Lord Nelson 41, Valiant 40/42, tayana 37...

[RTB]

J.P.
No doubt that weather is an important consideration, whether flying or sailing. I guess the Hunter was your first boat? That would be like learning to fly in a 747, I would think. So how soon till you get your next boat? I'm new to the Forum myself as I mentioned. I'm thinking you'll get more advice by starting another thread in something other than meet and greet. Someone may be able to suggest where to go with it?

[johnpair]

Ralph Brogdon,
The Hunter 54 was my first boat indeed, but for some reason, all I got was negative feedback/comments (they were built in the early eighties and are still around which speaks for itself.
for obvious reasons the Hunter 54 is definitely a "small" boat for fifty four feet of length, very light and very flexible (literally) and also turns on its own length.
For a semblance of a sailor like me, when I got brave enough to cross to the Bahamas (Bimini), I didn't plan the trip early in the morning, or very late at night, I just went (having checked the weather conditions of course).
My next boat? I was looking at a Lord Nelson, here in Toronto, but unfortunately, it's in the middle of a whole marina on the hard, so it's not moving untill April.
So, untill I find my dream, I'll be none-still dreaming.
Cheers,
J.P.

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha JP,
Welcome aboard! Good to have you here.
Kind regards,
JohnL

[Liberty28]

Just a word to the wise, all the teak on these boats looks absolutely stunning but... somebody has to sand and varnish all the stuff! We had a little Baba 30 that is a smaller version of the boats you're considering and my arms STILL hurt from the work we had to do to keep the teak up to par.

Good luck with your choice, my friend. FWIW, if I had the $$$, I'd get a Valiant 42 in a heartbeat!!!!

[johnpair]

Hello liberty 28,
I have always been performance oriented, and to let you know, not to worry, the Valiant family is certainly in my thoughts. That's the reason I'm on this very very helpful thread, feedback and info from individuals who have or had the experience of ownership.
Thanks,

J.P.

[senormechanico]

Originally Posted by Liberty28

Just a word to the wise, all the teak on these boats looks absolutely stunning but... somebody has to sand and varnish all the stuff! We had a little Baba 30 that is a smaller version of the boats you're considering and my arms STILL hurt from the work we had to do to keep the teak up to par.

Good luck with your choice, my friend. FWIW, if I had the $$$, I'd get a Valiant 42 in a heartbeat!!!!

When we purchased our previous boat, (a Lord Nelson 35) it had varnish on the caprail and other trim items on deck but not the deck itself. We tried to keep up on the varnish, but it was too much trouble. Next, we tried Amazon Teak Oil. It looked very "shippy" but it too, was a pain to keep up. Our final solution was to strip all the oil from the exterior wood and just let it go silvery all by itself.

When we went cruising to Mexico we got lots of comments about the teak finish (all positive). One guy said, "Wow, your teak looks great! What kind of finish did you use?" When we said, "Salt water and neglect" he was amazed.

Steve B.

[Agur's Wish]

It's the in between time that is painful with the varnish. When we live aboard full-time it was easy to keep up but now that we're not on her for 6 months she looks like a derelict. Can't wait until all the varnish goes away.

[johnpair]

Say wood, say work!
I picture myself on deck of my newly purchased LN 41, ball and chain, sand paper in hand, starting where I finished, and finishing where I started... no time for the helm.
Reminds me, I've seen people do just that, didn't look too happy either.
So, where do I go from here? Valiants... hm.

J.P.

[Liberty28]

If you're going to be considering these Perry-boats, why don't you go to the source! Check out...

Robert H Perry Yachts Designers Inc. - CONSULTATION SERVICE

[harryrezz]

To get back to your question, if I were ever to replace La Nostra the boat at the top of my short list would be a Valiant 40/42. This boat is what put Bob Perry "on the map" in boat yacht design. Rich Worstell and his band of Texans build GREAT boats. Solid, well crafted, technically near perfect when it comes to systems - and they will work with new owners on custom details. They are excellent performers. Only drawback to all this is that they have retained most of their value ovr the years. In fact, older models which have been well maintained are probably seelling for more than their original cost! This means that you will be hard pressed to find one in decent shape at a bargain price - but on the other hand, you can also be assured that you'll get your investment back.
The other two boats you mentioned are also fine boats, but a Valiant will sail circles around them in most conditions.

[johnpair]

Thee general opinion places the Valiant 40s (preferably without bliters) and 42s as the best performance cruisers.
I'm not really sold on the earleir models interiors though... as for the late models, they are out of price range.
On the other hand, the LN 41 interiors were simply captivating, but like the Babas and Tashings and Hans Christians, they are heavy boats without much go on the beat.
Well, well, well...

[johnpair]

Harryrezz,
How do you like your CSY 44, and where does it fit in this debate?

[Spring Moon]

HI,

I have a Lord Nelson 41 and love it. I don't care if she's slow - she rides like a dream and is so beautiful inside and out that it far outweighs going somewhere faster. The BMW engine has posed some problems due to aging and finding parts - but in spite of these drawbacks, it's still servicing us well. It can be easily replaced by a new Yanmar. I live in Vancouver aboard Spring Moon, and have had the time of my life sailing these coastal waters in her.

[bene343]

as a former Island Packet owner -just say NO to Teak unless you like sanding and varnishing or can have someone do it for you

[SoonerSailor]

Only the first 20 or so Valiant 40's built are free of the "blister" problem. Having said that, the blisters that the later Valiant 40's get are not the typical below the water line blisters. They are thought to stem from a fire retardant used on the fiberglass mat used in construction, occur above the waterline, are not considered a structural problem, but can be quite unattractive from less than about 40 feet away. What that means is you can get a good solid boat for about $80,000 instead of $120,000 if you don't mind the cosmetics.

The blisters can be ground out and patched, but over time, especially in hot environments, they will return. One broker said that there is a permanent fix that involves taking the boat where labor is cheap but work quality is good (Trinidad?) and grinding the hull way down building it back up with new glass, one section at a time. I think the better strategy is to just buy one of these boats and enjoy how they sail, ignoring the blisters.