Full keel live aboard cruiser?

[Thames 4 Blood]

Hi Guys.
I suspect the Americans may be my best hope here?
Can anyone suggest a quality yacht preferably with full keel or modified full keel?
I am familiar with Island Packet and Hans Christian. I would just like some alternatives to throw into the mix of choices... Although either of these makes would be absolutely ideal... For preference a centre cockpit.
Length 43 to 50ft. I would rather avoid the very traditional narrow beam sailors. They don't offer enough accommodation.
My wife and I spent 2 years living aboard and cruising the Med on a Jeanneau 45ds but now we are lubbers again and planning a circumnavigation.
The Jeanneau was frankly magnificent in the Med but I would like something heavier for Pacific crossings.
Thanks

[Cheechako]

Cape Dory, Lord Nelson, Baba, Panda, Tashiba. Not sure those go as big as you are looking for though.
Mason 53, Fuji 45

[LLCoolDave]

Check out bluewaterboats.org Also John Kretchmer put together a list of his favorites John Kretschmer Sailing - Bluewater Boats It will also help if you throw out a budget for your next boat.

Best of luck.

[Thames 4 Blood]

Cool. Thank you.

[roverhi]

Westsail 42 and 43 for a nice Crealock design.

[gaspass3]

Mason 44


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[Steadman Uhlich]

How much? In other words how high of asking price would you consider?

How old? Do you only want a new boat? Only under 10 years old? Older OK?

Where to buy? Europe only? USA possible?

[Don C L]

I have a good friend with a Freya 39 he has sailed all over the South Pacific. It is a very well-made boat with a good reputation, but it is not 43 feet. (Are you sure you need that much boat?) Bluewaterboats.org has quite a few good choices but while on that site click on "vote for upcoming boats" and you'll see even more boats that people have suggested.

[Orion Jim]

Really need to know your budget to give a reasonable response. Hylas makes a beautiful boat. I was very impressed with a 46 I was aboard.

[Jman]

Originally Posted by Jim Walsh

Really need to know your budget to give a reasonable response. Hylas makes a beautiful boat. I was very impressed with a 46 I was aboard.

Not sure it qualifies as full keel. Of course full keel is not requirement for ocean crossings. But is what the OP was asking for.


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[Thames 4 Blood]

Thanks guys. budget...£250,000 or about 400,000USD Max but less would be better.
Size. Yes, I think 43ft is a bare minimum and would prefer 50ft. I know everyone will disagree but if you haven't been there and lived aboard don't comment and if you have in a smaller boat then I salute you. I know loads of people do and very happily but I won't compromise on a proper double bed, preferably with some head room and I like to have "stuff" on board... Dive gear, compressor, washing machine etc etc. I don't think it makes anyone a hero to live like a caveman. It's right for ME so please don't shout me down. I respect others do it a different way.

[Thames 4 Blood]

Where to buy.. Europe would be better but USA would be ok. I suspect an Island Packet will be the way to go and the choice in the USA is far better.
How old... I am not afraid of working on a boat but I do not want to buy a fixer upper so condition rather than age matters.

[Skip JayR]

Originally Posted by Thames 4 Blood

The Jeanneau was frankly magnificent in the Med but I would like something heavier for Pacific crossings.
Thanks

Thames 4 Blood... it is an illusion, that "heavy boats" are safely. The Mediterranean is not a "harmless" big pont sea area. If you'd sail street of Sicily it can be very rough weather with big and choppy waves. In other words: if you can sail with a 40 footer Jeanneau there, it same could take the pacific safely.

If your theory would be correct, we'd not loose every week two ships worldwide ( see annually report by Alliance: AGCS Safety and Shipping Review 2014).

The right formula is: More lighter a boat, more better = safe". So the basic concept. Otherwise Polynesians (with multihulls/proas) or Vikings wouldnt have crossed oceans. What counts is length of a boat and the uplift a hull gives in the segment of bow and stern !

I rember very well, I visited a workshop of Burghard Pieske (born 1944), a solo circumnavigation salor, and very radically in his projects. But not mad, always keeps his activities on high seas on the safe side. - He sailed catamarans, he followed the route of Vikings with a replica of a Viking boat...


...and the Pacific on the route of Captain Blyte and his Bounty cross the Pacific...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUe4QbHKUWw

Burkgard explained it very simple why light-weighted boats have it more easy in "bad weather" and "heavy seas". They pop up like a bottle or light-weighted piece of cork. Jumping easily on the waves... and not being drowned/overwashed like a heavy piece of wood sucked full of water. Therefor they are safer compared to heavy keel boats.

While a heavy long keel boat is laying deep in the water, and steadily fighting against the elements which can bear the risks to slow down by speed and stuck... and become a victim / play ball of the elements.

If you have the money and budget, think about a "used multihull" as you search for "space". Cruising Catamarans nowadays are very, very safe boats.... enough out there in the range of 200-250 Thousand... These boats will give you all what you want: safetyness (inclusive speed as a safety parameter), space and comfortable accomocation even in bad weater (see the 1st video). - Cats will give you what you want. - A 45-50 foot multihull has much more benefits than a monohull of that size. Only limitation: you shall not pack it overweighted, so the sterns suck deep in the water to loose the "leight weighted cork" effect.

Enjoy the ride on a 50 ft. cat in the Pacific...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFqm48C2BPk

Very relaxed sailing under Wind Vane on a 43 ft. cat in the Pacific...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6933ZcybGA

A long keel boat I only would like to take in ice areas to have a very robust hull.

[Hobie_ind]

They're not full keel, but your budget puts you easily into a later year, well maintained Amel Super Maramu 2000 which has all the amenities you listed as stock items from the factory (including the dive compressor on most of them). It may be narrower than your looking for though?

It also would easily get you an older fully refit Hallberg Rassey HR49 likely with its teak decks redone (or removed).

Both aren't full keel, but should have the space and heft you're looking for, and have solidly built skeg hung rudders.

[a64pilot]

Why the hang up on full keel? Island Packets aren't "real" full keels either.
Find the boat that you like, the layout, sailplan, construction quality your want with and performance that your OK with, that sails the way you want, if it has a full keel, well then OK, but if it doesn't, don't walk away just because of keel shape.

What is it about a full keel you want? some other designs may have the same qualities you desire.