Budget boating and I mean budget boating!

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Wansworth

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Coming to going and buying a boat time..again.After cosiderable pondering I have come up with a mac 27 or a Mac 26 or a Westerly Nomad or a Jaguar 25.The westerly Nomad is the cheapest but if you bring it up tp the spec of the mac26 its not looking too cheap.The Mac26 has a reputation as not a great windward boat as opposed to the mac27.The mac 27 is rather more expensive than the Mac 26.The best deal would be the Westerly nomad with the stuff that the Mac27 has at the price of the mAC 26.The Jaguar 25 is complete at less price than the Mac 27 but has a rudder like a dinghy and the focsle berths are impossible to get into....boats are a compromise...Now if I had 20 grand!
 
My first boat was a jag25. Loved it. The forward berth was ok to get into and there is ample headroom for a small boat. Problem is the boat ( i had a bilge keeler) does not sail to windward well, in fact at all.

My friend has a Mac 28 and managed to do very well in a regatta last weekend, so I would go with the Mac
 
lustyd said:
That's not budget boating you posing rich so and so...
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I would go for the Nomad but I would need to equip it with a minimum of stuff which added up almost brings the price of the humble Nomad upto almost the price of the Mac26 a much bigger boat which will entail much more expense in mooring/storage anti fouling etc.If I was more agile and fearless the Nomad would be great but I dont see myself on the foredeck changing headsails or cowering behind the hatch without a sprayhood or doing my back in without a windlass..so Its budget boating.....errr there are limits!!
 
The Jaguar 25 is a great boat, I had one for 12 years. There is a very good owner's website, which you should take into consideration when purchasing a boat. While this forum is simply great for basic and detailed questions about boating, there si nothing better than a boat-specific special group to help you out.

http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/forum/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=3

Good luck with whatever you choose.
 
Cutlass 27s are very cheap and an excellent sea boat. If you're looking at Mac 27s it might be worth a look at one.
 
Nomad is a brilliant floating caravan, probably the best 22ft accomodation of its time and blows along quite nicely, but needs a good engine. Mine did not go upwind at all well. Accomodation wise, the extra 5 feet of the Mac 27 is worth going for, and though I have never sailed one, I am told they do far better than the 26 under sail. I know several ex 26 owners, and all agree that going upwind was a problem. Both Jag 25 owners I came across thoiught very highgly of their boats, and I didnt hear any compaints about windward performance.

A bit of thread drift, but I do wonder with the 'reputation' some of these older boats have for poor upwind performance is down to baggy mainsails. I replaced the main on my 1972 Trident last year, and it was like having a new boat! I didnt think the old sail was as bad as all that either. Having said that, the Mac 26 reputation was 'from new' and the 27 was the builders attempt to overcome the problem.
 
oldharry said:
Nomad is a brilliant floating caravan, probably the best 22ft accomodation of its time and blows along quite nicely, but needs a good engine. Mine did not go upwind at all well. Accomodation wise, the extra 5 feet of the Mac 27 is worth going for, and though I have never sailed one, I am told they do far better than the 26 under sail. I know several ex 26 owners, and all agree that going upwind was a problem. Both Jag 25 owners I came across thoiught very highgly of their boats, and I didnt hear any compaints about windward performance.

A bit of thread drift, but I do wonder with the 'reputation' some of these older boats have for poor upwind performance is down to baggy mainsails. I replaced the main on my 1972 Trident last year, and it was like having a new boat! I didnt think the old sail was as bad as all that either. Having said that, the Mac 26 reputation was 'from new' and the 27 was the builders attempt to overcome the problem.
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Your probably righ about old sails,more additional cost!
 
budget means compromise. However, the last PBO or YM (cant remember which) has done a good comparison of budget sailiors.

Personally I reckon the folkdancer is a much undervalued budget sailor.
 
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