Roberts 36. Suitable for cruising?

[GILow]

Both boats you are considering are excellent boats. I sail a Swanson but have sailed on the Roberts 36 and was impressed by its space and ride. It handled chop better than my Swanson but most boats do.

I’d certainly take a good look at the one you have linked. I wouldn’t worry about the large engine. The whole “have to run the engine at high output” myth has been debunked lots of times but still gets trotted out again and again. If the engine is non-turbo it will be fine. If it is turbo you may have to run it harder than you’d like but that’s not the end of the world and does not somehow magically make the boat a “motor sailer”. It just makes it a boat with extra engine power available when needed. And you are planning to SAIL this boat right? So who cares how much HP you have if the engine is turned off. Sure, the extra weight is not great but it’s down low , close to the middle of the boat and in practice is probably only another 100kg overall.

If dragging the big prop is a problem (debatable, once you get to hull speed it will make very little difference, have a look at the various international race handicap numbers to see how little difference a folding or feathering prop makes) then buy a feathering prop. Kiwiprop would be about AU $3k.

Nice boat. Well worth a look.

But then go and buy a Swanson because they are even better still. (I may be biased)

[sailor Martin]

Originally Posted by GILow

Both boats you are considering are excellent boats. I sail a Swanson but have sailed on the Roberts 36 and was impressed by its space and ride. It handled chop better than my Swanson but most boats do.

I’d certainly take a good look at the one you have linked. I wouldn’t worry about the large engine. The whole “have to run the engine at high output” myth has been debunked lots of times but still gets trotted out again and again. If the engine is non-turbo it will be fine. If it is turbo you may have to run it harder than you’d like but that’s not the end of the world and does not somehow magically make the boat a “motor sailer”. It just makes it a boat with extra engine power available when needed. And you are planning to SAIL this boat right? So who cares how much HP you have if the engine is turned off. Sure, the extra weight is not great but it’s down low , close to the middle of the boat and in practice is probably only another 100kg overall.

If dragging the big prop is a problem (debatable, once you get to hull speed it will make very little difference, have a look at the various international race handicap numbers to see how little difference a folding or feathering prop makes) then buy a feathering prop. Kiwiprop would be about AU $3k.

Nice boat. Well worth a look.

But then go and buy a Swanson because they are even better still. (I may be biased)

Thanks for the reply. I'm extra happy to hear from someone who actually sailed on this boat. If you have more things to say about them or about the Swanson 36 than I'm here.

[GILow]

Strangely, I can’t
comment on the Swanson 36. All I know about them is what I have been told by others.

But I would certainly recommend having a look at the boat you’ve linked. I’ve found most sellers here in Oz are happy to arrange a test sail. And so they should be, it’s still the smartest way to sell a boat that I can think of.

The boat itself ticks all the boxes on paper that I can think of.

Being a Roberts, it would be good to know more about who did the hull layup. That’s one of the critical variables. But judging by the interior photos, the boat looks ver professional in its finish. Certainly better than my dear old Swannie.

Take it for a sail, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

[Walaby]

I think they are dreaming with their asking price particularly in the current buyers market. Have a look at this S & S 34 - Good design pedigree and great value.


https://yachthub.com/list/yachts-for...hens-34/228681

[sailor Martin]

Originally Posted by Walaby

I think they are dreaming with their asking price particularly in the current buyers market. Have a look at this S & S 34 - Good design pedigree and great value.


https://yachthub.com/list/yachts-for...hens-34/228681

About the price, they might agree to sell for much less. All depends if they really want to sell.

The s@s is a good value but I'm looking for a long keel and a C shaped sopha inside

[GILow]

As a rule of thumb, I believe the Australian boat market regularly overstates the acceptable price by around 30%. Not infallible but if the boat were as good as it appears I’d start by offering around 60% of the asking and negotiating from there.

Of course it does depend on the individual seller

[Bill O]

Martin,
I've never sailed a R36, but purchased many boats and will say it looks good from the pics/worth while taking a look at it in person.
Not sure your intended use, but wouldn't be put off by comments posted here of how they perceive the boat's sailing performance based on appearance.

Many boats these days are putting bigger motors in them and again doesn't make them a "motor sailer"(MS). Many sailers secretly motor more than they say. You can tell this by how many hours they have on their motor.

Also the fixed prop doesn't make it a MS. A correctly sized fixed 3 blade prop is very good when motoring, but does create a fair amount of drag while sailing. Not certain you could fit a feathering prop in that aperture, but possibly a 2 blade fixed that you could lock in behind the dead wood (keel) to reduce drag. Reducing drag IMO helps immensely to come up to speed quickly while sailing and also reduce the noise of the 3 blader free wheeling.

