Buying Guidance... Help!

[CaptJB]

Loaded question coming your way. I am shoping for a crusing sailboat... again. It has been more than 15 years since my last boat (Halberg Rassy Rasmus 35) which I never got the time to really cruise (more than a few days). Retiring now and ready to take the "Admiral" crusing starting from SE Coast to the islands then ??? Looking to purchase used, but willing to pay premium for the boat that has had that extra care and attention. Not afraid of work to make it what I really want it to be, but want strong bones. Looking to keep the initial purchase below $100K. So here are 4 of the boats I am looking at:
C&C Landfall 43
Brewer 12.8 cutter
Endeavor 42
Whitby 42.
If you know the similarity of the layout of these boats then you can understand the "Admirals" requirements. I want a rig that will not be limited by ICW bridges and has a flexible sail plan to cover the widest variety of wind conditions...so a ketch/cutter. It also has to be handled by 2 with experience, large enough and equiped to live on for extended periods and good performance with relatively shoal draft and skeg hung rudder for gunkholing.
I know everyone has an opinon and I don't expect large scale agreement. That being said, I really value the experience of this community so please let me know your thoughts.

[Cheechako]

I think the C&C has a cored hull so eliminate that one.
Check and see if there are any Wauquiez models that suit the admiral as well as those on your list.... well built boats. Amphitrite 43?

[rhhmadry]

C&C definitely has a cored hull.

[JPA Cate]

We've had a couple of friends with Whitby 42's.

One of them opened up along the hull to deck joint, caused a lot of strife, and angst, but they made it to port, and were able to fix it and complete their circumnavigation.

The others cruised in it about 20-25 yrs., seemed happy enough, but she always complained that the hull shape made it rolly in anchorages into which a swell came.

So, a note to you as the Capt., Sir, is that if the Admiral is inexperienced, what may visiually appeal to her may not be the best choice. Specifically, if she is prone to motion sickness, from the kind of motions monos generate, perhaps (gasp!) you might consider a cat. I'm here to tell you, people who suffer from motion sickness do not generally seek out life on the sea...It might come smite them upside the head, though!

Ann

[Spindrift NH]

I've been looking at the Whitby's as well as a cruising/live aboard boat as well. Just started looking at the Endeavor 43 and noticed that it has a mast height of 61', which might not be good for the ICW. You might want to also check out the Pearson 424.

[a64pilot]

Some Island Packets can be had for less than 100K, I think my 38 fits your list?

I got that the Admiral was experienced, and don't see anywhere she get's sea sick.
Where did the Cat come from, <100K, flexible sailplan, low air draft?

[carstenb]

Unless I'm mistaken (could easily be) the lowest bridge on the ICW is 65 feet

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by carstenb

Unless I'm mistaken (could easily be) the lowest bridge on the ICW is 65 feet

The 36th Street Julia Tuttle Causeway Bridge (AICW mile 1087.1 - Miami) has a charted vertical clearance of 56 Feet; but Vasco has previously advised that “the draw to the west of the main draw has good water and is a foot or two higher.”

[CaptJB]

The "Admiral" has been with me for 36 years. She loved the lay-out of our Halberg Rassy Rasmus... just needed a litte more room for extended live aboard. She is an experienced coastal sailor, but doesn't have an extended passage or a signficant blow under her belt yet. Appreciate the info on the C&C, definitley want to stay away from the possibilities of issues associated with an older boat with a cored hull. I will cross the C&C off the list. The Wauquiez has alot of good qualities... but it has teak decks which I shy away from due to the maint. I think I will add the Krogen 38 to the list of possibilities as well. I am going to hit the Annapolis Boat Show this weekend to talk to some brokers and see what is on the mid-atlantic market.

[lifeofreilly57]

I wouldn't cross the C&C off the list because of the coring, the hull is cored to the water line and is solid glass below the water line, unless the boat has taken a shot and been damaged the hull should be fine. C&C had decent quality build standards. I looked at one as an insurance salvage the year before last, the boat had been hit hard in the starboard quarter above the water line, since the 3 foot hole was easy to access I looked at the coring and hull laminations and found them to be sound with no evidence of previous water intrusion. I only passed on that one because my wife and i had too many other projects going on at that time and would have been overextended from a scheduling aspect. I was pretty impressed at how well the hull stood up considering the level of impact it took. If I had less on my plate at the time I would have jumped on that one, the price was right and the boat was well maintained up until the moment it was smacked.
The deck of course depends on how well it was maintained but that's the story with any older boat since every hull I've ever worked on had some kind of coring in the deck, whether planking, plywood or balsa. I've had more issues with plywood cored decks, especially in the northeast where I've done the majority of my sailing, the freeze/ thaw cycles wreak havoc on wet plywood coring.
The C&C was a good sailing performance cruiser which was ahead of it's time, on the other hand it didn't have as much storage as some of the other boats in it's class, it all depends on what your looking for. THere are several sites that have write ups on them.

[Jim Cate]

FWIW, your criteria include "good performance", and I simply can't include the Whitby 42 into that category. We've known several of these vessels quite well, and while comfortable and sturdy (except hull to deck joints and rudder construction), they are pretty slow. PHRF rating around 180, which is lousy for a 42 foot boat. Windward performance is not good.

I can't speak about any of the other designs on your list, as we've never had a close association with them.

Cheers,

Jim

[jtsailjt]

I also wouldn't cross a cored hull off your list, because after all, you are going to have it thoroughly checked out by a competent marine surveyor before you own it and he will check for any signs of delamination or moisture in the core. If it's made it the first 30 years without getting wet, it probably never will if you take care of it.

I looked at a Brewer and hated the low passageway to the aft cabin. If you and your wife are both less than about 5'8" it might be OK but at 6'1" it was out of the question.

[FLLCatsailor]

Originally Posted by CaptJB

Loaded question coming your way. I am shoping for a crusing sailboat... again. It has been more than 15 years since my last boat (Halberg Rassy Rasmus 35) which I never got the time to really cruise (more than a few days). Retiring now and ready to take the "Admiral" crusing starting from SE Coast to the islands then ??? Looking to purchase used, but willing to pay premium for the boat that has had that extra care and attention. Not afraid of work to make it what I really want it to be, but want strong bones. Looking to keep the initial purchase below $100K. So here are 4 of the boats I am looking at:
C&C Landfall 43
Brewer 12.8 cutter
Endeavor 42
Whitby 42.
If you know the similarity of the layout of these boats then you can understand the "Admirals" requirements. I want a rig that will not be limited by ICW bridges and has a flexible sail plan to cover the widest variety of wind conditions...so a ketch/cutter. It also has to be handled by 2 with experience, large enough and equiped to live on for extended periods and good performance with relatively shoal draft and skeg hung rudder for gunkholing.
I know everyone has an opinon and I don't expect large scale agreement. That being said, I really value the experience of this community so please let me know your thoughts.

There is a really nice looking Whitby 42 that just became available for sale in USVI for sale by owner. Check out the USVI Cruisers Facebook page for info.

[Yamamike]

Ive heard that zebra mussels LOVE cored hulls as well. If it was up to me, on the Great Lakes, I would never buy a Cored hull boat cause the mussels would eat it alive.. Going out on the Ocean?? I still wouldn't do it cause I've heard that any boat under 34' is prone to shipworm.. I sure as hell don't need that!! Is this true or can I still go out sailing??? Ive heard ferro cement boats never sink..... I need help.

[Yamamike]

And I'm 4'9". Does that limit me to Lake Erie??