A which boat thread....

Irish Sea

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Ill health forced me to sell my largish modern yacht, it was a great family boat and did every thing it needed to do well and swmbo loved it, it was a Beneteau by the way, it was well built and when I sold it I had an offer in 3 hours which I accepted (great boats).

Anyway im now re-evaluating what I want as the family are older and working / college and basically life has moved on, I no longer need big (more hassle when berthing) as its mostly only me on board. What I am looking for is basically the opposite of the Beneteau.

So requirements are-
Fun/ fast to sail
Well built
Very sea kindly and not tender will take heavy weather in its stride but also sail in light winds
Max approx 30ft
dry out happily alongside a wall.
None of your daft stern cabins, I have had enough of hearing waves slapping the sugar scoop, I want a big fore berth and options for a double in the salon, must sleep 4. Big fore berth is a must.
Cosy interior for nights at anchor sipping whisky.
Nothing flighty, I want her to sit at anchor and not spin round the anchorage like a caged beast.
Age not a problem.
max price circa 20k

What would your recommendations be, im open to anything....
 

Tranona

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You are going to struggle to get those often conflicting requirements in one boat of that size for that money. The fast and fun will be the major constraint if you want a generous forepeak. Look at a Konsort in comparison with a Sadler 29 for example. Equally the drying regularly against a wall is better done with long keel boats - a Halmatic 30 would meet most of your requirements but again not fast and fun. a Gk29 would do the fast and fun, but not the cosy and spacious interior nor the drying out.

Double your budget (and a bit more!) then something like this davidmorrisboats.co.uk/our-boats/p/sadler-290 becomes possible. or another £10k will get you into the bracket where a good Fulmar is achievable. Hunter Horizons and Moody 28 (or earlier 29/30) would also be on the list although less strong on the fast and fun.

Enjoy your hunting.
 

westernman

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Pogo 30?

1) Fun/fast to sail. Check
2) Well built. Check
3) Take heavy weather and sail in light winds. Check
4) Big fore berth. Check
5) Max 30ft. Check
6) Dry out happily. With the keel and rudder up. Check
7) Cosy lights. Can be arranged. Check
8) Probably will move around a lot at anchor. So fail here.
9) Age no problem. Check
10) 20K. Ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!!!! More like 150-200K if you can find one.
 
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dansaskip

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I agree with Tranona - you have some conflicting requirements here namely:
Fun/ fast to sail
Well built
Very sea kindly and not tender will take heavy weather in its stride but also sail in light winds.
Nothing flighty, I want her to sit at anchor and not spin round the anchorage like a caged beast.

But good luck in your search
 

Concerto

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Welcome to the Forum.

Tranona has certainly given you the best advice on your choices. I am biased and know the Fulmar would certainly suit your requirements except budget. They come in fin and twin keel versions, and have a big ¾ rig that makes them fast to sail. They are sea kindly and easy to berth. No hull slap under the transom as they sit in the water rather than on the water. Whilst Concerto was exhibited as the Westerly Owners Association at the 2021 Southampton Boat Show, a gentleman who was 6ft 8" wanted to test the berth lengths and was extremely pleased he could lie straight on all berths. The layout meets your requirements as the fore cabin can make a double and the port berth converts into a wide double.

Have a look at this video and then see some of the other videos I have made of sailing Round Britain singlehanded last year if you want to know how good my Fulmar performs. I normally sail in winds forecast to force 7, but last year 4 days reached force 8 and one day force 9.


The biggest problem is to find one in the right condition as I have spent a small fortune getting Concerto, a 1980 boat, into a condition close to new.
 

Irish Sea

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I do like the Fulmar and the bilge keels would work well for but, and its a big but, its those pesky headlining, they look absolutely awful when they start dropping. How is the fore berth for a couple, is it nice and roomy or are 4 feet wedged in a triangle at the bottom.
 

Tranona

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In fairness, for the right boat the budget can be moved to 30k max
The thing about budgets when buying in this sector of the market is that you need to distinguish between the agreed purchase price of the boat - and if looking the asking price - and the cost of getting the boat as you want it and where you want it. The post purchase costs of repairs, upgrades, replacements and moving a boat to your location can be out of proportion to the purchase price. You will be looking at 30 year old+ boats and it is rare to find one that is in a ready to go condition. Often boats are for sale because the owner is looking at a list of major expenditure in the near future to maintain the boat and would rather pass that onto someone else. Sometimes they may be fully equipped, but everything is 20+ years old when a previous buyer/owner did a major refit. Expect also many boats you view will be for sale because the owner is giving up (or has given up everything!) and will display a recent history of neglect.
 

