Choosing a Boat: A Lil’ Help Please

[UNCIVILIZED]

Guys, I’m getting close to picking my next boat (for long term cruising/living aboard), but need some feedback.

Ideally I’d have a mid-sized multihull. I love their deck space, lack of heel, & voluminous storage.
Their drawbacks; initial cost, & taking a “time out” sooner due to weather. Meaning putting the boat in "park", & riding things out in some manner – heave to, use a sea anchor, or drogue, etc. when it’s rough.
- I’d build said multi, but don’t exactly fancy 3-5 years of wearing; a shower cap, rubber gloves, a dust mask, & ear plugs. Oh, & the utter lack of a social life for the length of the build. UGH!

Then there’s (one) “reality”. A 40’ flush decked classic. Say, with a small coach house aft of the mast.
Lots of deck space… including a pre-designated LZ for the dinghy. Plus, the flush decked thing makes for lots of room to both work, & lounge on deck at anchor. Kind of like a multihull. And, boats in this class usually handle nasty weather with aplomb, having an easy motion. Both being nice perks.

"The Catch". I Loved my Ranger 33’. She was a great sailing boat, & an easy size to handle. Fairly shallow draft, & cheap on the upkeep… However, for a long term cruiser, where would I put 2 tons of gear & tankage, plus a dinghy or two, surfboards, etc.? Not to mention what such would do to her handling.
Where’s the non-compromise version of go small, go now? Thoughts?

~ Also, I know it’s common to stow dinghies on the foredeck, but then you can't run a staysail. Or so it would seem. I could likely still rig a Solent Stay, as a compromise... but, in my mind, having a clear foredeck is something of a safety thing.

I’d love to hear how you guys out there in the 30’ – 36’ range do things. Especially without an arch, cum davits, hanging off of the back. As I figure to run a wind vane, & the two don't mix well.

Thanks

[avb3]

I solved the dinghy problem with a Porta Bote. I can't think of a better solution for a 30-40 footer. Folds up to 4" and one can put it on the side deck by the shrouds. Or, do the upside down thing if one doesn't want to be hassled with the take down and re-assembly, which is a bit of a pain. But, like they say, all sailing is a compromise.

Next is a windvane, as I pretty well decided that as little electrical as possible is better.

YMMV.

[JPA Cate]

Hi,

We solved the problem with a soft floored hypalon Zodiac that we rolled up and stored forward of the dodger, well aft of the mast. The floorboards for it stowed below, as did the rails that popped over their edges. It was 13 ft long, quite a competent dinghy, and the 15 hp Johnson was stowed on the stern pulpit.

Ann

[Don C L]

The sailboat you are describing sounds like a Columbia 34 MK2 early 70s. Lots of room, built pretty tough and sail well I hear, haven't sailed one. As far as a dinghy I have settled on a a large, tough, inflatable kayak. It rolls up to about 2.5 x 3.5 feet, fast on the water, I can paddle it into a headwind and it will hold 850 lbs. Best dinghy I have had all things considered though I did love zipping around in the zodiac with the outboard.
COLUMBIA 34 MK II sailboat specifications and details on sailboatdata.com
https://www.seaeagle.com/ExplorerKayaks

[UNCIVILIZED]

When I'm talking about 40' "Classic" flush deckers, I'm referring to things the likes of what came off of Sparkman & Stephens's drawing boards, from the late 60's through the late 70's.
Back when even though they were racing boats, they had impeccable sea manners, as well as full galleys. And the hull forms were deep enough, due to their lean ends, & mid/mid-heavy weight displacement, that they (mostly) had flush decks.

Pretty much the era when Swan's rose to fame. Although most Swans of that era have a bit too low SADR's for my tast. NICE boats though, & I've raced more of'em than I've got fingers & toes. With grand memories to go with most every one.
And in a pinch (knock on wood), a low SADR can, to some degree, be fixed via a DIY custom Carbon Fiber (retractable) Sprit. Along with a Code 0 or two.

Time to pull out my Project Notebook (paper type), & Define my dream(s), followed by priortizing them. Part of which, is where feedback on the boat types in questions is helpful.

[FamilyVan]

I have a 35, she has davits, but in seas over a meter I carry the dink on the fore deck. She's sloop rigged, but the Genoa doesn't even come close to interfering with the dink. The life lines are higher than a dinghy on the fore deck.

On my old 30, I carried a canoe on my foredeck/port side and the jib cleared it just fine.

I guess a club footed jib on a cutter rig might be an issue, maybe, if you need a cutter rig, look at loose footed jibs?

