capnsensible
Well-Known Member
Thats interesting. I quite routinely sail a Bavaria 37 thats just two years old and has been a continual PITA to fix stuff.
Stay lucky!
Centre cockpit or not?
- Thread starter boatmike
- Start date
Thats interesting. I quite routinely sail a Bavaria 37 thats just two years old and has been a continual PITA to fix stuff.
Stay lucky!
Biggles Wader
Well-Known Member
pvb
Well-Known Member
What sort of stuff?
boatmike
Well-Known Member
Not ruled out entirely Telstarr as I really do like multihull sailing but firstly they are expensive and secondly...... well they are expensive!! It's not just buying one it's parking it when everyone wants 1 1/2 times what it costs to park a monohull. Also there is the business of seakeeping and comfort when sailing. When you go big, like 42ft upwards they really work well but smaller cats all have a rather unkind hobbyhorse motion. Frankly if I am going to be hammered for marina fees I would rather have a 42ft monohull than a 36ft cat..... and the boats you mention are going to be quite old and tired for that price.... But I am not for or against in principle, it's just that at 75 I want to potter around the channel rather than go long distance blue water sailing now and a standard AWB is not so likely to stretch my budget.
boatmike
Well-Known Member
And do you livaboard? Would you buy one if you didn't intend more than 3/4 weeks at a time on board?
capnsensible
Well-Known Member
No door catches to hold the cabin doors open. Have tried several fixes, none so far have worked.
Saloon door hinge broken, has taken weeks for spares to not arrive.
Radar installation was so poor I had to take the yacht to the agent in Gran Canaria for repair. We ended up doing most of the new cable run that involves a lot of deckhead dismantling.
Installed chartplotter failed after less than a year, new one fitted but still plays up.
Autopilot failure involved an argument between the electronics agent and the swedish motor manufacturer, where the drive unit had a three month holiday. Still not very good. All as spec'd and installed by builder.
The mainsail cover has been made from a less than robust material and has developed holes in it.
Thats off the top of me head without looking at the maintenance log!
Having moaned about all that, the boat is pleasant to sail, Im often virtually singlehanded with charter guests.
But when the boat is finally put to bed, the annoying small things still need fixing. Im well used to that on older yachts, but one this new has surprised me. Perhaps the yacht gets more than average use.
Its not just Bavarias, mind. I know of a place that bought a bunch of brand new french yachts that have had continual problems of a similar kind. Is it simply that new yachts arent up for it? Dunno.
Hope you continue to get trouble free sailing from yours, they are not bad at all overall in my view.
(Hope Ive not tempted fate, got a 6 hour charter on friday, hope Neptune hasnt read this
)
boatmike
Well-Known Member
Thanks for that link. Very useful. Seems like most other things it's what your priorities are......... I am reminded that there is no such thing as a perfect boat. Or a perfect woman. New a chap who spent his life looking for the latter and when eventually he found her she was unfortunately looking for a perfect man........ but I digress. Everything is a compromise. If SWMBO wants to sit up in bed with her tea in the morning she might have to sit on top of the bus when sailing I guess......
pvb
Well-Known Member
The cabin doors on mine have catches. A rubber floor stopper in the forecabin, a hook in the aft cabin.
In charter use, I guess the odd broken hinge is inevitable, but spares should be readily available. If you mean the companionway doors, those hinges need greasing every year or so.
Was the radar factory installed? I doubt it, and dealer installations are often dire. There's a conduit already fitted to take the radar cable from the mast step area down to behind the port side lockers, there's then plenty of room to run cables.
Electronics can fail, but Garmin and Jefa are both pretty good with warranty issues, so why it should have taken so long is a mystery. I have to say my autopilot seems to work perfectly (fingers crossed!).
Mainsail covers are often dealer-sourced and can be variable in quality.
In charter use, I guess the odd broken hinge is inevitable, but spares should be readily available. If you mean the companionway doors, those hinges need greasing every year or so.
