6' headroom?

[adamthekiwi]

Hi All,

I posted this in the PBO forum, but I think that was the wrong one, so here goes again. If I've put it in the wrong place again, please feel free to use your best anglo-saxon in correcting me!

I'm starting to look around at small (preferably more than about 7.5m - 25') cruising yachts, with an eye to learning to sail. The ideal boat would be cheap and a good day boat, sails well, but capable of longer, more ambitious passages - even, potentially, ocean crossings. Something like a baby Sadler (probably the 25) would fit the bill very well, and there are even a few around for very good prices. My budget is fluid, but up to 10k is probably a good mark.

My question, in light of this, is this: what is the smallest (cheapest, second-hand) boat that has 1m85 (just over 6') headroom (or close to)?

For what it's worth, I realise I'm unlikely to satisfy the headroom requirement along with all the others - just curious...

Cheers - Adam...

 

[Scarboroughsloop]

I know of a very nice Centaur just coming onto the market!

 

[lustyd]

At the risk of sounding lazy, what are you doing standing up so often inside a boat to make headroom important? Inside my boat I'm generally either sleeping or sitting so for a smaller boat I would tick all the other boxes before headroom and take it as a bonus if you end up with 6'

Dave

 

[elton]

The Centaur and the Pageant both have about 5'11 headroom, but at just over 6' I soon learned to adopt a slight stoop.

 

[rwoofer]

At the risk of sounding lazy, what are you doing standing up so often inside a boat to make headroom important? Inside my boat I'm generally either sleeping or sitting so for a smaller boat I would tick all the other boxes before headroom and take it as a bonus if you end up with 6'

Dave

At 6'6" at had to come to that realisation. I just hate pissing sitting down though!!!

 

[Flying Penguin]

At 6'6" at had to come to that realisation. I just hate pissing sitting down though!!!

Do tou piss standing at sea? Wouldn't like to clean your boat....

 

[eastcoastbernie]

Personally I think standing headroom is very over-rated.

Easy for me to say, at 5 ft 6 ins, but who stands around inside a boat?

In a 25 ft boat, like mine, it's only a couple of strides from one end to the other. The headroom is around 5 ft 6 ins right in the middle of the boat, everywhere else, it's less than that. The berths are all 6 ft or more so no problem with sleeping or sitting. Everything is within arm's reach so you don't need to stand up to move from one thing to another.

I stand to wash up, but I could do that sitting down if I wanted to. I sit down to use the loo, but I don't have much choice in that.

My crew are often around the 6 ft mark and they don't seem to find the lack of standing headroom a big problem.

 

[adamthekiwi]

At the risk of sounding lazy, what are you doing standing up so often inside a boat to make headroom important?

Hi Dave,

Cooking and washing up come to mind - both my prospective co-owner and I are looking for something that will potentially be spending several nights away from her home port at a time.

However, the number of comments saying that headroom is not important is instructive, too...

Thanks - Adam...

 

[FullCircle]

Evolution 25 has 6ft headroom
The Evolution 26 does not though.....

 

[Fantasie 19]

At 6'6" at had to come to that realisation. I just hate pissing sitting down though!!!

..no need - just pee over the side....

NB. Can raise eyebrows in marina's and when moored off the Royal Yacht Squadron...

 

[rwoofer]

..no need - just pee over the side....

NB. Can raise eyebrows in marina's and when moored off the Royal Yacht Squadron...

Exactly!

 

[Tranona]

You are on the cusp in terms of size where 6' headroom becomes possible. Mainly it is in staid cruising boats like the Centaur, Macwesters, Snapdragons etc. More performance orientated boats are likely to have less.

Howeveer, like others, I would not put this an essential. At that price/size range there is a vast choice - but all the boats will be upwards of 20 years old, so condition is the top priority if you just want to go sailing. For most people the first boat is not kept very long -either because they discover they don't like it or more likely a couple of season's experience leads to more ambition. So buy the very best condition boat you can, probably a popular make do your learning then you will be a better position to know what you want from the next boat.

 

[sam_uk]

Virgo voyager or Seamaster Sailor are the two shortest boats with 6ft headroom that I know of, both 23ft.

 

[maxi77]

Do tou piss standing at sea? Wouldn't like to clean your boat....

For those of us with prostate problems pissing sitting down is not ideal, one can make more mess.

 

[Tranona]

For those of us with prostate problems pissing sitting down is not ideal, one can make more mess.

I find exactly the opposite. Having just spent 10 days in hospital having urinary problems investigated I ended up knowing a lot about the process where I would rather have remained ignorant!

 

[TamarMike]

Hi Dave,

Cooking and washing up come to mind - both my prospective co-owner and I are looking for something that will potentially be spending several nights away from her home port at a time.

In that case you might be better to prioritise an aft galley position rather than the measurement of headroom.

 

[flipper]

Itchen Ferry 25. But then I'm biased. 6' headroom, they have crossed the Atlantic.
Can't tell you how it sails yet as mine hasn't been in the water, but they are reputed to be good in a blow, not so good on the wind. If you can find an up together one, about 6k

 

[ianat182]

There's a Westerly Tiger for sale afloat on the Hamble, realistic pricing around £8, and in good clean order,white hull ,and 4'3 draft fin keel ,25ft LOA, beam8'9", lots of stowage space and 5'11" headroom throughout. Has been up for sale since the summer but lifted and painted ready for sailing. Not sure which diesel engine though.

No connection, I am a Tiger owner myself and biased after 28 years ownership! All my sailing is done on deck!!

ianat182

 

[V1701]

If you're talking crossing oceans the Nicholson 26, maybe not the best boat to learn on (long keel, heavy displacement), then again maybe a very good boat to learn on! Another possibility would be Hurley 24/70 (aka Atlanta 25). Good luck...

 

[sighmoon]

Guy Thompson T24 has about 5'11 of headroom. Deep fin keel. Excellent sea boat. Here's one I've no connection with:

http://portsmouth.boatshed.com/thompson_t24-boat-113610.html

Pretty eh?

I used to have the T27, which is basically the same, but with a different transom. Mine had been to the carribbean and back.