Hi all,
So, I’m starting to consider an upgrade in the future. The Swanson 42 is a lovely
boat and has treated me well, but
headroom is a problem for someone of my height and I wouldn’t mind just a bit more space.
I think I’m getting a handle on my cruising style, and I’m betting it will be a lot of short coastal hops to the next nice anchorage before staying there for as long as I can.
So the wish list looks a bit like this:
45 to 50 feet.
Probably fibreglass, certainly not timber.
Centre
cockpit with a decent aft
cabin.
Moderately conservative
hull and rig, capable of being comfortably sailed short handed or solo,
cutter rigged is a bonus.
Under AU$200K.
Reasonable cruising speed, something can average 6 to 7 knots on a
passage.
Enough
headroom for a 6 foot bloke.
A bit of a view possible from inside the
boat, not some deep, dark bucket.
Examples of what I am thinking would include the
Adams 45 centre
cockpit version, maybe the Ted Brewer 42 Pilot House and the Van de Stadt Tasman 48.
Now the
Adams are getting old and I’m not sure I want to own a 40 year old
steel boat which is a pity because otherwise it looks like a close match. The Brewer is a little small and slow and the VdS is probably outside my
budget. But these three sort of describe what I think I want.
I’m not looking for a boat with a good
interior, I’ve learned that I can deal with that, and frankly I don’t really like elaborate timber interiors anyway, hence the Adams aesthetic works for me. But it does have to sail well, not super fast but very sure footed like the Swanson.
So, recommendations welcomed.
Matt