Fulmar / Beneteau 325

[Denek]

Hi all.
We are going to look at a couple of boats for extended cruising and have the two options above to look at.
They have both been re engined and re rigged and both have had upgrades
So question is which would you go for? Fulmar or Beneteau.
We were keen on a previous fulmar but the vendor took it off the market.

I also have another question, one of these has had an insurance survey in the last few days which I am told was a full survey by the current owner which I can have access to. So would you bother to have your own survey carried out.
The bennateau is looking best to me at the moment but I do like the fulmar too however the fulmar does only have cold water.
The thing I am bothered about the Beneteau is will there be enough storage space for extended cruising of say 3 months at a time.
As always your opinions would be appreciated

Thanks.

 

[richardbrennan]

The Fulmar was arguably the best boat that Westerly produced. It was bought by a lot of sailing schools for its excellent sailing performance and ability to handle rough weather. I have no experience of the Beneteau, but always assumed it was more race than cruise orientated

The main difference as far as layout is concerned is that most Fulmars do not have a seperate aft cabin, but this must be obvious to you. However, they do have an excellent leeboard arrangement for the saloon berths. I would not let the hot water issue put me off. I suspect many Fulmars have had this retro fitted, just factor it into the price.

I am sure that Concerto will be along who knows more about Fulmars than most.

 

[Concerto]

I am sure that Concerto will be along who knows more about Fulmars than most.

Here I am. I have a Fulmar, so I am very biased in my opinion.

I know very little about the First 325, so I checked it out on Yachtsnet archive. https://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/archives/beneteau-first-325/first-325.htm Its interior is slightly more modern than the Fulmar as it has an aft cabin and aft heads. The forward cabin looks shorter and certainly has a lot less storage space.

The greatest point in favour of the Fulmar is its sailing ability. Mine is a fin with folding prop, and it is relatively fast in all but the lightest winds, the bilge keel is about 5% slower. It has virtually no vices under sail or power. The interior layout was virtually the same through the whole production run of 444, which says they got it right. Personally I like a heads by the mast as it is more stable in rough weather. The quarter berth is large and probably slightly easier to enter than the First's double berth aft cabin - especially on the centre line. There are plenty of lockers in the cabins and the sail locker is massive. In mine I have a spare anchor, a 100% jib, a folding table, a collapsible ladder, an inflable dinghy, an outboard, buckets and brushes, warps galore, electric cables, and nine large fenders! The cockpit will seat 6 to 8 people in comfort, although recently I had 10. Do not worry about hot water, I only have cold water from a foot pump. The KISS comment applies for extended cruising and although hot water is nice, it is not essential.

In both boats I would also be concerned by the condition of the head linings as they are foam backed vinyl. This lasts about 30 years before requiring replacement. For the Fumar, kits are available from Hawke House. You can do the job yourself (very messy) or pay someone to do it for you.

I should mention many Fulmar owners keep them for years and years. I have only had mine for just over 4 years, but many keep them for 15 years or more. I know of several that had made transatlantic crossings and returned. Quite a number are sailed singlehanded, mine included, and going round Britian in one is fairly common.

Since buying my Fulmar I have been renovating it. There is a thread on the old WOA Forum web site. https://westerly-owners.co.uk/woaforum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2748&start=0 This was the second most read thread on the forum with over 19,000 hits. If you want to see the changes in photos, then they start here at purchase and show many of the things I have worked on with explanations. http://s1294.photobucket.com/user/ConcertoFulmar32/library/?sort=3&page=9

I am a WOA BoatLine member for the Fulmar, so would be happy to advise you on any Fulmar you might want to purchase, just PM me the details and I will take a look and make comments.

PS It would be worth reading the Westerly Wiki on the Fulmar, including the section on Maintenance and Repair. https://westerly-owners.co.uk/westerlywiki/index.php?title=Fulmar

PPS The Fulmar details on the Westerly web site are worth reading as well.
https://westerly-owners.uk/Fulmar/

Having an insurance survey is useful, but it does not require the same level of thoroughness as a full survey.

 

[matt1]

Beneteau first 325 equally solid performance in the rough stuff. "blustery day" did very well in the rough Fastnet of (2010?)

 

[jwilson]

Both are good boats: the First 325 is probably a shade faster, longer waterline, less ballast but deeper draught (except for a few shallow draught 325s). We have just listed a nice Fulmar at https://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/boats/h84918/h84918.htm and may well have a Beneteau 325 up for sale shortly. For harbour use the First has a better double berth.

 

[Denek]

Thanks guys.
I have read posts by you previously concerto and so I am pretty well informed on the Fulmar an I know it is recognized as a good boat. I also am aware of the westerly droop but was unaware that kits were available.
Both these boats look from the photos to have good headlining but can’t b3 sure till we see them in the flesh. They are both up for roughly the same price too and both in the area that we used to sail in and I would be happy to start our cruising here.
The Benny has everything required already and has been prepped for blue water cruising ( or so I’m told) and it also has a full cockpit cover which converts to a Bimini.
Both have been in current ownership for a long time.
I am struggling to find a reason not to buy them both. (Oh yes I don’t have enough money)
Maybe after we see them it will easier.

 

[jwilson]

One other difference: the Beneteau has a much more modern 'eggbox' inner hull liner than the Fulmar which is pretty traditional floors/ribs. Pluses and minuses for both constructions, and Westerlys were not quite as bulletproof/brick outhouse build as some fans seem to think.

I used to think French boats were flimsy plastic bathtubs, but actually most are pretty well engineered. I own one now, though it is one of the last of the Jeanneaus that had traditional single skin hull and floors through most of the structure.

 

[richardbrennan]

Another thing worth considering is that the Fulmar is fractionally rigged so the headsail will probably be easier to handle than on the 325. Looking at the pictures, the 325 would also appear to have a shallower cockpit. The cockpit on the Fulmar is very comfortable and the sheet winches, being on the coach roof, are very easy to work.

 

[Concerto]

Another thing worth considering is that the Fulmar is fractionally rigged so the headsail will probably be easier to handle than on the 325. Looking at the pictures, the 325 would also appear to have a shallower cockpit. The cockpit on the Fulmar is very comfortable and the sheet winches, being on the coach roof, are very easy to work.

I agree about the ¾ rig being more easily handled. On my Fulmar I also moved the genoa winches to the cockpit coaming as the 12" handle caught the sprayhood and upgraded them to Lewmar 43ST's.

 

[Denek]

The Benny has sold already so that’s now off the agenda.
These boats seem to sell very fast. We