First yacht: am I making the right choice?

[yondcassius]

It must be easy to sail singlehanded. Eeasy because I've only sailed dinghies. Singlehanded because wife not keen. Given that she's not keen I don't want to push my luck so...Boat must be cheap say £5-7k max!!
Boat should be capable of (at least) crossing channel - even though I'm not.
I'm not asking much am I?
Anyway, I've been looking through mags and brokerage on the web and I've come up with a shortish list. Unfortunately I can't get it down to one. I need some expert knowledge/advice.
My first choice is a Hurley 22 (they've crossed the Atlantic and they're cheap) but once I seriously considered buying one the doubts st in. I keep wondering whether a folkboat (apparently a 55 year old grandma sailed round the world!! Also cheap) or Westerly Centaur (more headroom but more expensive tho) would be a better choice. I do want a boat that won't terrify my wife should I be able to get her on board.
Can any of you help with pros and cons of each boat. Or have I made completely the wrong choice for a 50 year old would be sailor?
Thanks

 

[AlexHall]

Hi both sensible choices, and both easily sailed singlehanded. Imight just reccomend that before you commit yourself to any boat try and get hold of the nearest sailing club/owners club where you might talk yourself into going for a sail on someone elses.

They would be sure to welcome another member. Another point to bear in mind is the maintenance of wood versus GRP.

Personally I'd rather have a Folkboat if coming up from performance dingies.

Ciao

 

[rob]

Hi again,

Try the Sadler 25, this is a great little boat, they are a real sailing boat will go to windward in a blow, wwill not frighten your wife as she is very stiff for a small boat, good accomodation (not too good on the headroom though) She will take you anywhere safely. Have a look at them try and go for a sail in one and see for yourself and ask on here about them, any problems will surely come to light.

regards rob

 

[halcyon]

Hurley 22 good choice, a chap I know sails on single handed and he's 70, may be small for wife and channel.
Folkboat is wood, cheap to buy but could be expensive to run, plastic one are not cheap.
If you want to get the wife afloat, look at 27 foot, Hurley, Halcyon, Sabre etc, any long keel to make single hand sailing easy, but buts cost up to around £10,000.
Stick with the 22,easy to buy a good one, easy to sell if you want to upgrade, easy to sail and as you say cheap.

Brian

 

[Guest]

Hi there,

The Hurley is a good choice ( although I'm pretty biased). For 5K+ you should be able to get a really good example.

Some things to be aware of though.

a) Engine, many have outboards > Battery issues. You may need to fit solar panels and/or wind generator. If you want to singlehand an autohelm would be useful which places demands on the batteries. O/B well isn't ideal situation.

b) Mast compression. A common problem with H22's. Symptoms include loose shrouds and leaks whilst underway ( especially beating). Can be solved fairly cheaply with support post, but takes up additional space in cabin.

c) Sounds daft but it's a bugger to get a tender on board. Not much space to inflate or store.

Sailing wise, easy to handle, responsive, predictable. Fair bit of weather helm but not too excessive.

Space, plenty for the singlehander. With a freind OK, with two a bit cramped. with three, must be REALLY good freinds. Also not much headroom.

Safety. Feels good. Small enough for the singlehander to be in control. 3 ton displacement gives good stability. As you mention some have crossed atlantic.

Before buying my hurley, I also looked at the centaur. My budget was <10k and at this price they needed a bit spending on them. I would have bought one if I could have spared the 13 needed. Space is fantastic in comparison, which is maybe important for a non sailing partner. I could go on for hours, but in short....

.....at this level every boat is a compromise. Hurley is good sailing /price. Centaur loadsa room/ more expensive, smaller westerlys, similar to hurley, but lots of other less well known boats pretty good too.


If you want more info on H22 the link below is a good place to start. Their Yahoo forum is excellent and very helpful.

http://www.geocities.com/hurleyowners/

Good luck
Jim

 

[stevebirch2002]

Check out the Albin Vega 27. Many have circumnavigated the world and with a long keel easy to handle. Check out www.albinvega.co.uk

Regards Steve B

Albin Vega "Southern Comfort" V1703

 

[Ohdrat]

Besides the Hurly there is also the Achilles 24.. preferable the fin keel..

 

[paulrossall]

Buy this months Sailing Today. See advert on page 167 for Macwester Rowan £6500. Very well built, has roller reefing genoa which is vital for a single handed boat. Fairly stiff ie. will not roll about over the place, has inboard diesel and the Yanmar is a good one. There is a good owners club. I met some single handed Rowan owners at a Macwester meet 2 weeks ago and they were well pleased and one chap had been all around East and South coast.
I subscribe to PBO and Yachting Monthly, but not Sailing Today (so hopefully this post will not be censored) and have a Macwester 30 so know something about the owners club.
Where do you live and where do you want to sail the boat?
Good Luck, I was in your position 3 years ago. Paul

 

[billmacfarlane]

The Folkboat is made out of wood , at least the ones that will fit your budget , and you'll almost certainly have to do a fair bit of maintenance on one. I'd stick to GRP. All the boats mentioned by other folk would fit your bill but I wouldn't worry about whether this boat or that boat has crossed the Atlantic etc. , because all it proves is that whoever was in charge knew what he/she was doing and in fact practically every model ever built in the UK has crossed the pond so it's not particularly relevant in your case. If your sailing with your wife who sounds as if she's not exactly enthusiastic about sailing then forking out extra for a little extra space and comfort and a deep sheltered cockpit , I'd seriously consider the Westerly Centaur or the Sadler 25 . Since you're coming from a dinghy background then the Sadler might be more rewarding to sail. If you decide to stick to your budget then look at a Hunter Sonata. Don't think that sailing single-handed is always easy - it can be but it depends on things like the sea state and winds etc.

