first boat

[cliffingram]

My wife and I are contemplating buying our first boat. We have a budget of around £10,000 and would like something capable of occasional passage making from Portugal to the Azores/ Canaries/ Madeira, for example.
We're currently looking at Sabre 27s, which are reportedly good sea boats, albeit a bit small. I'm also looking at a Dufour 29 but can't find any reference to its sailing abilities or its suitability to our needs.
Any views or info on this would be very useful.
Thanks.

 

[Dyflin]

Have a look at the Albin Vega or the Contessa 26, probably the best boats for that use and budget.

 

[MarkGrubb]

Elizabethan 29 may be worth considering, if you can find one for sale. Try here:
http://www.eoa.org.uk/brokerage.htm

Though they usually go for a little bit more, around £12k.

When I was looking, a lot of the old good little sea boats were in the £12k-£15k bracket, though there were some around £10k. You may have to increase your budget slightly to get one that's been looked after, with fairly modern equipment.

My experience, in retrospect is that I would have been better off paying more for a boat in better condition rather than less for a run down boat with the idea of refitting. The refit cost more than I saved, especially when I factored in the yard fees and purchasing tools and equipment.

Good luck.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Or a Carter 30 or 33.....

 

[NealB]

Halcyon 27 is very capable for that sort of price, too.

 

[BobnLesley]

I give another vote for the Vega, ours has done some of the passages you mention and coped admirably - she's got us safely to greece now. I would recommend a recently re-engined (Beta) example for preference, though such'd probably be a bit over your £10k budget

 

[NickiCrutchfield]

Have a look at Trintella 29, Pionier 9, Hustler 30. The trintella could be a bit over your budget, the Hustler should be about on it and the Pionier will be about £5-7K. That's what I would go for. You would have a 30 boat plus some refit money left over from your budget. Any of these will get you to the canaries in comfort (?) and they are all proven boats, two of which it just occurs to me are Van de Stadt. I've always liked his designs.
Nicki

 

[oilyrag]

The Dufour would be a more practical choice than the Sabre. They are generally good sea boats, sailing performance is good for a 'cruising' boat and with a lot of space for the length. If you can forgive the quirky interiors and styling (although the 29 is not too bad in this respect) you would not regret buying one. The most important thing in this price bracket though is to buy the boat with the best engine. you could spend nearly as much on replacing the engine as you paid for the whole boat.

 

[Evadne]

[ QUOTE ]
Elizabethan 29 may be worth considering, if you can find one for sale. Try here:
http://www.eoa.org.uk/brokerage.htm

Though they usually go for a little bit more, around £12k.

[/ QUOTE ]

You couldn't possibly go wrong with a Liz 29 /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif but then, I'm biased.

The one on the website is going for £12.5k, tho' that's usually at the top end, they can go for half that if you fancy a few months' restoration work. If you like the "old boat" look and you see a Liz 35 then that is definitely worth following up. A 30 is more modern, more suited to small family cruising but more expensive (£16k-£20k).

I see what you are saying about the cost of refitting, but when I bought my boat I accepted her as she was and put things right as I went along. I know the expectations these days (as voiced here and in YM et. al.) is to have a boat with all the instrumentation all singing and all dancing from the word go, just like buying a car or a television set, but it doesn't have to be that way. You could spend thousands rewiring and fitting electronic instruments that you never use from one week to the next, if you're not careful.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

.... and you'll be a better seaman if you can learn to be safe without a plotter etc, and then add 'em afterwards to make navigation 'easier' rather than 'possible'....

 

[SpaceCygnet]

We bough our first boat 2 years ago, an Albin Comfort 30. Our buget was €15,000 (euro), we were looking for a good, sea worthy cruising boat in the 25/27 foot range. Ended up spending a bit more, €19,000, for a slightly bigger and heavier boat but really glad we did. From a comfort and cruising viewpoint, the difference between a 26 and a 29 foot is quite big and worth spending a few thousand more in my opinion. As already mentioned, pay particular attention to the engine, as if it has to be replaced, you are looking at a big expense. I am biased, but if you come across an Albin Comfort, I'd snap it up!

 

[Avocet]

I ought to wave the flag for a Cutlass 27! similar to the Sabre, made by MARCON, good, heavy sea boat but surprisingly quick for the waterline length and very pretty too. Sails absolutely beautifully but very little space below!

 

[Bajansailor]

Try doing searches on Yachtworld and Boatshed, and see what comes up initially.
You can refine searches as well - for instance here is one for Yachtworld with basic criteria for a cruising yacht, in the UK, 8-12k GBP : http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listing/c...ddedSelected=-1

 

[charles_reed]

Buy the boat with the Longest waterline length you can afford.

LWL improves speed, motion and stowage!!