Looking for a 35'-40' sailboat and need some help

[Heli_fixer]

Originally Posted by farmall.dude

If you like the Hunter line, take a look at Catalina. Especially the C380. I'll be first to admit though, I don't have nearly the real-life experience the others here have! I will say, I can't find a negative review anywhere. If someone has, I'd like to read it!

I do seem to be leaning towards the Catalina line also. I have searched both the 36 and 380. What I found with the 380 and also the Hunter 37.5 is they both have a large step up before going down below. I would rather have a boat that you just have to stop over a small threshold. But I won't really know until I get on some of these boats

[Heli_fixer]

Originally Posted by dakno

Welcome to the forum. I concur with everything I have read in this thread and owning 2 Hunters that I appreciate very much I highly recommend them. Most any choice in the size you are looking for will serve well. The most important thing is condition. Gelcoat, running rigging, sails, cushions, plumbing, electrical, motor( little or no rust anywhere), electronics. Everything is expensive! The best deal would be a lightly used highly maintained with verifiable ownership history, Check fuel condition. A boat that has been regularly maintained by a anal-retentive owner will make you happiest

I couldn't agree more. Gelcoat is a big one for me. I'll have to get some knowledge on what to check on the running rigging and sails. Is it just the obvious...worn, frayed, loose, cracked etc?

[Heli_fixer]

Originally Posted by hamburking

I can personally recommend the Hunter Legend 35.5 (1990-1995). I owned a 94. Here are some of the reasons you will love it:

- Shallow draft (4.5 feet)

- Single line reefing (of the main). This means its easy to tuck a reef singlehanded, without leaving the cockpit.

- Stern shower AND a real shower below.

- Big (king size) bunk in the aft cabin. And a forward cabin suitable for guest couples.

- Yanmar power.

- Bow roller, furling jib, self tailing winches, hunter (stern rail) seats, etc...all standard equipment.

- Walk through transom with sugar scoop stern! That's where you hang out at anchor.

- High tension rig with double spreaders and tapered mast. Yes, this model has a conventional rig that includes a backstay. The no-backstay Hunters (with swept back spreaders) have chafe issues sailing downwind.

This was one of Hunters best models. Not only did it have all the creature comforts below, but it sailed very well too. Unfortunately, its well below your budget, which could be a deal breaker for you. Although you could step up to the Legend 37.5 or 40.5. However, these will increase your ownership costs, and draft. I'm a fan of keeping it small.

BTW...the pics are NOT "stock photos", that's me and my old boat!

The 35.5 has a very passionate following. The boat may have some issues, but it appears all the owners love them. It really is high on my list also. Thanks for all the plusses mentioned here.
The walk thru transom with the sugar scoop stern is a must for us...no questions

[daletournier]

Originally Posted by Taipe

Re. in-mast furling, there is no need for it, ever. It just complicates sailing when it malfunctions and though I have never used one, critics state that it doesn't compete favorably for proper trimming of a main'sl. In-mast and in-boom furling is marketed for people who either like to have the latest of most anything that's available, or blindly just trust the advise of a salesperson more interested in a sales commission.



If you really want to make hoisting, and especially reefing and taking down a mainsail a lot easier, particularly when the wind is really blowing, after you get your boat, just get a hold of the folks at '"Strong Track". This device comes in a roll that consists of a nearly frictionless sleeve on it's back side that runs up and stays in the mast groove that the sail lugs would normally occupy. Your maiin'sl lugs then will insert into the posterior, that is, the exposed outside groove of the track. The ST folks will send you some plastic measuring discs so you can find out which of their tracks will mate properly with the groove dimension of your mast. Once you've used one of these, you will wonder why all boats don't have them, as even with the wind swung around onto your beam, the mainsail will come down easily just by releasing the halyard. Apart from this, you already know what reefing lines are about. And, of course, lazy jacks are essential to keep the mainsail stacked easily onto the boom when you take it down.


