Quandary
Well-Known Member
Last year with advancing years we decided to sell our Finngulf 33 and give up sailing. When we bought it in 2007 we were downsizing and perhaps then I focussed too much on style and performance but we were sure it would be our last boat. About a month after an offer was accepted I started to get itchy and around Christmas I bought a motor boat, a Nimbus 27 coupe. I spent the last six months while my wife was waiting for a new knee, upgrading and sorting it out. No matter how I try, I can not get to like it much, I do not like the noise or the motion, the passages despite being quicker are boring and I can not work up any great enthusiasm to use it, or develop any real pride in it, it is now clear that selling the Finngulf was a big mistake, we should have let it see us out, even if we motored it a lot more.
So I have persuaded my wife that when she is mobile again we should try to get back to sail, I do not think we want a motor sailer (unless it is one that sails) but a small yacht that can get us about the West Coast and islands in reasonable comfort, we have been studying all the smaller yachts passing under our windows.
My criteria, none of which are absolute -
Fin keel, deck stepped mast, preferably single spreader not much more than 12-13 m. tall so that we can put it up with the club derrick.
Tiller steering (or big wheel) we like to steer sitting on the coaming.
Reasonable engine (fresh water cooling?)
Room to sleep 2 in comfort and up to five at WHYW.
Sufficient performance not to come last in white sail at West Highland Week,
Max. length 32-33' (to allow it to winter in the Club yard across the street)
Budget somewhere in the £20-40k range?
Reasonably easy for my executor too sell on.
So I was looking at Moody 28s and 31 MkIIs and that led me to S31s but they seem pricey for their age so perhaps there is a Jeanneau or Dufour or something that would be a better fit, I am prejudiced toward the Moodys because I owned Sigmas back in my racing days and unfortunately have paid little attention to French boats, I also have developed an irrational prejudice against Hanse though this does not extend to Dehler or Bavaria.
So I don't mind if you push the boat that you currently or previously owned, just tell me what you think I should look at, it could help me avoid making another stupid mistake.
So I have persuaded my wife that when she is mobile again we should try to get back to sail, I do not think we want a motor sailer (unless it is one that sails) but a small yacht that can get us about the West Coast and islands in reasonable comfort, we have been studying all the smaller yachts passing under our windows.
My criteria, none of which are absolute -
Fin keel, deck stepped mast, preferably single spreader not much more than 12-13 m. tall so that we can put it up with the club derrick.
Tiller steering (or big wheel) we like to steer sitting on the coaming.
Reasonable engine (fresh water cooling?)
Room to sleep 2 in comfort and up to five at WHYW.
Sufficient performance not to come last in white sail at West Highland Week,
Max. length 32-33' (to allow it to winter in the Club yard across the street)
Budget somewhere in the £20-40k range?
Reasonably easy for my executor too sell on.
So I was looking at Moody 28s and 31 MkIIs and that led me to S31s but they seem pricey for their age so perhaps there is a Jeanneau or Dufour or something that would be a better fit, I am prejudiced toward the Moodys because I owned Sigmas back in my racing days and unfortunately have paid little attention to French boats, I also have developed an irrational prejudice against Hanse though this does not extend to Dehler or Bavaria.
So I don't mind if you push the boat that you currently or previously owned, just tell me what you think I should look at, it could help me avoid making another stupid mistake.
