Boat Type Advice

[dangrant]

Dear All,

I've been looking to get a boat with a bit of character and chartered a Cornish Shrimper last weekend. Whilst I liked the gaff rig and ease of sailing the cockpit was quite small (inboard), the cabin was a little too big (4 berth) for my requirements and was quite heavy and slow.

I'm looking for a small cabin (2 berth max), large cockpit boat with some charm and one that's easy to sail singlehanded. It will mainly be coastal sailing use (solent and chichester harbour). Ideally with a lifting keel. Inboard or outboard no preference.

Any advice and assistance you can give is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Dan

 

[Romeo]

Well, my choice would be a Romilly, but you need a stack of cash for that, and I am sure she is a bit more flighty that a shrimper (never sailed a Romilly, just admired them).

 

[sarabande]

Drascombe Coaster and her sisters have a fanatical following.

http://www.drascombe.org.uk/drascombe range.htm

 

[jhr]

A Hawk 20 with a cabin?

Conventional rather than traditional, but nice little boats.

 

[dangrant]

Firstly thank you all for your comments. It much appreciated.

The Romilly is the closest to what I'm after. The amount of plastic in the cockpit of the Shrimper reminded me of long trips round the bathstore and didn't reflect the origins of the hull design.

If there's anything similar to the Romilly or Shrimper with GRP hull a good amount of wood in the cockpit area I'd love to hear about those too.

Can't seem to find a Romilly for sail anywhere.

Thanks again for your help.

Dan

 

[Sequoiah1]

You could look at a 'golant gaffer' as i think they have a sheathed hull so low maintenance,
The GRP 'Cape cutter' bit like a shrimper only probably more plastic, or by far the best of this type would be a 'Memory' from Salterns with a cabin. A few about and the cabin boats maintain high prices. Moulds were taken off a traditional wooden hull so there are even moulded plank seams.

Good Luck

 

[Romeo]

pimp your shrimp

A Hawk 20 with a cabin?

Conventional rather than traditional, but nice little boats.

Hawk is a very good suggestion to avoid your "heavy and slow" concern. However if you like the shrimper you could always try looking for an older two berth version. I think the cockpit was shrunk a bit to increase the accomodation in the 2+2. If the only thing putting you off the shrimper was lack of wood, there are plenty of folk about that will "pimp your shrimp" until you find the degree of woodiness that suits you. Cockpit grills, teak decking, that sort of stuff. Perhaps you should risk everything though, by actually getting yourself a wooden boat! Its the only way to fully avoid that bathstore feeling. Go on, join the dark side.......

R

 

[dangrant]

Pimp your shrimp. Sounds interesting but agree it would just be adding a veneer over the problem.

I've always had wooden boats myself but I'm buying the boat with someone else who's looking for low maintenance (if there is such a thing).

To see if I could drag him to the dark side what fully wooden boats of similar type do you suggest?

Thanks once again for all your help.

Much appreciated.

Cheers,

Dan

 

[Porthandbuoy]

To see if I could drag him to the dark side what fully wooden boats of similar type do you suggest?

Dan

For a trip to the dark side why not consider a Hillyard 2 1/2 tonner? www.mariposa-hillyard.co.uk (Yes, she's mine.)

 

[Vitalba]

So there she is, Mariposa, pretty as a picture. I just knew this thread would have a classic ending ! VITALBA.

 

[Romeo]

What about this: http://search.boatshop24.co.uk/fullspec.asp?btsrefno=6584051 ?

although perhaps a bit much draft for you. Ticks all the other boxes.

R

 

[dangrant]

Thanks for everyone's help.

Like the Golant Gaffer but still not as much cockpit as I'd like, Romilly looks really good not sure on price and availability though (though I'd prefer the wood version).

Any similar boats please feel free to post them so I can see what's about for sale. Is there any boat builders in Chichester Harbour (or Solent area) building similar craft? Would be good to support a local business also that way you get a boat design built for the environment it's going to be used in.

Once again thanks for all your help

Dan

 

[Porthandbuoy]

Mariposa

So there she is, Mariposa, pretty as a picture. I just knew this thread would have a classic ending ! VITALBA.

Why thank you! She is a lovely wee boat I have to admit.

 

[Ubergeekian]

I've been looking to get a boat with a bit of character and chartered a Cornish Shrimper last weekend. Whilst I liked the gaff rig and ease of sailing the cockpit was quite small (inboard), the cabin was a little too big (4 berth) for my requirements and was quite heavy and slow.

I'm looking for a small cabin (2 berth max), large cockpit boat with some charm and one that's easy to sail singlehanded. It will mainly be coastal sailing use (solent and chichester harbour). Ideally with a lifting keel. Inboard or outboard no preference.

A friend of mine has recently bought a Cornish Crabber 17 and I went down to Ullswater a couple of weeks ago to play with it.

I was impressed - very solidly built, comfy, sailed nicely, looks the part. No cabin as such but two berths under the foredeck and a neat sprayhood/tent arrangement which gives you a wee cabin.

Alternatively, what about a Hunter 490 (one of which I just happen to have for sail)? Nice big cockpit, small cabin, lifting keel with nice bit cast iron lump, sails like an absolute witch, handles like a dream.