Damsel in distress

[steve yates]

and a British built AWB from the v early 0000s.

Is there such a thing? I never realised. What was it?

 

[Concerto]

How about a Westerly Storm?

Last year I had 2 Storm owners on my Fulmar and both commented they wish they had bought a Fulmar. The interior design in the Storm has an aft double cabin and loo compartment, which pushes the main cabin forward. The down side of this is the mast no longer sits on the main bulkhead, so a substantial mast support passes through the table. Also the settee berths are now angle to the hull shape rather than parallel with the centre line and the wider side decks make coachroof smaller and the main cabin volume seems a lot smaller. The final difference is the cockpit is more exposed as you sit on an angled part of the deck which is more exposed than on a cockpit coaming of the Fulmar. The original Storm is slightly faster but the cruising version has a reduced sail plan and loses that advantage.

 

[penfold]

A bit nitpicky; the shape of the deck means the helm can get a wet bum if there's water coming over the deck, but 1. if it's that windy and enough heel for this to be an issue, the helm has a dose of press-on-itis and deserves a wet bum 2. the helm will either be knackered in 5 minutes due to the weather helm that comes on at that level of heel or need to have shoulders like a power lifter. Reef a bit, reduce the heel, reduce the weather helm and probably go just as fast. One thing I don't like about the Storm is the mainsheet arrangement, but again it's only an issue if racing or in a desperate hurry to get somewhere.

 

[benjenbav]

Thank you!
We went and had a look at 3 yachts today: from Contessa 32, Sadler 32 and a British built AWB from the v early 0000s.
I was mindful of the overwhelming advice from the thread (other than to buy a Twister!) - to keep my crew happy and consider the practicalities. It’s an amazing reckonner putting your toddler on a boat and seeing what happens, isn’t it?

Perhaps because I am the sailor and also the mother, if we were to have another baby the yacht would languish unloved for a time and I just couldn’t do that to an old classic. My father bought a lovely Centurion, and lavished so much love and money on her, and she still looked tired and was just as needy as the day he bought her when he sold her. It’s just not a runner.

So it’s well-built solid AWB for us, and I’ll still lust after the lines but I’ll also not have a mutiny on my hands. There’s nothing more miserable than an unused boat.

Well, I’d suggest looking at a variety of different yachts, picking the one that you like best or rather that you think will suit you, your family and your budget best.

I believe this brand is called ‘compromise’. Hopefully you will find a Compromise 32 that you will all enjoy.