Confused by next boat progression J42DS to what...?

Rob_Webb

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Until recently, like many boat owners, I reckon I had a pretty good grasp of what my next 'dream boat' would be as and when bank account permitted. But recently I'm stumped because I've run into a set of requirements that I can't find an easy answer to...

Background

We love our 2006 Jeanneau 42DS which suited us superbly as a couple with one child but since child #2 came along we're starting to grow out of space. Or rather number of cabins. At some point soon we will find a 3rd cabin very useful to give the boys their own space and / or to accommodate friends & visitors overnight.

Challenge part 1
What's the best used boat (can't afford new) that gives us a 3rd cabin - ideally still with a lovely aft master cabin as we have today but with 2 other decent / equal sized cabins forward BUT is max. 50ft long. I'm struggling to find a make / model that delivers this?

Challenge part 2
Here in NZ we have a Med-style climate for about 3 months of the year but then it can turn bloomin wet, cold and windy. Which reminds me of my childhood days cruising the Solent and south coast in a (now) old motor sailor with a wheelhouse and centre cockpit. The more I think about it and the older I get the more it seems to make sense! Think of a Salar 40 for example, make it 5-10 feet longer with a 3rd cabin and a bit younger. That would be ideal. Again, I can't think of a modern production equivalent.

Any thoughts gratefully received?!
 

Seven Spades

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I would give serious thoughts to this CR480, it is a superb sailing boat and although it is 2014 it has hardly been used. It is based on the Starlight 47 mould but re-engineered and has amazing reviews if you can find them. It has all the accommodation you need and more. The owner tried selling it at too high a price so has been on the market for a long time but if you look at it it is like new.

CR 480 DS Alva Lynn - Parkstone Bay Yachts
 

Rob_Webb

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If we were liveaboard I think a cat would be a serious contender but for family coastal cruising the extra berthing costs aren’t attractive. Plus it would be a change of religion after a life sailing monos ?
 

matt1

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Hi - Similar dilemma to you, I was looking for a decent "owners" aft cabin which tended towards DS or Centre Cockpits, all of which were pricey. I'd spent ages searching, with that fixed view in mind, but in the end (at Dusseldorf) realised I needed to look at it the other way round. You can now get 40' that have two double aft cabins, but with the "Owners cabin" up fwd. Perhaps not as big as the palatial aft cabin on your 42DS but still with the ability to sit up in bed (with headroom under the foredeck). Not sure of your budget but for example a Hanse 455 would have the x3 cabins you need
 

cmedsailor

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Until recently, like many boat owners, I reckon I had a pretty good grasp of what my next 'dream boat' would be as and when bank account permitted. But recently I'm stumped because I've run into a set of requirements that I can't find an easy answer to...

Background
We love our 2006 Jeanneau 42DS which suited us superbly as a couple with one child but since child #2 came along we're starting to grow out of space. Or rather number of cabins. At some point soon we will find a 3rd cabin very useful to give the boys their own space and / or to accommodate friends & visitors overnight.

Challenge part 1
What's the best used boat (can't afford new) that gives us a 3rd cabin - ideally still with a lovely aft master cabin as we have today but with 2 other decent / equal sized cabins forward BUT is max. 50ft long. I'm struggling to find a make / model that delivers this?

Challenge part 2
Here in NZ we have a Med-style climate for about 3 months of the year but then it can turn bloomin wet, cold and windy. Which reminds me of my childhood days cruising the Solent and south coast in a (now) old motor sailor with a wheelhouse and centre cockpit. The more I think about it and the older I get the more it seems to make sense! Think of a Salar 40 for example, make it 5-10 feet longer with a 3rd cabin and a bit younger. That would be ideal. Again, I can't think of a modern production equivalent.

Any thoughts gratefully received?!

Can satisfy challenge 1 but not challenge 2!
A boat with aft master cabin is the Elan Impression 434 or 444 or 45. An option was with a large aft cabin, single bow with separate heads and shower or 2 cabins at the bow and heads.
Looks relatively similar to your Jeanneau 42DS.
 

