First yacht advice please

[pompeydave]

Hello. I'm looking for my first yacht after 20 years of motor boating. I'm looking for a 23-30 ft bilge or lift keeler that has good performance, easy handling, good accomodation for four adults and if possible to be priced on the thin side of 10k. I've done some research on the net and bought the excellent 'Good yacht guide', but could do with a nudge in the right direction. Early possibles include: Leisure 23SL, Seawolf/Cobra 26, Hunter horizon 23 (suspect the 26 is out of my price range). Any idea's? Thanks in advance....



<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[dralex]

I have experience of small Hunters and have always been impressed. We had a Hunter Delta for a while. It was built in 1983 and cost 10750. I've seen them around for less recently. It's 25ft long and is certainly big enough for 4. It also has a separate toilet, which helps. I have also sailed the Horizon. Deltas sail well and can perform pretty well in local racing. The one we had also handled stronger winds well and had a very adjustable fractional rig with an adjustable backstay. they have 3 keel ooptions- Fin, BK and Lift. Only drawbacks are 1) does not quite have standing headroom-I'm 5'8".2) A bigger outboard has to be run with the locker open. For a small lowish budget boat, I'd be happy to get another one.

<hr width=100% size=1>Life's too short- do it now./forums/images/icons/wink.gif

 

[Evadne]

From the sort of boat you're looking at, the Jaguars (21, 23, 25 & 27 I think, though I stand corected if not,) ought to fit the bill as well. Often on the cheap side, tho' if so, usually for a good reason. Also the Mirage (28?), another lightweight, high volume, fast sailer, though I'm not sure about the keel options. The Westerly Centaur, an older design and slower will also be worth looking at. Very popular and easy to sell again if you decide the style is not for you. Brokers are often more familiar with more marques than you or I will have heard of, so it might be worth giving them your list with "anything similar" attached. For less than £10k, I think you will get better value from an older grp boat than a newer one. Good hunting.

P.S. Had you thought of going to the Moody's 2nd hand show that coincides with the Soton boat show? It's an opportunity to ;ook at a lot of boats all at once.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Cobra]

The Cobra 750 is a very spacious 26 footer. Keel options of either Bilge or Fin, prices vary between £9k up to £12k. A good solid sea boat that does sail well. Have a look on the Cobra web site www.cobra-seawolf.org.uk

Also have a look at the Colvic 26. Again a fairly high volume boat with either Fin or Bilge variants...however beware as to what you are buying as a lot of the Colvic 26's were home builds and standards DO vary dramatically. Again, pricing between £8k (shoddy) to £13k (all whistles and bells!).

Have fun!

<hr width=100% size=1>When God invented time he didn't give me enough of it. ND!

 

[Sybarite]

Go to the top of the site and click on "buying a boat". Put your criteria in. I suggest you try a search on price only and see what you come up with. You might be surprised.

I just believe that you may get more boat for your money if you take a European perspective than a purely British one.

John

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Jools_of_Top_Cat]

What about a Telsar Trimaran. Has performance that would keep you happy after mobo, loads of deck space. I think they will sleep four, albeit it a little cramped.

And they will fold up and tow behind a normal car at the end of the season, utilising a trailer type thing obviously.

Might be worth a look.....

<hr width=100% size=1>Julian

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.topcatsail.co.uk>

</A>

 

[Aeolus_IV]

I know somebody who owns one of these (assuming you mean the original Telstar Tri) - he beaches his during the winter and so avoids un-necessary marina charges. However - I'd have to dispute the comment about the speed of this Tri' - it may just be this example - but it isn't all that fast in general, and rarely keeps up with Aeolus.

As for the new ones - can't comment.

Regards, Jeff.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://users.swing.be/FDB/centurion/index2.html>Centurion 32 Web site</A>

 

[Piere]

COBRA 750 IS A GOOD BOAT . WE HAVE ONE HERE AT FOLKESTONE .
MY BEST ADVICE IS TO BUY THE BIGGEST YOU FEEL YOU CAN COMFORTABLY HANDLE/AFFORD , GET SOME TRAINING IF NEW TO SAILING AND NEVER OVERSTRETCH YOUR ABILITIES . I HAVE AN 'EYGTHENE 24' AND OVER THE LAST 5 YEARS HAVE SLOWLY PUSHED MY BOUNDARIES AS MY EXPERIENCE HAS GROWN . I NOW SAIL THE CHANNEL WITH NO WORRIES AND VISIT FRANCE BELGIUM AND HOLLAND REGULARLY . HAVE FUN ,ENJOY THE FREEDOM OF SAILING AND STAY SAFE .

