downsizing what 25ft ish fin keeled boat

I can't help thinking the real way to cut down costs is to avoid a fin keel like the plague !

I had a fin Carter 30 and the costs were eye-watering even on swinging moorings - which were also bleak places in the middle of nowhere - I tried about every option in the Eastern Solent area.

My club half tide mooring in Chichester Harbour is probably a lot cheaper than most people here would believe possible, it's a 5 minute row from the secure tender pen on shore, has 2 old pubs close by and lots going on to peer at.

A chum has a twin keel Seawolf 26, he is very experienced with performance boats, and rates the Seawolf highly as a sprightly family boat.
 
+ 1 Westerly Tiger

Quite big inside for a 25 footer well 25ft and an inch! Bigger inside than the sadler and sails pretty well too! plus you can stand up in it 5ft 11"

J
 
I too have heard good things about a Sadler 25 - doubt you'd be disappointed. Different type of boat, but the Contessa 26 is one boat in that size range I've always hankered after, but I suspect they may be out of your budget.

And I know you said not to mention your own boats due to bias, but if you come across one I'd say a Victoire 25 is well worth a look (see my profile pic). Dutch built, so there aren't that many in this country, but we find her quite spacious for a 1970s boat, reasonably nippy in light winds, we're very happy. When we bought her James Jermain was kind enough to reply for my request for info on Scuttlebutt with the comments - "D Koopman design built by Jachtwerf Victoria during the sixties. Looks a bit like an Albin Vega. Reasonably typical cruiser/racer of the times. Interior small by today's standards but five usable berths. Performance will not be up to current standards in terms of speed, but she shouild be seakindly, stable and safe for family cruising. Construction will have been sturdy but unsophisticated. May be problems with osmosis, hull deck joint and windows. "

Cheers
Patrick
 
Hustler 25.5,
Oyster 26
Sadler 25
Trapper
Seamaster 815
all great boats, I'd be happy with any of those.
But my choice would be a Superseal 26. Very quick and lively and float on a damp flannel.
 
In this kind of budget, I'd look for a smart, well sorted, well equipped boat of roughly the right type ahead of paying over the odds for a particularly well regarded design that needed money spent.
 
Plus another one for the Westerly Tiger; she'll take you anywhere and in all weathers, good build quality throughout and points and reaches well; pretty much a fast cruiser but also a good stable singlehander. Going astern when needed no problem;lifts her skirts with a cruising chute. Most are pre-loved and in fine condition, and prices about £6-8500 with recent re-engine Beta10 or as mine with Volvo2010,a great improvement over the MD1b Volvo as originally fitted.
The 120% genoa performs better than the 150% and I modified mine to 110% but full length luff like a blade.
As mentioned headroom throughout from 5'11" to 5'10"forward; and 6 berths possible, loads of storage in dry lockers. Cooker however without space enough for an oven.
About 350 built I believe, mine(T182) in 1973-4.

ianat182
 
Last edited:
ianat182 said:
Plus another one for the Westerly Tiger; she'll take you anywhere and in all weathers, good build quality throughout and points and reaches well; pretty much a fast cruiser but also a good stable singlehander. Going astern when needed no problem;lifts her skirts with a cruising chute. Most are pre-loved and in fine condition, and prices about £6-8500 with recent re-engine Beta10 or as mine with Volvo2010,a great improvement over the MD1b Volvo as originally fitted.
The 120% genoa performs better than the 150% and I modified mine to 110% but full length luff like a blade.
As mentioned headroom throughout from 5'11" to 5'10"forward; and 6 berths possible, loads of storage in dry lockers. Cooker however without space enough for an oven.
About 350 built I believe, mine(T182) in 1973-4.

ianat182
Click to expand...

As the man said! Pretty much perfect. Sold ours last year and she should have sailed to the Republic of Ireland by now.
 
Sadler 25 is a great boat - a friend had one. however, my Trapper 500 is just bit bigger and doesn't cost any more to run as far as i can see. obviously you'll pay a bit more in mooring fees being 8.3 metres as opposed to 7.6 but for maintenance and other bits there's not much difference. and the extra space does make a difference.
 
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