Valiant Sailboats (Review, Comments)

[ztviper17]

Hi, this is my first post so sorry if its in the wrong place.

Ive been just reading different threads on this cite for a little while and have decided to join. I dont plan on buying a boat now but i was wondering what you all think about Valaint Sailboats. Particually the 42. If you have some info about the boat that is not posted on their cite (price...) i would love to know. If you have any reviews on the boat please tell me.

[btrayfors]

The Valiants are some of Bob Perry's most famous designs.

They are marvelously strong and seaworthy sailboats, meant for world cruising. The 42 is a slight modification of the original Valiant 40, which was voted the Cruising Boat of the Decade. They've competed in round-the-world races and many of them have circumnavigated. Very, very capable, roomy, and reasonably fast.

For pricing and availability, suggest you contact a dealer for Valiant Yachts.

The factory is now in Gordonville, Texas. There are dealers on both coasts.

Some excellent Valiants appear on the used market from time-to-time. Even the old 40's can be a good value, providing that you carefully avoid the "blister boat" series which began somewhere in the low hundreds and carried on through hull number 249. Any of the boats built in Texas are fine in this regard.

The only authoritative comment I've heard recently is that the builder can be pretty stubborn about user-requested modifications. Maybe that's why they only sell a few each year.

Bill

[ztviper17]

cool, thanks.

i contacted them and they have called twice but i havnt yet had the time to pick the phone up and call them back.

i got a call from a sales guy and a broker (they seem to want to sell a boat). Or are all sailboat companies like that.

[coralpolyp]

Found a 32 Valiant built in 1979 for $45,000. Would this be a good boat to sail single handed to Guam? Sounded good.
Coral

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by coralpolyp

Found a 32 Valiant built in 1979 for $45,000. Would this be a good boat to sail single handed to Guam? Sounded good.
Coral

The boat might be a bit undercanvassed, but yeah it looks good generally and has a good reputation.

I would like to visit Guam myself.

Singlehanding is another question, but I'm not going to go into that.

[Sarnia]

A Valiant 40 is a great boat to sail.
In 5 knots, it will do 3 knots sog.
In 10 knots it will easily do 5 knots.
It loves 15 to 20 knots. All sails flying.
At 25 I start to reef. Roll up a little jib.
At 30 knots you reef the main to 2nd reef( I have 3 reefs).
At 35 knots I roll up the jib completely.
At 40 knots I add 3rd reef in main.
At 45 knots I ease the staysail and main but carry on to 50 knots.
At 50 plus the main goes down. The staysail is your storm jib.
above 55 and definitely at 60 the storm trisail alone.
If the waves make sailing dangerous at anything above 40 knots, heaving to, works for me if I have the sea room.
Every weather condition is variable. Maybe running with a staysail in 50 knots is still in control... Maybe not. Your the captain and you decide what is out of control or not depending on wave conditions and sea room.
All I know is that a Valiant will take a heck of a lot more weather than I will. It is very seakindly. Many crew never get seasick on our Valiant but they will on other boats. It rides the waves beautifully. It is 14 tons empty and the ride is smooth.
It is called a performance cruiser. The keel is a modified fin with a skeg hung rudder. Not a full keel so it points well.
I am not telling you this to impress you with my sailing skills. I'm just telling you about what the boat sails like.
There are much better, more experienced sailors, than I am.
Every boat is a compromise. The Valiant 40 is solid gold as far as boats go but it doesn't have a shower stall (Traditional side entry version) or pedastall center queen size bed but it has great sea berths a great gallery, nav station and a ton of storage.
Mine is a blister variety Number 203. I fixed and repainted and they came back. They will always return. They can't be fixed permanently, only temporarily. So spend the extra thousands and get a blister free one. It will save you money and aggrevation in the long run. If "Miss Ellie" sunk tomorrow I'd look for another one. Only a blister free one next time. The difference in price is not as expensive as fixing the blisters. The blisters are like a kid with acne. Won't kill him but look like hell.
The blisters on a Valiant are only cosmetic. Valiant 40s are on the market at some great prices. You get alot of boat for the money. Before you buy one take one for a sail.
The 42 and the 40 are the same hull. The only difference is the 2 foot bow sprit. I have even seen some guys put a bow sprit on a 40. doesn't work as well as a 42 because they repositioned the mast on the 42. Weather helm hasn't been much of a concern on our boat maybe if I added a bow sprit it would be.
I'd look at a Texas built ,non blister Valiant 40. Side entry traditional layout. Some of the last 40's ,before the 42's, even have a separate shower stall. I think it was around 1983 or 4 ?
I hope this helps you understand why people like Valiants. They are well built, safe and good looking.
Guy

[s/v Beth]

Good review. I probably don't reef as early, but that is because of my stubbornness and I know the boat can take it. I love a boat that I can trust because it was built right and designed right. Beth (my V40) fills that need for me. See ya at the Perry rendezvous!