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[pompeydave]

Ok, thanks for the replies everyone. As you can probably tell from the date of the last post, I like to take my time when making a decision like this! Soon after the original post was made I got married, then took voluntary redundancy from my job in the telecoms industry and went off in a completely different direction to do truck driving for 9 years. Having got that well and truly out of my system, I sold out and joined the civil service!

Now that I'm 9-5 mon-fri again for the first time in over 30 years, I'm finally coming back to the idea of a first yacht.

Only problem is that my budget this time around is tiny- not much more than £1000. I realise that this is going to severely limit my choice of boat to projects only, but I have 30+ years experience with grp motor boats, so I'm not a complete beginner.

So, I'm looking for something with the same criteria as before, but I'm realistic enough to know that I'm probably only going to find a rough 21-23 footer only.

Any updated suggestions welcome please

 

[Sandy]

Take a look on e-bay you should be able to pick something up for about £500.

Take a look at Snapdragons.

 

[dylanwinter]

this is a very sad post

look at how badly marriage damages our maritime aspirations

he went from thinking about a boat for £10,000 to one for £500

 

[Kelpie]

On the other hand he thought he might only be able to afford a 23ft boat for his budget.
He probably still can.

 

[webcraft]

.
Snapdragons have made some impressive voyages. I was on board one in the Canaries that had been sailed there from the UK.

The Cobra 750 is a wonderful boat, with a lot of space for a 25-footer and well laid-our accommodation. I have only sailed the fin-keeled version - and she sailed very well, surprisingly fast for what is a bit of a tubby hull - but people say the bilge keeler sails almost as well.

I don't know how tall you are, but standing headroom is an important consideration IMO.

- W

 

[dylanwinter]

On the other hand he thought he might only be able to afford a 23ft boat for his budget.
He probably still can.

thats the way to do it

 

[Tam Lin]

I wonder if this thread holds the record for the longest time between the OP starting it and coming back to it! I would also suggest eBay as a good place to look for a cheap boat, just be careful though!

 

[pompeydave]

I wonder if this thread holds the record for the longest time between the OP starting it and coming back to it! I would also suggest eBay as a good place to look for a cheap boat, just be careful though!

Yep, agree that Ebay seems to be a good starting point. I just missed out on an ex RN Foxterrier 22' trainer, fastidiouisly maintained, fully equipped and ready go, but needing a good cleanup, all for a bargain £1000. They had four, two bilge keel and two fin, but only have one fin left.

I've learnt a few things already from this forum when it comes to looking at a yacht. Hull springiness and weakening seems to be much more prevalant on yachts than motor boats. The stresses and strains of sailing and grounding with the tide on weak points, I suppose.

 

[lpdsn]

Only problem is that my budget this time around is tiny- not much more than £1000.

Ask around the boatyards for something that has been abandoned. Boat owners aren't immortal and often the relatives don't know what to do with the boat so boatyard fees just build up. Haggle hard with the yard if you find something.

Only GRP is easily recoverable from neglect. Make sure the hull is water-tight and it has a prop (if appropriate) and working rudder. You'll just have to hope if it has an inboard engine, but getting an outboard is a possibility. Also, give up if it has been soaked down below - there'd be years of work there.

After that, you're going to have to scrounge a bit and do the work yourself. For example, sails just have to be close enough to fit, so you can get second-hand.

 

[sailorman]

Hello. I'm looking for my first yacht after 20 years of motor boating. I'm looking for a 23-30 ft bilge or lift keeler that has good performance, easy handling, good accomodation for four adults and if possible to be priced on the thin side of 10k. I've done some research on the net and bought the excellent 'Good yacht guide', but could do with a nudge in the right direction. Early possibles include: Leisure 23SL, Seawolf/Cobra 26, Hunter horizon 23 (suspect the 26 is out of my price range). Any idea's? Thanks in advance....


<hr width=100% size=1>

Hi & welcome
its is better not to double post here as it gets confusing to all
God luck with the new boat & why a bilge keeler, if you are able to get an all tide mooring go for a fin/ deeper keel. It will sail much better

 

[pompeydave]

Ah, apologies re the mooring- in the intervening 10 years I've acquired my own tidal pontoon berth at Langstone, opposite the ECA. I always knew I'd come back to boating one day so took the plunge when they were cheap 10 odd years ago. I've rented it out since then but now it's vacant again and I'm putting something on it myself this time. It dries out to soft mud, so a lift keel would be best really, otherwise I'll be sitting there for some while waiting for the tide with a lot of bilge keelers.

 

[sailorman]

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?42328-First-yacht-advice-please&p=5137573#post5137573