As far as deciding on the right boat, there are owner groups that have formed chat lines to sort out problems they encounter with their boats. So once you have narrowed down your choice of boats to a few designs you really like for this or that reason, go online and see if a chat line (i.e. list serve/email group) exists for that model boat and I'm sure you will get good responses. Usually they will have already categorized headings for different problems/solutions that make for valuable reading before you pose any questions you might have.


One last thing, you will do well to avoid a boat that has lived most of it's life in salt water if you plan to keep it in fresh water. Because, depending on many variables on how and what type of polyester resin was used to lay up the hull when it was made in the factory, it may be prone to the problematic kind of blistering that can weaken a hull (ie. not just nuisance type cosmetic blisters). So, avoid that risk and pursue your lovely dreams of sailing together with your 1st mate!

You've never had or used a inmast furler but give advice not to have one, maybe your best to get some experience with them and then offer advice based on that experience. I've had boats without inmast furling and now have a boat with one, I can say through experience that they are a very good addition to a cruising yacht and work well.

[JPA Cate]

I'd like your good lady wife to feel comfortable aboard the boat while you're out sailing. So, when you two look at interiors, look for hand holds that she can use moving fore and aft on the boat, so that she will feel safe from being thrown around. If either of you will ever be cooking under way, make sure there's a safety bar between where you stand, and the stove, and that there's a way to mount a "butt belt", to lean against on the other tack, so that you have hands free support cooking on the windward tack.

If you will ever do an overnighter, make sure there is one berth on the boat, preferably aft of the mast, the edge of which is parallel to the center line of the boat. This berth, with the help of a good lee cloth, will keep whichever one of you who is off watch secure and safe, even if the boat is going to windward. Sometimes, it will be necessary to slow the boat down enough for the off watch to sleep.

I really don't think you need in-mast furling. There are some downsides, most of which I'm sure you could accommodate. But, we've had slab reefing on all our sailboats, since I've known Jim. Even with this larger mainsail, ~ 566 sq. ft., we only have 3 reefs, and they are quite deep, especially the 3rd one. Learning to reef when you first think about it takes a little time, so you can keep track by noticing the wind speed you first think of it at, usually, for someone unused to heeling, it will be when the boat exceeds 15 degree of heel, and some don't reef till 25 or 30 deg. of heel. However, usually it is more efficient to have less heel, and less leeway. All such figures are boat dependent and influenced by the condition of the sails, the depth of the keel, and the attention of the helmsperson.

I'd suggest offering her sailing lessons with a group of other women. Women often learn more without their significant other around. This is well known in the sailing "fraternity", and there are data to back up the assertion. The desired end product of such lessons would be that your wife might be able to gain even more standing in your eyes when she can bring home information to you that you did not get on your course. If you take courses together, you're limiting your input per dollar, unless there is a significant couples discount.

Here's hoping both of you have a super transition to sailboating!

Ann, 40 yrs. sailing experience now, most of it ocean

[MultiCountryDon]

Hi Heli Fixer,
I have had Hunters, now have Beneteau, Jeanneau, Catalina and Corsair in 3 different locations.
They are all GOOD vessels. Pick the one your wife likes.

[alduke]

I have a 40’ Hunter going up for sale. It is a 1987 and has been nearly fully restored, new cabinets, some electronics, sole, re-bedded toe rail, no leaks, 1 extra sail, new sail cover and dodger....and the list goes on.

[Heli_fixer]

Originally Posted by MultiCountryDon

Hi Heli Fixer,
I have had Hunters, now have Beneteau, Jeanneau, Catalina and Corsair in 3 different locations.
They are all GOOD vessels. Pick the one your wife likes.

Pick the one your wife likes

Truer words have never been spoken!

[bradm85]

Hi Trevor,


My wife and I are in the PacNW and moved up from a Catalina 310 to a Hunter 41DS and love it. We looked at MANY boats before settling on the Hunter and I have added several features such as full canvas, watermaker. Our Hunter has a furling main and the Cat did not. In my opinion the furling main is a lot easier to handle for one or two people.

