Choice of small cruising boat...

I like the look of the Varne Folkboat but finding one could be tricky.
The commodore of our club has a Marcon Cutlass and it seems to be a good and strong boat. Has anyone got one for sale in the Solent area?
 
Having picked out the various makers so far that have been mentioned, and reading up over the last 2 hrs, I must say,to me the Westerly Tiger beats all as a small cruiser, I do like the Jaguar27, the larger boat for me would be the Catalina at 30 ft, I have a Pandora 700 although I find it very manageable on my own, it is a bit cramped, but has a very high spec,
 
boggybrn said:
I like the look of the Varne Folkboat but finding one could be tricky.
The commodore of our club has a Marcon Cutlass and it seems to be a good and strong boat. Has anyone got one for sale in the Solent area?
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Not that likely to find a Cutlass in the Solent area nowadays I suspect; for the price of the deep water mooring or marina one could get a Frenchoflabbywotsit with 3 aft cabins and probably 2 deck accomodation + a basement ! :rolleyes:

More likely around Wales and Scotland - is there a website ? May include other Marcon boats like the Tomahawk 25 & similar to Cutlass Javellin 30.
 
Binman said:
Having picked out the various makers so far that have been mentioned, and reading up over the last 2 hrs, I must say,to me the Westerly Tiger beats all as a small cruiser, I do like the Jaguar27, the larger boat for me would be the Catalina at 30 ft, I have a Pandora 700 although I find it very manageable on my own, it is a bit cramped, but has a very high spec,
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A true example of ' each to his own ' as I wouldn't touch any of the boats mentioned; still if you're happy that's all that counts.
 
Ah. That's why so many of the boats I'm interested in are in Wales or Scotland.

I'm in the fortunate position of having an affordable mooring which should keep a 4' draft boat afloat at all states of tide. Hence thinking about older long keel boats.
 
johnphilip said:
Pretty boats, large fan club, and reputed to be good sea boats, for which you can read slightly undersailed and not all that quick. Our Hunter used to leave a club Sadler 25 for dead.
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I'd expect to make 5+ kts in a F3, and with my new sails, it points very well. If a Sadler 25 was 'left for dead' I'd suspect knackered sails or a dearth of sailing skills.

And the Hunter 27 is really ugly.

And I'm sure that huge coach roof presents a huge amount of windage
 
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boggybrn said:
Ah. That's why so many of the boats I'm interested in are in Wales or Scotland.

I'm in the fortunate position of having an affordable mooring which should keep a 4' draft boat afloat at all states of tide. Hence thinking about older long keel boats.
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Consider Samphires - long keel, relatively shoal draft, not greyhounds but good cruising boats and better built than many of their contemporaries. Much roomier than a Folkboat. From memory the Samphire 26 is 3'6" draft, and the Samphire 29 (which comes in aft cabin and non-aft cabin versions) is 3'9" draft. There's also a Samphire 23 with 2'11" draft.

I'm not sure whether the old website linked to below is working at the moment, but if you want any more info PM me.
 
Neil said:
I'd expect to make 5+ kts in a F3, and with my new sails, it points very well. If a Sadler 25 was 'left for dead' I'd suspect knackered sails or a dearth of sailing skills.

And the Hunter 27 is really ugly.

And I'm sure that huge coach roof presents a huge amount of windage
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+1 for all comments and I think you're being commendably modest saying 5kts !
 
boggybrn said:
I like the look of the Varne Folkboat but finding one could be tricky.
The commodore of our club has a Marcon Cutlass and it seems to be a good and strong boat. Has anyone got one for sale in the Solent area?
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I know there's a Cutlass 27 for sale in Newlyn. Phone the RNLI shed and ask for 'Patch'. Once you've seen his photos, I think you'll be interested enough to develop the conversation.
 