[Blue Stocking]

Were they (are they) all built with that hollow, glued-on rudder skeg.
Had one limp in here in 2002, took a knockdown 200 miles East of Bermuda, forestay pulled out of Sta-lock type fitting at bottom, and foil, sail and sheets slid right off the boat and sunk.
Skeg broke right off the hull. I assisted the yard's glass guy to put it back on.
IIRC, elderly owner canceled his circumnavigation and boat went back to US.

[s/v Beth]

You know Blue, mine has a massive bronze fitting at the bottom of the skeg, I have never seen it even move. It is attached to the hull below the diesel tank. Maybe Bob P. could address this issue (what is the bonding between the skeg and the hull) as I do not know.
BTW- did the babystay keep the mast up? You would think that it would.

[Blue Stocking]

Newt,

I am a big fan of Bob's designs, and particularly the Valiant line. I therefore was hesitant about posting that comment. But to me, safety is the most important item to be shared on the forum.
The babystay did keep the mast up.
The skeg was/is a hollow molding, coped to the hull shape, and attached with multiple layers of glass around it's adjoining external faces. It remained partially attached to the hull.
There was no cutout in the hull, which would have allowed internal tabbing.
There were no mechanical fastenings applied.
I spoke to the glass guy (considered the best we have on the island) this morning to confirm what I remembered.

[Sarnia]

My thought is , 'what would happen to the hull and safety if the skeg didn't release?'
If instead, the blow to the skeg caused a hole the size of the skeg mounting, I doubt the boat would float for long. To weaken the hull under 90 gallons of diesel may have caused greater problems. I personally peeled and reglassed and faired the whole hull(under the water line). I can tell you that the glass is very thick there. Yes it is a foam filled, glassed on skeg. I feel safer knowing it broke off rather than sunk the boat.
Once up in the North Channel we hit a rock shelf on our way into an anchorage. Only doing about 2 knots. Stopped dead. Knocked me off my feet. Left a softball size chunk of deformed lead. With a hammer and a good 4 hours of pounding I reformed the keel. Only minor fairing cracks to fill and sand. No damage to the rest of the keel. Then re-epoxied and painted. Looks good as new. My biggest concern was the engine and mounts. They seem fine. That is a whole lot of mass moving in one direction to have stopped dead. Stupid mistake that makes me check charts twice and then compare to the new chart plotter. I can tell you I don't want to do that again. Luckily it wasn't the hull that contacted first instead of the lead front on the keel.
The fact that the skeg could be repaired so easily and the rudder was saved gives reason for a skeg in the first place. A fin rudder without a skeg would have been a real messsy expensive repair. ie rudder shaft and bearing problems.
It would be interesting to hear Mr. Perry's take on it.
Guy
"MissEllie"V40/203

[Sarnia]

Rereading the incident that caused the skeg to come loose you said it was a knockdown, not a collision. That surprises me. Maybe an earlier collision that weakend the skeg and was not addressed properly. I can only guess that could have been the problem.
Guy

[arisatx]

Originally Posted by Blue Stocking

Were they (are they) all built with that hollow, glued-on rudder skeg.
Had one limp in here in 2002, took a knockdown 200 miles East of Bermuda, forestay pulled out of Sta-lock type fitting at bottom, and foil, sail and sheets slid right off the boat and sunk.
Skeg broke right off the hull. I assisted the yard's glass guy to put it back on.
IIRC, elderly owner canceled his circumnavigation and boat went back to US.

Blue:

Here is a picture of the skeg that is on Hull #186.




and later:

[Blue Stocking]

Is that a back-up plate installed inside the hull, and thru-bolted, with the glass below it, offered up, and bonded to the hull. If so, then what I remember seeing was probably the fairing layers ripped away from the hull and the flat glass piece.
Thanks for taking the time to post the photos. As I said earlier, I really like these boats, and was never comfortable with what I saw.

[skuhner]

I have a 1976 Valiant 40 that has developed a significant list to starboard over the past two years or so. We’ve taken ALL of the gear off and emptied the water tanks (both fuel tanks are full, but they are on the centerline), and there’s no water in the bilge, but she’s still listing. Has anyone else experienced this or have any ideas on a possible cause?