Beneteau, Jeanneau, Dehler or Catalina

[hrt1009]

Greetings from Downunder.

I am looking to buy a monohull between 39 - 44' LOA built since 2000, to sail with crew to Australia from either the East Coast of the USA or, the Mediterranean. Top spend would be $150,000 ready to go.

Passage would be via the Panama timed to avoid the hurricane/cyclone seasons of both hemispheres.

I would greatly appreciate advice from owners or crew of the yachts specified in regard to structural integrity, reliability, and accessibility of mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems.

Please do not derail the thread by suggesting I consider a Wavecruncher 42 or similar. Eventually, I will become a seller and I don't want an "orphan" on my hands. All the brands listed with the exception Dehler, are very well known in Australia and sell readily.

Thank you for reading this far.

Cheers and best,

Hedley

[boatman61]

Hi there HRT... Welcome to CF..
No way would I suggest a Wavecruncher 42... the 38 is so much nicer...

[Snore]

Welcome aboard!
Interesting first post!!


Bill

[Doodles]

If you intend to sell it once you get to OZ you had better hurry.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ml#post1152520

[Searanger50]

Hi,
Why not try a few? Many yachting schools use these models and a little expense may well show you if they are suitable. I know Mark on this site has toured the world in beneteau. I recently crossed the English Channel on mile building trip to the channel islands with a sailing school on a Defour 42 and instantly decided I'd never want one. I found the gear heavy to handle and cumbersome. I Did my Day Skipper in the Med on a Jeaneau 36 and loved the boat. Easy to handle single handed or short crewed (we are leaving the UK in just over a year and have extensively researched - and revised- our wish list. We settled for our current boat because it fitted our budget first and most of our cruising needs. The most important that both my wife, who is 4' 11" tall and myself could sail it alone in an emergency). In the end you are doing the sailing and you know your circumstances and budget. From our experience and over four years researching and looking at boats we finally decided most would do the job so we found one we really liked and could afford.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Hedley.

[MarkJ]

Hey Hedley.

Welcome to CF.

Doing research is a wonderful part of buying a boat.

[boating2go]

I can not comment on post 2000 but had a 1992 42 foot Sun Odyssey. The engine access was wonderful. I thought the layout of all mechanicals was well done. Much better engine access than my current boat but won't change back for anything. This one has more room and comfort than that one. The Jeanneau is a very good boat in my opinion.

I have two friends with Beneteau and both are well pleased with their boats. I hope this helps even though it isn't the years you are looking for.

Welcome aboard and good luck. As mentioned above looking at boats is a lot of fun. I love going to the shows and touring all the boats.

[simonpickard]

I'd add Hanse into that list. They are big over in Oz. You'd be able to pick up a 370 in that price range, maybe a 400.

[Ocean Diamond 2]

Hi Hedley,

Dont forget that if you are unloading the boat into Oz there are tax benifits if it is an American built boat. So the Catalina might be a good choice.

Had a Dehler 34, I like strong boats, so now have a Elan.

Good Luck
Derek

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by hrt1009

Greetings from Downunder.

I am looking to buy a monohull between 39 - 44' LOA built since 2000, to sail with crew to Australia from either the East Coast of the USA or, the Mediterranean. Top spend would be $150,000 ready to go.

Passage would be via the Panama timed to avoid the hurricane/cyclone seasons of both hemispheres.

I would greatly appreciate advice from owners or crew of the yachts specified in regard to structural integrity, reliability, and accessibility of mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems.

Please do not derail the thread by suggesting I consider a Wavecruncher 42 or similar. Eventually, I will become a seller and I don't want an "orphan" on my hands. All the brands listed with the exception Dehler, are very well known in Australia and sell readily.

Thank you for reading this far.

Cheers and best,

Hedley

Sir Hedley...CF has a great search feature. You would be surprised at all the answers to your question in other existing threads. Feel free to derail them. No one really minds...

[Thames 4 Blood]

In your price range and almost size range... I have spent a week sailing a Jeanneau 45.2. I found this to be an excellent boat.
Very well built. Engine access about average for the genre, tollerably good. Fine for maintenance but I would bot want to replace the crank in situ...
The layout is 10/10 in my opinion. Great storage with sail locker in the bow. Comfortable sea boat and easy to sail. Interior joinery of a higher standard than todays Jeanneaus and I am advised the hull is very strong.
If they still built them I would own one. Hope this helps!

[Carlisle Spirit]

The slightly older Jeaneaus were always a little better set up than the Beneteaus.

[carstenb]

I own a Jeanneau Sun Fast 40.3 form 2006. Excellent engine acess with hatches in the back also. Good sea boat, easy to handle, rides well even in heavy seas. Water tanks at 2 x 140 liters maybe on small size. Ours is the 2 cabin version, lots of storage space.

The sun fast is identical to the Sun Odyssey, but it has a longer (2.1 mters) keel with an extra 400 kgs. down there. Mast is extended 1.5 meters and the rig carries about 150 sq. ft. more sail. Boom is longer also. The Sun Odyssey will have a german mainsail sheeting system. The Sun Fast has the traveler across the cockpit. Dual helms. easy access to the bathing platform.

Electrics fairly simple, easy to access. No storage room under the floorboards. Chart table a bit small. Good galley, good stove.

In the 2 cabin version, lots of storage on the aft side where there is no cabin.

all in all, a good boat. But if you're looking for one ready to go bluewater for under usd 150, you might be pushed. Bluewater would assume, wind vane, water maker, big anchor, radar, spare sails etc etc etc. Unless the boat has been sailed blue water, you will need to figure about usd 40 for the complete refit (maybe more, depending on what you deem necessary)

good luck

[carstenb]

you might want to check out this site. It lists many Jeanneaus
Second hand sailing boat ads - EYB