Best small boat for 2 people? MK 2

Isn't that the whole point? When single -handed, you want a well mannered boat not an exciting ride! Many long keelers will allow you to leave the helm for long enough to take a pee, put on the kettle or nip up on deck to remove that forgotten fender...

Rob.
 
rob2 said:
Isn't that the whole point? When single -handed, you want a well mannered boat not an exciting ride! Many long keelers will allow you to leave the helm for long enough to take a pee, put on the kettle or nip up on deck to remove that forgotten fender...

Rob.
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get one with an autopilot?


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Tranona said:
You now have 35 suggestions - and not even scratched the surface of the number of designs that will meet the criteria.

Although questions such as these provide an interesting insight into other peoples' choices, difficult to see how it can help in your decision.
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You are of course quite correct. However the beauty of these forums is sometimes it takes someone else's opinion or comment to help discover a new idea or direction to go in.

In practice I want a boat around 26/28 ft that will comfortably handle F6/F7 and not be overwhelmed in something worse. It must sleep 2 easily and 3 maybe 4 once in a blue moon. The rig must be easy to handle and I don't want too many fripperies.

Having had a 44 foot ketch previously I am in to 'less is more'........less cost = more fun

Thanks once again to everyone who has taken the time to post here.

By the way my favourite two so far are Vancouver 28 and Francis 26 (really pretty boat).

Cheers

Chox
 
Horatio said:
Obviously, there's only one real choice - a Twister! :D Later all GRP ones should qualify.
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Ahem! I find myself in agreement with the honourable gentleman and would only add that the earlier Twisters with wooden coachroof and cockpit are very seaworthy and attractive boats, and if reasonably well maintained, are very durable. There are even some built entirely of wood and the first ever built, Twister of Mersea, will be 50 years old next year and she is still in superb condition.

http://www.twister.org.uk/news/gallery.php
 
parsifal said:
Ahem! I find myself in agreement with the honourable gentleman and would only add that the earlier Twisters with wooden coachroof and cockpit are very seaworthy and attractive boats, and if reasonably well maintained, are very durable. There are even some built entirely of wood and the first ever built, Twister of Mersea, will be 50 years old next year and she is still in superb condition.

http://www.twister.org.uk/news/gallery.php
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OK, another vote for the Twister!
 
As the owner of an Albin Vega 27,as yet untried at sea but impressed by interior layout and practicality,basically a traditional layout with two proper sea berths in the saloon.The adventures of the boat speak for themselves and as an owner It would be me failing before the boat.
 
I'd go with your own short list choice, a Vancouver 27 or 28. I owned one for several years but in a moment of rashness, exchanged her for a larger boat. I saw her advertised a couple of months ago and realized how much I missed her so bought her back! She's strong seaworthy and comfortable in a blow, she sails well and makes use of her Aries like a much bigger boat. She's not twitchy or neurotic and she looks just right. She has a far nicer layout and standard of joinery down below than most of her size. Finally, she's still in build (well, the 28 anyway) and the builders, Northshore, are helpful and friendly people when it comes to needing advice or parts.

Cheers, Brian.
 
flobbergob said:
I'd go with your own short list choice, a Vancouver 27 or 28. I owned one for several years but in a moment of rashness, exchanged her for a larger boat. I saw her advertised a couple of months ago and realized how much I missed her so bought her back! She's strong seaworthy and comfortable in a blow, she sails well and makes use of her Aries like a much bigger boat. She's not twitchy or neurotic and she looks just right. She has a far nicer layout and standard of joinery down below than most of her size. Finally, she's still in build (well, the 28 anyway) and the builders, Northshore, are helpful and friendly people when it comes to needing advice or parts.

Cheers, Brian.
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Brian,

that sounds very familiar, I once sold my Anderson 22 then missed her terribly so bought her back; there's probably a lot of emotional involvement along with common sense & sailing experience for both of us !

I won't name the total **** I met with a Vancouver 27 at Itchenor, refusing to take our springs and just stood & watched my novice crew struggle, while on a visitors' buoy - I had briefed him as best I could, and was on the tiller keeping the boats together with the tide.

The owner then gave the harbourmaster and selves a lecture on why he had huge fresh water tanks - I have been sailing for a while, but that character stands out as one of the rudest, snobbiest berks I have ever met !

I'm sure all Vancouver owners can't be the same, though I have a sneaking suspicion people who pay mega - bucks for 'World Girdling' Vancouvers are the same sort who buy 'Off-Road' Range Rovers then use them for the School Run, while serious sailors buy something entirely different, and weekend warriors like me go straight past Vancouvers like they're stopped, in our Anderson 22's !:)

Edit;

I'm sure you're a decent bloke Brian, just that chap made an indelible impression re' Vancouvers !
 
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Basing your opinion of a marque upon one daft owner is a little unfair to say the least upon the remaining owners. I'd wager there's a burke out there with an Anderson!
 
Shame about your experience. Not trying to impress or show off but in reponse to your comment about most owners paying mega bucks for world girdling boats, I've made 8 Transats and 2 Transmeds mainly on my own boats (not on the Vancouver) and I like to feel I know what I want from a boat and boat speed doesn't enter my thought process I'm afraid. Provided I'm sailing in the right general direction I'm a happy bunny even if I get overtaken by everyone else. For me the Vancouver 27 is a seaworthy design, strong construction, has a comfortable and solid interior and a kindly sea motion. I sail because I love sailing and soltitude so taking an extra couple of days on passage really and truly isn't a problem for me to factor in. I'll almost certainly be sailing her over to the Carib in December. That's why I bought her!

