Another first boat question!

[bumblefish]

At last I have permission to buy a boat. Together with a friend we intend to spend about £30,000. I have two small children, 4 and 6, so volume and stability are also high on the requirements, I would like a seaworthy cruiser racer. I had thought of a Sadler 32 or a Contessa 32, some people have said these are too old and lack accomodation, but what would be a good compromise?

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[DavidGrieves]

Wide beamy boats with lots of volume inside will never sail like a Contessa. The Contessa or a similar will be very a sea worthy boat and will look after you and your family in a blow. I know which one I'd choose, but I might be old fashioned...

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Mike2822425]

Have to agree with David, Contessa it must be.


Mike another FB owner.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[oldgit]

Or you could get the type of boat that has the space and comfort for everyone at the same time and is not some sort of endurance test for the ladies in the group.
ie.dump the rag and stick and get a stinky./forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

<hr width=100% size=1>Two boats please one here n one in the Med

 

[kdf]

I have to disagree (sort of ) with the contessa fans - yes, great boats in their day but why would you get one? How often are you likely to get caught out in a real blow? Chances are with the kind of sailing most people do these days you will be no more than 30 miles away from the nearest port. Thats well within reach of any boat in a couple of hours. Any modern boat can and will handle an F8 - might not be the most comfortable but they will handle it. But then again if you are within striking distance of a port why stay out in a F8?

If you want a comfortable cruiser, with reasonable performance for coastal hopping then a plastic fantastic will work for you. They have loads of room and good performance. I've taken these boats (French) from ireland to France and back with the kids (very young) , through not so nice weather and it performed very well.

If sea kindliness and the ability to take a real pounding is high on your list and you are willing to sacrifice space then by all means look at the Contessas. No doubt they are a great boat and they do "exactly what is says on the tin".

You need to dicide what features in a boat appeal to you and realistically what kind of sailing you will be doing - then make your choice.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Ohdrat]

Re: Comfortable cruiser

In my mind if you want a comfortable cruiser this means it has to be seakindly.. and most platic fantastics simply aren't.

If by "comfortable" you mean spacious I have to say that there is a downside to spacious ..... there is more room to be thrown across / through the cabin.

Also in my experience of beamy boats this does not equate into bunk length.. and being on the tall side this is far more important to me than standing headroom even.. I was seriously unimpressed by a 38 ft Westerly 6ft bunks and the dead or wasted space.

In other words the slimmer older boats beat the socks off more modern beamy boats..

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[kesey]

Re: Comfortable cruiser

bumblefish, why not take a trip to a marina or a yacht club. Talk to the guys there and see what the owners of different types of boat say. Now I know that every guy's natural reaction is to tell you that his particular boat is the best on the planet...but most guys are not actually going to lead you astray.

I have a Beneteau 393 (admission of interest!!)

Having said that a number of guys in our club have young children which they carry about in the same plastic fantastics which seem to attract such distaste. To date not even one of the children has been lost. From the evidence of my eyes and conversations with the parents, I know that they have great fun when going out with their parents on the Beneteaus and the Jeanneaus.

The type of boat you get should relate to the sailing you intend to do. If you intend sending one of the kids singlehanded across the Atlantic at 15, then the Contessas may have the edge. If you want to cruise about Ireland, the U.K. and to visit our neighbours in France etc, then there is a lot to be said for doing it in comfort and safety, the Beneteaus etc can do the latter for you. They have longevity :check the state that boats leaving charter companies are in..they will have done heavy duty work, and lived to tell the tale with pride. The latter reason is one of the primary reasons I bought a Beneteau. If they can survive charter, they can survive a lot. On top of that they are good looking and reliable.

Best of luck with your choice of dream-boat. You and your family will have great fun.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Aeolus_IV]

I have to echo kdf's comments, but from the other side of the fence (at it were) - we've a boat of similar style, weight and abilities as a contessa. Many designs of boats from this time were narrow, heavy, sea kindly boats - often quick in a reasonable blow, though slower on those sunny, less windy days. But, accomodation is the area which really takes the hit on these boats. They tend to have narrow sterns (good for sailing and balance) which at best only offer a "coffin" style quart berth rather than the "aft cabins" which seems to be expected as the norm these days.

Its really all about how you anticipate using your boat and what you want out of it, neither end of the scale is "right", they have simply been designed built with a different set of priorities. In my view, a good starting point would be to get to see and try boats from both camps, then understanding each ones limitations pick the one which "calls" you most.

We bought our boat because (we think) it is good looking, and because we knew that she'd be there to look after us if we made a poor passage decision. But I know people in the marina who own BenJenBav style boats who are as happy with theirs as we are with ours.

What ever you buy, it will not be the wrong decision as long as you understand what you are buying into.

Jeff.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[dulcibella]

How about a stable, sea-kindly long-keeler such as the Halmatic 30? Just within your price range and I happen to have one for sale after 14 years of excellent sailing!

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[ditchcrawler]

You could do worse than consider a British Hunter.There are Hunter 30s for around 30k & Rangers.Full headroom,6 berths,good solid boats.You could get a 27 for 20-25k.Excellent support from Hunter for advice & spares etc.Mostly twin keel,but some fin.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Jeremy_W]

>>>Chances are with the kind of sailing most people do these days you will be no more than 30 miles away from the nearest port. Thats well within reach of any boat in a couple of hours. Any modern boat can and will handle an F8 - might not be the most comfortable but they will handle it.

True, but experience in rough weather on long keelers (Seacracker 33, Rival 34), Sigma 33 and Benny 337 suggests to me that the more modern the design the harder work it is on the helm and the more concentration you need for long periods, unless you have enough sea room to heave to. Coming from racing modern yachts, I'm amazed how forgiving the longer-keeled more traditional designs are in heavy weather.

But you pay for this in light wind performance. It really is a matter of trying several designs and finding the compromise that suits your typr of sailing.

>>But then again if you are within striking distance of a port why stay out in a F8?

Surely running for port in rough weather can be more dangerous than staying out at sea?

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[kdf]

I totally agree that long keelers are much more forgiving - no doubt the newer designs are twichy and need a lot of attention. Having said that on delivery trips or long passages I always use the AP no matter what the wind - it allows the crew to sit back and not have to concentrate as much.

Striking distance to a port - with todays weather forecasting there is very little reason to get caught out in a blow. yes it does happen but with care it should be possible to make port before it gets really rough. I left Camaret last year heading for the Bristol Channel knowing there was a deep low out in the atlantic moving NW - tracked it all the way across and dipped into St Marys for the night while it blew through. Had a great meal and couple of pints and off we went the next day. The point is that with planning you can avoid most of the nasty stuff.

<hr width=100% size=1>