[GrowleyMonster]

In mast furling is not something I would want. It can be a headache. Some folks like it. But it should not be a major factor either way in choosing a boat for the sort of sailing you want to do.


I would maybe look at boats under 35' for a first boat. There are a lot of reasons to stay under 35' or under 12m. Go bigger if you have an actual need for a bigger, boat, not just because you think you would prefer a bigger boat. Your first boat is seldom your last boat, anyway. Anything bigger than 25' should suit you fine. Cal, Catalina, many other mass producers of sailboats have built thousands of entry level boats around 27' to 30', and they can be had for a song, if you are patient and have readily available funds. My 1976 Cal 2-27 came with a non running Atomic 4, but 10 sails and lots of tracks and gadgets added on, for $2k. I took her sailing the next day, with a new outboard and transom mount, and lived aboard for several years. Insurance was a pittance and quickly resolved, and a slip was cheap. The 12m/35' area is where there is a big difference in all that. Plus with bigger sails and all, singlehanding is very very possible and practical, but nevertheless more physically challenging sometimes. Everything seems to nearly double, above that size level. A smaller boat is also somewhat easier to maneuver alone. Fewer beer bumps on neighbor boats. Did I mention haulouts, surveys, etc are by the foot? If you still want a bigger boat that's cool, but do consider a smaller, vintage mass produced fiberglass boat. It is the biggest bang for the buck, for a first "stays in the water" sailboat.

[Heli_fixer]

Originally Posted by GrowleyMonster

In mast furling is not something I would want. It can be a headache. Some folks like it. But it should not be a major factor either way in choosing a boat for the sort of sailing you want to do.


I would maybe look at boats under 35' for a first boat. There are a lot of reasons to stay under 35' or under 12m. Go bigger if you have an actual need for a bigger, boat, not just because you think you would prefer a bigger boat. Your first boat is seldom your last boat, anyway. Anything bigger than 25' should suit you fine. Cal, Catalina, many other mass producers of sailboats have built thousands of entry level boats around 27' to 30', and they can be had for a song, if you are patient and have readily available funds. My 1976 Cal 2-27 came with a non running Atomic 4, but 10 sails and lots of tracks and gadgets added on, for $2k. I took her sailing the next day, with a new outboard and transom mount, and lived aboard for several years. Insurance was a pittance and quickly resolved, and a slip was cheap. The 12m/35' area is where there is a big difference in all that. Plus with bigger sails and all, singlehanding is very very possible and practical, but nevertheless more physically challenging sometimes. Everything seems to nearly double, above that size level. A smaller boat is also somewhat easier to maneuver alone. Fewer beer bumps on neighbor boats. Did I mention haulouts, surveys, etc are by the foot? If you still want a bigger boat that's cool, but do consider a smaller, vintage mass produced fiberglass boat. It is the biggest bang for the buck, for a first "stays in the water" sailboat.

Everything you say here has some truth to it, but I'm afraid you missed my initial post. This will not be my first boat, only my first sailboat. I am coming from a 41 foot Carver MY and finding it hard to even try and stay between 35'-40'...with issues being small sleeping quarters and even smaller heads and showering with the toilet.

I find it interesting that anyone I talk to with mast furling, have positive view points and people with negative attitudes towards mast furling have never had it.

With that being said, I still appreciate your thoughts.

[Tetepare]

Originally Posted by bradm85

Hi Trevor,


My wife and I are in the PacNW and moved up from a Catalina 310 to a Hunter 41DS and love it. We looked at MANY boats before settling on the Hunter and I have added several features such as full canvas, watermaker. Our Hunter has a furling main and the Cat did not. In my opinion the furling main is a lot easier to handle for one or two people.

Hunter hit it big with those DS. Beautiful and great layout. Excellent for watching it rain without feeling like you’re in a submarine.

