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Old 25-08-2020, 14:07   #1
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under 30ft cruiser in UK

I'm looking for either:

Long keel: Albin Vega, Contessa, Invicta, Nicholson 26, Halcyon 27, Hurley 27, Francis 26

or Fin/Skeg: Westerly Centaur or Sadler 25/26

For sale in UK

In sail away condition, recent standing rigging, engine, reinforcing of problem areas (hull-deck join, mast step, rudder...) working nav equipment, clean interior etc.
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Old 25-08-2020, 14:41   #2
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pirate Re: under 30ft cruiser in UK

Well knock the Westerly Centaur off the list.. as far as I know they only did bilge keel with spade models.
The Pembroke is the fin keeler but cannot remember if the rudder is spade or skeg.
There is also the Tiger which is I know a spade rudder
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Old 25-08-2020, 15:02   #3
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Re: under 30ft cruiser in UK

Sorry that should have said fin/bilge!

not sure how to edit posts
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Old 25-08-2020, 16:57   #4
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pirate Re: under 30ft cruiser in UK

Check out www.apolloduck.com there's all of those listed on there.. Inautia is another good site.
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Old 26-08-2020, 08:21   #5
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Re: under 30ft cruiser in UK

My friend has purchased a new yacht today, and will be selling his Westerly Centaur as soon as there is a suitable buyer. It is based on the west coast of Scotland. It is old, but well looked-after. If you send me your contact details, I will pass them on. PeterOHutchison@AOL.com
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Old 26-08-2020, 09:32   #6
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Re: under 30ft cruiser in UK

I would add more fin and skeg yachts to your list. Much more fun to sail than a long keel. I used to have a Coronado 25 with a 9hp outboard, so less weight. Kept the outboard in the locker most of the time and it sailed fantastically. The long keeled yachts you have chosen are a bit too small for extended cruising.
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Old 26-08-2020, 13:17   #7
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Re: under 30ft cruiser in UK

You dont need recent standing rigging. Thats an easy fix & not much money sub 30 ft
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Old 26-08-2020, 14:53   #8
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Re: under 30ft cruiser in UK

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You dont need recent standing rigging. Thats an easy fix & not much money sub 30 ft
Really? I wasn't sure about taking on too much of a project.
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Old 06-09-2020, 20:32   #9
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Re: under 30ft cruiser in UK

I'm not sure where you are in the UK but I sailed on the Northwest Coast a bit so I'll add my 2 pence...

I don't know your experience level but I'm assuming it's on the low end, no offense intended. I am not well experienced either. One thing I did notice was that steep chop and winds 18-23 knots were common as is a large tidal range. There's a good reason why twin/bilge keels are really popular in the UK as it can be a long sail from one marina to the next and anchorages where you can stay afloat can also be rare. Protected mudflats seemed a lot more common and for that reason I highly recommend a twin or bilge keel boat. I sailed an Albin Vega when I was there and really didn't like it. Windward performance was poor and in the aforementioned steep waves it was a very wet ride. The boat was more like a submarine as it had insufficient reserve buoyancy so going forward in these conditions was extra thrilling as the water would come up and wash over your boots. Also, they are cramped inside. 5'8" is about the tallest you want to be in one.

I've put in about 50 days of sailing (more relaxing at anchor) on a Westerly Centaur and loved it. Even though my Centaur experience was largely in light winds, where it's extra drag makes it a slow boat, I found it very enjoyable. The stability of the design is excellent and the design at the bow provides that reserve buoyancy and a much drier ride. The original Volvo engines that came in the Centaur aren't great and replacement parts are ridiculously expensive if available at all so I'd look for one with a Beta Marine engine instead.

I could go on but it may be unwelcome so if you have questions about either of those boats feel free to send a private message.
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Old 28-09-2020, 02:40   #10
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Re: under 30ft cruiser in UK

Interested to read your comments on the "centaur". Currently in Pembroke and the bilge keel hulls are popular down here. Its early days for myself yet, looking to get experience crewing etc and necessary practical's & theory's under my belt as my history is in dinghy sailing. think something like centaur will be my choice in the end so any more information you can add would be welcome.
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Old 28-09-2020, 05:01   #11
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Re: under 30ft cruiser in UK

There's loads of information on the Westerly Owners Association website. You can browse some of it or all of it if you join for a minimal sum.

https://westerly-owners.co.uk/
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Old 29-09-2020, 09:11   #12
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Re: under 30ft cruiser in UK

Thank you I’ll take a look.
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Old 29-09-2020, 10:23   #13
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Re: under 30ft cruiser in UK

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Originally Posted by chelboy View Post
Interested to read your comments on the "centaur". Currently in Pembroke and the bilge keel hulls are popular down here. Its early days for myself yet, looking to get experience crewing etc and necessary practical's & theory's under my belt as my history is in dinghy sailing. think something like centaur will be my choice in the end so any more information you can add would be welcome.
I'm glad to read you are taking a careful approach to boat ownership, it will save you from the costly mistakes of jumping in with both feet.

Again, I must admit I am not terribly experienced so take this with a dose of skepticism.

Personally, I value seakindliness over everything else and while it is nice to sail fast, I'd rather be comfortable and safe so that is why I like the Centaur so much. The small size means relatively little effort required for maintenance. Which is a plus IMO.

Some downsides to consider are that the boat has numerous bilges which are not connected so if you have lots of water coming in it can be difficult to remove. The keel stubs generally need reinforcement as the original design allows too much flexing and this can weaken the glass fibre and gel coat. The keels and keel bolts need to be inspected carefully and protected especially if you're on a drying mooring. Other than that there are a few minor annoyances but it's an excellent design and really well suited to UK sailing.

I'm sure you could convince someone with a Centaur to take you out on a sail so you can see for yourself. I would offer but I'm in Western Canada, heh.

PM me if you have specific questions ✌🙂
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Old 29-09-2020, 10:49   #14
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Re: under 30ft cruiser in UK

Thanks for info on keels. Yes seen many posts and YouTube renovations which highlight keel bolt replacement. As time goes will have many questions so would be grateful of yours and others input.
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