Csail
N/A
Has anyone got any good advice on buying one ie. what to look,potential problems etc. We would be using it for cruising in the uk with out 2 year old son. Any advice appreciated.
Beneteau 36.7 FIRST
- Thread starter Csail
- Start date
xstucker
Well-Known Member
By cruising, I assume you mean 'fast cruising', well certainly much faste than the Atlanta. Having the full race version (in France it's called the GTE), I can confirm that it can be pretty hairy and a bit much for a 2-year old so, some recommendations...
1) They made a PTE version with a shorter keel (not a good idea).
2) Early versions (1997) had tiller steering, but was otherwise the same. I prefer this to a wheel on a 36 foot boat.
3) They may come with lots of sails, so their should be some reefable, dacron mains, but always check, because for your cruising that's what you need unless you have a way of sitting your son on the windward rail.
4) Otherwise, if it's a volvo engine, check the feet for plenty of depth, check engine and gear oil for contamination.
5) Check the rail and stanchions for damage. Racing boats so often have 'T-bone' damage to the hull/deck join or the wooden rail.
6) Old rod digging will need to be checked by a rigger or replaced, so it is useful if the rig is down.
7) Check for cracking of the gelcoat at the bases of the winches. Jerking spinnakers and mast climbing all put strain on the coachroof winches.
8) If she hasn't got the mainsheet tune-up/dump device then you will need one (additional purchase).
9) Check the keel to hull joint if she is out of the water. They have usually been stuck on sand at least and there may be some seepage. This can be remedied easily, but helps push the price down.
Simon
1) They made a PTE version with a shorter keel (not a good idea).
2) Early versions (1997) had tiller steering, but was otherwise the same. I prefer this to a wheel on a 36 foot boat.
3) They may come with lots of sails, so their should be some reefable, dacron mains, but always check, because for your cruising that's what you need unless you have a way of sitting your son on the windward rail.
4) Otherwise, if it's a volvo engine, check the feet for plenty of depth, check engine and gear oil for contamination.
5) Check the rail and stanchions for damage. Racing boats so often have 'T-bone' damage to the hull/deck join or the wooden rail.
6) Old rod digging will need to be checked by a rigger or replaced, so it is useful if the rig is down.
7) Check for cracking of the gelcoat at the bases of the winches. Jerking spinnakers and mast climbing all put strain on the coachroof winches.
8) If she hasn't got the mainsheet tune-up/dump device then you will need one (additional purchase).
9) Check the keel to hull joint if she is out of the water. They have usually been stuck on sand at least and there may be some seepage. This can be remedied easily, but helps push the price down.
Simon
StugeronSteve
Well-Known Member
Take the seat backs out and check where the heavy stainless rods, which carry the rig loads through to the hull grid, are anchored. A boat that has been well and truly battered may have some cracking around these points.
tjbrace
Well-Known Member
I considered one of these but then rejected it. The one I saw had been raced but not cared for, so it looked tatty for such a newish boat. I also found that the cockpit seat backs were too low for comfortable lounging, but that's not what's done on the racetrack.
hert1104
New Member
The shallow draft 36.7 (5ft11 so not that shallow but more practical for many) has very similar sailing characteristics to the deep (7ft2) since, like the deep keel, it is also lead but 200kg heavier with a larger bulb. It was designed in tandem with the deep draft keel from the start so wasn't just a lump of iron stuck on as an afterthought like many yachts. Both have the same large rudder.
The model was launched in 2001 and earlier models had wheel steering as an option so the steering pedestal was not as well thought out as the later "pyramid" pedestals. Reviews suggest the tiller gets v heavy when the wind gets up.
By most accounts the optional taller regatta rig makes the boat a little tender and you'd have to pay more for sails.
There is a good review from Yachting World which you'd have to pay for but a good free review, albeit from a Beneteau dealer who is also an owner, is at this site:
http://www.rcryachts.com/dbf367.htm
http://www.rcryachts.com/367comments.htm
sailing polars and tech specs are accessible from a link from this site and show the shallow and deep drafts to be quite similar:
http://www.beneteaufirst367.org/
while this site is about a shallow draft 36.7 that is sailed/raced from the River Crouch:
http://www.teamhabanero.co.uk/habanero.htm
Hope this helps.
The model was launched in 2001 and earlier models had wheel steering as an option so the steering pedestal was not as well thought out as the later "pyramid" pedestals. Reviews suggest the tiller gets v heavy when the wind gets up.
By most accounts the optional taller regatta rig makes the boat a little tender and you'd have to pay more for sails.
There is a good review from Yachting World which you'd have to pay for but a good free review, albeit from a Beneteau dealer who is also an owner, is at this site:
http://www.rcryachts.com/dbf367.htm
http://www.rcryachts.com/367comments.htm
sailing polars and tech specs are accessible from a link from this site and show the shallow and deep drafts to be quite similar:
http://www.beneteaufirst367.org/
while this site is about a shallow draft 36.7 that is sailed/raced from the River Crouch:
http://www.teamhabanero.co.uk/habanero.htm
Hope this helps.