Genoa

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I have a Jeanneau 44DS, Bunks and double forward, massive aft cabin. You'd be very familiar with it to, which I think is important with youngsters distracting you :)
We sail in Sweden, similar to NZ, and have a great wet heating system and a full zip on binimi with sides so can go boating 8 months of the year. Sorry ice and snow don't figure in my idea of fun, especially in the 5 hours of sun you get up there :)
 

dk

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Until recently, like many boat owners, I reckon I had a pretty good grasp of what my next 'dream boat' would be as and when bank account permitted. But recently I'm stumped because I've run into a set of requirements that I can't find an easy answer to...

Background
We love our 2006 Jeanneau 42DS which suited us superbly as a couple with one child but since child #2 came along we're starting to grow out of space. Or rather number of cabins. At some point soon we will find a 3rd cabin very useful to give the boys their own space and / or to accommodate friends & visitors overnight.

Challenge part 1
What's the best used boat (can't afford new) that gives us a 3rd cabin - ideally still with a lovely aft master cabin as we have today but with 2 other decent / equal sized cabins forward BUT is max. 50ft long. I'm struggling to find a make / model that delivers this?

Challenge part 2
Here in NZ we have a Med-style climate for about 3 months of the year but then it can turn bloomin wet, cold and windy. Which reminds me of my childhood days cruising the Solent and south coast in a (now) old motor sailor with a wheelhouse and centre cockpit. The more I think about it and the older I get the more it seems to make sense! Think of a Salar 40 for example, make it 5-10 feet longer with a 3rd cabin and a bit younger. That would be ideal. Again, I can't think of a modern production equivalent.

Any thoughts gratefully received?!
J49DS?
 

Kelpie

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Hi - Similar dilemma to you, I was looking for a decent "owners" aft cabin which tended towards DS or Centre Cockpits, all of which were pricey. I'd spent ages searching, with that fixed view in mind, but in the end (at Dusseldorf) realised I needed to look at it the other way round. You can now get 40' that have two double aft cabins, but with the "Owners cabin" up fwd. Perhaps not as big as the palatial aft cabin on your 42DS but still with the ability to sit up in bed (with headroom under the foredeck). Not sure of your budget but for example a Hanse 455 would have the x3 cabins you need

And the forecabin can be quieter too...
 

Rob_Webb

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Can satisfy challenge 1 but not challenge 2!
A boat with aft master cabin is the Elan Impression 434 or 444 or 45. An option was with a large aft cabin, single bow with separate heads and shower or 2 cabins at the bow and heads.
Looks relatively similar to your Jeanneau 42DS.

Thanks. My recollection from viewing an Impression 434 was the ceiling in the aft cabin is too low to sit up and read in bed. But this was a few years ago and maybe more recent boats changed this?
 

Rob_Webb

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I have a Jeanneau 44DS, Bunks and double forward, massive aft cabin. You'd be very familiar with it to, which I think is important with youngsters distracting you :)
We sail in Sweden, similar to NZ, and have a great wet heating system and a full zip on binimi with sides so can go boating 8 months of the year. Sorry ice and snow don't figure in my idea of fun, especially in the 5 hours of sun you get up there :)

Yes we’ve got a couple of those for sale down this side of the world but the thing that has put me off even viewing them is my understanding of low headroom in the aft cabin (same problem as Elan Impression). Another 3-cabin 44DS owner tells me the ceiling height is only 25” and a 2” mattress reduces headroom in bed to only 23”. That would seem a step backwards from our current set-up!
 

Rob_Webb

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And the forecabin can be quieter too...

Yes forecabin can be quieter under some conditions but overall we prefer aft. One reason is motion - quite a bit of our sailing is at the ends of the day when the family is asleep and the huge bed in the 42DS aft cabin can house them all, has a kinder motion than the forecabin and is also very safe with enclosed sides.

The challenge continues...
 

Genoa

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Yes we’ve got a couple of those for sale down this side of the world but the thing that has put me off even viewing them is my understanding of low headroom in the aft cabin (same problem as Elan Impression). Another 3-cabin 44DS owner tells me the ceiling height is only 25” and a 2” mattress reduces headroom in bed to only 23”. That would seem a step backwards from our current set-up!
OK - As you are a kiwi --- I am a rugby playing Prop, and have no problem generally with head room (or girth room when horizontal!) But it is not the vertically spacious aft cabin I had on the Moody 44CC, but for the nice months I have a cockpit to die for now, so going from Sweden to Spain, I have a great compromise, which, after all, is always going to be what one strives for.
 
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