If you are looking for a Folkboat on steroids then I think the Cutlass might suit, as suggested.
With all the derivatives, the closer they are to the original the smaller the accommodation so the clinker plastic boats (newish and over your budget) are very snug as are the Varnes. They are probably too petite for modern cruising tastes.
Don't discount the Contessa 26, with recent price realignments you can see them asking from £5000. You may get a good one at a modest price, esp if you are willing to travel.
I know the type reasonably well and, to my mind, the International Folkboat takes some beating. Sunden made the plastic boat longer and increased the freeboard and size of the rig. On deck you can move forward with ease, there is no woodwork to maintain and the handy, tuneable, fractional rig suits the hull better than many alternatives. It is a boat where you might retain hanked on foresails with little inconvenience. Foresails are small, forces low and most will have retained the cockpit reefing for the main which was supplied from new on most boats.
Below decks they are simple and small, Sitting headroom, a thunderbox, double forward and two 10ft berths that extend into the quarters. Most will also have a rudimentary galley in the companionway, the later boats were nicely finished with teak lockers, etc.
Under sail they are outstanding, never feel lumpen, go where they point, tack quickly, wont gripe and can be sailed, and tacked, under main or jib. You will punch your weight in club racing and you mate will may even start asking you for a sail.
One drawback, for most tastes, is the outboard power from a well in the lazarette which is not very handy and you may prefer an inboard. A bit scrappy and in the wrong place but here is a bargain to be had:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Marieholm...135559?hash=item4d3a551247:g:OHMAAOSw9N1V2gCb

If you are thinking a little wider the Sabre is another boat which may have the accommodation you require, it is in the right price frame plus there are plenty about.

Good luck, it is a good time to buy.
 
biscuit said:
Hustler 25.5: fast, stiff, nice looking& not expensive.
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I remember lusting at a Hustler in the early 80's, looked a real fast sailor's offshore boat but didn't the build quality prove to be disappointingly fragile ?

The Elizabethan 29 and ( better IMO ) Great Dane are good seaworthy boats, but very narrow gutted, probably have less room inside than my 1973 designed 22' !
 
Seajet said:
The Elizabethan 29 and ( better IMO ) Great Dane are good seaworthy boats, but very narrow gutted, probably have less room inside than my 1973 designed 22' !
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Yes, but I think the OP is intimating at something with more classic lines and seaworthiness. The problem with something like an Anderson is trying to squeeze too much cabin into a small hull makes it a bit tub like. But beauty is always in the eye of the beholder and the OP has been given plenty of suggestions.

I like the Marieholm suggested above, beautiful lines and a good price if you have the time to finish off the refit.

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Naturally I'm going to respond to that, nothing tubby about any Oliver Lee design; the idea with the A22 as on later lifeboats is the fullish width but low coachroof gives buoyancy when heeled let alone inverted.

Try looking at an Oliver Lee design in the hoist - looks like a killer whale - or even better try helming a Hunter 420, 701, Squib, A22...:)

Edit, I took this from a Varne Folkboat as my own Anderson 22 crewed by my parents went by as if the Folkboat had stopped; fine reach, SW F5-6 off Hayling Foreshore. :)

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Seajet said:
Naturally I'm going to respond to that, nothing tubby about any Oliver Lee design; the idea with the A22 as on later lifeboats is the fullish width but low coachroof gives buoyancy when heeled let alone inverted.
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Sorry Seajet perhaps tubby was the wrong word what I mean with a wide beam in a short length is perhaps more pie shaped. This isn't just the Anderson 22 lots of other small boats are affected in the same way.

The point I'm making is the OP is looking for something with a slightly longer LOA which means you may only get a similar amount of accommodation but the proportions and hull form will look so much better and give far better handling.

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You clearly haven't sailed an Anderson 22 or any other Oliver Lee design have you ?! :rolleyes:

' Sweet handling ' is the most common comment. ask Jumbleduck on these forums and others

I have sailed virtually every type of Folkboat for a start, and the A22 handling knocks spots off them - and any other fin keeler I've owned or tried.
 
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Seajet said:
You clearly haven't sailed an Anderson 22 or any other Oliver Lee design have you ?! :rolleyes:

' Sweet handling ' is the most common comment. ask Jumbleduck on these forums and others

.
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Most of my sailing has been on up to date designs but I have tried a few older boats but generally find them lacking. I'm sorry I don't know jumble duck.

I'm sure your Anderson punched well for its weight in its day but as waterline lengths got longer and speeds increased I think it gave boats greater capacity to do more things and for cruising nowadays I think most people would want a bit bigger and faster. I think that's what the OP is after.

I can't remember, did the Anderson come with a choice of keels?

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