New Member - Looking for 40' Bluewater Cruiser

[Likato]

Hello to all;

I just signed up after browsing this forum for the last couple of days -found a lot of very interesting and helpful information. I am currently searching for a 40' bluewater cruiser for me and my wife and I hope to get some helpful input from you. I am in SE Florida so the Bahamas and the Caribbean will be the first destinations and eventually followed by transatlantic crossings, so....big decision pending - which boat?

To be brief - I would prefer a 40 foot cutter, fiberglass, large aft cockpit, fin keel with skeg hung rudder. My budget is about $110k after any retrofit. I am not a fan of canoe sterns (Passport and Tayana - but might reconsider) and I don't want a small CC (Amel Sharki's only downside). I have my eye on some great boats but I would like to get some more info on the lesser known Albin Nimbus 42 and Avance 40 (S&S). Any input is greatly appreciated. I also read Nordic 40's have a "mast step deflection problem" - any additional info on that is welcome.

Well - just a brief intro. Look forward to participating in this forum.

Cheers.

[Southern Star]

Hi Likato and welcome to the forum. Concerning the specific boats for which you have sought out opinions, you might be better to repost under the monohulls forum.

Cheers!

Brad

[First Mate]

Hi Likato and welcome to the forum

My husband and I just purchased 3 days ago after looking for 3 years. I don't recommend waiting so long.

I can recommend the same vessel model we have purchased - a Pearson 424 cutter. It is an aft cockpit. There is also a Pearson 422 - a center cockpit.

These are ocean capable ketch rigged boats with spacious cockpits. Ours is cutter rigged but with also a furling system. These boats are not fin keel - sorry - but a cutaway with skeg rudder. Draft is 5'-3".

She's a happy boat to maneuver except in reverse out of the slip - but with practice it's no bother. Obviously she tracks well.

A 422 in wonderful condition probably is just about at your budget, in these economic times - used to be quite a bit more. A 424 costs noticeably less than a 422.

For layout, the 422 has the spacious aft stateroom berth that center cockpits allow. The 424 master berth is more spartan - 49" at the widest and 39" at the feet. The V-berth in the 424 is 89" wide at the aft end, but who wants to crawl out of the V-berth in the middle of the night?

The wonderful thing about these boats is that the hull is solid fiberglass and the gel coat was put on so thick, that even after 30 years the one we own does not need paint. The gel coat just needs a light buffing and some wax. You can't beat that for solid and bullet proof. Also, our balsa core deck does not have soft spots and water intrusion. The teak interiors are very beautiful when restored as ours has been. The salon and galley are spacious. There is a separate shower stall in the head.

Numerous ocean crossings and passages have been accomplished with these boats.

The trick is to find one that has been restored unless you enjoy projects. Ours has been restored by others, and we are thrilled! to have it.

Here are links for more info on these boats:
http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listi...tt=Pearson+424

http://www.pearson424.org/info.html

Might be worth your while to consider these vessels. The project boats are quite inexpensive, but even the restored ones will not put you in the poor house. They are an excellent buy, considering their capabilities, spacious live aboard accommodations and bullet proof hulls and gel coats. The ketch rig is not a speed demon but sure is nice for handling. She's quick enough for me.

I'm sure lots of other folks love their ocean crossing live aboard vessels of about the same length. They just need a nudge to get them bragging.

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and welcome aboard!
You've asked the age old question. There is a lot of stuff in the search engine after my signature about choices and a couple liniks there too. Just type in "bluewater."
kind regards,

[Likato]

Thank you all for your recommendations...particularly First Mate...the Pearson 424 does fit the bill.

I will continue this thread on the monohull forum as advised.

Thanks - Happy Cruising!

[MJH]

Likato,

I spent five years reseaching monohulls before buying. That involved reading everything I could get my hands on, testing myself on my own non-blue water boat off the coast of Vancouver Island (Graveyard of the Pacific), and building a database of 3,175 boats in various rig configurations to weigh 33 fields (data, ratios) of interest. In the end there were my own biases: no bowsprit, no wood decks, no pilothouses or motorsailors, no center cockpits. I found that my ideal boat didn't exist in the length I wanted, at least one that I could afford. It is all about compromise. Be sure you know what you want, experience as much as you can, and then ask yourself what you will do and think when you find yourself in THAT BOAT in conditions you thought you would never experience.

Good Luck,

MJH

[Likato]

Thanks MJH - take a look at the thread we continued on the monohull forum - some good input. I am approaching this a little like you did (but 3 thousand is a hell of a big database). I want to get on as many boats as possible but I hope to be able to make a decision soon.

[First Mate]

Originally Posted by Likato

Thanks MJH - take a look at the thread we continued on the monohull forum - some good input. I am approaching this a little like you did (but 3 thousand is a hell of a big database). I want to get on as many boats as possible but I hope to be able to make a decision soon.

wow - get shallow draft - keep it 5' or less if you can. if you go as deep as 5'6 you will constantly hit bottom.

why not get a catamaran since you are basically close to the Caribbean and Bahamas? custom built ply with glass can be affordable. there is a 50' CSK project boat in Yankeetown Florida - make him an offer you can live with to get it going. looks like a solid hull and mast. probably motor is ok. lots and lots of work but lots of room, fast, and cheap. It might be functional, just aesthetically seriously challenged at the moment.

[timbenner]

Living in Fl on the east coast, don't forget to keep your mast under 65', so you can use the ICW.

[First Mate]

Originally Posted by timbenner

Living in Fl on the east coast, don't forget to keep your mast under 65', so you can use the ICW.

Except Julian Tuttle bridge in Miami is 56' high - dyslexic engineers.....

If you ever think you might want to go on the Great American Loop with this boat, the mast needs to be much lower. Ketch rigged boats with lower mast heights can be useful.

Great American Loop:

Seasonal Great Loop Map on AGLCA

The Loop