Your Favorite Seaworthy Vessels 40-48' with Comfortable Digs

[Lonestaralaskan]

What are your favorite seaworthy vessels that are between 40' and 48' with comfortable living quarters for a family of 4 - 2 adults, 2 small kiddos, ages 3-5? Price up to $150k.

Single handling is obviously a concern. Hoping to sail the coast from Kemah to Florida, and eventually head south to Bahamas, so draft is also a concern.

Eventually will want to take her across an ocean when we have a lot more experience than we have today.

Looking for some great models to add to my list to research.

So far I have:

Jeanneau 43 DS
Tayana 47 CC
Shannon 43 (may be out of our price range)

Any input is appreciated.

[letsgetsailing3]

Just a couple that seem to meet your size and draft needs, and perfect for cruising Florida and the Bahamas.

Allied Mistress 39, if you can find one in suitable condition (Older Make, many are long in the tooth and in need of rehab, so you want an updated one).

Island Packets in your size range are very comfortable for cruising, although the more recent years can be pricey.

[leftbrainstuff]

Liberty 458 but 6'10" draft will limit your Bahama options.

[MartinR]

Many come to mind, but for shallow draft and single-handing:

Freedom 40 CC version
Freedom 44 (centreboard)

A little bit bigger, and probably my favourite cruising boat over all:
Shannon 50 (centreboard version)

[Bean Counter]

Lagoon 380 older vintage, put a spinnaker sprit on it and you will be 40ft and have lots more space and draft less than 4 ft.

[JDeachman]

Love my Morgan 461 (462 very similar). Small kids needs baths and these came with a tub. Shallow drafts were made, 5.2' I believe.

[sailing_gal]

You might be able to find an Island Packet 40 in your price range. They are shallow draft, easily single-handed (I single-hand an Island Packet 420), very livable and they are excellent Water boats">blue water boats (I sailed mine across the pond 2 years ago). It depends on what is most important to you- cats are more liveable than mono-hulls, but mono-hulls, IMHO, are better for heavy sea conditions- and cheaper to berth.

[SAIL23692]

Older Island Packets. Beware the chain plates. You CANNOT inspect them. We have 3 friends that had chainplates break. You have to remove the entire main cabin, Cost to replace -$10,000

[Dace]

F&C 44 Ocean Cruising Ketch if you can find one with a centreboard. These yachts are beautifully designed, extremely well constructed and finished. They have a three cabin layout, 2 heads, a draft of 5'-1" and can be sailed shorthanded in comfort and safety.

[Cheechako]

Passport 40
Cape Dory
Island Packet 38-40
1984 Passport 40 Aft Cockpit Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

[SaltyMetals]

I know i may be biased bec that is what i have now bought, a Jeanneau 43ds. Draft is 2m (6ft 7 ins)but one of the other nice things about it is the flexibility of the cabin configuration. It can be either one large fwd and one larger full width aft or a standard V-berth fwd with another cabin on starboard with 2 single pullman berths (just right for the kids) and the aft cabin can be divided into 2 double cabins. So depending on how many friends/family you have with you you can play around with the configuration but you need to make sure the PO has all the panels that make the divisions. Saloon is wonderful, good width and lots of light. Easy to sail solo and i even use my gennaker (on a bow sprit and top-down furler) when solo but generally i close it if wind picks up to F5. Boat handled some big seas two years ago very well across Biscay.

Bought mine when she was 12 yrs old and at this age cost about yr target price. Be ready to pay cost of upgrades in addition.
Andrew

[Lonestaralaskan]

I love the Island Packets but many are out of our price range. Maybe we'll get lucky one day. I see alot of other great suggestions - a few I haven't looked at. I'll add those to my list to research.

Is anyone else obsessed with sailboat shopping? I know it happens with house hunting, but this is even more addictive for me. I check sailboatlistings.com daily for new featured boats - just to check them out. We are like 2-3 years out from buying, but I just can't help myself.

Viewing boats in person at the Pacific Sail show a few weeks ago just solidified my obsession. We were able to hook up with a brokerage at a different marina on that Sunday morning and see some boats that were a few years older and in our price range, and I was thrilled to see what great condition they were in.

Thanks everyone!

[Lonestaralaskan]

Originally Posted by SaltyMetals

I know i may be biased bec that is what i have now bought, a Jeanneau 43ds.
Andrew

Of the boats we've viewed in person, the Jeanneau 43 DS one was by far my favorite. The one we saw was a 2002. In fact its listed here.

I can definitely see my family thriving on this vessel. Its on my shortlist.

[Don C L]

There are probably hundreds of good candidates, but if the Jeanneau fits your budget and makes your heart skip a beat, then that’s the one I’d say.

[Robert E]

It may be a bit out of your price range, but the Norseman 447 is a fast, well built vessel and a delight to live on.