Blue Water Boat

[leematthews1808]

Am selling my coastal bilge keeler 27ft to buy a boat that I can take further afield. I have a budget of about 35,000 and was thinking of a sadler 34 or rival 34 which I know are sturdy. Does anyone have any other suggestions??

 

[woody001]

i quite like the sadler 34, can't say i know anything about them, but they look like good, strong boats, maybe a little slow, can someone comment if they are?

 

[Spuddy]

Spent a week on a sailing school Sadler 34 once. Quite nippy - the owner had raced her in the Clyde as well. Tiller steering, which I prefer. Seemed to be a good compromise between accomodation and performance. Don't know if there's an issue with the foam as they get older. I liked it - at the upper end of all the boats I've sailed on.
Don't know Rival, but I'd like to. Another classic.
Might be a difficult choice, but lucky you.
No suggestions.

 

[Sui Generis]

UFO 34

The more wet and uncomfortable you are feeling, the better she is going.

And for a lot less than £35k.

IMHO.

 

[webcraft]

I did my YM on a Sadler 34 - one of the nicest boats I have ever sailed, although undoutably not as roomy below as some other 34 footers.

No weather helm and went upwind like a witch. Perfect handling under power.

I would even swap our Vega for one.

- Nick

 

[A_7]

Nicholson 31?

 

[evmars1]

Barbican 33?

Should be within your budget.

 

[BAtoo]

Sadler 34 had good reports in YM or PBO. Had a Sadler 32 - v good but a bit cramped.
Also depends on how far further afield is; if its cross channle/north sea etc then many others wil be fine - older Beneteaus etc.
If its real blue water then I should think your choice for your budegt will be OK.

 

[ex-Gladys]

I chartered a Sadler 34 in Falmouth once. Lovely boat and raved about it to my boatbuilding friend. His word of caution was that any changes to deck fittings and repairs are expensive because of the double skin...

Have a 35 footer now, but coudn't afford a Sadler....

 

[vyv_cox]

I have owned a Sadler 34 for 10 years and now live aboard six months of the year. I think it's a superb boat and have no intention of changing. Stowage is somewhat limited because of the foam insulation but this has such compensations that it's well worth the exchange. For two of us there is quite sufficient and we normally carry many extras, such as spinnaker and ghoster, generator, loads of tools and spares, transom type 2.85 m inflatable stowed in a locker, manual washing machine, two bikes, etc.

In most cases there are no additional problems in adding deck fittings but serious repair of the hull could be expensive. Adding instruments and extra electrics is a problem as existing wiring is hidden and there is not a lot of space to add more. Having said that I have replaced instruments, added radar, audio equipment, heating, electric windlass, etc but it was a struggle. The galley is well designed but very difficult to modify, especially replacing the sinks which takes major surgery.

All worth it though. The insulation is excellent for heat/cold and noise, plus making the boat stiff and theoretically unsinkable. The boat is a pleasure to sail in all conditions, fast and seaworthy. Very dry, it has to be a hard beat in F5 plus before we get any water on deck.

 

[Birdseye]

I was once told by a surveyor of repute that Sadlers have a poor rep for osmosis. Certainly 2 out of 4 in our club have the pox with sky high moisture readings. The other 2 are bone dry. So caveat emptor.

 

[damo]

Rival alongside me has a VERY contented owner - he loves the seakeeping and handling.
I have a Warrior 35, which is in your price bracket, and lots of enthusiastic owners of this bluewater boat. (Be careful of the Mk 1's though, with the off-centre prop)