Having a hard dodger also doesn't make it a MS. I may be biased, but think the hard dodger is the way to go especially in bad weather. Its a smart feature on the boat compared to canvas w/plastic windows. The canvas will most likely need be replaced several times over the life of a hard one and the glass in the hard will have superior visibility/transparency over plastic. Also you can put Rainx on glass to bead off water like windshield wipers and can't do that w/plastic.
Similarly the hard bimini will most likely outlast any sunbrella bimini by at least 2-3 times. Again biased, but our white hard bimini reflects the heat better than any soft one (it's also insulated) and feel we get better protection from weather than a soft one (that eventually sags/leaks). The one on the R36 looks perfect to mount a couple of solar panels. When/if you look at the boat make certain you can stand fully under it while at the helm.

Would agree that it seems a bit pricey for nearly a 40 yr old boat. Lots of things to look for and if you don't feel experienced enough then hire a surveyor. Even if you are experienced, a surveyor (of your choice, not the sellers) will also be deemed an independent 3rd party and any flaws will be more readily accepted by the seller than pointing out the problems yourself. If equipment is all original (~40 yrs old), equipment upgrade/replacement would be something to consider in your offer.

If the sails are the original or more than 20 yrs old, expect to replace them. Even if the survey comes back as "serviceable", they are most likely toast and the offer should reflect the cost of replacements. Obviously can't see the main on the R36, but with it wrapped up so tightly on the boom I would expect it to be old, have no stiffness and bagged out. If you've never added new sails (especially the main), it's like putting a new motor in a car (wonderful).
Think the boat is worth taking a look at in person, but be warned pics can look much better than the actual condition. As with any boat go in w/eyes wide open and look around. Make mental or written notes of the condition, then go home and think about it to reduce the impulsive "lust" factor of buying a boat.
Sure I've bored you enough w/too much info, so good luck.


Bill O.

[sailor Martin]

Originally Posted by Bill O

Martin,
I've never sailed a R36, but purchased many boats and will say it looks good from the pics/worth while taking a look at it in person.
Not sure your intended use, but wouldn't be put off by comments posted here of how they perceive the boat's sailing performance based on appearance.

Many boats these days are putting bigger motors in them and again doesn't make them a "motor sailer"(MS). Many sailers secretly motor more than they say. You can tell this by how many hours they have on their motor.

Also the fixed prop doesn't make it a MS. A correctly sized fixed 3 blade prop is very good when motoring, but does create a fair amount of drag while sailing. Not certain you could fit a feathering prop in that aperture, but possibly a 2 blade fixed that you could lock in behind the dead wood (keel) to reduce drag. Reducing drag IMO helps immensely to come up to speed quickly while sailing and also reduce the noise of the 3 blader free wheeling.

Having a hard dodger also doesn't make it a MS. I may be biased, but think the hard dodger is the way to go especially in bad weather. Its a smart feature on the boat compared to canvas w/plastic windows. The canvas will most likely need be replaced several times over the life of a hard one and the glass in the hard will have superior visibility/transparency over plastic. Also you can put Rainx on glass to bead off water like windshield wipers and can't do that w/plastic.
Similarly the hard bimini will most likely outlast any sunbrella bimini by at least 2-3 times. Again biased, but our white hard bimini reflects the heat better than any soft one (it's also insulated) and feel we get better protection from weather than a soft one (that eventually sags/leaks). The one on the R36 looks perfect to mount a couple of solar panels. When/if you look at the boat make certain you can stand fully under it while at the helm.

Would agree that it seems a bit pricey for nearly a 40 yr old boat. Lots of things to look for and if you don't feel experienced enough then hire a surveyor. Even if you are experienced, a surveyor (of your choice, not the sellers) will also be deemed an independent 3rd party and any flaws will be more readily accepted by the seller than pointing out the problems yourself. If equipment is all original (~40 yrs old), equipment upgrade/replacement would be something to consider in your offer.

If the sails are the original or more than 20 yrs old, expect to replace them. Even if the survey comes back as "serviceable", they are most likely toast and the offer should reflect the cost of replacements. Obviously can't see the main on the R36, but with it wrapped up so tightly on the boom I would expect it to be old, have no stiffness and bagged out. If you've never added new sails (especially the main), it's like putting a new motor in a car (wonderful).
Think the boat is worth taking a look at in person, but be warned pics can look much better than the actual condition. As with any boat go in w/eyes wide open and look around. Make mental or written notes of the condition, then go home and think about it to reduce the impulsive "lust" factor of buying a boat.
Sure I've bored you enough w/too much info, so good luck.


Bill O.

Thanks Bill
Didn't bore me at all