Best singlehanded, bluewater sailboat (not "caravan on keels")

[rolandmouse]

If you want to sail with a smile on your face and draw appreciative looks from all around then get a Vertue.

I have had GRP and wood. Wood is much nicer, especially if you can get hold of an all teak Hong Kong built job - like mine. There are some good examples on the market at present.

As with all wooden boats, the better the initial quality of material and build, the less (serious) maintenance you are likely to need to do.

As a full time liveaboard you will have plenty of time to titivate and play.

Yes, they are small by today's standards but I managed two years living aboard on the East Coast with no real problems. Anybody visiting or staying was always too impressed with the ambience to moan about the ergonomics.

Good luck.

yes fantastic boats www.simothevertue.wordpress.co.uk

 

[Talbot]

Long distance in 26ft is a bit primitive.

With the criteria shown, I would be looking at a Contessa 32 Contessa 32

 

[vertue2no34]

hi,i own the vertue2 no.34 ALBATROS,built by bossoms 1994 .i sailed this boat since 20 years, mostly singledhanded in the noth ,baltic northsea,eastern atlantik and now eastern med.she is a perfect little boat,safe and sound and quite fast.when hoving too,i use the starfigter stopping parachute with 300 hundred feet rope over the stern,like hiscock,tighten the tiller and go sleeping.the lines are beautifull.she is heavy and if you have a good motor you have no problems to enter ports und any circumstance and you always find a place.the vancover is a good boat,but the lines of the vertue are realy harmonic and she is dry,i owned before a wooden folkeboat in the baltic.if you order a rassy you have to take the boat without any own changes from the yard. building a vertue,or bying ,you can have a boat,individual to your requirements.every vertue is different,only the lines dont differ

so,vertue would be a good choice

wolf

 

[vertue2no34]

best singlehanded,bluewater sailboat

i sail the vertue2 since 20years in the baltic,northsea,easstern atlantik and in the med, mostly singlehanded.i come from the folkeboat without motor.the vertue is a beautifull safe boat under all weatherconditions.in the med.,if you prefere to stay at anchor instead the marinas, she is big enough for two, if they have the normal size.she has perfect harmonic lines and every boat is different accept the lines of the hull,which can not be said so the rassy or the caravan people.for me and my budget she is simply perfect.the rig is ok.i cruised in the med. with a junkrigged vertue2.only the reach,the junk rigged was a bit faster.before the wind the junkrigged vertue was rolling very heavyly.when sailing with the people with wooden vertues in the adriatic,the vertue2 was on all courses faster.my boat was fully loaded,while the other had racing conditions.laurent giles desighned a perfect dry boat and bossoms boatyard gave me a safe boat.

 

[upcountry2]

It's a pity the OP has had to wade through all the posts above, when he was really looking for a Samphire all along. ;-)

I could'nt agree more, it just so happens I have an extremely nice 29 available, at a very attractive price, idea was to fit out for Jester etc, but plan has been put on the back burner for now.

Just noticed date of original post, he's probably bought and sold by now.

 

[snowleopard]

I wanted a fast singlehander to do the Ostar. I chose a tri which was light, fast and easy to handle. It was 39 ft, 3.5 tons and capable of steady reaching at 14 knots. It had bunks for 6 but 1-3 was the ideal complement.

 

[G12]

Vancouver 27 or 28 would be my choice. Designed for blue water sailing, well built with a long keel, will easily accept wind-vane self steering and easily enough room for one person.

My choice too. I have a V28 and she's perfect for distance single handed or two handed - the exact reason I bought her. By the way, the ventilation is excellent, 3 large dorades and the deck hatch comes into the main cabin and not into the forepeak which is all storage and a heads. No double bunks.

 

[greggron]

A v27/28 is also cutter rigged for easy sail plan management when the going gets rough. I don't have one but have often dreamed of the kind of thing you are contemplating. After much desk research it would be my #1 choice if the budget ran to it. Hugely credible boats with an international reputation, first built for a short handed voyage from Vancouver to Sidney.

 

[vertue2no34]

hi,my mark2 was built 1993.i had a wonderfull building time.all details i wanted were accepted.on my way back to the baltic,a visitor in denmark aked me,how i managed to get a vertue2.he was trying to built one with bossomes 1991,but the old yardowner told him,i dont built you a vertue.well,i like individualist and when i have to go in ports,i rather go alongside a fisherman than in the marina.
wood is fine ,,i sailed many years a folkeboat,but the mk2 is strong,dry and after 20years sailing in very good condition and not for selling.so,there is a word about chouting in the forest ect..

regards wolf

 

[basic]

There is a Ovni 25 in Brest for sale at the moment. Could make a super mini ocean cruiser. It's advertised on'' Le Bon Coin'' a free French site used to sell second hand goods. Asking 11000 euro. They will probably take 9000. Just go to the site and enter a search for Ovni 25. in nautism. If you get stuck pm me. If you are intereted I will have a look at the boat for you next time I am in Brest.

