Best boat to sail well AND dry out

[JimC]

Any suggestions for a yacht in the 31-35ft that sails fast and well on all points giving a satisfying helming experience, and also takes the ground in a safe and stable way. The twin-keelers I've had experience of haven't always impressed and some of them tip forwards onto their noses on soft sand. I suppose the Southerlies are an option but I dislike their futuristic styling. The Parkers are reputed to be a bit twitchy and only rate a 'B' RCD I believe. Any other ideas?

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Sadler 32 bilge keel....

 

[rwoofer]

These were my specific requirements and there is currently only one marque that fits the bill, RM Yachts. Their twin keels are very high aspect and together with a high aspect rudder they allow the boat to dry out as if on three legs. I would have included the Sadler 290, but they went backrupt recently.

I own the RM880 which is 29ft long, but I would say has the space of a typical 31 footer. I'm 6'6" so size of berth etc was very important for me. At the other end of your size range is the RM1050 (34 foot), which another forumite "Rosbif" has.

Here is my RM dried out at Bembridge:

Check out their website:

RM Yachts

Only downside is that Euro exchange rate makes them quite expensive now and there are very few second hand examples on the market. The relative expense of RMs is down to the construction rather than the finishing details - they are very tough and light boats.

Edit: Just reread that you don't like futuristic styling, so maybe RMs won't suit. The other thing worth mentioning is that they are made of epoxy/plywood.

 

[FullCircle]

If its new you are looking for then the closest I can think of is an Ovni 365 or possibly a Feeling 36 or 32.

I don't think you will satisfy the sails on all points of sail fast and well though, as you are proposing to purchase a compromised design.

If you want fast, buy a lightweight racer cruiser with a fin and bulb, like the Dufour 34, or maybe the Bene 36.7. Super boats.

I have a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 35 with lift keel. It is in many ways a splendid camel, and carries the huge weight I toss on board well. It takes the ground and goes Ok. Sparkling it aint. Comfortable it most certainly is. In a bit of weather, I love its characteristics. Oh, and dead as a dodo on the helm, as are most of em.

 

[fastjedi]

Hunter Channel 31 or Sadler 290 if you want conventional appearance + sailing performance + ability to take to the ground. Although the Sadler 290 is a bit shorter than your range, the accomadation is the equal of many 32' yachts. There's a 290 for sale on boats and outboards at the moment ... or wait a few weeks until the new owners of the moulds and tooling are ready to accept orders /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[SAWDOC]

[ QUOTE ]
These were my specific requirements and there is currently only one marque that fits the bill, RM Yachts. Their twin keels are very high aspect and together with a high aspect rudder they allow the boat to dry out as if on three legs.


Surely drying out using the rudder for support is not recommended? There must be considerable risk of damage if the rudder happens to be the leg taking most weight due to the slope of the seabed???

 

[matelot]

Depneds what you mean by "sails well" and "safe and stable".

If the place you are thinking off drying at has such soft sand that a bilgie has tipped forwards onto its nose, then I doubt that any other bilge keel boat exists which will give what you want. That leaves drop keel or multi. Personally I wouldnt consider regular drying our in a drop keel boat that would allow the hull anywhere near the sea bed so that leaves only boats like the southerley with a heavy grounding plate, the feeling and the ovni where contact doesnt matter too much.

As for sailing performance, I have sailed both the southerley and the ovni and wouldnt really rate either in the cruiser racer class which is where I would define "sails well". The feeling apparently sails better but for real performance the multis are the way to go - dragonly for example would fulfill all your requirements.

Its a difficult quest - the choice amongst boats that dry out is limited in the extreme.

 

[rwoofer]

The rudder is specifically designed for the job, so super thick stainless stock and lots of reinforcing.

Dried out in a variety of situations including the one below, where I caught the edge of a channel. This would have put a lot of sideways force on the rudder, but all taken in it's stride!

 

[misterg]

How about a Hunter Channel 323 (or 32) ?

(Oh, and ours *isn't* for sale /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif )

Andy

 

[ebbtide]

"I doubt that any other bilge keel boat exists which will give what you want."

We had a twin-keel Seawolf 30 which dried out with impunity. She also sailed well, winning so many prizes locally (mind you, the advantageous PY helped!) that frustrated competitors would come alongside in the marina and prod underneath with a boathook!
We had the designer David Felpham address members and he was obsessed with designing bilekeelers that went well to windward; obviously you paid the price downhill due to extra wetted surface. Oh, and sadly the interior leaves much to be desired.

 

[reginaldon]

If the place you are thinking off drying at has such soft sand that a bilgie has tipped forwards onto its nose, then I doubt that any other bilge keel boat exists which will give what you want.
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We are all 'bilgies' and a couple tip forwards , the rest sit nicely.

 

[Noddy]

Multihulls!

 

[georgeo]

Sorry for the delay in posting. My choice of boat led me along exactly the same lines as rb_stretch, with the same logic applied. Result, my RM 1050, pictured below, dried out on Shell beach. But I agree with Richard, they are not cheap, particularly with the exchange rate problems, they rarely appear on the secondhand market (and there is vigorous demand for them when they do, in france), and they are very futuristic looking! A friend of mines's son said my 1050 looked like a "stealth yacht". But they sail beautifully and very fast. there is an active (French) owners association. And they are very strong. I will be attesting to this at length on these pages in due course!