Boat selection for sailing around Britain

Solent Joe said:
I'm looking to sail single-handed around Britain via Cape Wrath in the next couple of years (still very much in the planning stage! ;)) however, I've planned on purchasing a boat in the coming months- most probably being the one that will take me around Britain, so I need to take appropriate features into account.

What should I look for in a boat to complete a single-handed circumnavigation? obviously overall build quality etc, but anything specific? also any boats in particular that I should keep away from/tend towards? :confused:

My budget for the boat is around £5K excluding refit.

While I'm here, other general tips from those of you who have completed this circumnavigation would be great! :D
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Here is a very popular site in France (basically because the ads are free) :

http://www.leboncoin.fr/nautisme/offres/bretagne/?f=a&th=1&q=voilier



This one seems particulalry attractive :

25' Jeanneau Sangria (over 2500 produced)

Factory renovated by Jeanneau for its 50th anniversary:
Bukh diesel engine (the best marine engine and the only make designed from the outset as a marine engine. Source: French Magazine article)

http://www.leboncoin.fr/nautisme/300149140.htm?ca=6_s

Asking price €6800 (=< £5.5k)
 
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Joe, as you say your budget is £5k for the boat and another £5k for the refit, I still think you're better off going for something like this, say. Not much more required to get that ready to go round UK. You'll be more comfortable at sea and in harbour, faster under sail & motor and stand more chance of doing the trip in your time frame. IMHO...
 
Solent Joe said:
I'm looking to sail single-handed around Britain via Cape Wrath in the next couple of years (still very much in the planning stage! ;)) however, I've planned on purchasing a boat in the coming months- most probably being the one that will take me around Britain, so I need to take appropriate features into account.

What should I look for in a boat to complete a single-handed circumnavigation? obviously overall build quality etc, but anything specific? also any boats in particular that I should keep away from/tend towards? :confused:

My budget for the boat is around £5K excluding refit.

While I'm here, other general tips from those of you who have completed this circumnavigation would be great! :D
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Hi Joe,

You might enjoy reading this blokes blog of his trip, he didn't go right around the top, but I think it makes an interesting read. His boat, a Seal 22 was well up to the task, I have one myself, and can vouch for the build quality, "$hitbrickhouse" comes to mind.:) I would second the Anderson 23 as a good choice, as is the Achilles 24, anyway, here is the link to his blog.

http://www.trip-around-britain.blogspot.co.uk/

Hope you enjoy it.
 
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Unless you really want a boat to work on, I'm with DJbreeze on this.

If you have got £10k in total, spend most of it on a boat that is almost ready to go and keep say £1.5-£2k for the unexpected. Given the flexibility on most asking prices, this means you can look at ones priced up tp £12-14K. The boat he mentioned didn't even get a bid.

Even thru the Callie, it is a long trip. We took 10 weeks in a fast 35 footer.This strategy should enable you to look in the 27-30 ft size rather than under 25ft and i think you will end up with a much more suitable boat.
 
Kurrawong_Kid said:
Wholeheartedly agree. A friend had a Vega, in which I sailed a fair way. Proper seaboat. Sails very well. Many many made and strong. W'ont steer astern though under power!
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I can sometimes steer astern after nine seasons - it just takes practice! And let's face it, how much of the circumnavigation will be spent going astern under power?

One caveat if you are considering getting a Vega - try to find a re-engined one. We went round Ireland in our second season and nearly all downtime and crises were to do with the engine. I spent the hottest day of the whole trip hitch-hiking several miles with the dynastart in a backpack instead of lounging in the sun or going swimming!

- W
 
Chrusty 1 said:
Hi Joe,

I would second the Anderson 23 as a good choice,

.
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Eh ? I take it you mean the Anderson 22; there is the Anderson 26 from the same yard ( Anderson Rigden & Perkins of Whitstable ) which is also a good boat, deceptively quick, but only about 16 were made and they go for around £16,000ish.

www.anderson22class.co.uk

There is info' on the 26 here, though it's mainly tailored to the 22.
 
Seajet said:
Eh ? I take it you mean the Anderson 22; there is the Anderson 26 from the same yard ( Anderson Rigden & Perkins of Whitstable ) which is also a good boat, deceptively quick, but only about 16 were made and they go for around £16,000ish.

www.anderson22class.co.uk

There is info' on the 26 here, though it's mainly tailored to the 22.
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Indeed I do mean the 22! Most humble apologies, mind you, if he found one with a foot chopped of it might be a tad cheaper!:D Which has nudged a couple of brain cells, was there not a version of the Anderson that was indeed shorted, to qualify for the Mini Transat, or am I getting confused with summat else in me old age?

PS many thanks for the link to the Anderson website, I have read some of it, and will look at some more later.
 
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Chrusty1,

don't fear for your sanity just yet, you're quite right.

