Does size matter! 26' or 32'

Boat size is personal...

Zagato, I know due to our correspondence and your posts that you are looking at this question vis a vis older, used boats. So there is an AWFUL lot of very useful advice and observations in this thread, so let me try to add some things directly at your situation:

1) Older boats do NOT, necessarily, increase in waterline length as fast as their overall length might make it seem - for example, a Nic 32 has a waterline length of only 24 feet! That is due to the racing rules of the time, and prevailing design philosophy that they influenced. Modern 32 footers have a much, much greater waterline length - some of them seemingly at least 31 foot at the waterline! As a result, an older 32 footer will not have the same hull speed as a modern 32 footer, and if fact may not have THAT much over a modern smaller boat in some conditions. As others have mentioned, the older 32 footer will have better characteristics in some conditions, regardless of waterline length...

2) Larger, older boats take more maintenance that smaller, older boats. More area to paint, more headlining to renew, more plumbing to revitalize. It doesn't SEEM like more, but when you get into projects having two sinks instead of one doubles the installation of water filters, new spigots, hoses, etc. The wiring is often more complex. especially as 32 footers will start integrating 240v power or shore lines, which many smaller boats will not have. Etc, etc, etc...

3) The converse of that is you will HAVE the advantage of 240V power on nearly all 32 footers, even if only as simple as an external power port and a single 240v outlet inside. If you spend any time in marinas 240V is a big, big comfort factor.

4) As has been mentioned, but I will repeat, the stowage on a 32 footer is so, so much greater, even on an old narrow one like my Nic 32. We keep wetsuits, a TV/DVD with external antenna, board games galore, plenty of clothing, and sometimes a laptop when we are onboard. We keep paper books and my Sony e-reader loaded with about 200 more. Basically, we can use the boat as a caravan even if we don't feel like sailing, or my crew doesn't like the look of the weather - and we DO, quite a lot. With a tube oil-filled heater, I expect to continue to use it well into the winter as a remote place to get some solitary work done this winter.

5) What I haven't seen mentioned (because we are mostly guys in this thread!) is that the GALLEYS of 32 footers are infinitely more accommodating to serious cooking than that on smaller boats. To my gf, if she couldn't cook on board using our Taylor double burner paraffin stove and warming oven, she would not enjoy her time on-board. And we wouldn't eat as well, and it wouldn't be as nice on longer stays. Having the stowage for enough foodstuffs, and the double burner stove and warming oven makes boat-cooked meals nearly the equal of home. If your wife or gf likes to cook, it is something to consider.

That's me done...

Cheers,
Robert
 
Bear in mind that although the difference in overall length between a Co26 and Co32 is 6', the difference between their waterline lengths is only 3' (6.4m vs 7.3m), so the difference in hull speeds may not be as great as assumed on the basis of LOA.

The Co26 sails like a dream, but you have to get used to bending or sitting when you are down below.
 
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Ouch but they are 20K looking at your link rather than 10k for a Contessa 26. The more I look into all this the more the 26 Contessa or Folk Boat fits the bill. I will be sailing single handed mostly and am not bothered by facilities below, the less there is the less there is to maintain and what there is should be simple and minimalist. Having got excited about big beautiful yachts and wooden classics what I really want is a big dinghy that I can sail single handed safely along the coast and just have FUN in.

I have just watched a video of two people sailing around the world in a Con 26 with a cat (second cat the first was washed over board!) they kept everything to a minimum with simple technology and equipment, rather like the ethos of mountaineering which I like. My wife and children would probably all get sea sick sitting in the boat for any length of time so the nice idea of using it has a caravan goes out the window - shame!
 
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Zagato said:
Ouch but they are 20K looking at your link rather than 10k for a Contessa 26. The more I look into all this the more the 26 Contessa or Folk Boat fits the bill. I will be sailing single handed mostly and am not bothered by facilities below, the less there is the less there is to maintain and what there is should be simple and minimalist. Having got excited about big beautiful yachts and wooden classics what I really want is a big dinghy that I can sail single handed safely along the coast and just have FUN in.

I have just watched a video of two people sailing around the world in a Con 26 with a cat (second cat the first was washed over board!) they kept everything to a minimum with simple technology and equipment, rather like the ethos of mountaineering which I like. My wife and children would probably all get sea sick sitting in the boat for any length of time so the nice idea of using it has a caravan goes out the window - shame!
Click to expand...

I understand your reasoning and it's amazing how much fun there is in the minimalist scene.
Two friends of ours, who are well retired, spend weeks away in their folkboat and get more pleasure from it than most people i know who have 'bigger and grander'.
The Twister (one of the later ones to be built) for 13K is new 'FOR SALE' on the Twister site and could be a real bargain if you'r up for some DIY, especially if he can be knocked down a bit.
P.S. if you want a ride on a Twister give me a PM
best of luck
S
 
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Thanks for the kind invitation and yes I did wonder about a project, the 13K one could be a good deal! I won't be ready to buy anything until next year but it would be worth keeping an eye on. It always takes me ages to research and decide about buying something significant but then that is part of the fun. It took me two years before I decided which classic car to buy :confused:

I have learnt so much in the past few days however thanks to this forum and the next step will be to actually go and look at a few. The twister has been recommended to me before so I will add it to the list - pretty boat :)

Chris
 
Zagato said:
... and the next step will be to actually go and look at a few. The twister has been recommended to me before so I will add it to the list - pretty boat :)

Chris
Click to expand...

