Bruce Roberts 434 ?

[Glenn C]

I built a Roberts 36 Ketch, very pretty sheer line and brilliant cruising boat. Cruised 3 years full time East Australian Coast , PNG, Solomons, 4 Coral sea crossings. Heaps of storage, long keel, so very stable. Was a great boat for the purpose and worked very well with between 1-4 aboard. I had done a reasonable amount of racing on 1 tonners, so knew about performance, but for crusing the Roberts would be my pick over any of the deep draft racers I crewed on. Horses for courses I guess.

[Jerry Cox]

Like everything...Some like ..some dont. Every boat has its ups and downs. So she doesnt point that well...It doesnt worry me in the slightest. Having researched the Sprays thoroughly before I decided to get one, I was as surprised as anyone would be when I first sailed her..she really does go very well. Maybe I am just lucky. The gaff set up really suits her. I used to work in a yard that hosted all old gaffers..all engineless. This really sharpens up your sailing and your understanding of how completely flexible a gaff set up is in practiced hands.. Its interesting that I was involved with teaching sailing in some of these craft and when experienced sailors who were used to turning on the motor were on board their perception of manouvering under sail completely differed to mine. Maybe we all should be required to sail up to a mooring or dock as part of our basic training...(New thread here?)

Anyway..I digress... I bought her for a specific purpose. Chartering here in Greece. I want to be able to pull up on to a sandy beach so shoal draft is essential..stability also very important. There is bags of space on deck and below. Working on the motor is easy as access is superb. I am 6ft 2" and need room to move! Moving around the deck is easy and safe. She is very dry in the cockpit even without a dodger. I have seen bad weather and never felt safer...she just shoulders the water aside. Sailing is hands off when trimmed correctly. I bought an expensive autopilot..I havent fitted it yet!..Of course there will always be room for improvement. My job is boats and I have worked on all sorts. Usually cursing the accountant that built them!
So..on balance..for me, she does exactly what it says on the tin!...Nuff said

[BRUCEROBERTS]

Originally Posted by ssullivan

I agree with all the positive comments. Kanter is a top notch builder, and the designs are reputable and seaworthy. The real issues here in looking to purchase are the following:

1) The boat will be a DOG. It will not be very quick under sail. You will have to take into account the give/take between safely being able to avoid weather in a fast boat, or slogging through it in this boat. I actually looked at the Kanter, but decided on a faster boat.

2) Resale value and ability resell will be inconsistent. You may or may not find an interested party. Depends on luck.

If you want to see some comments by genuine builders of Bruce Roberts’s boats then check out this link. These are REAL PEOPLE who have built and sailed Bruce Roberts designed boats and not ghost writers with an axe to grind!! There are over 35,000 Bruce Roberts designed boats in service world-wide … see what some of these REAL PEOPLE HAVE TO SAY ! http://www.bruceroberts.com/public/HTML/FEEDBACK.htm

[barnakiel]

A friend has one. Steel. Crossed recently. Very fast crossing.

Many small issues - probably builder's faults.

b.

[BRUCEROBERTS]

I am pleased to hear that the Roberts 434 turned out well ... several have now made circumnavigatioins so we have a lot of feed-back ... the comment by the 'expert' ssullivan whever he is ... who said the boat would be a 'dog' shows a lack of knowledge on his part. Thank you for your comments. Regards, Bruce

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by BRUCEROBERTS

I am pleased to hear that the Roberts 434 turned out well ... several have now made circumnavigatioins so we have a lot of feed-back ... the comment by the 'expert' ssullivan whever he is ... who said the boat would be a 'dog' shows a lack of knowledge on his part. Thank you for your comments. Regards, Bruce

Bruce,
Welcom to CF. Good to have you aboard.
There are a lot of members here with Bruce Roberts boats.
I helped a guy building a Mauritius, Maliaka, in Durban in the mid 1970s. He did a great job and sailed it in the Cape to Rio, probably 1976. I believe it was later attached in Fort Lauderdale for unpaid debts in S.Africa!

Bob Perry also drops in here from time to time... the input from highly regarded designers adds a lot to the quality of information and opinions on the forum.

