Down to 4 Boats...Please Help Me Decide...

[pcmm]

Originally Posted by Don C L

I wonder if the Morgans had trouble with the cored hulls. I was a little surprised at the low prices I saw.

Morgans have zero core in their hulls, just heavy heavy glass work. My Morgan hull is still 3/4" thick up at the shear line!! I filled in a number of old thruhulls on mine (16) and it took more layers of 1708 than I care to remember to fill in each one! Something in the range of 13-15 layers.

[KPowell]

No budget mentioned. This is prettier than any of those. It's in Florida.
1989 Cherubini staysail ketch 44


https://www.yachtworld.com/yacht/198...ketch-9142408/

[Vick Moore]

My old Morgan 41 ketch O/I did 6 direct trips from Beaufort NC to the Bahamas and performed exceptionally well off-shore, even beat my neighbors Beneteau 442 sloop by a day. 4’ draft makes it perfect for gunkholing. Just make sure the hull is sound and all layers of glass are bonded together!

[Akafred]

Originally Posted by Spartanacus

beefier standing rigging is not the best idea ... makes the boat a little more top heavy. Whatever size you have now is the proper size engineered for the boat.

I’ve refit two boats in the past couple of years including replacing all the rigging and both times my rigger with over 40 years experience recommended going up a size in wire because it’s just better and stronger. The weight difference is negligible.

[nofacey]

Start looking at what’s available for sale amongst those four - the right one will pop out.

[captain38]

Originally Posted by Wild_At_Heart

First time poster. I've narrowed my list to purchase a bluewater ketch gunkholer. Please help me weigh the pros and cons of each...


CSY 44 Ketch
Endeavour 40 Ketch
Morgan Out Island 41 Ketch
Endeavour 37 Ketch


My eyes and brain are tired of weighing the pros and cons of each of these myself. I'll likely be single-handing and will be updating the boat for ocean-crossing (new sails, beefier standing rigging, etc.).


Your combined wisdom is appreciated. Here's a list of already excluded contenders...

Victory 40 Ketch
Durbeck 46 Ketch
Pearson 365 Ketch
Northstar 80/20 Ketch
Hughes 40 Ketch
Cabo Rico Tiburon 36 Ketch
Morgan Out Island 36 Ketch
Dickerson 41 Ketch
Gulfstar 41 Ketch

I know those boats, and I ve cruised 75k miles in 3 boats. Performance really matters. The CSY and OI41 are too slow. People often decide on boats based just on spacious layout... mistake. The Endeavors will perform well. However, the 37 is balsa cored. I almost bought one but bailed when the survey found waterlogged soft spots. I do not know about the 40.
By the way, weight aloft really MATTERS!

[Joe Okros]

Most of those boats have different iterations that perform very differently, ie the CSY had a walkover and a walk-through model with a "stumpy" keel for gunkholing, also a 37 or 36-ft version that is very well regarded. Same with OI, the later version is much better to wind, -(also walk-over AND walk-through). All boats are compromises, consider allocating a weighted value to the factors MOST important and likely to impact you, then use that for your decision-making tree. I have owned a 36ft Morgan OI sloop for almost 20 years now and I wouldn't swap it for many other boats in that class/price range simply because the most important things in MY decision tree are adequately addressed. She draws 1.2m and has made it from the Caribean to NZ and is 50 years old this year. I paid US$27000 for her almost 20 years ago and suspect I will get very close to that should I ever need or want to sell her. So I have had 20 years of memories "virtually" free 🤣. A sloop is my preference simply because less to go wrong, less to replace, and fewer sails to handle/store.

[hdelany]

If I were you, I wouldnt go over 37/38 feet if you plan to single hand alot. I woud take ketch off the list as well. More to deal with offshore. I would go back to your list, and reconsider the Cabo Rico. They are excellent offshore boats! If you're looking for best interior space, that's a different issue.

[Leighpilot]

That’s going to be out of his price range. All the boats he listed are in the $40-80k range.

[Leighpilot]

Here’s my take on this but coming from left field. All these boats you’ve listed are dirt cheap. Which implies budget limitations . But they’re all 40-45 years old. Everything on them is likely to be at the end of its service life. Engines , sails, rigging etc etc. And replacing them is hideously expensive. And if you’ve not budgeted for that , your cruise is over before it starts.

40 foot is way more boat than you need and will be hard work sailing ,docking and anchoring. Yeah I know the attraction of a big boat too but size is a seductive mistress that just leads you astray and costs you money. Why do you need two stateroom’s? Three toilets ? Etc etc. They just break and cost you money.

I’d strongly recommend you reevaluate your needs. Get a modern 30ft boat. It’ll be more than enough room, have better sail handling , be more reliable and cost a lot less to operate , maintain and repair. Think about it.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by pcmm

Morgans have zero core in their hulls, just heavy heavy glass work. My Morgan hull is still 3/4" thick up at the shear line!! I filled in a number of old thruhulls on mine (16) and it took more layers of 1708 than I care to remember to fill in each one! Something in the range of 13-15 layers.

Do you have a 383? I read somewhere they have cored hulls. I know the older Morgans were not cored.

[jeanathon]

After reading the title I thought he was down to only 4 owned boats. Ie. Just sold my fifth boat to make the wife happy, and I am freaking out cuz I only have 4 left!
Bikes and boats!

[Alan Brookes]

Originally Posted by Don C L

I don't know these boats, but if someone was going to give me one and I got to choose, I'd take the Endeavor 40. By the numbers it looks like it will perform the best and I think 40 is probably about my limit for single-handing. Oh, and does it have to be a ketch?

My thoughts too, why a ketch. More often than not you’ll see ketches sailing without mizzenmast sail set, little extra reward for the work involved, particularly being single handed.

[macconews]

Buy a Shannon. A few available that meet your needs

[sailorman14]

I’ve sailed many miles in most of the oceans and I can tell you for sure that you are looking at way to big of a boat. You should be looking at around 34 to no more than 36 feet. The bigger boats looks good until you hit a storm then you.figure out why the smaller one is better. Find a smaller one that has a low capsize ratio and a larger comfort ratio.