Best 24-27 ft cruising boat for under £5k?

[steve yates]

Done

Sadler 25,
Centaur
Jaguar 25 or 27
Trident 24
Hurley 24/70
Varne 27,
Trapper 500
Albion vega 27
Macwester 26/rowan crown?
Sabre 27 (meant to have her there anyway)
Marcon Cutlass

how long are you going to keep this boat?

one of the good things about the really common boats, such as Centaurs is that they are dead easy to buy and dead easy to sell

Bloody good point. I would guess, at least 3-6 years. If its capable of getting across the atlantic, the top end of the scale. Quite possibly it could be the last boat I ever buy though, unless my girlfriend agrees to chuck it in and become a liveaboard with me once our respective kids are all through their education, in which case she will want something bigger and comfier, but that's a long way away to be bothering about now.

 

[chwarae]

A decent Marcon Tomahawk could be bought around the £6/7K. It should have a newish engine for that money. Decent headroom ,sails well. Links between the Trident and the Sabre. As already mentioned ,the condition of the boat is everything. If she's been looked after don't worry about the age. There are some pretty new boats around that are still rough and need lots of money spent to bring up to standard.

 

[Channel Sailor]

No, it hasn't, but that also sounds like a very good boat.
So, for those of you who know, which do rate best for seaworthiness, and which for space and accom below of these?
Sadler 25,
Centaur
Jaguar 25 or 27
Trident 24
Hurley 24/70
Varne 27,
Trapper 500
Albion vega 27
Macwester 26/rowan crown?

If you had to pick one to do a round Britain, ( over the top) or cross Biscay, which would you choose?

I know it's nothing definitive, I'm curious though.

If it helps, many years ago I have sailed a few times on a Cutlass 27, a Trapper 300 and Jaguar (the one with raised table and bilge keels). For what it is worth I recall the Cutlass for me was good all around for steady sail with character but accommodation small (sailed similar to a Crabber 24 I later owned). The Trapper 300 was fun, fast, light and lively. The Jag I only sailed for two days and it struck me it was a good small family sailing yacht but I did not manage to get it into the groove like the other two, possibly because the sails were knackered.

 

[kestreljames]

Interesting thread...

Would one go for a more modern 27' or an older 30fter?

The older boat would be heavier and longer but not necessarily any faster given the overhangs would be more and more expensive to moor?

 

[B27]

If your budget is small, then you need to look at individual boats and find a convenient one which gives a low total cost for getting it on the water as you want it.
There are many diverse cheap boats out there, many of which will need a lot spending on them to meet some people's expectations.
There's no point spending £5k on something which doesn't meet your needs. You might get better value from spending more on buying a boat which is ready for you to sail.
Think about the total cost of owning, running and maintaining a boat for the period you intend to keep it.
A lot of people seem to spend several £k on the yearly costs of a 'project' that's not actually giving them much sailing.
Also think about the money you might get back if you sell after a few years.
Something which is easy to sell is a bonus.

 

[LittleSister]

This is an old thread resurrected. I believe the OP bought a boat same years ago, having, IIRC, broadened his criteria and perhaps budget somewhat.

Long story short, though, lots of boat designs around that more or less meet the criteria, but any boat, especially a small-ish one, is a bundle of compromises, and given the age and budget, then condition/kit/location etc. of the particular boats actually available will be very important - so pointless getting too hung up on a particular model.

 

[Bobc]

Lots of decent boats being dumped cheap now.

 

[steve yates]

This is an old thread resurrected. I believe the OP bought a boat same years ago, having, IIRC, broadened his criteria and perhaps budget somewhat.

Long story short, though, lots of boat designs around that more or less meet the criteria, but any boat, especially a small-ish one, is a bundle of compromises, and given the age and budget, then condition/kit/location etc. of the particular boats actually available will be very important - so pointless getting too hung up on a particular model.

He did indeed, bigger boat and less money
Thanks to a steer from another forum member.

 

[Wansworth]

Much better choice of old tore out than here in Spain…….mostly those wretched French things with fin keels and spad rudders

 

[LittleSister]

Much better choice of old tore out than here in Spain……

Yes, Britain leads the pack in terms of clapped out old wrecks.

(And similarly with boats! )

 

[Tranona]

Yes, Britain leads the pack in terms of clapped out old wrecks.

(And similarly with boats! )

Long way to go to match the USA, particularly the south east coastal states. Their wrecks are also bigger than ours.

 

[ColinR]

Looking a little further ahead, particularly as it seems to be a buyers market and only going to get worse for sellers of older boats; what would be good boats to look out for in a year or so's time to buy At between £3-£6k for a reasonably good condition one?
I want offshore seaworthiness and to be looked after in rough seas/high winds and have standing room for 6' and bunks slightly longer., and good stowage space. My girlfriend wants to feel safe in the cockpit, a decent double berth, a Sep toilet and room for 4.

I've seen some very keenly priced Hurley 24/70's lately, and decent seeming jag 25's seem to have an asking price of 7k, so potentially could be had for 5 from the right seller.

What would you guys be considering with these criteria?

Thx.

Achilles 24. A bit long in the tooth now but sails beautifully and a nice big cockpit. Cramped down below though. It has an outboard well in the cockpit which is a good solution on a smaller boat as it puts the prop forward of the rudder in clean water and it means the engine is self contained and you dont have all the gubbins associated with an inboard.

 

[ColinR]

Contessa 26 or Sadler 25

 

[jamie N]

Folkboat, or pretty much any of the many derivatives available would fit the bill. There are so many items of minutiae that make up a boat, which makes the choice a matter of deciding which one's matter, and which you can live with. If you want speed, then a more modern boat will probably be faster, but less enjoyable perhaps after a fortnight or so bumming around the inlets & anchorages of the western Isles..

 

[ProDave]

Look at whatever is on the market close toto you and choose the best from what is available. Transport for a cheap boat is proportionally a larger percentage of the price of a cheap boat if it is not local

(said speaking as someone who paid 25% of the boats purchase price to get it home)

 

[Scomber]

Think i'd look for something owned by same person for a no. of yrs with a record / signs of regular maintenance a few / new/ newish items. Has it had some recent cruising? Winter ashore? etc There will be things need doing /always are but if shes still actively used , well whats not to like.

 

[Daydream believer]

Steve,

Best of luck in your search - there are great deals out there, BUT if you see one be prepared to move very quickly to secure it.

Holding out doesn't really achieve much, although you may see a lot of boats.

Hustler 25,5
I know where there is one. On the hard @ Bradwell Marina. Owner is currently delivering a boat to the ARC but will be back in mid Oct.
He was sailing it recently. Engine been serviced etc. Has sailed it SH for a while, with our club cruises. Fast boat. He has bought another boat so this one has to be sold. Just that he has had it so long he is finding it hard to part with it
Just needs a tidy up inside.

 

[Buck Turgidson]

At that price you are buying whatever you can find. The condition will be much more important that the type.

 

[bitbaltic]

As the OP was many years ago I’m going to ignore the 5k price limit.

The answer to the other questions (from the new OP) is the MG Spring 25.

 

[Praxinoscope]

Contessa 26 or Sadler 25

Both of them David Sadler designs and highly reguarded.