Gulf 32 for Alaska

[basssears]

Originally Posted by Juho

We bought a pilothouse sailboat for very similar reasons. The pilothouse extends the sailing season considerably up north. Cool weather and rain are not a problem. 32 feet is exactly the right size for a boat .

This!

The world is getting more and more crowded, so we are avoiding high season everywhere more and more... for us, being able to be comfortable in the shoulder seasons (many fewer people, often better wind) is key.

-- Bass

[Cheechako]

One thing, the RawsonPH and IIRC the Gulf seem a bit cavefish down below. You felt a bit confined to the center isle or up on things. I looked at an old Islander 37 PH and I loved the interior arrangement, the galley, steering and table were all "up" on a raised floor, with easy visibility out. Forward, the head and sleeping arrangements were a step down. ISLANDER 37 MS sailboat specifications and details on sailboatdata.com

[basssears]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

One thing, the RawsonPH and IIRC the Gulf seem a bit cavefish down below. You felt a bit confined to the center isle or up on things. I looked at an old Islander 37 PH and I loved the interior arrangement, the galley, steering and table were all "up" on a raised floor, with easy visibility out. Forward, the head and sleeping arrangements were a step down. ISLANDER 37 MS sailboat specifications and details on sailboatdata.com

To each their own for sure (I mean that genuinely, not in a snarky way)... my wife and I have come to enjoy the cave quite a bit... I can be at the nav table while she's cooking in the galley and we're up in the light and looking out, or we can be down below on the settee's and feel very private even in a crowded / tight marina... on snotty days it can be nice to "hide" from the snotty weather a bit, and on nice days it can be 1) cooler down below and 2) still nice and light and sunny feeling.

But for sure YMMV, that's just my personal feeling.

-- Bass

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by rbk

Another popular SE AK boat are the Fischer’s (30 and 34 I think?) Another full keel PH.

My thoughts too when I read the first post, especially the NorthEastern model:

1977 Fisher Northeaster 30 Sail New and Used Boats for Sale -

[rotrax]

I saw a Gulf 32 in Bangor Marina, Northern Ireland in late 2014. I thought it looked really nice and spoke with the owner who was delighted with her.

The following season we visited the Clyde in Western Scotland in our lovely Island Packet 350 "Jess". It was 7 degrees C in mid july!

Totally fed up with being wet and cold while in the cockpit during UK summers we looked closely at pilot house and deck saloon yachts.

Apart from the Gulf 32 the other model that took our fancy was a Francis 34. As only six were ever built and we just missed the only one that had been available for years we looked further.

A change in financial planning decided the issue-we decided to have what we really wanted all along and spend the money-after all, you only regret what you did not do!

We bought an Island Packet SP Cruiser, 7 years old but very neglected. Under the dirt and grime she was virtually new-534 hours on the engine only.

It was a 600 mile delivery trip once I had sorted out bad fuel and other issues. A very experienced delivery crew from one of our clubs came along for the ride. He was a bit sniffy about this fat tub with a big engine and a modest rig with an inside only steering position.

At 2AM in thirty knots true rounding Lands end in the pissing rain he thought it was marvelous!

UK conditions are not as severe as Alaskan ones, but most summers we get a lot of rain and low tempretures.

Th SP Cruiser works for us, especially getting on and off from the bathing platform.

Bit of a learning curve for First Mate who is I/C steering-we have had some moments reversing into berths with the long keel and high windage from the tall pilothouse.

I never knew she knew some of those words..................

[luckychucky]

I would be willing to talk about selling my Gulf-32 located in Ketchikan.