A which boat thread....

[Buck Turgidson]

It’s got to be a Pogo 8,50.

Not unless he steals it!

 

[oldgit]

The next boat ....something that will do most of what you want and are prepared to pay for.

 

[MisterBaxter]

30' LOA combined with speed, seaworthiness and steadiness at anchor suggests something deep and slim, but that conflicts with the big double bed... Not sure how to resolve that! You could compromise on speed and go Westerly/Sadler, or compromise on space and go Sparkman and Stephens or similar.

 

[Irish Sea]

Lots of good suggestions, I must say I have never heard of but do like the look of the Stag 28. When I say fast and fun I am thinking Sadler etc are fine what im not wanting is a macwester triple keeled type affair but the sadlers etc are more than enough fun. I will check a few out and see what fits best.

 

[Supertramp]

A Westerly Fulmar (or other modern twin keelers) is very different from a Macwester. And doesn't need the wall to dry out. And is fun to sail. A Berwick/Longbow is an older design which ages well (and should have replaced headlining) .

Headlinings are a Westerly issue but most boats will come with some problem or other. And with 20yr+ boats you need to assume there will be issues awaiting your discovery. When assessing a boat, you should find the big label items (rigging, engine, sails, keel bolts etc.) that need repair and add on to the purchase cost, and I would expect another 10% to cover all the smaller things that need changed or fixed in the first years. Then you can assess it's worth to you. Comparing brokers prices without viewing won't do it. After that, if you choose a solid, well built boat you're sorted.

You might want to sort your priorities - drying out 4 times a year is different to twice a day, especially on an encapsulated keel. Fun and fast are not necessarily the same. Weight will give you not flighty and well built but at the expense of fast. And are you sailing exposed or offshore or sheltered estuary. Most boats compromise in some areas.

Your priorities suggest the interior layout and size are important - that will rule many possible designs in or out.

 

[dunedin]

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.

But generally if coastal cruising, to get caught at sea in a true F9 these days is a skippers choice (or bad planning).
That is different from getting a few 40 knot squalls in predictable places- like off headlands and under hills, but again allowing a safety margin to the forecast can avoid surprises.
So I believe in getting a boat that suits 99.9% of the preferred sailing (and well enough designed and built to handle the occasional rough stuff).
For most coastal cruising the long keel is a drawback - slower and handles badly in marinas.
Something like Concerto's Fulmar can handle seriously bad weather, but also be fast and fun in the weather most people choose to sail in, and easy to handle under motor.

 

[Praxinoscope]

Dunedin, #26 I'm not disagreeing with you on this, it's just the OP mentioned the need to take heavy weather so expanded upon the long keel as mentioned by Daydream Believer, however the OP seems to be situated in the Irish Sea and many I.S. harbours dry so long keel/ fin keel do restrict which harbours are comfortable to visit, so I would suggest a bilge keeler, the Fulmar has already been mentioned (not my favourite boat but thats a personal opinion) the Sadler 29 may be worth a look, we now have 5 in the Aberaeron fleet.

 

[Whaup367]

Might be helpful to define "fast", too. Depending on you p.o.v. it can mean:

1. Planes
2. Rapid progress upwind in light conditions
3. Gets up to speed soon after a tack
4. Comfortable near hull speed in variable/challlenging conditions
5. Is a catamaran ( )

"Fun to sail" is also open to interpretation- does that mean "twitchy", so the boat needs to be actively managed all the time? Does it mean wet? Can fly a spinnaker? Can be raced competitively? Feels powerful? All of the above

 

[Refueler]

Colvic Countess .....

Old but Gold.

 

[onesea]

Go a step old long keel, forget the fast and fun.
Drink moderate amounts of whisky on the way. Comfy, steady, low freeboard take your time enjoy the passage.

Plenty available below the 20k mark. Spend the spare money on the time off enjoying the passages.

Or look to a GK29 or similar old IOR. Some will be ok along side a wall.