Smaller fin keel boats for offshore sailing?

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Joli

Why are you afraid of balsa core?

Isn't it obvious? (why he might be)

[MacSails]

Originally Posted by thomm225

To get a boat with tiller steering around here it will probably have to be under 30'

I did see a Wauquiez Gladiateur 33 up your way with tiller steering years ago but not many others over 30'

The Gladiateur 33 is on my list, but as you say, pretty rare in these parts. A tiller is not an absolute necessity, but definitely my preference.

[Fore and Aft]

MacSails definitely small is good. I would say as long as you have a double for you guys and two singles for the kids. I surveyed a Catalina 28 last week and was impressed how much room was inside. The other bonus was the sugar scoop, essential for our family as we spend so much time swimming of the boat.
For me I have two kids and a wife and I can just afford a 32 foot yacht her upkeep and a marina berth. To me a marina berth is essential as it makes it easier (You will use the yacht more) when you have the wife and kids with you. We usually have three clothing bags plus a heap of food bags every time we go away and its way easier to load the marina trolleys and step onboard rather than taking it all out in a dinghy. The other good thing with a small boat is the family should be able to easily handle her without you. Often I am just a passenger onboard our yacht.
Thom225 you are showing your age. The question should be why are you only spending $50,000 on your first boat and why so small? So many of my clients think you're camping if its smaller than 40 feet and a $50,000 boats not going to cover the essentials like air conditioning, large water maker and generator.
Cheers

[Joli]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Isn't it obvious? (why he might be)

No. We've owned many balsa core boats. A well kept cored boat is fine.

[LordoftheReach]

How about a Wauquiez Pretorian 35?

It fits pretty much all your criteria except for the tiller.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Joli

No. We've owned many balsa core boats. A well kept cored boat is fine.

There are lots of good boats out there with balsa cored hulls but it just makes some folks have another thing to worry about.

I almost bought a J/30 and a Tartan 33 but was concerned about the balsa cored hull section.

[DefinitelyMe]

Consider also the Albin Vega 27, and for something with a fin keel, the Maxi 95.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by DefinitelyMe

Consider also the Albin Vega 27, and for something with a fin keel, the Maxi 95.

The good thing about the Albin Vega 27, a boat like mine the Bristol 27, or most boats on the Atom Voyages Small Cruising Boat List is that you can start sailing your own boat now!

These boats can be bought anywhere from $1,000 and up.

I was lucky with mine in that it was loaded with equipment and still was for sale at the price of $2,000.

Another guy here on CF bought his Bristol 27 for $1,000 and sailed it across the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic Oceans plus up and down the ICW on the East Coast here as well as other places.

Pictures attached are of the Bristol 27 that crossed the oceans usually motorless. These old boats are built quite strong.

[boatman61]

The Vega 27 has a good name but I could never understand why the 30ft Albin Ballard gets so little attention..
Of the two I prefer the Ballard, with prices somewhat similar to the Vega.
Quote: The Albin Ballad is a heavy displacement cruiser/racer designed by Rolf Magnusson and built by Albin Marine between 1971 and 1981. The design was based on the Joker 30, an out and out racer, adding in all of the comforts required for family cruising. She is a hardy and dependable ‘go anywhere’ design, very heavily built and yet still very fast.

[MacSails]

Originally Posted by LordoftheReach

How about a Wauquiez Pretorian 35?

It fits pretty much all your criteria except for the tiller.

It's top of my list if I opt to go a little larger. I may well take that route, as many marinas around these parts charge in 5' increments so it's the same price for anything from 30-35'. Other costs would still be higher, I imagine, and the only 35' boat I've sailed on felt a bit large to single hand, though I know people have done it. I was also thinking perhaps that by going smaller I might afford something of a slightly more recent vintage (90's or early 2000's), though I haven't found anything from those years that seems like it would be a good fit.

[MacSails]

Originally Posted by thomm225

The good thing about the Albin Vega 27, a boat like mine the Bristol 27, or most boats on the Atom Voyages Small Cruising Boat List is that you can start sailing your own boat now!

.

I hear you, but I am finding opportunities to sail most weeks as it is, albeit on other people's boats/terms. I am less concerned with the initial purchase price, than with the ongoing costs, and a cheaper boat will cost just as much in a marina, just as much to haul, and may need more upgrading than a more expensive boat of similar LOA. I also have an idea of what will appeal to my family. Contrary to what some posters have assumed, I don't believe that they need or expect a ton of space or creature comforts. But in my (admittedly limited) experience, a boat in the 30-33' range inspires confidence, in a way that a smaller boat doesn't necessarily. Conversely, I know my spouse will be intimidated by anything approaching 40'. In other words, I'm trying to thread a needle. Your Bristol is a beautiful boat. If I were by myself, I would consider something along those lines. if I wanted to stay in the bay, it would be fine for the four of us. But if I want to coax my family further afield, I think something a bit bigger/faster will help.

[MacSails]

Originally Posted by boatman61

The Vega 27 has a good name but I could never understand why the 30ft Albin Ballard gets so little attention..
Of the two I prefer the Ballard, with prices somewhat similar to the Vega.
Quote: The Albin Ballad is a heavy displacement cruiser/racer designed by Rolf Magnusson and built by Albin Marine between 1971 and 1981. The design was based on the Joker 30, an out and out racer, adding in all of the comforts required for family cruising. She is a hardy and dependable ‘go anywhere’ design, very heavily built and yet still very fast.

I read about the Ballad, and then kind of forgot about it. I think there are a lot less of them in the States for whatever reason, which may account for them getting less attention than the Vega. Definitely going on the list, though it might be a case of if I were in Europe...

[fourlyons]

As a fan of freestanding rigs, I would encourage you to look at the Freedom line of sailboats. Maybe in particular the freedom 30 or 36, those seem to most closely match what you're looking for. Personally I prefer the cat ketches, a split rig offers more versatile handling, in my opinion. They were all built by TPI to a high standard and are really solid boats, that also have a reputation for sailing well. They are however balsa cored, not a problem in my opinion, but I get it that many people are nervous about balsa.
I sailed thousands of miles on a cutter, and it was a great boat, but I'm not likely to go back to a stayed rig, at least for cruising.

https://www.practical-sailor.com/sai...eedom-35?amp=1

[fourlyons]

The Freedom 30...

https://www.practical-sailor.com/sai...eedom-30?amp=1

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by boatman61

The Vega 27 has a good name but I could never understand why the 30ft Albin Ballard gets so little attention..
Of the two I prefer the Ballard, with prices somewhat similar to the Vega.
Quote: The Albin Ballad is a heavy displacement cruiser/racer designed by Rolf Magnusson and built by Albin Marine between 1971 and 1981. The design was based on the Joker 30, an out and out racer, adding in all of the comforts required for family cruising. She is a hardy and dependable ‘go anywhere’ design, very heavily built and yet still very fast.

Same here.

The Vega 27 is a light displacement boat.

There is an Albin Ballad 30 at a marina about a mile from me. Beautiful small boat and well built.

https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/ballad-30-albin

https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/vega-27-albin