Euphonyx
Well-Known Member
Limitations:
* 40 feet or less
* To be sailed with 2 to 4 people
* Less than 100k (€)
* 40 feet or less
* To be sailed with 2 to 4 people
* Less than 100k (€)
Best Boat for exploring Britain and Ireland?
- Thread starter Euphonyx
- Start date
Kukri
Well-Known Member
The mention of “exploring” makes me say “OVNI”; smaller older and cheaper, obviously, but there’s a 35 asking £72K...
If the exploring isn’t so critical, anything will do.
If the exploring isn’t so critical, anything will do.
vyv_cox
Well-Known Member
Sorry but that's an impossible question to answer. Your own preferences might include a motor boat, a stately motor sailer, an AWB or a frisky cruiser racer. When you say exploration do you mean going up every shallow creek or every marina? We would need far more information for a reasoned answer.
RupertW
Well-Known Member
As Vyv says it would be good to know more about you and your crew and what your ideal exploration would feel like.
E.g. for me it would be all round inside steering position for rain and cold, a sailing boat with a hefty motor rather than great upwind performance, already installed blown air heating, shallow keel(s?) able to take the ground upright in a little mud and enough room for electric bikes to visit the inland churches and castles (and pubs) plus big enough not to be overwhelmed by davits for 3m rib and 15hp engine and able to anchor comfortably.
You may have a very different boat in mind to the Lagoon 380 I’m picturing.
E.g. for me it would be all round inside steering position for rain and cold, a sailing boat with a hefty motor rather than great upwind performance, already installed blown air heating, shallow keel(s?) able to take the ground upright in a little mud and enough room for electric bikes to visit the inland churches and castles (and pubs) plus big enough not to be overwhelmed by davits for 3m rib and 15hp engine and able to anchor comfortably.
You may have a very different boat in mind to the Lagoon 380 I’m picturing.
geem
Well-Known Member
Thats interesting. We did lots of exploring in a Prout Snowgoose 37 around the UK west coast including Ireland. The Prout was a surprisingly good choice. We had a 9ft rib with 10hp Tohatsu, Dickenson Diesel heater. Brompton bikes for us as we like to keep fit. We usually negotiated good marina rates on the basis that the Prout fitted into a standard berth. Same with winter storage
ShinyShoe
Well-Known Member
Easy. 2 guys went round in a 16ft wayfarer the other day in 15 days.
Buy 2 and you can do it with 4 people.
You'll have plenty change to spend on good dry suit etc!
In all seriousness - as everyone says - you need way more info!
To be 100k is crazy money to spend on a boat. But it will depend how you are planning use it. Does it need to be sailed in rough weather or would you sit the nasty stuff out in harbour? Will you have timetables to meet and need to be home for work etc and so need an engine to get you back or just an engine for manoeuvres?
Will you be cooking 3 course meals, washing showering etc aboard. Or are you planning to head ashore for social?
Euphonyx
Well-Known Member
Quite correctt. Mainly Irish sea and west coast of Scotland and Ireland so deep so no really shallow stuff. Keel or skeg hung rudder. Long keel or long fin with skeg. Max 48 hours out. Apart from that all the stuff RupertW says sounds good. Was looking at a Rustler 36 but it was in poor state and the owner was asking way too much.
Gwylan
Well-Known Member
A mate with a boat. Best choice possible.
Euphonyx
Well-Known Member
Done that but in luggers x2. Did the Shannon from O'Brien's Bridge to lough Key. Never again!
Birdseye
Well-Known Member
look at a Starlight 39 as in https://www.lucasyachting.co.uk/sb_listing-2/?boat_id=131347&server=https://lyt.smart-broker.co.uk
Really excellent sea boats and fast in the deep fin form. I sail the 35 ft version of this boat and its the best boat I have ever sailed.
The YM revue of the 35 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPSkmhMU_fE will give you a flavour and the 39 is essentially the same boat with a few feet extra in the middle. Difficult to tell apart at first glance
Really excellent sea boats and fast in the deep fin form. I sail the 35 ft version of this boat and its the best boat I have ever sailed.
The YM revue of the 35 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPSkmhMU_fE will give you a flavour and the 39 is essentially the same boat with a few feet extra in the middle. Difficult to tell apart at first glance
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shaunksb
Well-Known Member
I have been onboard Testa Rossa and she is indeed a very fine thing and well suited to the Irish Sea.
She will make a Rustler 36 seem small and slow.
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Euphonyx
Well-Known Member
Interesting looking boat. Is it masthead rigged? Interior looks very well designed and its only a few miles away from me.
shaunksb
Well-Known Member
Balbas
Well-Known Member
My mind asked the same questions, but came out with an entirely different answer https://wales.boatshed.com/colvic_watson_35-boat-256734.html?utm_source=newsnow.co.uk
RupertW
Well-Known Member
Ok you’ve found me out - that’s exactly the boat I had in mind but thought I’d throw in a slight surprise at the end - which I think would mostly actually work well too.
westhinder
Well-Known Member
Not just the interior, performance and seakeeping are second to none. I have had mine for 8 years and she has taken me around Britain, to Norway, Spain and most places in between without any problems.
If you have any questions, I’ll be glad to answer
dunedin
Well-Known Member
That Starlight looks ideal for the purpose (or similar yachts like Moody S38 etc).
Personally I wouldn’t go for a Rustler 36 or similar. Tiny inside, short water line length and long keel a liability manoevering in tight spaces.
And as for a motor sailer, some love them but often hugely compromised sailing ability (which is why we go sailing) so why not remove the compromises and windage and buy a proper motor boat instead if that is your thing
Personally I wouldn’t go for a Rustler 36 or similar. Tiny inside, short water line length and long keel a liability manoevering in tight spaces.
And as for a motor sailer, some love them but often hugely compromised sailing ability (which is why we go sailing) so why not remove the compromises and windage and buy a proper motor boat instead if that is your thing
mainshiptom
Well-Known Member
My boat a Mainship 350 trawler can be managed by one or two people, very economical and has a side door for easy moorings and locks of marina entrances.
I did bring the boat single handed from Holland to the UK.
The cost of those boats at 20 year old is around 100k and very well equipped and easy to maintain.
TSB240
Well-Known Member
She has been well used by her lady owner as a training platform. A friend has recently been aboard and his observation was that the interior is showing signs of being well used. I think a fair bit of time in preparation and revarnishing would be required. Otherwise great boat.
doug748
Well-Known Member
On the theme of Starlights, this seems well set up for the job:
https://www.theyachtmarket.com/boats_for_sale/1758980/
Or maybe a Westerly:
https://www.theyachtmarket.com/boats_for_sale/1779135/?utm_source=newsnow.co.uk
They did make some bilge keeled variants.
The economical trick with buying boats is to get one you will want to keep for a long time.
https://www.theyachtmarket.com/boats_for_sale/1758980/
Or maybe a Westerly:
https://www.theyachtmarket.com/boats_for_sale/1779135/?utm_source=newsnow.co.uk
They did make some bilge keeled variants.
The economical trick with buying boats is to get one you will want to keep for a long time.