When Bob Salmon invented the original 'Mini Ostar' trans-Atlantic singlehanded race he set a length limit of 6.5 metres and was planning to build a custom racer to suit.

However the usual time compression before the event happened, making the custom job impossible; at the same time Andersons were planning an entry sailed by the Sales Manager Nick Wright, but work committments meant he couldn't spare the time, so they offered the yard entry 'Anderson Affair' to Bob.

As the Anderson is 21'9" LOA, a small section of the bow was taken off and a tiny 'pram bow' fitted, though importantly this didn't reach the 19'3" waterline.

There were 3 Andersons in the race, the others being 'Spirit of Talardy' & 'Anderson Adventure', both private entries.

Anderson Affair did well until reaching Antigua, when the rudder fittings failed as she was alongside a reef; she went on and was briefly abandoned, then Bob returned and the keel was jettisoned ( a handy trick ! ) and he sculled her over the finish line but refused to accept points as he'd had outside help.

Anderson Affair was shipped back to the UK and taken around boat shows to demonstrate her tough build; I saw her at Southampton, the bottom looked like it had been severely wire brushed, she was that close to disaster on the coral heads !

She is now in Scottish waters and being restored to her race appearance complete with numbers etc.

The rudder fittings were changed after this; I saw Affair's original from the accident, the full length stainless pintle the rudder raises on for drying out almost had a knot tied in it !

Anderson Affair was restored to a full bow, I've been aboard and one simply can't tell it was ever shortened; the other boats still have shortened bows.

The story in full is on the website www.anderson22class.co.uk in the 'Articles' section.

AndersonAffairRaceTrim.jpg
 
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Seajet said:
Chrusty1,

don't fear for your sanity just yet, you're quite right.

When Bob Salmon invented the original 'Mini Ostar' trans-Atlantic singlehanded race he set a length limit of 6.5 metres and was planning to build a custom racer to suit.

However the usual time compression before the event happened, making the custom job impossible; at the same time Andersons were planning an entry sailed by the Sales Manager Nick Wright, but work committments meant he couldn't spare the time, so they offered the yard entry 'Anderson Affair' to Bob.

As the Anderson is 21'9" LOA, a small section of the bow was taken off and a tiny 'pram bow' fitted, though importantly this didn't reach the 19'3" waterline.

There were 3 Andersons in the race, the others being 'Spirit of Talardy' & 'Anderson Adventure', both private entries.

Anderson Affair did well until reaching Antigua, when the rudder fittings failed as she was alongside a reef; she went on and was briefly abandoned, then Bob returned and the keel was jettisoned ( a handy trick ! ) and he sculled her over the finish line but refused to accept points as he'd had outside help.

Anderson Affair was shipped back to the UK and taken around boat shows to demonstrate her tough build; I saw her at Southampton, the bottom looked like it had been severely wire brushed, she was that close to disaster on the coral heads !

She is now in Scottish waters and being restored to her race appearance complete with numbers etc.

The rudder fittings were changed after this; I saw Affair's original from the accident, the full length stainless pintle the rudder raises on for drying out almost had a knot tied in it !

Anderson Affair was restored to a full bow, I've been aboard and one simply can't tell it was ever shortened; the other boats still have shortened bows.

The story in full is on the website www.anderson22class.co.uk in the 'Articles' section.
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Ta muchly for that, very interesting and comforting to know that I aint gone completely senile! One Graham that haunts this place from time to time, quite often on the Bristol Channel forum, used to have an Anderson, I think she is called "Vega"?
 
Seajet said:
Chrusty1,

yes I know Graham and Vega, both illustrious members who've made very useful contributions to the Anderson 22 Owners Association !

Andy
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He's a member of an e-group I am on, I wouldn't call him illustrious though, that's far too posh for the likes of he! He's about as posh as a sack of rusty spanners!:D
 
Katy Miller and Dame Ellen both did a circumnavigation in a Corribee heres an example, http://yachts.apolloduck.co.uk/display.phtml?aid=222587

I sailed a Newbridge Navigator bilge keeler with an outboard in a well, 19ft long but big and wide inside, and I now sail a Contessa 26, and although the Contessa sails far better, comfort wise they were similar. Also every night you stop in a marina or similar will cost you £20+ , but as a lot of places have a minimum charge of 8metres so could a smaller boat.

Anchoring is the way to go, but you can park on a beach for free with a bilge keeler, which will save you a fortune, when you need to do maintenence etc.
 
Chrissie said:
Katy Miller and Dame Ellen both did a circumnavigation in a Corribee heres an example, http://yachts.apolloduck.co.uk/display.phtml?aid=222587

I sailed a Newbridge Navigator bilge keeler with an outboard in a well, 19ft long but big and wide inside, and I now sail a Contessa 26, and although the Contessa sails far better, comfort wise they were similar. Also every night you stop in a marina or similar will cost you £20+ , but as a lot of places have a minimum charge of 8metres so could a smaller boat.

