List of the best small 30-35' full keel cruising boats based on traditional designs..

[rmcnabb]

Consider, strongly, the Nicholson 31. I think it's probably the perfect 30'-ish full keeler, although it's very heavy. All the benefits of weight and keel shape (if you're into that) without a lot of expensive bowsprits and boomkins. I nearly bought one but it was a basket case, and I found my Contest 31 soon after, not sorry at all.

[Jebtrois]

You may be in luck depending on your budget and transport requirements. It looks like there may be a wooden BCC for sale in Germany on Yachtworld. She's pricy, but fairly new albeit not a Morse boat; and far away. I also recall a wooden BCC up for sale once or twice named Tigress; she is about due to hit the market as it has been a couple years since I have seen her listed.
JEB

[SuW]

Originally Posted by Mark1275

How about a Bayfield 32 or 32C? Both are 30 ft on deck with a bowsprit. The 32C has more sail area on the same hull, with 4 more feet of mast and 2 more feet of bowsprit. Both were built in Canada.

Bayfield boats are great (we have one too), but they have limited bilge storage compared to, say, the Bristol Channel Cutter or the Westsail.

However, the consequence of that is they have a draft of 3'10" (1.2m) which is a great advantage for cruising, imo.

The most recent Bayfield is 30 years old now, and the condition of boats on the market varies tremendously. Current prices in Ontario are from $15K-$30K.

Bayfield 29s are basically very similar to the 32 as far as internal space, except the V-berth is replaced with a large head compartment.

There are a few Bayfield 36s around. Sometimes they are sold as "Bayfield 40s" because that is about their length overall including davits and bowsprit, but real Bayfield 40s are massive and pretty rare (and 45 feet long including bowsprit).

Bristol Channel Cutters always fetch a high price regardless of age. I've never seen one neglected - they are cult boats with good reason.

[Don C L]

Sounds to me like you are describing a Downeast 32 (or Downeaster 32.)
https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/downeaster-32

[Cyrus Safdari]

The Southern Cross has a foam cored hull, which some may not like. Bristol Channel Cutters go for an extra $ premium because they're listed as the best boat somewhere by someone (I'm sure they're great boats but worth the extra $?) Ingrids are harder to find and big. But in any case the Westsails, Formosa, Pacific Seacraft, Valiants, Baba, Cape Dory, Alberg-type boats etc all are just variations on the Scandinavian Folkboat (main difference in keel shape). The older boats tend to have thicker construction fb, they each have their susceptibility to osmosis (welcome to fb boats) etc. Some are the same design under a different brand name, even made with same molds (Downeasters and Southern Crosses, I believe I once read, shared molds) Bowsprits etc are often installed/removed after market, sloops turned into "cutters" etc by each previous owner. The Pearson 35 was originally a ketch design just because of racing rulex, most rigged as sloops

[Bill Seal]

If you really want to go salty, there's a semi-abandoned f/g Bristol Channel *cutter* in my marina down in LA harbor. Flush deck, Sabb thumper, rigged as a schooner. The owner died a couple of years ago and I don't know what the daughter is going to do with it.

[Lemsteraak]

Ryan,

You said you like wood. There is a "Falmouth" Cutter in Ventura that looks good on paper that sounds like it will fit your needs.

https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/199...esign-3658300/

I'm surprised you haven't been able to find anything in the PNW. There have been a whole bunch of wood Hess Cutters and old Atkins that have come up for sale. All these boats seem to be custom or semi-custom and no two are alike, maybe similar, but the tend to reflect the owners with time. Sometimes this is a good thing but not all owners have the skills to take care of these boats. You can sometimes find what appear to be very good deals but you have to not only look at the boat but the previous owner to see what you are getting into.

[rkarakai21]

Thanks for all the great info! There are a few things in this thread I'll be seriously looking into. That Cold molded Falmouth Cutter down in California could be a real gem. Just waiting for that border to open..

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by rkarakai21

Thanks for all the great info! There are a few things in this thread I'll be seriously looking into. That Cold molded Falmouth Cutter down in California could be a real gem. Just waiting for that border to open..

Yeah that one really caught my eye too, though the price is way outa my league. That is very close to me, in fact I sail by her all the time. I'd be happy to go check her out for you.... promise I won't buy her

[rkarakai21]

Anyone here heard of a true north 34? One just came up for sale near me.

Proven boat offshore? Common problems?

Looks like the type of hull I'm interested in, but I've never heard anything about them.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by rkarakai21

Anyone here heard of a true north 34? One just came up for sale near me.

Proven boat offshore? Common problems?

Looks like the type of hull I'm interested in, but I've never heard anything about them.

Heard of them. I only know a little, but have an affinity for them since they were also designed by Stan Huntingford, the same person who did my Rafiki-37.

The limited reputational info I've heard about them is that they are well-designed, well-built boats. Looking at pics and the drawings I see there are a lot of similarities with my boat. But I've never even seen one in real life, let alone sailed one, so reality may differ.

[rkarakai21]

Looks like there sail area to displacement ratio is absymal, significantly below a BCC. I wonder if they could handle a larger rig, gaff rig, to alter that ratio in my favour. Depends on the ballast, how stiff they are.. I should have gone to school to be a naval architect, I could have answered my own ponderings.

Basically I had planned on a boat that I could alter to gaff rig, because well thats what I'm used to, I like working with wood, I can easily build the spars myself and play with the bowsprit length and sail area of the main to get her to sail herself nicely. There is a precedent for doing that with the BCC, The Mariah 31 I could see being possible for that too.

I know I know, I'm a madman. I like what I like.

[ttex]

We really love our Baba 35. The craftsmanship on the wood interiors on the Babas is absolutely gorgeous. We live on our boat year round in Seabrook, TX and find it to be very homey and comfortable.

There is a Baba 30 put up for sale recently in the slip right next to us. Ton's of refit work already done but more to go. He sized up to a Whitby 42.

I hear the boats sail pretty nice in sportier winds but we haven't had the pleasure as of yet.

[rkarakai21]

Yeah theres a Baba 30 that just came up for sale in Seattle, looks pretty good, but can't get to seattle until the borders open up. Just have to wait.

[jwoytek]

I’m a little late to the thread here, but another to consider might be the Jason 35, which is a Ted Brewer double-ender design. It seems to tick a lot of your boxes: Double-ender, cutter rig, full (ish) keel (“Brewer Bite” style), traditional lines, keel-stepped mast. There was a company in BC (I think) who had a limited production run of these boats, and there are others (like ours) built from plans. The design incorporates lots of headroom below, a compact cockpit intended for safety at sea, and is a comfortable ride even in messy conditions.

Interior features can vary, depending on builder and finisher. Ours has a thoughtful, mostly traditional layout, with some useful deviations from the suggested layout in the plans. Ours has no bowsprit, but I’ve seen at least one that did. Ours is tiller steered, which I like.

We love ours. Being an owner-built (from plans) boat, she’s not necessarily typical of the commercial run, but I can say that ours is built like a tank.