 

[basic]

There is a Ovni 25 in Brest for sale at the moment. Could make a super mini ocean cruiser. It's advertised on'' Le Bon Coin'' a free French site used to sell second hand goods. Asking 11000 euro. They will probably take 9000. Just go to the site and enter a search for Ovni 25. in nautism. If you get stuck pm me. If you are intereted I will have a look at the boat for you next time I am in Brest.

I think this link might help you find it. http://www.leboncoin.fr/nautisme/660287483.htm?ca=6_s

 

[12 Year Plan B-)]

Easy, this one:
Cutlass 27, Nicholson 26 or VdS Pionier/Pioneer 9. Job done :encouragement:
;-)

 

[Fascadale]

I don't know if the OP has found his perfect boat yet but he may wish to look at my perfect little blue water boat as advertised in the link below.

(Apologies for the very blatant advertising)

 

[charles_reed]

When faced with this problem (choosing a single-hander) 25 years ago I had a totally different set of criteria to the OP.

I finally went for a boat which had been designed originally for single handing, in which I could stand up straight and was of GRP/Corex construction.
That I've still got it 25 years later shows I was lucky in my choice.

In fact single handing is easy until you come to tying up, alongside or bows or stern-to. Virtually any boat can be modified for sigle-handing, but heavyweight boats present particular close-quarters handling problems.
So, my boat was designed with a LWL of 29'10" (which I've now extended to 30'7"), design weight was 3000kg (which it never managed to achieve), has a 40% ballast ratio, a 13.73m mast height and has done one passage (131nm) at a mean speed of 11.3 knots. It has to be admitted that the conditions were surfing with 4 tidal gates at springs.
I've done about 44,000 nautical miles in her and frequently looked at possible replacements but never found anything to compare in functional specification.
Never done transoceanic passages (but single-handed there are nigh insuperable risks) but quite frequently wandered around thw Western Approaches of the UK and Europe. Been in the Med for the last 12 years (where she's never found the sailing conditions as good as in the Atlantic).
So the specification that I've found has worked ideally for me, appears to be almost contradictory to the majority of the advice being given to the OP and to his own predilections.

PS Having been retired for the last 14 years I've spent more and more time living on the boat, now 6/12 and the specification the OP seems to be prepared to accept causes me to shudder in horror.
But then he's not 78 and arthritic.

 

[Ludd]

What a bunch of wimps you've all turned into!

I commend to you Shane Acton and "SHRIMPY"----- now THAT would fill the OP s strange and unnatural desires!

 

[chrisb]

As big as you can handle and afford. may as well be comfortable

 

[NealB]

I don't know if the OP has found his perfect boat yet but he may wish to look at my perfect little blue water boat as advertised in the link below.

(Apologies for the very blatant advertising)

I'm not after another (I've got too many boats already), but she looks ideal for the op (yes, I realise he's hopefully half way across an ocaen by now).

Close friends had an Invicta, that I sailed quite a bit.......lovely, proper yachts. Definitely not a floating caravan.

 

[Fascadale]

I don't know if the OP has found his perfect boat yet but he may wish to look at my perfect little blue water boat as advertised in the link below.

(Apologies for the very blatant advertising)

I'm not after another (I've got too many boats already), but she looks ideal for the op (yes, I realise he's hopefully half way across an ocaen by now).

Close friends had an Invicta, that I sailed quite a bit.......lovely, proper yachts. Definitely not a floating caravan.

Thanks. The Invicta has been a great wee boat: difficult to know what to get next, a Nic 31 or 32 perhaps. I think I need a bit more internal volume and fortunately now have a few more pennies available to squander on a boat.

 

[jerrytug]

Thanks. The Invicta has been a great wee boat: difficult to know what to get next, a Nic 31 or 32 perhaps. I think I need a bit more internal volume and fortunately now have a few more pennies available to squander on a boat.

Having been looking at that market for a year or two, might I suggest the Nic31 on Red Ensign, new rigging etc etc, very keen to sell. I was going to get her before I decided I could afford to 'go up a size'. Put in an offer in the low to mid 20's, job jobbed. In my not so humble opinion anyway, cheers Jerry.

 

[Fascadale]

Having been looking at that market for a year or two, might I suggest the Nic31 on Red Ensign, new rigging etc etc, very keen to sell. I was going to get her before I decided I could afford to 'go up a size'. Put in an offer in the low to mid 20's, job jobbed. In my not so humble opinion anyway, cheers Jerry.

There are a couple of Nic 31's presently available that I would be happy to buy but I'm determined not to get caught with two boats. I need to shift the Invicta first.