Bayfield 29 - 32

[rdempsey]

Anyone have any extended cruising experience with the Bayfield 29 or 32?
They're a bit pricey, but they seem to have alot of the features that I'm looking for. I understand that they aren't the fastest boat around, but that they can stand up to the weather very well. True?
Any opinions? (Ohoh )

[little boat]

have you been to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bayfieldyachts/
these boats seem to have nicely done construction and quality fittings. i don't know how they perform at sea. i am not a fan of a clipper bow on small boats, (had one once), but that is my personal predjudice, and might very well be disputed. i think a long waterline and narrow entry helps alot on little boats trying to punch their way upwind and alot of interior space is lost down below. i also don't like the windage at anchor as these designs don't appear to sit still with the anchor rode coming from an exagerated height. small boats, (like the 29), are bullied by seas over 6 feet and i find the clipper bow gets knocked aside when there is not much heft behind it weightwise. on larger, heavier boats the clipper bow is supposed to slice through the waves. i was once sailing upwind alongside a bayfield 29 in the tongue of the ocean in fairly rough seas and i passed them in my 27 footer, (they were motor sailing). their boat was hobbyhorsing badly, but could have been bad helming on their part, as my boat is no speed demon but will go upwind if i stick with it. that said, i think the bayfields are a quality build. if you're looking to buy, take it for a sea trial in non ideal conditions and see what you think.

[ess105]

You may wish to reach out to these folks - Brian and Jeannette Aboard s/v Puff - who have been recently cruising aboard a Bayfield 32.

[GordMay]

BAYFIELD REVIEWS from Candian Yachting”:

Bayfield 29: For the traditionalists ~ by Brian Gooderham and Carol Nickel
Canadian Yachting

Bayfield 32: From Family Cruiser to the OSTAR ~ By Paul Howard
Canadian Yachting

[Sailormann]

Anyone have any extended cruising experience with the Bayfield 29 or 32?
They're a bit pricey, but they seem to have alot of the features that I'm looking for. I understand that they aren't the fastest boat around, but that they can stand up to the weather very well. True?
Any opinions? (Ohoh )

Extended cruising no - sailed on a Bayfield 36 and on a Bayfield 25. Boats are strongly built. Smaller ones are quite slow. Bigger ones are not too bad. Roomy. Have crossed oceans. You could do far worse.

[AutumnBorne1]

I owned a Bayfield 29 for 12 years; loved it! Very sea-kindly. Does paint back and forth at anchor unless you put a riding sail on the back-stay, but once you do that it's great.
the cutter rig is wonderful. When most of the other sail boats were dousing sails and heading in to harbor as the wind rose, the cutter rig allowed a smaller and smaller sail configuration...and out we went under fine control.
You'll enjoy that part of the cutter... douse the yankee; run the stays'l with any one of three reef points on the main... Very nice.
Yanmar Engine is phenomenal, and easy to maintain on the B-29. (accessible).

best of luck, and Fair Winds.
AutumnBorne1
Dean

[rumiko dan]

We have a 29, and sailed for 13 months, Sea of Cortez, west coast of Mexico down to Zihuatenengo. We loved our Bayfield 29. Found it to be very good for comfort in hard wind, did not hobby horse excessively, was not overly slow (even with totally green sailors), and worked well in weather (there were numerous days when we were out when not many others were). See our blog (dated now...) Lil' Rumi Boat

[serah]

Our dock neighbour sailed a Bayfield 32 from the Great Lakes to Newfoundland. He remembers the boat fondly, and says she did well on the trip. Anecdotal, but just to say that yes, they have done some significant extended cruising.

[bangkaboat]

I sailed on a Bayfield 29 for a couple of months in the mid-1990s, then almost bought one but bought a Cal 3-30, instead. In our neck of the woods, the prices on Bayfields is pretty good right now. I found the one I sailed to have a kindly motion, but sailed to weather like a pregnant sow, compared to my Cal & other boats I'd had previously. I chose to buy the Cal because it was faster, had better headroom - I'm 6'2.5" - and had new standing rigging. I was also concerned about the keel on the Bayfield not being deep enough(shoal). Today, I'd probably go for the Bayfield, though. Call Ray Donaldson at Harbour Yacht Sales, in West Vancouver, and ask him about them. He's probably sold more Bayfields than any other broker & knows them inside out. If you can find a 32' for a decent price, it's well worth choosing that over a 29' and you'll probably find the value increase quite a bit when the economy picks up.