Recommended Blue Water Cruiser?

[Captaen]

Hi All,
(Moved from Monohull Sailboats)

I'm new here so please go easy on me
I am a large commercial ships Captain and have also been Master and Mate on large square rigged sailing ships over the years. I am now looking for a cruising yacht to take myself and my girlfriend from NW Europe to Australia over the course of 18 months. My small boat sailing experience is limited, but increasing. I am on the lookout for a safe, comfortable and roomy cruising boat that we can take friends along on long or short legs. Speed is not an issue, stability and safety being my main concern, with some creature comforts.
Sail away Budget of £70,000 GBP or US$117,000
I would appreciate your suggestions on boats. Currently have in mind a Moody 41 and a Westerly Oceanlord 41 but would appreciate your advice. We are liking the aft cabin, storage, centre cockpit and longer fin keel of these examples.

Thanks in advance
Captaen

[BZT54]

Originally Posted by Captaen

Hi All,
(Moved from Monohull Sailboats)

I'm new here so please go easy on me
I am a large commercial ships Captain and have also been Master and Mate on large square rigged sailing ships over the years. I am now looking for a cruising yacht to take myself and my girlfriend from NW Europe to Australia over the course of 18 months. My small boat sailing experience is limited, but increasing. I am on the lookout for a safe, comfortable and roomy cruising boat that we can take friends along on long or short legs. Speed is not an issue, stability and safety being my main concern, with some creature comforts.
Sail away Budget of £70,000 GBP or US$117,000
I would appreciate your suggestions on boats. Currently have in mind a Moody 41 and a Westerly Oceanlord 41 but would appreciate your advice. We are liking the aft cabin, storage, centre cockpit and longer fin keel of these examples.

Thanks in advance
Captaen

Not familiar with the Moody or Westerly but here are a few links that should give you an indication of what some consider Water boats">Blue Water Boats. You will find the opinions vary greatly on this forum.

Sailboat Reviews of Offshore Cruising Yachts : Bluewaterboats.org

40 Best Sailboats for Cruising | Cruising World

Sail Far Live Free - Sailboats, Sailing News, and Gear: Top 10 Favorite Affordable Bluewater Sailboats

5 Top Affordable Bluewater Cruising Sailboats « www.yachtworld.com www.yachtworld.com

BZT

[snort]

If I were to buy a large monohull, first on my list would be a Sadler. The reason being is positive buoyancy. If your boat gets holed, it stays afloat. Well, that's the theory anyway.

[CarlF]

Here is an excellent guide from John Neal who routinely cruises in the high latitudes.

Mahina Expedition - Selecting A Boat for Offshore Cruising

In your price range, you will be buying an older boat. Nothing wrong with that but this means that the brand probably matters less than how well the boat has been maintained. Favor a boat where some major systems have already been replaced so you don't have to post-purchase. After 20 years, most metal on a sailboat is at end of life - especially steering gear, standing rigging, keel bolts, tanks - you get the idea.

[John Drake]

Hi Captean

You have already identified two nearly perfect yachts. Both have very good designs, build qualities and reputations.

Other than that, it is difficult to make a recommendation because of not knowing what the market there is like. The two boats you mention are likely more prevalent there, than here in the US.

But, a few suggestions.

Whatever boat you buy, make sure it is a favorite choice of your girlfriend's. If is it a boat that she does not particularly like, don't expect her to spend 18 months on it. Don't even count on 18 days.

I would point you to the log of Magnolia, a long time cruiser. He bought a boat that he thought was perfect. THEN, asked his long time gf, who was living in a nice comfy townhouse in San Francisco, to come sail on it. A week later, she was running to the airport, kicking him to the curb.

Make sure your gf can sail whatever boat it is... SINGLE HANDED.

Let me point you to the story of the Flying Pig. A big 47-48? bought by a married couple. He had sailed before, but never long distance. She is a petite woman with no experience. They buy this big boat, spend years fitting it out, but not sailing. Finally, they take off. Within 48 he is dog tired from doing all the sailing and needs to pass out down below. That leaves her at the helm to manage this big boat, at night, and she barely understands how to read the chartplotter. A squall comes up. Within 12 hrs of her taking the helm, the boat crashes on a reef and they need to be rescued.

As a ship's captain, you know that getting into extremis begins with a series of bad decisions, the first of which was probably made long long before.

38-42 ft, seems to give you the accommodations you are looking for. Larger than that just gives you some different compartments, down below. Keep in mind that work is work....the winches do not reduce the work load, only the force. Think about how tall the mast is, and how heavy the mainsail will be. Your gf needs to be able to haul that weight to that height.

