weak point.



HR is a strong company with strong owner support. Moody no longer exists.



You should be able to find comparable size HR of same age for about the same money. I would definitely look at both, and look at Contest as well -- very lovely boats, Dutch quality for reasonable money.

[Blue Reef Cafe]

Hi,


I have a Moody 425, Based in Queensland. The young couple I bought it from sailed it from Norway with one, then two small children aboard. I did a lot of research before buying it and came to the conclusion that they were a very well designed and exceptionally well built boat. I have recently come back from a 10,000 nm partial circumnavigation and had no issues at all with her. There is an excellent owners forum (https://moodyowners.org/) which has a pre purchase section where prospective owners can ask questions. Ultimately it depends on what you can purchase the boat for but they are a well respected marque.


Regards


Russ

[malcolmlj]

I owned and sailed a Moody 38 for 14 years and over 16,000 nm.
Including a trans-atlantic and on up to the Canadian/USA border.
Built like a brickbuilt ****house, never ever gave me cause for concern about the boats ability, including hitting a rock shore while asleep single-handing in the BVI's.
Shipyard in Tortola repaired her in a day and told me that if I had been sailing a modern boat I would have been in my life-raft.
Buy the Moody she will look after you, and you will never regret it in heavy weather. I hove mine to in a force 10 in the Western Approaches to the English Channel and went up and down for 14 hours uneventfully.
Great sea boats.
I have sailed 11 different boats over 40 years and the Moody was the best by far.

[Budawang]

I'm also interested in buying a Moody 42 or 44. From the comments above, it would seem their relatively high prices are probably justified. Moreover, the much older Santorini mentioned above is about the same price. I don't even think the Santorin would have much more interior volume, but I could be wrong.

Anyone know about the differences between the Moody 42 and 44? They look pretty similar although the 44s are slightly bigger and a bit older.

[chall]

Originally Posted by Budawang

I'm also interested in buying a Moody 42 or 44. From the comments above, it would seem their relatively high prices are probably justified. Moreover, the much older Santorini mentioned above is about the same price. I don't even think the Santorin would have much more interior volume, but I could be wrong.

Anyone know about the differences between the Moody 42 and 44? They look pretty similar although the 44s are slightly bigger and a bit older.

Hey Budawang,

As you know we are looking for a Moody 42. From my research the differences between the Moody 44 and 42 are as follows.

- The Moody 42 is a newer model. They were introduced in 1999 and were made until 2002. The 44's were made from 91- 96.

- The Moody 44 is a slightly bigger boat with a a slightly longer waterline.

-The Moody 44 has a slightly different layout, the main addition being the forward 'bunk' cabin.

- The Moody 44 boosts slightly better tankage for both water and fuel.

-The Moody 44 is typically shaft drive while the Moody 42 is sail drive.

My Opinion is as follows, and it is just that, an opinion.

We found that there are generally at the moment not that many Moody 44's on the market and the ones that are tend to be the shoal draft keel variant. We preferred a standard keel boat. However the Moody 44's tend to have lower asking prices.

We also do not love the 'curvy' settee arrangement in the early Moody 44's that screams early 90's to me. (Note that this was changed for the later Moody 44s) and I also question the value of the forward bunk cabin in any kind of sea.

What recommends them to me is a lower asking price, a bigger boat with a bigger layout and better tankage and the shaft drive. However like I said try as I might, finding a Moody 44 with a standard keel has proved fruitless so far, so just by circumstance we have found ourselves looking at Moody 42's.

Hope that helps!

[JK3Yachts]

..."HR is a strong company with strong owner support. Moody no longer exists."

QUICK CORRECTION: Moody does still exist. New Moody Yachts are manufactured and under warranty by Hanse Yachts in Germany. (We are the West Coast USA dealer for their brands - Hanse, Dehler, Moody.)

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by JK3Yachts

..."HR is a strong company with strong owner support. Moody no longer exists."

QUICK CORRECTION: Moody does still exist. New Moody Yachts are manufactured and under warranty by Hanse Yachts in Germany. (We are the West Coast USA dealer for their brands - Hanse, Dehler, Moody.)

Would that it were so!

But Moody is gone; only the deck shop survives. Hanse bought nothing but the name, and do not support the English Moodys in any way. The Moody-branded Hanses are mass produced boats with little to nothing in common with the originals.

[chall]

FWIW we are leaning heavily the Moody direction, in terms of what suits us best.
(not to say that the Amels are not good boats, just for us not as well suited).

Just now trying to get the right boat at the right price!

[chall]

To those that provided great advice in this thread and others I just wanted to say thank you. In the end we have bought a Moody 425.

Why the 425?

Even though it is older than the 42(and 44) it had a layout we found slightly better for our needs and the Shaft drive is also a preference of mine. The specific boat we bought also came with a host of cruising extras and being the older boat we bought it at somewhat of a discount over the asking price of the 42's on the market.

[Pete7]

Great choice. Friends call my Moody the bank managers choice. Safe, predictable and good quality not likely to loose too much on re-sale.

You will look after it won't you, I need something to look forward to buying in retirement.

Pete

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by chall

To those that provided great advice in this thread and others I just wanted to say thank you. In the end we have bought a Moody 425.

Why the 425?

Even though it is older than the 42(and 44) it had a layout we found slightly better for our needs and the Shaft drive is also a preference of mine. The specific boat we bought also came with a host of cruising extras and being the older boat we bought it at somewhat of a discount over the asking price of the 42's on the market.

Well, welcome to the Moody family. The yard no longer exists, but there is a very strong owners' association which fills the gap pretty well: https://moodyowners.org/

[chall]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Well, welcome to the Moody family. The yard no longer exists, but there is a very strong owners' association which fills the gap pretty well: https://moodyowners.org/

Thankyou!

I have become just become a member and it is a wealth of information.