Victoria Sponge
New member
Thanks very much for information and advice. 
Fisher 34
- Thread starter Victoria Sponge
- Start date
clyst
Well-known member
Heres the ideal boat -----shelter and Perfornance
http://www.theyachtmarket.com/boat...ats_for_sale/128836/?searchid=&page=&preview=l
http://www.theyachtmarket.com/boat...ats_for_sale/128836/?searchid=&page=&preview=l
Blueboatman
Well-known member
Perhaps what the OP might consider is a good sailing boat ( 'cos they seem
to like sailing boats) with a proper hard top dodger? And a couple of side enclosure screens.
I 'imagine' cos we don't know- that the OP is less likely to favour older style accomodations and may not have the time/ skill/ interest in doing up, taking on or continuously ( theoretically) maintaining an older boat.
Which is a shame because they don't come much better than a Nab 35 or a Salar40 both effortlessly within budget and with big simple engines and solid seagoing ability and genuine fast sailing locally or indeed off round the world! Pedigree, robustness, fit-for-purpose and great for inclement sailing areas too.
All IMO ' natch !
to like sailing boats) with a proper hard top dodger? And a couple of side enclosure screens.
I 'imagine' cos we don't know- that the OP is less likely to favour older style accomodations and may not have the time/ skill/ interest in doing up, taking on or continuously ( theoretically) maintaining an older boat.
Which is a shame because they don't come much better than a Nab 35 or a Salar40 both effortlessly within budget and with big simple engines and solid seagoing ability and genuine fast sailing locally or indeed off round the world! Pedigree, robustness, fit-for-purpose and great for inclement sailing areas too.
All IMO ' natch !
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Colvic Watson
Well-known member
The reason you come across as closed minded Robin is that you have fixed opinions with no quoted experience. I have owned cruiser racers, catamarans and lately a Colvic Watson 34. The Colvic Watson sails really well, not just 'surprisingly well'. It won't do much in less than 6 or 7 knots of wind but in 10 knots of wind on a close reach we ticked along nicely and in 15 knots we had no trouble keeping up with other cruisers. If you could quote real world experience you would appear more open minded. But don't take my word for it, the guys from Sailing Today took a CW 34 out and had no trouble getting 7 knots from her. Guess what, there are good sailing boats with a large engine and wheelhouse and there are bad ones; there are good cruiser racers and bad ones. Personally I'm open minded enough to believe that.
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Victoria Sponge
New member
Thanks for advice. Just as a matter of interest my OH is very skilled and capable in any 'doing up' that would be necessary. The limiting factor is more that we live 3-4 hours away from where we keep our boat.
Robin
Well-known member
Read what I said before again then please, because you have just confirmed precisely the narrow band of wind strengths that boats such as the Fishers will be OK in under sail, note as in 'OK' not sparkle. BTW I said nothing at all about Colvics, the discussion was about Fishers, which I personally find visually attractive but sadly not inspiring in the performance department.
I have no wish to upset Fisher owners or those of other motor sailers, but Lady Celestial asked for opinions and I gave an honest and unbiased reply.
All boats are a compromise, what has to be decided is the order of personal priorities at the time. My personal priorities have changed over the years related to both personal circumstances, mooring availability and of course finances. I still love to sail rather than motor so that a boat which sails well would be my first choice, but as I just said circumstances change and our new boat is actually a motor yacht on which we will cruise the East Coast USA and Bahamas, but which will also be our permanent home. We will cruise at displacement speeds and we are set up 'yottie' fashion with big (440W @48V) solar panels and propane cooking, but we don't have a mast or sails, changed circumstances you see. I have however made some provision for getting my wind driven fix from another owner nearby.
As to experience, read my profile plus we have cruised in company with two different Nauticat 33s, a Nich 38 and a Finnsailer far enough and often enough to know their limitations under sail alone, at least whilst they were still in sight behind. Mostly however they kept pace or even charged ahead by dint of burning diesel.
The important thing is not what I think but that the OP knows that they WILL lose sailing performance with a Fisher, even the bigger 37ft one, over their current Beneteau 323 but will gain an enclosed wheelhouse out of the wind and rain. Sadly they will not have the best of both worlds because at this size bracket it doesn't happen.
Victoria Sponge
New member
Thanks Robin, and everyone else. What we're trying to decide is whether we want to try and escape from the awful weather here, yet still sail, or whether we like our Benny more for the sailing, the comfort and the lack of up keep. We're talking it over.
Robin
Well-known member
Going a bit older but affordable, you might look at a Van Der Stadt Victory 40, a long keeled must have a bow thruster hull but one which can eat up the miles under sail given a little wind. Chris Robb of this parish had a very nice one and there are a couple in our YC but not for sale. No light wind performers but IMO a better sailing boat than the Fishers.
Have a look here http://www.simetric.co.uk/alma/
E39mad
Well-known member
The majority of my sailing has been racing in the Solent, Dartmouth and offshore in 35+ foot cruiser/racers or racing boats.
I used to work for Northshore and have sailed a F25 sloop, F34 sloop and F37. I was genuinely astonished at how well these boats sailed (no motor on) in anything with 15 knots apparent or more over the decks and no closer than 50 degrees to the wind. To those who say these boats don't sail on anything but a beam reach are talking utter nonesense! There is enough power in the rig to drive it with 12 knots apparent to make it enjoyable albeit at slower boat speeds to those mentioned below.
They have long waterline lengths and when powered up a F34 sloop with a Brunton can "average" 6.5 to 7 knots under sail and F37 can do half a knot to a knot more.