The Vancouver 27 isn't particularly slow in anycase, on passage and experiencing weather over several days, she'll average the same daily mileage +\- and wl length for wl length, as any other boat. She'll keep going in the ruff stuff but admittedly sail slower in the very light stuff.

Different sailors look for different characteristics in a boat and I think your Range Rover analysis is wrong!

Cheers, Brian.




Seajet said:
Brian,

that sounds very familiar, I once sold my Anderson 22 then missed her terribly so bought her back; there's probably a lot of emotional involvement along with common sense & sailing experience for both of us !

I won't name the total **** I met with a Vancouver 27 at Itchenor, refusing to take our springs and just stood & watched my novice crew struggle, while on a visitors' buoy - I had briefed him as best I could, and was on the tiller keeping the boats together with the tide.

The owner then gave the harbourmaster and selves a lecture on why he had huge fresh water tanks - I have been sailing for a while, but that character stands out as one of the rudest, snobbiest berks I have ever met !

I'm sure all Vancouver owners can't be the same, though I have a sneaking suspicion people who pay mega - bucks for 'World Girdling' Vancouvers are the same sort who buy 'Off-Road' Range Rovers then use them for the School Run, while serious sailors buy something entirely different, and weekend warriors like me go straight past Vancouvers like they're stopped, in our Anderson 22's !:)

Edit;

I'm sure you're a decent bloke Brian, just that chap made an indelible impression re' Vancouvers !
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E39Mad & Brian,

I hope you catch on that I was taking the p and not entirely serious - as I'm having to explain I clearly failed !

There was once a recorded example of a berk owning an Anderson, but he joined the nominees for a Darwin Award a long time ago; I've applied but no answer yet despite repeated attempts.

However I do think the RangeRover analogy holds good, or maybe I've just been frightened into the ditch once too often by women drivers in 4X4's in the middle of the road in Lodsworth, West Sussex while they hold a phone to their ear and exhibit a driving style Rommel whould be proud of...the same types seem to 'sail' ( usually motorsail flat out ) things like Vancouvers and Southerlies...:)

I'm sure decent types have these sorts of boats too, but they probably clear off PDQ, so I've only met the berks who stay local !
 
chockswahay said:
You are of course quite correct. However the beauty of these forums is sometimes it takes someone else's opinion or comment to help discover a new idea or direction to go in.
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With your budget you could buy just about any boat that fits your criteria, and as many have said, most will be way under.

If you want to push the size/budget boundaries then an HR 29 or Victoria 30 should be on the list.
 
MoodyNick said:
Nobody has mentioned a Sadler 29 so .....

A Sadler29 might be worth a look. Not sailed one, but know at least three owners who are very happy with theirs.
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Yes, once you get away from the idea that the boat has to be a recreation of old wooden designs (as most of the 30+ mentioned so far are) a whole new world opens up and there are at least as many fin and skeg - or even fin and spade that would do the job, and be more likely to fit the "less than 30 years old". Sadler 29, Konsort, Merlin, Griffon, Moody 27,28,29,31 from the popular end. Little bit bigger in LOA, but not necessarily in usable size Contessa 32, various IOR derived boats, Fulmar. Plus many, many more from the busy 1980s.

Just put the basic criteria into Yachtworld and set aside a couple of evenings to sort them out!
 
No doubt the Halmatic 30 has come up. (I can't be rrrs'd to go through the lot again, so apologies.)
I like them a lot and they seem very well put together. Nice one here:

http://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/boats/w56811/w56811.htm

Home fitted out, but looks a very good standard. I was never keen on the fenestration of the production boats, this looks much better to my eye. I am also keen on U shaped dinettes on small boats as they allow folk to sit or lounge out of the road.

PS
I have just roused myself and seen that ianat182 posted this ages ago
- anyway, I agree with him.
 
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.
The Vega is roomier and more comfortable than many similar sized older designs.

We lived on ours for a year and took her to the Canaries and the Azores. Year before last we went to Norway and got as far North as Alesund.

fairwinds1.jpg


- W
 
Not having read the whole thread but I was in the same peril (looking for a boat) as I bought a project and it turned up to be too expensive to fix in the end...so have looked around for a while and my key points were:
- seaworthy
- strongly built
- can accommodate 2-3 people
- can be repaired/modified etc without the need for much professional help

And so I opted for a dutch steel sloop..Van der Statd normally does the trick when it comes to the first 2 points...they are normally quite traditional (long fin keel, heavy displaced) so not as beamy as some of the modern yachts but they normally have 4 good bunks, enough space to fit all your kit and cook up something decent and being a steel boat you can fix or modify things yourself a lot of the time..
The old argument of maintenance is there but I believe any good seaman/woman should maintain a boat reguarly no matter what material, though for me steel is far simpler than plastic providing it has been taken care of.

Ofcourse, at your budget you can pretty much get yourself anything at under 30 feet..I am influenced by the fact that we are setting off across the pond and beyond so need something that I can fix enroute and a few other factors but I am sticking to a traditional design with long fin rather than full keel (gives that bit more speed but handles very well at sea) and it is a 31 footer with a bowsprit which can be raised (for all those marina ppl that price you up on loa) with twin headsails for performance...
HTH
 
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