Vic

[BRUCEROBERTS]

Hi Vic,
Thank you for the comments ... I still enjoy designing boats and working with our builders many of whom are professional outfits these days as we now do a lot of government work, patrol boats, small ferries and the like. Great to hear from you and I will keep in touch. Regards, Bruce .... PS give my regards to Bob Perry next time you see him.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by BRUCEROBERTS

(...) the 'expert' ssullivan whever he is ... who said the boat would be a 'dog' shows a lack of knowledge on his part (...)

May be.

The alternative is ssulivan has seen too many of Roberts' boats that were home built or built in small and poorly equipped or poorly skilled boatyards.

Most of Roberts' boats I have seen were in fact poorly or just acceptably built, including the one on which I made a comment as making a fast passage.

Last year we had a Roberts' boat here with split rudder post (crew airlifted) and another that nearly sank (thruhull welding failure).

If I were to judge solely by the poorly built Roberts I have seen, I would probably subscribe to ssulivan's comment.

This is always the case with boats designed so that home building is an option and not anything Roberts specific. Van de Stadt could be another example.

Then there are boats of the same designers built professionally or by skilled owners - K&M builds newer Van de Stadts while Les Powles circumnavigated three times on something that I believe is a GRP Roberts 34. And just by browsing an online broker one will find some amazing Roberts' designed boats, along with a good choice of Roberts' designed 'tubs'.

Simply, in case of this specific designer, built quality varies wild. Not designer's fault in any case.

barnie

[netcat]

https://picasaweb.google.com/netcat16/BruceRoberts434SYPapatyalar# This is the history of our 434...

[netcat]

Originally Posted by bryan and wendy

Iv'e been looking at a Bruce Roberts 434, 43' steel hull, appears to be well constructed, in reasonable condition. I know all the pos and cons of steel, build quality eytc etc, however my question is- assuming the boat quality is OK, what about the basic design? Does anybody have any experience or data on Bruce Roberts designs- I can't find anyting around STIX etc on their website
Cheers
Bryan

As a manufacturer I admire Bruce's works.Even I used 434 for years.Now start Voyager 543,,amazing work of him..

[BRUCEROBERTS]

If you want to know what others think of our designs including the Roberts 434 ... check the FEEDBACK emails on our web site ... there are real people !
Regards, Bruce

[NorthPacific]

My own thought on a steel boat is that unless galvanized they rust inside and out. Like a wood boat got to love um or else they become a liability. Love sailing, I know not a gentleman to go to windward but: It works for me. saw a Plastic Roberts for sale in Cal for 25000. Obviously needed refitting but! Really do enjoy sailing!

[barnakiel]

Some of my friends have BR steel boats - 2 are originals and one more is a modified thing (tall rig).

They seem to be pretty heavy boats. From my perspective, too heavy, to slow and not the best interior layouts either. Alas, they do their jobs and take their owners places.

b.

[Lagoon4us]

Originally Posted by NorthPacific

My own thought on a steel boat is that unless galvanized they rust inside and out. Like a wood boat got to love um or else they become a liability. Love sailing, I know not a gentleman to go to windward but: It works for me. saw a Plastic Roberts for sale in Cal for 25000. Obviously needed refitting but! Really do enjoy sailing!

You cannot galvanise a boat hull, galvanising tubs are too small, the amount of molten material would make it impossible to do, the hull would buckle like a smith crisp!!!!

Far better a good blast and paint with the latest coatings available, with an A1 job and some maintenance it will last way past our use by dates.... cheers

[Lagoon4us]

Lived up the way from Bruce Roberts Marine Park on Molle road Gumdale and was inspired by the boats built there largely in glass but some steel.
I went on to build many Joe Adams designs in round bilge Ally and Steel.

I have good friends Joe and Kieth Hill who circumnavigated prior to GPS, their boat was very heavy HOWEVER it bought them home safely.

Always liked the Roberts 36 (Warwick Hood style?)

I think at that time it was Bruce Roberts Goodson??

Sadly many builds were ruined by amatuers who thought they knew better...

Cheers Frank ( a Manly Road ex-resident)