I used to work for Northshore and have sailed a F25 sloop, F34 sloop and F37. I was genuinely astonished at how well these boats sailed (no motor on) in anything with 15 knots apparent or more over the decks and no closer than 50 degrees to the wind. To those who say these boats don't sail on anything but a beam reach are talking utter nonesense! There is enough power in the rig to drive it with 12 knots apparent to make it enjoyable albeit at slower boat speeds to those mentioned below.
They have long waterline lengths and when powered up a F34 sloop with a Brunton can "average" 6.5 to 7 knots under sail and F37 can do half a knot to a knot more.
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FrancisRutter
New member
Francis
I moved to a Fisher 25 as I got older in order to keep out of the wind and wet and still be able to sail. You can helm her from the wheelhouse or from a tiller, though not the larger sizes of Fisher.
If you are interested in Fishers it would be worth either joining the Fisher Owners Association or looking at their website <www.fisherowners.org>
Now in my middle eighties I no longer need scintillating sailing. just some thing that still allows me to go to sea and has adequate sailing ability.
Francis
I moved to a Fisher 25 as I got older in order to keep out of the wind and wet and still be able to sail. You can helm her from the wheelhouse or from a tiller, though not the larger sizes of Fisher.
If you are interested in Fishers it would be worth either joining the Fisher Owners Association or looking at their website <www.fisherowners.org>
Now in my middle eighties I no longer need scintillating sailing. just some thing that still allows me to go to sea and has adequate sailing ability.
Francis
Victoria Sponge
New member
Icarus39
New member
Nice looking boats in a 'trawler' way. Anyone who thinks they are good at sailing clearly has never had a good sail
Trawler style mobo with a stay sail for me I'm afraid.
Trawler style mobo with a stay sail for me I'm afraid.
Victoria Sponge
New member
It all depends on what you're after doesn't it? I can personally see a lot of merit in trading off a brilliant sail for being warm and dry!
NormanS
Well-known member
If you can find one, a Cromarty 36 is well worth looking at.
Icarus39
New member
It all depends on what you're after doesn't it? I can personally see a lot of merit in trading off a brilliant sail for being warm and dry!
You're absolutely right ! I think life onboard one is good, I sailed on a CWatson in the past, nice to be a wheelhouse in poor weather, just don't be fooled that they are excellent at sailing ... Pretty looking boats too.
I think the day a fisher or CW catches me up will be the day I've run aground
Victoria Sponge
New member
Don't get me wrong, I personally like a bit of extreme sailing, but when you've had a summer like we've just had, the weather just gets to you!
Blueboatman
Well-known member
Good thread this.
3-4 hours commute to a boat does make older, more care-intensive types a non starter.
There are some interesting suggestions coming out of the woodwork, things that had slipped or never entered my wee mind.
The Chromarty 36, a Finnsailor.
Myself if the weather is crappy I like a woody interior, some sort of excellent heating and oil lamps, bit of a library etc.
Up on deck, so long as the boat sails well enough to make it's tide/ destination without resort to endless hours of motoring, I'm in!
Why not try a good full cockpit enclosure whilst debating the issue perhaps? Apologies if you already have this.
3-4 hours commute to a boat does make older, more care-intensive types a non starter.
There are some interesting suggestions coming out of the woodwork, things that had slipped or never entered my wee mind.
The Chromarty 36, a Finnsailor.
Myself if the weather is crappy I like a woody interior, some sort of excellent heating and oil lamps, bit of a library etc.
Up on deck, so long as the boat sails well enough to make it's tide/ destination without resort to endless hours of motoring, I'm in!
Why not try a good full cockpit enclosure whilst debating the issue perhaps? Apologies if you already have this.
Robin
Well-known member
Another observation. When we owned a W33 centre cockpit ketch, whilst it was an excellent boat the more forward steering position was in position A to catch all the green stuff in bad weather, despite the substantial sprayhood. When we traded up for a 41ft aft cockpit Jeanneau Sun Legende we not only got a superb sweet sailing machine but the steering position being much farther back was much much drier and we pretty well always sailed from choice with the sprayhood down. We could go upwind at our optimum 7kts at 28degs to the apparent wind (about 2000rpm on a Fisher...) in a good F5 with the hood down and yet still stay dry because the spray didn't reach that far back, but at F6 we would usually put the hood up, just to save putting on the wet weather gear.
For rain and wind in harbour, both these boats had full cockpit enclosures which made a huge difference to creature comforts. The cockpit was therefore every bit as usable on a wet and windy day as a sunny one and we always sat up there from choice rather than sit down below with all the boards in. In our case our home berth faced SW so the cockpit covers were used frequently with the 'lee' side rolled just to keep the wind off.
For rain and wind in harbour, both these boats had full cockpit enclosures which made a huge difference to creature comforts. The cockpit was therefore every bit as usable on a wet and windy day as a sunny one and we always sat up there from choice rather than sit down below with all the boards in. In our case our home berth faced SW so the cockpit covers were used frequently with the 'lee' side rolled just to keep the wind off.
dekaloc
New member
You are right..! We sold our Westerly Riviera and took a Fisher 34. A Riviera is rolling in quartering seas as well, as a Fisher does!
Advatage of wheelhouse is great and no compromise, like inner helm in Westerly Rivvieras.
Sailing abilities of Fishers are pretty well. Take a look of this movie in a wind of 18,6 kn app (minute 2:50).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OL9GVpuNMio&feature=related
I love my sturdy an pretty Fisher 34...!
E39mad
Well-known member
Good find Dekaloc