Ideal 30 cruising sailboat

[Benz]

For what it's worth, Westsail 32s have survived serious weather with deck-stepped masts, and my Cape George 31 has a tabernacle. I'd take it anywhere it's possible for a boat to go, including high latitudes.
Keel or deck stepped matters a lot less than how well the rig is otherwise engineered.

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by Benz

For what it's worth, Westsail 32s have survived serious weather with deck-stepped masts, and my Cape George 31 has a tabernacle. I'd take it anywhere it's possible for a boat to go, including high latitudes.
Keel or deck stepped matters a lot less than how well the rig is otherwise engineered.

The WS-32 is one of the boats I would go into high latitudes with.

[NorthCoastJoe]

I own a Pearson 30. I like it so much that we keep it on the hard when we go cruising. We were going to sell it, but there is too much in it now.

We have had it out in all conditions in SF Bay where we were the only boat out there. With two deep reefs in, it has seen 40 knots outside the Golden Gate Bridge. It handles well in close quarters and has an encapsulated keel, deck stepped mast. My bilge is always dry too.

It has a wheel and the elephant is removable and far back in the cockpit. So the wheel in the cockpit is not a problem. I can also put an emergency tiller on if I need to.

It will out sail any Catalina 30 too. In its day it was a race/cruiser.

[rognvald]

So, I'm going to go against the grain and make a few recommendations:

1.) buy a boat for the area in which you really sail . . . not the one that's in your head
2.) buy a boat that is simple to maintain: short and long term
3.) don't buy a bargain boat that "needs work." Buy a boat that has been well maintained. It's worth the extra money.
4.) 99% of sailors think that buying a great boat will compensate for lack of sailing skills and there could be nothing further from the truth. Matt Rutherford sailed a 40 year old 27 foot Albin Vega non-stop around the North American continent that was literally disintegrating as he neared his final destination--a feat few in the world could ever accomplish. Buy a boat in your budget and make it safe and sound. Go sailing! Here's some recommendations:
1. Cape Dory 28/30
2. Catalina 30--80's model
3. Pearson 30
4. Bristol 28/30
5. Tartan 30
Finally, stay away from those heavy "sea slugs!" I don't want to offend anyone but you all know what boats I mean . . . if you're a sailor, you'll never be happy with their performance for the majority of sailing most sailors experience.
Rognvald

[Don C L]

Oh that's right, a Tartan 30 or Yankee 30 are good choices. Cheoy Lee Luders 30 is too for those that seek a good long keel 30.

[seacap]

Originally Posted by pcmm

A lot will depend on your definition of "ideal" and its use case. For me your inclusion of "full keel" removes what I think is the Ideal 30ft cruiser. The Catalina 30. It is easy to sail, has a simple rig, lots of space (for a 30fter) and will take you just about anywhere coastally. Lets face it probably 99% of all 30 footers are used for coastal trips only and never spend any time offshore.

For me although I love the Bristol channel cutter, its not a great coastal cruiser. the extended bowsprit is financially expensive in marinas, with no benefit to the owner.

The Westsail though a classic design with a lot of space for 28ft is not quick. and the Nor-sea 27 sacrifices too much space to get an impractical aft cabin.

The bowsprite on the BCC can be slid inboard. It’s easily done, but takes about ten minutes.

[MSgt]

IMO the Hinterhoeller Nonsuch30 Ultra would do very well
https://www.sailboatlistings.com/view/105123

[Greg K]

Lots of nice recommendations. I'll just throw my two cents into the selection and offer the boat I currently sail, a Shannon 28 cutter, as another excellent choice albeit, like the BCC 28, a bit on the expensive side. But, like they say, buy quality and you'll only cry once.

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by pcmm

…..
For me although I love the Bristol channel cutter, it’s not a great coastal cruiser. the extended bowsprit is financially expensive in marinas, with no benefit to the owner.

The Westsail though a classic design with a lot of space for 28ft is not quick. and the Nor-sea 27 sacrifices too much space to get an impractical aft cabin.

The bowsprit of the BCC may increase the cost of marina berthing but it most definitely was of benefit to owners. It helped push the SA/D up to 18.6 meaning the boat is fast for its length. And even lodes for cruising would not be massively bogged down.

The WestSail28 has a SA/D so low (13.5) so low it’s almost in motorsailor territory.

The Westsail 32 on the other hand has a pretty good SA/D (16.7) but many people think it’s slow because it’s so heavy. Being heavy makes it slow to accelerate which gives people the sense that it is slow. It actually won the PacificCup in 1988 and again this year.

The aft cabin of the NS-27 is a personal preference. If you don’t like it you don’t like the whole boat, the boat is too small for the existence of an aft cabin to not be a deal breaker. On a larger boat, if you don’t like the tradeoffs of an aft cabin, it’s an annoyance not necessarily a deal breaker.

Shannon 28. Good sail area for its displacement. Good layout. Should be a good cruising or offshore boat.

[notoldbilbo]

Don't lose sight of the practicality of fitting a 'stowable' bowsprit from which to fly an asymmetric spi, or even a jib topsail.

Several makers offer such spars/kits, including Selden, and a DIY arrangement is not difficult to acquire and mount - saving you several thousand dollars.

Several owners of older boats have done just that....

[billcrowley]

With regard to “paying the marina for the air around a bowsprit”: some years ago there was an article in a sailing magazine about a sailor in Washington state who had a beautiful classically designed William Garden cutter of about 50’ with a 4 or 5 foot bowsprit, for which he was unwilling to pay his marina the extra toll. He cut and hinged the bowsprit and fitted the bobstay with a quick release. The forestry of course went slack when the sprit was folded, but the staysail stay was adequate to support the mast while the boat was in her slip.
I believe this mod saved him about $600/year in slip rent.

[gulfislandfred]

If you're coastal cruising, you don't need a blue water boat. Any of the Catalina/Newport/Islander 30 footers will be fine.


I agree with those who said there's nothing wrong with a deck stepped mast.

I do agree that there is a significant advantage to a fin keel, with skeg hung rudder, The boat tracks more like a longer keel, but turns much more easily in tight spots. The rudder is better protected from grounding, stray lines and (where I live) logs.


In your situation, I would look at older 27 -28 foot production boats, well equipped, in the $10K and under range. I would consider something like a Catalina 27 with an outboard motor (except the V birth is too small on the C27)
I think your vision is of wide, deep water, but your reality will be daylight sailing from port to port, and anchored or docked every night.

[Sindbaad]

Originally Posted by JPonHudson

Not more than 30 LOA
Masthead Sloop or Cutter
Keel stepped mast
on the fence with the wheel/tiller question
Full or encapsulated keel

Go...

May I suggest a Hallberg Rassy Monsun 31, if you could find one in the market.
She is a sloop with stronger than usual hull thickness, wheel and tiller steered. I have owned and sailed one for over 35 years. I have sailed her in northern European waters, Atlantic Ocean, west coast of the North American Continent from San Francisco to Valdez in Gulf of Alaska. She is highly reliable and most of all provides comfortable ride.

[chuck staz]

Does a Pearson P303 come into play ??

[Knotical]

I would also look at Sabre 28 & 30, great sailing boats