Was the radar factory installed? I doubt it, and dealer installations are often dire. There's a conduit already fitted to take the radar cable from the mast step area down to behind the port side lockers, there's then plenty of room to run cables.
Electronics can fail, but Garmin and Jefa are both pretty good with warranty issues, so why it should have taken so long is a mystery. I have to say my autopilot seems to work perfectly (fingers crossed!).
Mainsail covers are often dealer-sourced and can be variable in quality.
Yngmar
Well-Known Member
Yep.
If I weren't living aboard, I wouldn't be able to afford a boat this size, so no
Assuming I did have the money to spare, yeah, why not. The 38/40 Ocean is a step up from the J&J Cruiser range it shares the hull mould with and was very much aimed at the HR38 market and similar designs. It had a larger engine, a lead keel, a removable inner forestay (option, so not all have that one), massive rudder post, teak toerail with large stainless cleats on it, a interior layout for long term cruising rather than the charter market, heck it even has a (steel clad) rubbing strake. Since most of this has been forgotten, they're often priced similarly to the Cruiser range of the same size and age, but you get a lot more for your money with an Ocean. Mind you, if you don't want to put the work in, look for a well maintained one. They are now over 15 years old.
If I had a lot of money to spare, I'd probably buy a new Sirius 35/40 DS instead.
boatmike
Well-Known Member
Yep.
If I weren't living aboard, I wouldn't be able to afford a boat this size, so no
Assuming I did have the money to spare, yeah, why not. The 38/40 Ocean is a step up from the J&J Cruiser range it shares the hull mould with and was very much aimed at the HR38 market and similar designs. It had a larger engine, a lead keel, a removable inner forestay (option, so not all have that one), massive rudder post, teak toerail with large stainless cleats on it, a interior layout for long term cruising rather than the charter market, heck it even has a (steel clad) rubbing strake. Since most of this has been forgotten, they're often priced similarly to the Cruiser range of the same size and age, but you get a lot more for your money with an Ocean. Mind you, if you don't want to put the work in, look for a well maintained one. They are now over 15 years old.
If I had a lot of money to spare, I'd probably buy a new Sirius 35/40 DS instead.
Thanks for that. Having looked though at the Bav 42 with aft cockpit I am beginning to think I just need a bigger boat to get the comfort. Will be better in a blow anyway. bigger is always better at sea and as I said before the mooring charges wont be as high as a catamaran.........
silver-fox
Well-Known Member
I have sailed a CC MOODY 425 in the Med for the last 10 years. Prior to that I sailed aft cockpit boats for thirty years. I have been really delighted with the "package" we have with a CC boat. We don't have a big spacious cockpit- but it's plenty large enough and we do have the added luxury of an aft sundeck which we we can also relax on.
We have not noticed any increase in motion as a result the higher cockpit and we certainly do not suffer from any stuffiness or lack of ventilation down below.
I was warned going stern to would be difficult, that that too proved untrue
IMHO opinion the only real price you pay for a CC is a smaller cockpit and steeper companionway steps. The reward is near optimum accommodation (for an owner, not for charter). When you spend months at a time on the boat this really matters, and items like having an island, centreline, double bed with easy access each side make a huge difference to comfort.
Good luck with your choice, hope it gives you the pleasure we have enjoyed from our choice.
We have not noticed any increase in motion as a result the higher cockpit and we certainly do not suffer from any stuffiness or lack of ventilation down below.
I was warned going stern to would be difficult, that that too proved untrue
IMHO opinion the only real price you pay for a CC is a smaller cockpit and steeper companionway steps. The reward is near optimum accommodation (for an owner, not for charter). When you spend months at a time on the boat this really matters, and items like having an island, centreline, double bed with easy access each side make a huge difference to comfort.
Good luck with your choice, hope it gives you the pleasure we have enjoyed from our choice.
