Best 36-40ft cruiser-racers for... well... cruising

Just a thought but I've had a Scanyacht 391 for 10 years now and found her fast and comfortable. Bit old fashioned these days but performs well against most of the Solent crowd. Not many in the UK though.
 
dunedin said:
I am a twin wheel convert. But whilst we do have seats behind the wheels, and an enclosed / lifting stern, we never use the seats behind the wheels. Only three modes - sitting on the side-deck to see the sails when sailing, standing for manoevering, autopilot on.
Agree a chart plotter mounted at back of central table works well.
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What is your dreamy sounding vessel to which you refer? Agree totally with the points made re geometry.

After lots of viewings I think I (and the good lady) have landed on 37-39ft, 3 cabins, twin wheels, ideally a decent SAD ratio for light airs stuff. The list appears pretty short... Hanse 375, Hanse 400 (ok generous interpretation of 39ft), Jeanneau 39i.... grateful for any final suggestions of twin wheelers please! Sadly budget hits - Hanse 385, 388 etc look good but going well north of £100k.

(I might be lured back to a single wheel for a First 40, Dufour 40 Performance but yet to see those...)
 
The Hanse down side domestically is the small fridge and the top lid which can catch out unwary -it should have a bottom opening door though. Otherwise you might find the self tacker small but get a cruising chute etc. the saildrive servicing history needs checking if buying secondhand. The diesel is sound if a Volvo unit 40 hp -I don’t know about Yanmar though. The Hanse interior is rather stark but that’s a personal call -my impression is a Dufour 395 has huge fridge but linear galley -I don’t like the bow cabin berth though offset to one side and exposed stern ie you really sit at back . The Ideal Hanse will have an electric winch for main halliard plus drop down bow thruster . The real Hanse down side is high freeboard . Later ones might have retro fitted tech deck fake teak decks . Get down to micheal Schmidt at hamble to learn more on Hanse or black rock at chi marine for jeanneau . In 3 cabins don’t be tempted by second heads (unlikely sub 40ft ) . I think but have no real evidence that Hanse arre quicker than jeaneau but clearly jeaneau 39i might be more sporty if that’s a concern. Don’t get too hung up on brand though and just look at what each in budget offers in terms of kit/servicing history etc.
 
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