Carter 39

[sealeaf]

Am thinking of buying a Carter 39, built in 82 by Olympic Marine, not much info about on it !
Can anyone help with good, or bad views ? /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[Ariadne]

Well I've got a Carter 33 (3/4 tonne) at the moment. Good strong hull, fine sea boat, handles well, very forgiving when you cock things up. I'd recomend one. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Buy the way, mine is for sale £25K ONO. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Fully refitted in July 2004 by Dickies, sail away with no major worries for the next couple of years. PM me if you want further info on it.

We've bought a Gitana 43 and are fitting it out for a RTW cruise. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[sealeaf]

Thanks for reply Aberman, your boat sounds good, but we need the space to live on for 4 months/year, now that lv'e got you!.. do you normally have a back stay tensioner on a mast head rig? thought they were used to bend the mast on fractionally rigged boats.?

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Hey, we've got a Carter 3/4 tonner as well.... we have a backstay tensioner, and a babystay tensioner.... it can still bend the mast if you have the stays set up properly....

Dick Carter did design fast boats (as evidenced by his results over the years), and they tended to be good sea boats, so whiler I don't know the 39, there's a fair chance that she'll sail well......

 

[Ariadne]

We had a Hydraulic backstay with ours but I took it off, I didn't think it was realy going to affect performance unless we were racing. But as we don't race, I didn't see the point of keeping it on. Just 1 more thing for the kids to play with, and loosen at the wrong time /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif.

Ours is/was the all signing, all dancing racing version, which has converted in to comfatable family cruiser (2 adults & 2 children). We tend to live aboard ours for most of the summer, and have plenty of room. Even bring 2 Black Lab's sometimes, but its crowded then. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Ours isn't hydraulic, they are wheels, but I too am thinking of removing them as well...

PS... ours is the race version as well (the 3/4 tonner as opposed to the 33), and we are doing much the same, converting her to a cruiser..... albeit a quick one!

 

[Ariadne]

Go for it!!!

Ours is the 33 foot 3/4 tonne class racing version. See Alard Coles Heavy Weather Sailing for her sister ship, We have the original 'Ariadne', not the one in the photo. Different cockpit on ours, and it still floats. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

You won't be dissapointed, we aren't. A great family boat, and a very fast cruiser.
Albeit one with a deep draft (well for West Wales coast far to deep). /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Ariadne]

We still have the Baby Stay fitted, and tensioned. When set up correctly, and my wife not on board goes like sh*t off shiney shovel. Saying that we still get 7-8kts out of her with the family on board, but average 6-7 generally.

We put a new loose footed main on her last summer and a 150% genoa, she flies now.

If only she was 10 feet bigger I'd keep her for our RTW.

 

[sealeaf]

Thanks for all your replies, looks like lv'e got to go for it!!!!

 

[Glyka]

I don't know the 39 (are you sure it is a 39?) but I know the 33 and 37 built by Olympic Marine to be really trustworthy boats. I almost bought a 33 6 years ago but he was asking too much (14,000 euros with an almost useless engine and an interior that needed a lot of work). I would circumnavigate on this boat though!

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't know the 39 (are you sure it is a 39?)

[/ QUOTE ]There was a 39... in fact there were Carter 30, Carter 33, Carter 36, Carter 37, Carter 39, Carter 40 & Carter 42...... all very similar in style....

 

[sealeaf]

Thanks for yr reply GLYKa, yes its a 12m, by olympic marine, looks like they didn't make many !

 

[woody001]

I have had a carter 30 - first boat - awesome handling, fine sea boat. You will not regret, dick carter knows how to design.
Build was super. - had so much fun....

 

[Moleoba]

I have a Carter 39 built by Olympic Yachts in 1974.
She is a beauty.
She is flat decked, with twin steeing wheels, two cockpits, all seats facing forward. 14 winches and weighs 12tonnes.
She has 5ft 10 head room throughout and bunks for 7.
Of course I am biased but a lot of people compliment me on her looks and obvious strength.
I have photo's of you wish to see.

 

[Sailfree]

OK I will bite.

How is it different from modern boats , AWB's,

I appreciate it may sail well but if its so good why don't manufacturers build something similar now.

I am not qualified to criticise the Carter but would like to better understand what good features have been lost and what gained with progress. Is it all only about interior volumn and beam at the expense of sailing ability on modern boats - yet beam gives greater form stability.

Currently wading through Steve Killings Yacht Design book and better understanding the compromises in any design. I know this thread is only complimentary about the Carter range and not implying criticism better as other threads have done on AWB's nor do I want to detract from this thread but I would like to better understand what is good about older designs and do have difficulty in understanding why all modern manufacturers insist on building yachts that don't seem to include these features.

 

[Glyka]

[ QUOTE ]
why all modern manufacturers insist on building yachts that don't seem to include these features

[/ QUOTE ]
Thick hulls and strong expensive fittings? I don't know...

Maybe because those days boats were built for people that liked sailng whereas todays boats are built for families that like cruising /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Moleoba]

My Carter 39 has a hull which is nearly 2inches thick. Fiberglas, wood, fibreglass, wood Fiberglas.
The chain plates from the shrouds are 8inch wide and over two feet long, glassed and bolted to the hull.

She was designed to sail fast and strong and then they fitted the accommodation in around that hull shape.
Many modern boats design process starts with an interior designer and then have a hull fitted around the 3 double cabins and gin cabinet, with a mast stuck roughly in the middle as an after thought.

I believe fibreglass was a lot cheaper prior to the oil crisis in the mid 70's so yacht builders didn’t skimp additionally builders were unaware of the true strengths of fibreglass at that time as it was a relatively new medium to build with so over built.

Additionally they built boats to last back then where as these days people are used to a new disposable lifestyle and don’t expect anymore from their modern yachts. I agree with Glyka that modern boats are marketed towards the cruising family.

I would expect that modern designs and materials have greatly improved since the 70’s but are maybe crippled by the economics of a very competitive market place and the changing expectations of the customer.

I met a man last year with a brand new £400,000 Beneteau who had a night mare with his new purchase, the galley fell off the hull, mid sail, he put his foot through the floor of his en-suite shower, wafer thin Fiberglas, his wet locker of the stern of the boat was permanently full of water. The list went on and on and on.