 

[VMALLOWS]

I'm going to take a different tack to most of the others......I think, assuming you want to get your wife involved, that something like a CENTAUR would be the choice; though over your suggested budget (about 10k). OK, its more of a 'caravan' but will be fine to spend a few nights on in sheltered waters, and is more than capable of cross-channel trips, if you decide that's what you'd like (with a decent engine if you need it).

 

[Guest]

If you start getting into Centaurs or the like, then you are faced with mooring fees.
If you go for something like a Hurley or snapdragon then you can trail it.
I have a friend of 79 who goes to France regularly in a Hurley 20. Full sitting headroom and a party cockpit!!
It just means more attention to passage planning and weather.
cheers
KIT

 

[dickh]

Also look at the Halcyon 23 - you should get a good one with fin keel and inboard diesel for your budget but not with standing headroom.(my old one is for sale at Brighton Marina with a new diesel within your budget) Folkboats or their derivatives are also a good bet, good sea keeping qualities but cramped down below. Also look at the Westerly Pageant, like a smaller Centaur but much cheaper

dickh
I'd rather be sailing...

 

[Twister_Ken]

Wotabout a Contessa 26?

You might also find a slightly shagged but not too disreputable Contessa 26 at less than £10K, which is the epitome of a good strong safe seaboat that will take almost anything the weather can throw at it.

Also moderately habitable for two and easily singlehanded (years ago I brought one back to Lymington from Cherbourg solo, no problems)

Also a good owners' association (http://www.contessa26.net/), and the builder is still around if you want anything sorted

PS A Co26 won this year's Round The Island Race

 

[Guest]

I am not able to help here because I am in the same position of considering a first boat. Key factors being cost (10k or thereabouts), trailable. capable of coastal/channel crossing.

The Hurley 22 is on the list & I have seen writeup of the Red Fox 200E. Does anyone have views on this boat, though looking at the adverts, there does not seem to be many about.

Thanks

Nick

 

[johmal]

Have you considered a Jaguar 25.

They have reaonable space - later ones had more headroom.

They come in various guises : fin/bilge keels - and with inboard or outboard engines. Depending on what you want - you should find one in your bubget range.

My first yacht was a Jaguar 25! Happy hunting

John M

 

[Avocet]

Our first boat was a Leisure 17 which we bought for £1000. It needed lots of cosmetic work but we thought "what the hell, if we don't like sailing we'll get our money back"!

It was an utter joy to sail - really forgiving (if a little slow). We used it on Windermere and then on Morecambe bay - where the waves can be very steep but not especially big. We really trusted the boat. Accommodation wasn't much but we did spend the odd night in it. Recovering it on to its trailer was a bit of a pain but you could leave one afloat if you can find a berth. We sold it a couple of years later for £1500 and moved on to another boat (we naively thought all boats were the same). This was bigger but weighed about the same amount (that should have told us something!). It scared the living daylights out of us. If we'd had this as our first boat we might never have sailed again!

I beileve Folkboats can be a bit "wet" in a chop. Nothing wrong with this but it might unnerve the wife. Never sailed one but they have a great reputation. Also know someone who thinks highly of an Albin Vega (other than not going astern well under power) but I doubt you'll find one in your budget. Will you be sailing in an area where you want to dry out? If so, I'd go for a bilge keeler. I had an early terror of sleeping on a floating boat and trusting it to carry on floating while my eyes were shut! A few nights on a drying mooring were the answer.

 

[seaesta]

Everything said above is very sensible. If you want to stick to your budget then I suggest you give up all real hope of accomodating your wife during the passages and make up for this by sailing theboat to variuos places with your mates or solo and then treat your wife to a nice weekend to each of the places you sail to. Put her and you in decent accomodation, spoil her a little, and make sure she has a shortish day trip on the boat to ensure she feels part of the whole exercise. When it gets down to it few women do like to rough it - but they do want new experiences without discomfort.

A very strong go anywhere sea kindly boat is the Westely 25 (with inboard diesel)

 

[Guest]

If you want to get your wife on board regularly, then give serious consideration to a multihull. Many women dislike boats heeling, and most wives like something less basic than a Hurley.

My recommendation would be not to buy at this stage. Instead join one or two sailing clubs where you will find there are always more sailors looking for crew that the otherway round. Build up practical experience of different boats on the basis of which you can decide yourself. Dont listen to the pre conceived ideas of others, and do try a wide range of boats including multihulls. Its easy to buy a boat, but its not always easy to sell, particularly at the older and cheaper end.

Having said all the above, here's a pre conceived idea! For someone coming directly from dinghies, a Centaur is likely to be deeply boring.

 

[yondcassius]

Hi Jim,
Thanks very much for the advice re the Hurley22. They were exactly the things I wanted to know. Much appreciated.
Regards
Alan

 

[yondcassius]

Steve
Thanks, I hadn't considered the Albin Vega 27. I'll check out the website.
Alan