Cinderella66
Well-Known Member
We too have a 40cc, oceanis 40, fab aft cabin. We liveaboard for 4 months at a time both in uk and med. Excellent design with good ventilation even in high temperatures. Two heads and forward cabin good for guests, v self contained. Love the rear deck for sunbathing on. Downside is never wanting to go home
Monique
Well-Known Member
......... Downside is never wanting to go home
Precisely my thought. My liveaboard is bigger though .. an Amel Super Maramu ... so at 53 feet, it has a large cockpit and can sit 8 for a p...up, I can sleep next to an inexperienced helmsman and enjoy the comforts... and I can sleep in a proper double in the aft cabin or in the passage berth. Previous boat was aft cockpit and was lovely but for what I'm doing now, the CC is much better. GL
LadyInBed
Well-Known Member
:encouragement: That's also been my experience
geem
Well-Known Member
On our 44 ft c/c boat we can seat 8 in comfort in the cockpit. The cockpit is plenty deep enough and has easy access in and out. Being an older design we dont have the ultra wide stern so our aft cabin has a queen sized bed set to one side. It has excellent ventilation with four opening portlights and two deck hatches which are under the cockpit sun cover so they can all be left open when it rains. In our opinion this is a great advantage in the Caribbean where short sharp showers are a feature. We have full headroom in the walkway as this is our galley area. We also have an engine room below the cockpit that has a door you stoop to go in but we have headroom to the side of the engine over the work bench. We also have a large hatch into the cockpit for ventilation whilst working at the bench. We simply wouldnt get these features in an aft cockpit boat of this size. The motion in our boat is exceptionally good but I think this is down to her heavy weight. Having been on some 35ft c/c boats the motion felt twitchy even at anchor with a feeling of being perched in the cockpit. I dont think c/c boats look right of work well below 40ft
Sticky Fingers
Well-Known Member
Wrong thread oops
Pasarell
Well-Known Member
I bought a Moody 44 a year ago and have lived on her much of this year in the Med. My last boat was CC but smaller and the previous 2 were aft cockpits. We love the accomodation. Spacious saloon good galley and huge aft cabin with walk around bed. Everywhere down below is light and well ventilated. Cockpit is pretty good but smaller than an aft cockpit boat for sure. Motion under sail is very good and access to winches easy as they are on the cockpit coaming. Stern to mooring is easy, even single handed, aided by having a gate either side of the pushpit. Downside is definitely access to the cockpit with the bimini up although it is easier with practice. Also the bimini is much smaller than with an aft cockpit so shade is more difficult to achieve but this is a small point.
E39mad
Well-Known Member
I think it depends on what you are doing with the boat (ie where you sail and how long you stay aboard) plus what length.
For Med sailing I would prefer an aft cockpit boat but if living aboard would need one that is large enough to have a decent main cabin forward so would probably need something fairly modern over 40 feet to get that queen berth in. I find the fwd cabin quieter both at anchor and especially in a marina. I also like plenty of cockpit space and ease of access to shore that an aft cockpit boat provides. If around 36 foot is the max in the Med then the dilemma over a decent main cabin kicks in for live aboards and the case for centre cockpit increases.
If living aboard in Northern European climates then a centre cockpit of any length makes more sense.
For Med sailing I would prefer an aft cockpit boat but if living aboard would need one that is large enough to have a decent main cabin forward so would probably need something fairly modern over 40 feet to get that queen berth in. I find the fwd cabin quieter both at anchor and especially in a marina. I also like plenty of cockpit space and ease of access to shore that an aft cockpit boat provides. If around 36 foot is the max in the Med then the dilemma over a decent main cabin kicks in for live aboards and the case for centre cockpit increases.
If living aboard in Northern European climates then a centre cockpit of any length makes more sense.
GrahamM376
Well-Known Member
The problem with the Moody CC is the main just sheet aft of the cockpit (which is good) but it needs to clear the bimini frame when boomed out. I've added another frame to ours which folds down fwd of the sprayhood and attaches to the front edge of the normal bimini with velcro. Although it doesn't increase the width, we have long cover from over companionway to mainsheet.
