Rate That Boat

[jimsavenir]

Sabre, much higher
Benateau- As a photographer saw one a long time ago that dropped in their plant from a hoist into the test pool when a sling failed. They put it in their sailing fleet and I was impressed. Still is a production boat
Jeannaeu- remember the 14 year old is sailing guppy around the world, also read great articles in Good Old Boat about fixing some serious issues with star crazing to which the manufacturer turned a blind eye. Not knocking them but price to value is in the production equation
Catalina- A guy I met whos son just delivered one through the recent hurricane to Hawaii, super smart young captain, watched the weather and headed north and came in a day and a half later with no issues. I do remember cringing when he said Catalina and sailing to Hawaii.
Hunter- We loved ours for lake and bay sailing, fast low cost and reasonable, a ton of bang for the buck. The big question is why they seem to change designs so often, are the boats getting better or have they not found winning designs? Catalinas seem to age more gracefully.

Rating boats is subjective, depends very much on your intended use. Each use effects decisions, I started with draft and comfort ratio, wanting to do the great loop and choose a old Pearson 35. If I intended to blue water, I would increase draft.

Answer these questions
1) Intent, where do you want to sail
2) Is sailing more important or do you like to do entertaining, as the production boats are great for a crowd
3) Draft
4) Weekender, weekly, monthly, the longer you want to stay on the boat the better the quality
5) New or used
6) If used can you do the work
7) Blue water?

Have no experience with Delphia

[Suijin]

Given what you've said so far (local sailing/cruising evolving into longer trips/passages) you have four competing objectives; comfort/space, seaworthiness, performance, and price. The french boats that you've listed tend towards the "comfort and performance" with price thrown in. And any of them properly prepared and perhaps modified can compete on the seaworthiness front.

Sabres are fantastic boats, but in your price point you're going to be looking at older examples and they will seem small, slow, and dated compared to the french boats it will compete with on price. However, the fact that they are a helluva lot prettier inside and out may sway you, depending on your priorities.

I would consider a pilothouse if you're considering longer voyages north. There is nothing quite like staying dry and warm when you're motoring for 8-10 hours at a stretch in cold wet weather. That cuts down on your options, but there are contenders out there, like the Sceptre 41 which is an awesome longer range cruiser with decent performance.

And I would not write off going up to 40-42 feet, particularly if your wife is a die-hard power boater. She'll appreciate the considerably larger space.

Maybe it just comes down to what your wife likes. See which one she thinks she can live with. That will probably be the Benny.

[Blue Crab]

OP, you are on the other high dolla coast but here's two examples from my marina/hurricane hollow:

A 35' Marine Trader I believe. 6 cyl Lehman, boat looks fine as is and I've known the owner for awhile and he's a mechanic and maintainer. 3500 hours. Homemade hard top over the flybridge practical but not pro work. Apparently has great range at 6kn. The whole boat is nothing fancy and few frills: $25 down from $40. I think you could take it home on its own bottom.

The other will soon be for sale as owner has 2 footitis. This is a 34' Mainship. 700 hours supposedly. Single Perkins I think. Again, nothing special at all. There's not a for sale # yet but there will be. ( haven't been aboard but the boat comes and goes. I think it will go for 4 figures.

I wouldn't have mentioned these but when I saw the 100k hopeful budget I thought for $50k you could buy the first boat and have it trucked home, and have plenty left over for the unknowns and West Coast stuff like radar etc. Brand new gizmos too, not 20 year old stuff.

If I am you, I put a daysailer on the cabin roof as my personal sailing fix. An Optimist Pram would do. Even a Sunfish.

A wonderful problem ya got there.

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by jimsavenir

Sabre, much higher
Benateau- As a photographer saw one a long time ago that dropped in their plant from a hoist into the test pool when a sling failed. They put it in their sailing fleet and I was impressed. Still is a production boat
Jeannaeu- remember the 14 year old is sailing guppy around the world, also read great articles in Good Old Boat about fixing some serious issues with star crazing to which the manufacturer turned a blind eye. Not knocking them but price to value is in the production equation
Catalina- A guy I met whos son just delivered one through the recent hurricane to Hawaii, super smart young captain, watched the weather and headed north and came in a day and a half later with no issues. I do remember cringing when he said Catalina and sailing to Hawaii.
Hunter- We loved ours for lake and bay sailing, fast low cost and reasonable, a ton of bang for the buck. The big question is why they seem to change designs so often, are the boats getting better or have they not found winning designs? Catalinas seem to age more gracefully.