Anchoring is the way to go, but you can park on a beach for free with a bilge keeler, which will save you a fortune, when you need to do maintenence etc.
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Chrissie,

I'll pretend I didn't see you had anything to do with a Newbridge Navigator...:eek:
 
I think I need some clarity on boat size, that seems to be the most varying advice here. Some are saying any seaworthy boat will be fine, whereas others are saying it can only realistically be completed in a 30+ footer within the 3 month time scale.

My plan was to spend £5k on a boat and spread the cost of the refit (<£5k) over 6 months to a year. If I was to buy a larger boat, I'd have to wait until next year (at the earliest) to purchase, which sets everything back. I would also like a simple boat that's built well, as there is less to go wrong and parts readily available/cheap.

I think the main question is, can I get around in a Hurley 22, Corribee etc within 3 months? If not, what would be the bare minimum specification (geometry and structure, not internals) of boat to work from?

Don't get me wrong, even though I'm doing this on budget it doesn't mean I'm after the cheapest boat out there- I'll work up from that baseline specification as necessary.

If it turns out it isn't at all realistic, then I guess I'll have to wait a few years and save for a decent yacht.
 
Chrusty 1 said:
Hi Joe,

You might enjoy reading this blokes blog of his trip, he didn't go right around the top, but I think it makes an interesting read. His boat, a Seal 22 was well up to the task, I have one myself, and can vouch for the build quality, "$hitbrickhouse" comes to mind.:) I would second the Anderson 23 as a good choice, as is the Achilles 24, anyway, here is the link to his blog.

http://www.trip-around-britain.blogspot.co.uk/

Hope you enjoy it.
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The Achilles 24 does seem to keep popping up as a good choice.

Blog looks interesting... just looking through some of the photos
P1020228.JPG

Hopefully he didn't use that for navigation... especially with the marked route passing through Chesil Beach :rolleyes:
 
Solent Joe said:
I think I need some clarity on boat size, that seems to be the most varying advice here. Some are saying any seaworthy boat will be fine, whereas others are saying it can only realistically be completed in a 30+ footer within the 3 month time scale.

My plan was to spend £5k on a boat and spread the cost of the refit (<£5k) over 6 months to a year. If I was to buy a larger boat, I'd have to wait until next year (at the earliest) to purchase, which sets everything back. I would also like a simple boat that's built well, as there is less to go wrong and parts readily available/cheap.

I think the main question is, can I get around in a Hurley 22, Corribee etc within 3 months? If not, what would be the bare minimum specification (geometry and structure, not internals) of boat to work from?

Don't get me wrong, even though I'm doing this on budget it doesn't mean I'm after the cheapest boat out there- I'll work up from that baseline specification as necessary.

If it turns out it isn't at all realistic, then I guess I'll have to wait a few years and save for a decent yacht.
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Joe,

A bloke called Steve Munday did it in three months last year, leaving 18th May, arriving back 18th August in a Seal 22, he was taking it very easy, and took in the east coast of Eire, he left from Totness and turned right. He did go via the Caley, but he wasn't in a rush.

I don't think you need a 30 footer at all, just a decent 22-25 footer would be plenty adequate. Ye gods, look at the voyages Roger Taylor makes in Mingming, a 21 foot junk rigged Corribee.

All you need is a decent well found little boat, stay with your plan is my advice, it sounds very sensible to me.:cool::)

Just noticed your other post, yes, the Achilles 24 is a fine boat, and you wont need to spend big bucks to get a good one, if you go for a boat with an outboard auxillary, having one in a well is a much better option than one slung off the stern.
 
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Once on a club rally my Anderson 22 beat a Rival 34 home, beating into a solid F6 +; the Rival owner, a good bloke and chum, always met me after that with " I hate that boat ! ".

Ken was an ex-Enterpise National Champion, and had owned a Hurley 22; after our Anderson beat his Rival home he commented " I can't believe it, the Hurley would have stopped dead in those conditions ! "

When he always met me with " I hate that boat ! " over the following years I got the idea he wasn't entirely joking...a great bloke whose company we miss .
 
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Seajet said:
Once on a club rally my Anderson 22 beat a Rival 34 home, beating into a solid F6 +; the Rival owner, a good bloke and chum, always met me after that with " I hate that boat ! ".

Ken was an ex-Enterpise National Champion, and had owned a Hurley 22; after our Anderson beat his Rival home he commented " I can't believe it, the Hurley would have stopped dead in those conditions ! "

When he met me with " I hate that boat ! " I got the idea he wasn't entirely joking...a great bloke we miss though.
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Just goes to show that big aint always beautiful dunnit?:cool:
 
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