Sent from my XP7700 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Azul]

You either love it or hate it:
1974 Tartan 41 Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

[Delancey]

Not your S&S "classic" but a great boat with a great cockpit. Just needs a tiller! Asking $30k. Located in Port Clinton, OH.

1983 O'Day 39 Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by Azul

You either love it or hate it:
1974 Tartan 41 Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

This Tartan seems to fit the description.

Sure has the IOR look to it.

Seems overpriced to me, given the gear and age and condition, and market.

[mainesail]

In a way you've named your own solution, but maybe haven't gotten to acceptance. There are a number of boats out there that would meet your needs that were designed to handle a cruising load-the trade-off of course is more limited lighter air performance-but the world will welcome you. There is a glut of 70's and earlier, and some 80's, boats, the demographics of our current sailing population will never absorb them-so find the right boat and be a tough customer.
I wouldn't have a dink on the bow with any threat of heavy weather-which means never, and certainly not in davits. The type of boat you seem to want should be able to take a dink on the coachroof, the only proper place, anyway-well secured in chocks.

BTW Boom gallows ard great things if your rig will accommodate one.
Fair Winds

[yachtcowboy]

After 40 years as a yacht broker I had to put in my 2 cents. I would suggest you look at a Pearson 365 sloop or cutter or a Pearson 367 sloop or cutter but there were fewer (41) of them. The 367 has a great stall shower. Both boats sail well but don't race much. If you want a racer pick one of the pinched end "go fast" designs. Always buy the latest model boat that fits the budget. The later/newer the boat the better the manufacturer got the design correct. They learned from boats on the water, frankly warranty work was more expensive that fixing the problem on the manufacturing line. Go on Yachtworld.com you will find a good one.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Flush Deck you say?

I have just posted another boat I came across while looking for more boats to add to the thread "Boats Less than $30K Noteworthy Recent Finds"

Boats Less Than $30K Recent Noteworthy Finds - Page 6 - Cruisers & Sailing Forums

Look at the post (#89) for complete profile with photos, specs, price, link, drawing/plan, and some comments.

It is an Ericson 37 Flush Deck (IOR One Ton design).

[hamburking]

I think you are looking for a Corbin 39.

http://www.corbin39.com/boatsforsale.html

On my 30 footer, I have an Avon inflatable with high pressure floor. The whole thing rolls up and stows deep in the quarter berth. The outboard lives on the stern rail. I'd like my next boat to have davits.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by yachtcowboy

After 40 years as a yacht broker I had to put in my 2 cents. I would suggest you look at a Pearson 365 sloop or cutter or a Pearson 367 sloop or cutter but there were fewer (41) of them. The 367 has a great stall shower. Both boats sail well but don't race much. If you want a racer pick one of the pinched end "go fast" designs. Always buy the latest model boat that fits the budget. The later/newer the boat the better the manufacturer got the design correct. They learned from boats on the water, frankly warranty work was more expensive that fixing the problem on the manufacturing line. Go on Yachtworld.com you will find a good one.

Those two Pearsons are nice boats! And boats do seem to get better in later editions EXCEPT in cases of use of different and/or cheaper materials (check the hull numbers on Valiant 40s) later OR in design changes as in my case, (and maybe you can tell me about this, but I don't want to hijack the thread) the early Columbia 29s (S&S) had a ballast of 3125# then it got bumped up to 4100# though I am pretty sure S&S did not sign off on that.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by UNCIVILIZED

When I'm talking about 40' "Classic" flush deckers, I'm referring to things the likes of what came off of Sparkman & Stephens's drawing boards, from the late 60's through the late 70's.
Back when even though they were racing boats, they had impeccable sea manners, as well as full galleys. And the hull forms were deep enough, due to their lean ends, & mid/mid-heavy weight displacement, that they (mostly) had flush decks.

Pretty much the era when Swan's rose to fame. Although most Swans of that era have a bit too low SADR's for my tast. NICE boats though, & I've raced more of'em than I've got fingers & toes. With grand memories to go with most every one.
And in a pinch (knock on wood), a low SADR can, to some degree, be fixed via a DIY custom Carbon Fiber (retractable) Sprit. Along with a Code 0 or two.

Time to pull out my Project Notebook (paper type), & Define my dream(s), followed by priortizing them. Part of which, is where feedback on the boat types in questions is helpful.

Here is the boat, Olin Stephens' favorite, and if you get it can I crew on it? Please?
http://classicsailboats.org/portfoli...tormy-weather/