Agree with your comments. However...

I have heard Hunters called roomy, beamy and comfortable. Never fast - LOL.

We used to beat a Hunter 28 on the water. They eventually stopped racing.

I suppose there may be "speedier" models of Hunter but the 28.X ain't it. I sailed the boat a few times. Nice and comfy family cruiser. Not a hustler , though.

[MarkSF]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

Now we are rating boats by which one falls off a crane better?

Of course... that was my primary consideration when buying my Bristol

[Panamax.]

2 footitis?


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Blue Crab]

Gotta have a bigger boat.

[Panamax.]

Jimsavinier,

1. I plan on sailing in the Puget Sound a With a dream of Alaska some day.

2. Sailing is important. Do not envision large crowds of guests...mainly a friend here or there.

3. Not critical.

4. Weekender with occasional week trips for vacations....then more when we retire.

5. Used. Can't afford new within the size range I am looking for.

6. Not a lot of opportunity to do a lot of work up front. Work keeps me quite busy. But I am willing!

7. No blue water desire as yet.

So....what does your crystal ball say? Will a Nonsuch 30U cut it?


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Panamax.]

Blue, the first one you spoke of, is it on Yachtworld?


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Panamax.]

Someone had mentioned Hallberg Rasy 382 earlier. Only one for sale in the US. Is it worth an extra $7000 to ship it? Shipping makes me nervous for some reason.


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Blue Skye]

It's a buyer's market currently. HRs have a strong following and a good reputation...

[Ex-Calif]

Panamax - I think someone said not to get hung up on boat type as you will only find it where you aren't. There are many boats that will do what you want to do.

Other than maybe SFO, LA and Florida I can't think of another better place to be looking for a boat than the Pacific Northwest.

Here is a list of 200 boats in you area to get you started.

Hull - Fiberglass
LOA - <40ft
Price - <$50k

I found 3 boats on page 1 I would consider.

Boats For Sale

[alingher]

Originally Posted by Panamax.

Someone had mentioned Hallberg Rasy 382 earlier. Only one for sale in the US. Is it worth an extra $7000 to ship it? Shipping makes me nervous for some reason.


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

Yes, I recommended the 352 (or also the small 312 and the great 38 which can be found for less than 100k$, too), before we got sidetracked a little by this unnecessary charterboat laminate story...

You'll find some of them in the Mediterranean (look on scanboat.com) and this might be an opportunity to get one there, to explore that sea a little, adapt it to your needs and then to bring it home on the barefoot-passat-route?

Is 7000$ the quote for an on deck transport? I assume you would find some hobby-skippers who would sail it over the atlantic for much less. However, it would be a good idea to get familiar with import duties and tax questions. I have no idea whether the import of a boat of a certain age is peanuts or pain.

I basically agree, that one should not focus on just one single model. But I came for myself to the conclusion, that a HR 352 or 38 will fit my needs the best and I'll buy one the next two years. I would still consider other boats (mainly from Scandinavia) but that's where I start my search and that's what I compare any offer with.

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by Panamax.

Blue, the first one you spoke of, is it on Yachtworld?


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

I didn't see it there or on Craigslist. You have many boats to choose from in your location. May as well keep the travel/survey/shipping in your pocket and spend a little extra where you are.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Panamax.

Final specification...and an important one...my wife is a die hard power boater with limited sailing experience. Comfort below decks is important to her. A pilothouse like a Nauticat would be nice. Trying to stay well below $100k but will go higher for the right boat.

If I could be bothered to do all the work required to sail...

And if I could make my way around a deck all cluttered with winches and sheets and shrouds and stays...

And if I could walk on non-level surfaces...

And if my Admiral could stand the heeling associated with monohull sailboats...

And if either of us could stand to be below decks with no direct outside view of anything much, for any length of time...

I'd probably bag your entire original list, and I'd maybe be all over some of those older-style Nauticats, maybe especially the pilothouse models.



Seriously, or at least slightly more seriously all of those we've seen seem nicely stout, well-finished, pleasantly traditional in styling (our preference), and (as near as I can tell) well laid out for access to all the stuff that makes a sailboat go.

-Chris