Concerto

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I do like the Fulmar and the bilge keels would work well for but, and its a big but, its those pesky headlining, they look absolutely awful when they start dropping. How is the fore berth for a couple, is it nice and roomy or are 4 feet wedged in a triangle at the bottom.
I cannot personally comment as I have never shared the forward cabin. Any boat of 30ft or shorter will certainly have this problem. In the past I owned a Feeling 286 and the forward berth was very short and more suitable for children than adults.
 

Fr J Hackett

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I cannot personally comment as I have never shared the forward cabin. Any boat of 30ft or shorter will certainly have this problem. In the past I owned a Feeling 286 and the forward berth was very short and more suitable for children than adults.
As the actress said to the bishop, it all depends on the length. 😁
 

Wansworth

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Welcome to the Forum.

Tranona has certainly given you the best advice on your choices. I am biased and know the Fulmar would certainly suit your requirements except budget. They come in fin and twin keel versions, and have a big ¾ rig that makes them fast to sail. They are sea kindly and easy to berth. No hull slap under the transom as they sit in the water rather than on the water. Whilst Concerto was exhibited as the Westerly Owners Association at the 2021 Southampton Boat Show, a gentleman who was 6ft 8" wanted to test the berth lengths and was extremely pleased he could lie straight on all berths. The layout meets your requirements as the fore cabin can make a double and the port berth converts into a wide double.

Have a look at this video and then see some of the other videos I have made of sailing Round Britain singlehanded last year if you want to know how good my Fulmar performs. I normally sail in winds forecast to force 7, but last year 4 days reached force 8 and one day force 9.


The biggest problem is to find one in the right condition as I have spent a small fortune getting Concerto, a 1980 boat, into a condition close to new.
Says it all about buying secondhand………not even getting it close to new costs
 

Koeketiene

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Pogo 30?

1) Fun/fast to sail. Check
2) Well built. Check
3) Take heavy weather and sail in light winds. Check
4) Big fore berth. Check
5) Max 30ft. Check
6) Dry out happily. With the keel and rudder up. Check
7) Cosy lights. Can be arranged. Check
8) Probably will move around a lot at anchor. So fail here.
9) Age no problem. Check
10) 20K. Ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!!!! More like 150-200K if you can find one.

I have sailed aboard a Pogo 36.

Disagree with 3) - Pogos do sail like the clappers in light winds, but they're not much fun in heavy weather.
Like being tossed around in a tumble dryer.
 

Daydream believer

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Pogo 30?

1) Fun/fast to sail. Check
2) Well built. Check
3) Take heavy weather and sail in light winds. Check
4) Big fore berth. Check
5) Max 30ft. Check
6) Dry out happily. With the keel and rudder up. Check
7) Cosy lights. Can be arranged. Check
8) Probably will move around a lot at anchor. So fail here.
9) Age no problem. Check
10) 20K. Ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!!!! More like 150-200K if you can find one.
You forgot
Backache because you cannot stand up in the darned things.
Plus they sail to windward like old dogs.
Lots of boats take heavy weather. Not many will clap out before the crew if looked after.
But the question is- How well will they look after them?
My boat is Ok in F9- I know I tried it once. But in no way was I comfortable.
In fact I was b..y uncomfortable & totally knackered. Especially as I cannot heave too.
Unlike my previous long keel boat that just sat there, waiting, whilst I went to sleep for 3.5 hours in an F9
 

Daydream believer

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Basically the answer to the Op is to look round the local brokerages within a radius with which he feels comfortable.
Select a boat that fits the bill & buy it. If you find one you like, but you do not want to close the deal for any particular reason, then is the time to spread your search radius a bit more for that type of boat. If no luck repeat the process with a different type of boat, until you get fed up & try a different approach, or actually find a nice little yacht & go sailing
Good luck.
 

Praxinoscope

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I agree with Daydream believer #15 on the long keel, my previous boat was an Invicta 26 with a long keel, we once ended up in a F9/10 in the Celtic Sea, we hove to, went down below and slept through the worst, the boat behaved perfectly. The skipper and crew were perhaps slightly less stable.
 

westernman

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I have sailed aboard a Pogo 36.

Disagree with 3) - Pogos do sail like the clappers in light winds, but they're not much fun in heavy weather.
Like being tossed around in a tumble dryer.
They are less like a tumble dryer if reefed right down (both main and jib) and not sailed too fast for the wave conditions - in particular wave frequency
 

Bobc

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Sigma 33
Beneteau First 325 or 305 or 30E, or 31.7 but you may need a bigger budget for one of those.
Hunter 27OOD
 
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