Rigging a boat for single handing is easy to do. Lots of posts on how to lead all the lines back to the cockpit. Even two line slab reefing can be done that way. What you need to look for is a plate at the bottom of the mast to which you can fit turning blocks for the sail handling lines. You will then bolt a rope clutch to the top of the coachroof near the companionway and...as you say...Bob's your uncle.

One of the most important attributes of a boat that makes for comfortable cruising is motion comfort. It is a difficult number to assess, but it can be done. Generally, the lower the center of gravity, and the higher the ballast to displacement ratio (on 80's-90's traditional boats...newer designs may differ)...the greater the comfort. My Wauquiez was designed by Ted Hood and I have never ever been on a boat that had a more comfortable motion, and I have been sailing since I was a kid.

Anyway....probably TMI. Hopefully others will chime in.

All best. And as the Pardey's say, "go small, go NOW." I mostly say, go now, the future is not assured for anyone.

Best

John

[barnakiel]

I know a Moody 376 and I like everything about this boat. I also know a Japanese sailor who has sailed many Pacific loops in his Oceanlord.

So I think you are already half way there looking towards similar designs.

b.

[DoubleWhisky]

Originally Posted by Captaen

Hi All,
(Moved from Monohull Sailboats)

I'm new here so please go easy on me
I am a large commercial ships Captain and have also been Master and Mate on large square rigged sailing ships over the years. I am now looking for a cruising yacht to take myself and my girlfriend from NW Europe to Australia over the course of 18 months. My small boat sailing experience is limited, but increasing. I am on the lookout for a safe, comfortable and roomy cruising boat that we can take friends along on long or short legs. Speed is not an issue, stability and safety being my main concern, with some creature comforts.
Sail away Budget of £70,000 GBP or US$117,000
I would appreciate your suggestions on boats. Currently have in mind a Moody 41 and a Westerly Oceanlord 41 but would appreciate your advice. We are liking the aft cabin, storage, centre cockpit and longer fin keel of these examples.

Thanks in advance
Captaen

Oceanlord if a very good choice, I think. You can also consider an Oceanlord. Oh, oh, oh, and You should not forget the Oceanlord!!!



Cheers

Tomasz

[Captaen]

Thanks for all the info so far, plenty food for thought and I appreciate the question has been asked many times before.

Any comments on a Dufour 36 Classic from 2002, see an example today, attractive boat, size, layout, price etc

[DoubleWhisky]

Originally Posted by Captaen

Thanks for all the info so far, plenty food for thought and I appreciate the question has been asked many times before.

Any comments on a Dufour 36 Classic from 2002, see an example today, attractive boat, size, layout, price etc

Quite good boats, but not on par with Oceanlord regarding built quality and seaworthiness. Of course it is only my own opinion.
I chartered some Dufours of Classic series before I owned the boat in Med. Nice for two or three weeks, but for me not robust enough to own and sail distances.

Cheers

Tomasz

[skipmac]

The Moody and the Westerly are two great boats, well known quality cruisers. There are so many good boats it's hard to choose but a few others that come to mind that fit your criteria. Some maybe a little higher budget unless you happen on a deal:

Pearson 422
Peterson 44
Brewer 42/44
C&C Landfall 39 or 43
CSY 44
Stevens 47

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Captaen

Thanks for all the info so far, plenty food for thought and I appreciate the question has been asked many times before.

Any comments on a Dufour 36 Classic from 2002, see an example today, attractive boat, size, layout, price etc

These are different category.

Seen them stored on dry, brand new, before they got shipped to their new owners.

If any serious offshore work expected, I would look towards something more beefy.

b.

[Captaen]

Just seen a Dudley Dix 38, almost ready to go! What do you think?

[Amapola]

The Tayana 37 is a good blue water cruiser.

[barnakiel]

I think DD boats all one off.

Hence one can't say if what you saw is anything good, bad or ugly.

b.

[Jimmyhenry]

We spent the 2012 season in the SW Pacific in our 11.6 metre Stewart Camelot, a Kiwi design. We felt the boat was excellent as a sea boat (she weighs 12 tonnes) and with a 75 hp motor a lack of wind was not an issue. Good features of the boat 700 litres of diesel gave us 1400 nm range, 600 litres water meant no issues there, water maker meant no hassles getting water, wind and solar meant no power issues either, 3500 anchor winch was always a good feel. Down side, not enough room for guests.
We moved this lovely boat to the kids and bought a 30 year old Cal 2-46. Heaps of room, masses of fuel and water, water maker, wind gen on top of the mizzen, monster engine room and full head room work shop, enormous lazzarette to take the generator plus everything else, and it sails like a witch. Weighs 15 tonne, length 14 metres. We added a bow thruster as they are almost full keel so can be a handful. Only been in gale force winds so far but absolutely no issues. Bill Lapworth the designers is a genius, and I can only recommend this boat type. Also they are dirt cheap!!!