Looking for advice on a suitable older boat for passage making.

[n13L5]

The reason I am looking for a boat is neither luxury nor leisure but much closer to a desperation only Lovecraft would do well at describing.

Now, before you decide you'd prefer not to share the same ocean with me, I'm diligent at avoiding harm to myself and others ;-)


I'm also aware of the advice that "the next best thing to not having a boat is the knowlege of having had one..."



Yet still, I seek your best advice for what used boat to get between in the range of $20k-$40k:

- ~40 feet at least? So its not too small of a nutshell for making passage and also so that five people and provisions will fit on it.
- Seaworthy enough to sail the southern seas (NZ, South America)
- Pilothouse preferred for cold weather / rough seas
- sturdy hull and balanced characteristics over speed
- open to any hull type
- would a sailing trawler be a good (cost effective) option?
- whats the best rigging for a crew of one?


Anything come to mind?

[DDabs]

oh this should be fun! welcome to the forum

[Don C L]

I love a good challenge! Welcome here. This one will take considerable contemplation......................

[zeehag]

formosa ketch fits-- i single hand mine--all lines i use are in cockpit--i use main only when i have crew--isnot a neccessary sail , as my mizzen an d genoa do the driving.
how can that be??? try , 14 ft boom on a 41 ft ketch. genoa is huge. main smaller than original.
a friend solo'd a 51 easily, and another solo'd a force 50 successfully, didnt seem exhausted after passage.
westsail
nauticat

there are many older boats that are worthy. just look. walk docks and look.
and sail all you can find.

[Don C L]

Downeaster 38

[n13L5]

Thanks for the welcome and the answers!

So I have recommendations for 2 shipyards, which presumably make no bad boats, so I could take any with the names Nauticat or Westsail, as long as they're in decent shape.

And that great way of using only certain sails to solo


Then I have one specific ship recommendation for the Downeaster 38, if I understand that correctly.


I found ship names to be most helpful for finding ships; Using Google instead of individual sites that sell or broker boats, there are so many of them!

I thought I was pretty close to a real chance at (coincidentally) a Nauticat on ebay two weeks ago, but the price got away by 20k...




So, I think I just figured out one of your icons here: is a guy sanding his hull with a long handle angle grinder?