Need Help Choosing Blue Water Boat....

[youngsalty]

Hello Everybody,

This is my first and most important thread. What Blue Water Sailboat to buy this spring. BABA 30, Westsail 32, Fiji 35, Liberty 28...

Quick background; My girlfriends and I have been sailing for 3 years now, year one 16' Oday learning to sail, 2nd and 3rd years on 21' San Juan, learning to sail some more. Now we are wanting to buy a Blue water cruiser 28' to 35' under $40,000 and become sailors. This summer we want to work the kinks out of the new girl, sail it on the bay, venture into the ocean, and live aboard part-time til winter returns. The following spring sail south and see where life takes us.

My research has lead me to the boats mentioned above. I like the classic look and heavy displacement full keel. Not having years of open water experience and my girlfriend onboard, safety and build is at the top of the list. Next is a cutter rig, having a smaller sail plan. I would like to keep the draft under 5'. I have inspected two Weststail 32, beautiful but wondering if I would like the Baba 30 more. Less draft, smaller bowspirit, hopefully faster, looks roomy below, but all that teak draws concern. There are 2 Baba 30 in my area for under 40,000 and as soon as the snow leaves going to go take a gander.

My question to brain factor now- Is the Baba 30 slower than the Westsail 32? I would like to sail a lot more than motor and I know both of these boats are slow but how slow? Is the Baba 30 a good choice or for $40,000 should I look for something else? I feel that I should keep it around 30' to 32 for size management and money. I could use any suggestions on any boats choices or advice one could point out for my situation.

Thanks for your time, happy to be a part of a great forum.

[Suijin]

Originally Posted by youngsalty

Hello Everybody,

This is my first and most important thread. What Blue Water Sailboat to buy this spring. BABA 30, Westsail 32, Fiji 35, Liberty 28...

Quick background; My girlfriends and I have been sailing for 3 years now, year one 16' Oday learning to sail, 2nd and 3rd years on 21' San Juan, learning to sail some more. Now we are wanting to buy a Blue water cruiser 28' to 35' under $40,000 and become sailors. This summer we want to work the kinks out of the new girl, sail it on the bay, venture into the ocean, and live aboard part-time til winter returns. The following spring sail south and see where life takes us.

My research has lead me to the boats mentioned above. I like the classic look and heavy displacement full keel. Not having years of open water experience and my girlfriend onboard, safety and build is at the top of the list. Next is a cutter rig, having a smaller sail plan. I would like to keep the draft under 5'. I have inspected two Weststail 32, beautiful but wondering if I would like the Baba 30 more. Less draft, smaller bowspirit, hopefully faster, looks roomy below, but all that teak draws concern. There are 2 Baba 30 in my area for under 40,000 and as soon as the snow leaves going to go take a gander.

My question to brain factor now- Is the Baba 30 slower than the Westsail 32? I would like to sail a lot more than motor and I know both of these boats are slow but how slow? Is the Baba 30 a good choice or for $40,000 should I look for something else? I feel that I should keep it around 30' to 32 for size management and money. I could use any suggestions on any boats choices or advice one could point out for my situation.

Thanks for your time, happy to be a part of a great forum.

PM sent.

[donradcliffe]

If you are concerned about sailing performance, consult the PHRF ratings:

http://offshore.ussailing.org/Assets...+Handicaps.pdf

In this case, the Baba 30 rates about 220 seconds/mile while the Westsail 32 rates 210--slightly faster under most conditions.

[sailorboy1]

For the types of boats you are interested in asking about which is faster seems a wate of time.

[Marpessa]

The heavy boats don't respond in light air but they are super comfy in bumpy water and they stay dry most of the time. You will do more motoring in light areas it's just a fact. Don't worry about the speed you give that all up once you decide on a full keel. After that it's just about lightening up by throwing the junk overboard and getting good sails...then optimize your ability to sail fast. Pick the one that fits YOU the best. You'll know when you find her.
But - these are old boats and you will be replacing tanks and a host of other critical systems if you plan to buy for under 40k (I assume so anyway).
So, be ready to spend some time in the yard if the owner hasn't done a refit already.

[Kenomac]

I vote Baba 30! Back in the 1980s, we enjoyed our O'Day 20 for 4 years, and then when it was time to move up... we absolutely fell in love with a Baba 30 at the Long Beach, CA boat show. We came very close to buying one in 1986, but the new price gradually increaed to nearly $100,000 equipped as we would have liked it, so we chickened out. But when I returned to sailing again in 2008, it was the first boat I researched.

Except for the four hour test drive back in the 80's, I don't have any experience on one. Good Luck.

[FSMike]

Originally Posted by youngsalty

----My girlfriends and I have been sailing for 3 years now ----

----my girlfriend onboard, safety and build is at the top of the list.

----

Does your girlfriend know about your girlfriends?
Might be an interesting trip lol.

[ddsailor25]

We own a Tayana 37 and speed is not high on the design list of these boats. Get them off the wind a little and they'll do fine, but typical sailing is its on the nose, directly over the stern, or no winds at all. We love the stability of our boat but depending on where your sailing you might not want or need a blue water cruiser. If thats definetly the road your going down you could also look at the lord nelson 35 or a union 36, but those might be getting bigger than you like. Best of luck.

Dave
Tayana 37
Isla Hope
Portsmouth Ri

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by Marpessa

The heavy boats don't respond in light air but they are super comfy in bumpy water and they stay dry most of the time. You will do more motoring in light areas it's just a fact. Don't worry about the speed you give that all up once you decide on a full keel. After that it's just about lightening up by throwing the junk overboard and getting good sails...then optimize your ability to sail fast. Pick the one that fits YOU the best. You'll know when you find her.
But - these are old boats and you will be replacing tanks and a host of other critical systems if you plan to buy for under 40k (I assume so anyway).
So, be ready to spend some time in the yard if the owner hasn't done a refit already.

And then there's always the story (true actually) how a Westsail 32 won the Pacific Cup back in 88.

[DDabs]

Originally Posted by FSMike

Does your girlfriend know about your girlfriends?
Might be an interesting trip lol.

Exactly what I was thinking!

[CSY Man]

Then there is the CSY 33s. Good boats as well with the same type of comments as above.
Well built, roomy, go anywhere.

[Target9000]

I always admired the Baba30 but in the end we picked up a W32. We got over the "go fast" thing pretty quick when we compared the comfort of our boat with other lighter built boats in sloppy seas.

[sailorboy1]

The boats being discussed are all pretty old, do people really believe one can be bought and made really for long passages for $40K?

While exception exist, my feeling is that answer is no a lot more offer than people wish to believe.

[Kevin84]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

The boats being discussed are all pretty old, do people really believe one can be bought and made really for long passages for $40K?

While exception exist, my feeling is that answer is no a lot more offer than people wish to believe.

It depends on the boat. Some you can. Particularly if the PO just did a refit and for whatever reason is now selling. Besides, some of these boats, the just didn't hold their value well over time.

Sent from my HTC6500LVW using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Marpessa]

40k for an empty shell that floats, haha. That's for sure!