Comfortable Cruiser Advice

[tattler]

I'm looking to purchase an older boat for cruising Fl to Bahamas, must have a shower and some comforts. Looking hard at the Allied Princess 36, but concerned about performance. I am inexperienced, but spent my youth on a Contest 42. Do not want a dog, but on a budget of $25-35k. Any advice appreciated.

[letsgetsailing3]

Originally Posted by tattler

I'm looking to purchase an older boat for cruising Fl to Bahamas, must have a shower and some comforts. Looking hard at the Allied Princess 36, but concerned about performance. I am inexperienced, but spent my youth on a Contest 42. Do not want a dog, but on a budget of $25-35k. Any advice appreciated.

The Princess is a great boat for that purpose.

[gah964]

Originally Posted by letsgetsailing3

The Princess is a great boat for that purpose.

Don't forget the Ketch don't sail as fast or as well as a cutter from what I hear, but I guess it really depends on a lot of factors.

[onestepcsy37]

if you want performance there are a number of ex-racing boats out there for sale at low prices. unfortunately they usually have deep draft fin keels and spade rudders which don't lend themselves to shallow water cruising, IMHO. we have five feet when loaded for cruising and that's about all i want for our area - florida/bahamas. we also have a long keel with skeg protected rudder, like the allied princess. that's good.

for liveaboard/cruising the princess would be a good choice. i think you'll find that in this area most trips are day trips from anchorage to anchorage, and you spend a lot of time anchored in one place, so plan your boat accordingly...

[SimonV]

Early 70s IOR boats are good reasonably fast comfortable cruisers if you don't go dead down wind. Don't get too hung up on sailing performance for a cruising boat. You want well built (heavy) . You will never out run bad weather, get a boat that will look after you when you get caught out. The Princess would be a great choice.

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[gah964]

Originally Posted by onestepcsy37

if you want performance there are a number of ex-racing boats out there for sale at low prices. unfortunately they usually have deep draft fin keels and spade rudders which don't lend themselves to shallow water cruising, IMHO. we have five feet when loaded for cruising and that's about all i want for our area - florida/bahamas. we also have a long keel with skeg protected rudder, like the allied princess. that's good.

for liveaboard/cruising the princess would be a good choice. i think you'll find that in this area most trips are day trips from anchorage to anchorage, and you spend a lot of time anchored in one place, so plan your boat accordingly...

A fin keel just came into the dock with the keel cracked .story is the guy was sailing in 6ft of water and a freighter wave sent him into the bottom and SNAP it looked like a mess the keel was hanging by one bolt don't know how he made it back.

[onestepcsy37]

our sailing club owns a 1970's era pearson 30. we use it for offshore racing - or what qualifies for offshore racing in daytona beach. it's got a spade rudder hanging out in midair with no support except the spindly rudder shaft sticking out the bottom of the hull.

we've grounded it twice and had to replace the rudder twice, rudder shaft once. like simonv said -

Don't get too hung up on sailing performance for a cruising boat. You want well built (heavy) .

[Cheechako]

The 4.5 draft will make for a good Bahama boat. It wont be a great sailor though.

[Sailmonkey]

It won't go to weather very well at all, especially of heeled more than a few degrees, but off the wind it's fine and comfortable.

[gonesail]

Originally Posted by tattler

I'm looking to purchase an older boat for cruising Fl to Bahamas must have a shower and some comforts

if you find the bahamas cruiser you're looking for .. let me know. i'm not seeing much out there besides the usual suspects. heavy is good but not too heavy. 4.5' draft or less and swing keel is even better. i heard the princesses had tankage issues. prefer sloop over ketch with pedestal steering or maybe tiller. most of the classics are over 30 years old which usually means compromise and will need some money thrown at it. other things you might like is enough battery to power small fridge and solar to be self sufficient. with good bimini and awnings to stay out of the sun and plenty of opening ports that don't leak.

[pistarckle]

Princess will do fine .
Performance ain't to important for a Bahamas boat , draft is . Allied boats as a whole were tough boats . Go for it !

[pistarckle]

Onestep , is Norm Church still alive and racing his Morgan out of Daytona ?

[onestepcsy37]

Originally Posted by pistarckle

Onestep , is Norm Church still alive and racing his Morgan out of Daytona ?

not only is he alive and well, but he's beating the pants off anything he races against. hard to believe a first generation morgan can sail that fast, but i think he knows how to get the best out of every inch of that old tub.

and it doesn't look like he or his boat will be retiring any time soon....

[sandy stone]

Had you considered a Pearson 365 or 36 cutter? There's one around here that sails well above its rating, and it's a good solid cruising boat.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by sandy stone

Had you considered a Pearson 365 or 36 cutter? There's one around here that sails well above its rating, and it's a good solid cruising boat.

+1. Good little boats, available at gold prices.