[fuzzywuzzy]

In mast furling...isn't recommended; it requires a much heavier, larger mast, which creates a lot of drag that will affect upwind performance. If the furler wears out, that's not something you can fix easily underway, either. I've sailed on a lot of boats, and only one had one - a Gulfstar 42 - had in-mast furling, and it was pretty lousy...a jffy reefing system is much better. The upwind performance on the Gulfstar was so bad we couldn't sail into Magadalena bay with an ebb tide. But below decks was great for entertaining guests...

The type of sailing you want to do/budget will be the biggest determining factors, at least for me; is it gonna be racing and only day sailing in nice weather, or long-distance trips offshore? The Great lakes can have as much ferocity as the Atlantic at times. People have died on the Great Lakes due to the boats they sailed on (Wingnuts), so...stability vs performance is a big one - look at Displacement/LWL ration vs sail area, and learn the difference between modern hull shapes and the IOR rule hull designs, and why they changed. A boat that is great in light air may be because it has less ballast, and if it goes on it's ear in a gust/rogue wave, it may not come back up.

For any used boat from the 70's...add an extra $1000 to the sail for hauling/inspection unless this is paid for by the seller. Not all old boats age the same.

[burnhad]

If you are looking at Hunter sailboats, look at the 28.5. It has a modern interior layout that works very well for a couple. The advantage being that many marinas charge transient sailors for 30 feet as a minimum with some marinas measuring your overall length despite what the designer calls your model.
The shorter the sailboat the less expense.
Smaller sails make sail handling easier and less costly to replace without a big difference in performance compared to a slightly larger vessel. The key is a good engine. If you are exploring, you use your sails more. If you are traveling, a reliable engine is often used more than 50 percent of the time.
Get a good roller furling genoa. IF you've unrolled the genoa, you have a good breeze and you can keep the engine in gear to recharge the batteries at an RPM much lower than cruising speed. No need to raise the mainsail unless you need to conserve fuel.
Keep in mind that in a good breeze the mainsail alone will give you 80% of your hull speed...if you roll out the genoa, you will gain only 20% more speed...NOT 50%. The SAME is true if you are sailing with only the genoa...adding the mainsail will only give you 20% more speed because your hull does not plane. So if it means that you will be heeling more with both sails up in the breeze you may want to take the more comfortable option without a 50 percent loss in speed. When the breeze dies it is often easier to fire up the 'iron jenny' than put up more sail area, depending on your schedule...

[JimJohnston]

Originally Posted by Heli_fixer

Hello all,

Brand new to this site and forum and I hope I have come to the right place.

I am presently looking for a 35'-40' sailboat to use in the great lakes (mainly Georgian Bay) for cruising and staying aboard for extended periods (weeks at a time). I will be single handling this vessel from time to time, so not too sure if I need 'in mast furling' or not?
I have only owned power boats up to this point in time, but have always wanted to sail. (tired of putting $1,000 per trip in the tanks) I have taken 3 days of sailing school in Florida. (I know...not much)
My wife and I seem to lean towards the Hunter line...mainly for the looks and comfort.
My budget is around $70,000 USD and would just like to have all the information I can get before purchasing my new boat.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Trevor

Hi Trevor

Since you live close to Toronto there is a lot of locations nearby where you can take a look at boats for sale at the different yacht clubs.

One type of boat that hasn't been mentioned in this thread is the Nonsuch line which are basically a Canadian built version of the Freedom. After owning 3 sloop rigged vessels eventually I moved over to the Nonsuch 30. Probably the easiest vessel EVER to single-hand. Mine is a 30 footer and feels almost as spacious as our previous 40 foot Caliber. There is a 33 foot Nonsuch for sale in Niagara on the lake that fits your budget: https://ca.boats.com/sailing-boats/1...dard%20listing assuming the ad is still valid

We are currently wintering on Georgian Bay where so far I have discovered this vessel perfectly suitable in these waters. If you care to know more about the boat don't hesitate to PM me. After sailing for 50+ years, this really is the boat for me.