Battle of the heavyweight bilge keelers...

Scotty,

if you're linking the Discus with the Centaur, the latter is an ocean greyhound by comparison.

I knew someone with a Discus, he was happy to admit she's a plodder, but a rather good liveaboard; which is what he's doing with her now, in Spain somewhere.

Then again if the OP could get one for £ 10K, I'd say jump at it and forget the performance !
 
Seajet said:
Scotty,

if you're linking the Discus with the Centaur, the latter is an ocean greyhound by comparison.

I knew someone with a Discus, he was happy to admit she's a plodder, but a rather good liveaboard; which is what he's doing with her now, in Spain somewhere.

Then again if the OP could get one for £ 10K, I'd say jump at it and forget the performance !
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Seajet, is the Centaur really quicker than the Discus? Even given the difference in size?

Thanks!
 
James W,

to windward in anything but a true gale, I'd put my money on the Centaur; on other points of sail I think I'd still go for that, but decreasing as wind & wave picked up and the Discus' weight & length came into play.

I've sailed a Centaur in a gale ( she and we were happy, or relatively so ) but not a Discus; knew the owner of the one I chatted with quite well, so hope I formed a fair idea.

The Centaur is not a rocketship, it's more that the Discus is surprisingly slow !

The reasons I think the Centaur has a poor reputation with some is that as I mentioned previously, a huge number - around 3000 - were sold, a lot to novices, who didn't show the boat at her best.

Also, she had a very large engine for those days, 23 hp, so people thought that inferred she was a motorsailor.

The true reason was Westerlies had been offered a good deal by Volvo on those engines.

I would say I found the helm very neutral & lifeless, as did my father when he bought his, but we'd both learned on a sporty 22' one of which's best features is helm feedback; anyway all the boats you are looking at will suffer this in varying degrees.
 
Seajet said:
James W,

to windward in anything but a true gale, I'd put my money on the Centaur; on other points of sail I think I'd still go for that, but decreasing as wind & wave picked up and the Discus' weight & length came into play.

I've sailed a Centaur in a gale ( she and we were happy, or relatively so ) but not a Discus; knew the owner of the one I chatted with quite well, so hope I formed a fair idea.

The Centaur is not a rocketship, it's more that the Discus is surprisingly slow !

The reasons I think the Centaur has a poor reputation with some is that as I mentioned previously, a huge number - around 3000 - were sold, a lot to novices, who didn't show the boat at her best.

Also, she had a very large engine for those days, 23 hp, so people thought that inferred she was a motorsailor.

The true reason was Westerlies had been offered a good deal by Volvo on those engines.

I would say I found the helm very neutral & lifeless, as did my father when he bought his, but we'd both learned on a sporty 22' one of which's best features is helm feedback; anyway all the boats you are looking at will suffer this in varying degrees.
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That's great advice, thanks for that.

I've always liked Centaurs, I just wonder whether a 26 footer is much of a step up from my Trident, that's all. Although my knowledge is relatively limited, I find that the Trident has really good helm feedback and I do like how responsive she feels.
 
I've not sailed a Trident but have always liked the look of them, and I know they have a keen following - not least 'Old Harry'.

I think room & size wise a Centaur would be a pretty significant step, but if you like the feel of a boat talking to you through the tiller, maybe the Centaur is not for you !

I'd definitely grab a test sail in your position though, should the chance come up.

I've sailed the Trapper, she was quite good on the helm as I recall; though we were a touch over-canvassed in a F5-6 when most boats go well.

There used to be a few Mirage 28's at my club, their owners liked them; got the impression their performance was perfectly repectable if not setting one's hair on fire; never got to helm one.

I've heard the Sabre 27 can be a little stodgy, probably in light winds, but she always looked good to me.

A boat I would recommend now that the search may be refining ? is the Seawolf 26 twin keel.

In case you're not familiar, same designer as the Cobra's, David Feltham, but much more perfomance ( which isn't difficult ! ); not a boy racer machine, reasonably roomy.

I know someone who has one and he likes it a lot; he's a very experienced sailor and I rate his opinion; also they look good ! Not sure about prices, think you might scrape one ...not many around.

Just a thought...
 
Seajet said:
A boat I would recommend now that the search may be refining ? is the Seawolf 26 twin keel.

Just a thought...
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Now there's a nice looking boat, the reviews are great too! Not many around though.....owners happy to keep hold of them no doubt! :)

Thanks Seajet, all great advice.

James
 
James W,

one thing if you should look for Seawolf 26's, I've noticed they can have either a saildrive, or a conventional P bracket & shaft like my chums' ( which I'd prefer personally having had a boat with a saildrive...).

As you are probably aware, the Seawolf 30 is quite a handful, huge rig for a boat with few racing pretensions; price is probably out anyway.

Good luck !
 
NealB,

note I specified the conditions where I reckon the Centaur faster, ie beating and in lighter winds; overall sampling a wide range of conditions - as one would hope PY's are, though these are not boats which will be regularly raced to give results data - I'd agree with the PY's.
 
Mirage 28, sailed properly these sail very well, have excellent heavy weather capabilities and good accommodation and, they are pretty well built.
 
I'd definitely go for the centaur always a popular boat ;) and i think i know of one for £7.5k with the right upgrades too.:cool:
 
Jontifosi,

I'd put your advert on the Westerly Owners Site you'll get a lot more exposure. And the little pop ups saying I've won a prize on photobucket are a complete turn off....
 
Yes i know about that photobucket thing. i've put pictures on picasa google which are better without the ads.
I would put the boat on westerly owners but as i'm seeling up not really worth joining up...?
 
If sailing performance matters, I'm surprised- unless I've missed it- that no one has mentioned the Jaguar 27, in effect, a v slightly smaller Trapper.......
 
Jonti, membership is only £15 which gets you a free ad listing for the boat! Can't really go wrong? You can put a link to your picassa web photo's on the ad. Ad stays online for your year's membership or until you sell it....

If you google Westerly Centaur the Westerly Owners Association is normally in the top 3 or 4 hits.....
 
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