As you have a list, I would add the Marieholm International Folkboat to it. Even less accommodation than a Contessa 26 but a great number of plus points. One of the most attractive GRP boats ever designed; looking at your CV I think it would appeal to you.
 
Zagato said:
I have just watched a video of two people sailing around the world in a Con 26 with a cat (second cat the first was washed over board!) they kept everything to a minimum with simple technology and equipment, rather like the ethos of mountaineering which I like.
Click to expand...

That would be BIKA I reckon? Seing him hunchbacked in the cabin was what put me off the Contessa! They don't seem to be doing much sailing either since their crossing if I'm not mistaken?
 
Yes, to survive long spells in a CO26, its a good idea to get used to lounging rather than trying to sit or stand. I'm lucky that when stood at the companionway, i jam nicley into the hoop in the roof - it's amazing what angles of heel you can withstand in that position (ideal height 5'7"). Due to the motion of a lon keeler, we often found ourselves carrying too much sail and this in the days before roller furling genoas, but it was always quite safe to clip on and change the jib and/or use the through mast roller reefing main.

The CO32 I sailed on was not quite as benign when overpressed, in my opinion, but a quicker boat, particularly upwind.

Rob.
 
Zagato said:
Thanks for the kind invitation and yes I did wonder about a project, the 13K one could be a good deal! I won't be ready to buy anything until next year but it would be worth keeping an eye on. It always takes me ages to research and decide about buying something significant but then that is part of the fun. It took me two years before I decided which classic car to buy :confused:

I have learnt so much in the past few days however thanks to this forum and the next step will be to actually go and look at a few. The twister has been recommended to me before so I will add it to the list - pretty boat :)

Chris
Click to expand...

Just seen another Twister at £13k in Davis's in Poole. Looks like it has a lot of good gear and it is very accessible for viewing. Suspect the low price is because it is composite construction (wood coachroof) which is known to give problems - but don't know if it does have them!

Defintely worth a look so that you can see what sort of boat you can get for a limited budget.
 
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doug748 said:
As you have a list, I would add the Marieholm International Folkboat to it. Even less accommodation than a Contessa 26 but a great number of plus points. One of the most attractive GRP boats ever designed; looking at your CV I think it would appeal to you.
Click to expand...

Thank you Doug for that Info. I had been searching under IT Boat with little success but spent last looking at the videos and reading all the info on the Marieholm - GORGEOUS Totally impractical with headroom of 4' 8" :eek: but it's a really beautiful classic and I won't be going down below much on my day trips. It's between a Folk Boat 25 and a Contessa 26 at the moment, I will have a look at each over the winter when I get a chance. I am pretty sure both are good for single handed sailing also.

Thank you again Tranona I will follow that one up.....
 
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Bika, They are in their third year of circumnavigation, and are still going, he is 6ft 7inches and she is very tall too, so they have to crouch in the cabin, I am 5'6" and can stand at the doorway but incline my head as I go further into the boat.

It is cramped in a Contessa 26 but like the mini, it just feels right (fun, zippy, neat)
 
The one draw back for me with regards to high coach roofs is not being able to see over the top when you are sitting in the cockpit sailing. All my fathers boats were like this which is a real pain (literally!) when you have to perch yourself on the side. There is a suggestion for Contessa owners to build up the seats by 6 " I believe but the Folk Boats lower roof means you can see over the top as it is. I suppose it's like tenting instead of caravanning - we sold our Van-Royce caravan this year and bought a tent!! Less to go wrong less clutter to take ;)
 
YOU ARE SO BEAUTIFUL TO ME......CAN'T YOU SEE.......(no the picture is too small!)
Folkboat
marie26sail1.gif
 
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Give me small every time. Sailing is a supposed to be a pleasure. Be honest with yourself and guesstimate how many days you live on board. For most its a week a year. I can handle my Evolution 26 singlehanded or two up racing. A 33 foot sigma needs minimum three to cruise and five to race.
As to bad weather I dont want to be on the water for pleasure cruising in a force 6 and when racing small boat plus big wind equals more buzz.
Finally, I was running a 34 foot racing yacht for a friend who wanted a bigger boat to do coastal races and live on board. At the end of the season when we did a debrief, taking into account costs and crew required, we could have sailed a sports boat with three less crew stayed in hotels and still had change from the cost of the 34 footer.
 
Nicholson 26

I was in a similar position to the OP last year and drew up a, lengthy, shortlist of 26 footers which I felt would offer the right compromise wrt sea-kindliness, seakeeping, maintainability and ease of single handing.
I eventually settled for the single cabin variant of the Nicholson 26; loads of headroom and plenty space for two to cruise in reasonable comfort. There's one for sale up at Holy Loch (not mine!) which is well worth a look.
 
Thanks for that I do keep looking at Nicholsons. I was pointed in the direction of a Nicholson 30 in Kent for 10K!

It continues to surprise me how much one or two feet makes such a big difference in boats - especially cost, probably about 10K between a 26 and 32footer across the board!
 
Zagato said:
Thank you Doug for that Info. I had been searching under IT Boat with little success but spent last looking at the videos and reading all the info on the Marieholm - GORGEOUS Totally impractical with headroom of 4' 8"
Click to expand...

What about a Marieholm 26? It's a cruising development of the Folkboat (yeah, like almost everything else nice looking) with a fair bit more room inside. I think they're gorgeous.

fotos_22.jpg
 
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