Want To Buy: 38-42ft bluewater cruiser - suggestions please!

[SolitarySeagull]

Can you help us find our next sailboat for bluewater cruising?? Our dream criteria are listed below. If you know of a boat that fits the bill, is for sale, or you know someone thinking of selling, we’d love to hear from you!

38-42ft
Fin keel + skeg-hung rudder, or full keel
Prefer cutter rig, ketch also ok
Minimum 6’3 headroom, including in galley
Good sea berths
Decent storage
No teak decks
Fibreglass hull
Budget of around $100K

To give you an idea of what we're looking for, we really like the Tayana 42 and we're open to other suggestions.

[Don C L]

Valiant 40? (get one of the years without the blisters)

My heart skips a beat for a Pearson Rhodes 41, but most folks don't think it has enough interior volume.

Cal 40 will get you there faster too.

Welcome aboard by the way.

[JPA Cate]

Not sure the V 40 has 6'3" headroom, or the Cal 40 for that matter.

People have been getting taller, and many of the older boat designs don't have standing headroom for tall folks. The Columbia 50 did. 7 ft.

Ann

[LifesBetterWhenYoureBeating]

Passport 40/41, preferably one with the tall rig

[SolitarySeagull]

Originally Posted by LifesBetterWhenYoureBeating

Passport 40/41, preferably one with the tall rig

We got on board a Passport 40. The headroom was sufficient along the centerline but really tapered down in the galley. After that we eliminated them from our search, though they checked so many of the boxes otherwise. I notice you have a Passport 41, do you know if the headroom differs much between boats? Perhaps we were too quick to eliminate them

[SolitarySeagull]

Originally Posted by Don C L

Valiant 40? (get one of the years without the blisters)

My heart skips a beat for a Pearson Rhodes 41, but most folks don't think it has enough interior volume.

Cal 40 will get you there faster too.

Welcome aboard by the way.

Thank you! We checked out a beautiful Valiant 40 that is for sale, but sadly the headroom was the dealbreaker. Otherwise, great boat! Will look into your other suggestions.

[LifesBetterWhenYoureBeating]

Yeah, I believe the headroom in the galley is the same on both

[derfy]

I have a 1990 Morgan 44cc, purchased for about the amount you have budgeted, with adequate headroom for my 6'3" height. It's been awesome. But...Just know that the purchase price for a boat of this era and genre will likely be about 30-50% of what you will need to spend to replace whatever needs replacing in order to go long-range cruising with safety and reliable operation. My diesels (Yanmar and Genset) are in great shape - so I started with these core items intact. My boat's previous owner replaced the standing rigging, had the mast refurbished/painted, re-cored the weather decks, replaced the main sail and tracks, and added a custom canvas enclosure. I have replaced the jib, all electrical and electronic hardware (including two new A/C units, fridge, house and start batteries, invertor/charger, solar, nav, satcom, solar, SSB - all pricey stuff), the windlass, dinghy, and outboard. Add in insurance/surveys, dockage, fuel, haulouts/bottom jobs, innumerable small repairs, registrations, cruising fees, safety gear (liferaft, flares, EPIRBs, $$$), tools, personal gear. Just know the cost of commissioning and operating these boats can be really really high...and the rewards can be awesome.

[Scubaseas]

https://www.hashtagboatlife.com/sailboat-buying-guide/

Tayana V42 is a great choice. But then I own one.

Tayana 37

Gulfstar44

Whitby 42 or Wetsnail 42 if you don't mind slow.

Pearson 424

Peterson 44 or Kelley Peterson 44

Morgan 44, 382, 384, 456

Tartan 41 or a TOCK if you can find one

Corbin 39

Cabo Rico 38 or Hans Christian 38

Good Hunting!! $100K might get you a boat but it may need a few things.

[Borlay]

Island Packet are some of the best Blue Water yachts available. Period. Whether you can find one of 40 feet and up for $100,000 is not sure. Whatever you buy for that kind of money is going to need up grades and repairs. I definitely would avoid the toys such as in mast or in boom furling and all power winches, bow thrusters etc. You may want a water maker. I pad will take you everywhere you need to go so skip the fancy chart plotters. I would,get a spare as well. Just in case and probably Iridium Go. Wind vane. Good luck.

[rbrazil]

We had the same criteria 6 years ago. Happened upon a Nauticat 43. Been happy ever since. She ticks off all your boxes. She is currently in La Paz, Mexico. Our plan is to put her up for sale in April after exploring more of the Sea of Cortez. Perhaps we can talk?

Rich
S/V Tally Ho
Nauticat 43
La Paz, BCS

[Chris Cringle]

Ingrid

[NorthCoastJoe]

Downeaster 38 had a huge amount of headroom throughout.

[grantmc]

Originally Posted by SolitarySeagull

Can you help us find our next sailboat for bluewater cruising?? Our dream criteria are listed below. If you know of a boat that fits the bill, is for sale, or you know someone thinking of selling, we’d love to hear from you!
...

I would suggest that you state the area of the world you're looking in (perhaps fill in your profile). This forum is very American biased and so most responders will propose boats from same.

[Searles]

If you are state side ,look at the Catalina 42 mk 2 plenty of headroom ,or the 38 mk 2 still plenty of headroom no exterior teak mostly well built ,easily converts to a cutter rig ,bang for bucks ,hard to beat ,the mk 1 not so good ,have done many thousands of miles in both of these designs ,all off shore ,never been let down .⚓️⛵️