Great cruising boat suggestions.

Sybarite said:
On the Attainable Adventure Cruising site, there is a good series of articles on the conception of a 40' adventure cruising boat. It is being conceived by a small group of very experienced yachtsmen plus a naval architect and, by sticking with a very tight specification, the idea is to be able to sell it new for about $ 200000.

https://www.morganscloud.com/series/boat-design-selection-adventure-40/
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+1 when this comes out it will be exceptional but it is a big "when".
 
Allan said:
We are looking for a a new boat. It will be second hand. Maximum 36 feet, suitable for an Atlantic crossing. Suitable for two people and a few guests occasionally. We've looked at Hallberg Rasseys, Najads and Malls so far and would like some suggestions for other makes/models to look at.
Allan
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Hum! After much thought and a long thread .... I thin that you're a frustrated dreamer - super-screwed by fellow Cardiff club member Blue Bear who just went rtw in whatever boat he had .... while the rest of you yarned in the pub. You all love the idea that if he can do it well so can you ... but as far as I know he didn't much "ask around" in anything like this style. "I'm looking to buy some rope, suitable for climbing Everest, any ideas guys ?" seems like trying to lay foundations to a dreamy cloud, doesn't it? Yet that's pretty much what you've asked.

If you were real serious, you'd have this narrowed down, a lot, surely? Bigger is invariably better, and a nice fat modern-style boat will waft downwind better than most if not all snootier brands. BUT ...if you're openly hum iffy about single-handing anything bigger than 36 feet - even to the extent of planning around that factor several years (yes?) before the start.... I'm betting you might never go, ever. Not really.

Prove me wrong ... but you haven't engaged with any serious suggestions, and seem to have especially run away from the nice Jonic, the kinda guy who helps/ forces a daydream to become a reality ... or makes you realise that you're one of the vast majority who fancy the idea but will never actually get round to it, due to a thousand very valid reasons.

First reason on the list now being that the ideal boat very surprisingly isn't available for £60grand. Feel free to continue yarning in and around the bar along the lines of "oh yes, we're going to go soon enough, but it's all a question of finding the right boat isn't it?"

No, it isn't. It's a question of actually going.

Here's a couple of ideas for you..

1 If someone GAVE you a 70grand 36 footer right now - when would you go, hm? Next year? The year after? Exactly WHEN? This illustrates how far down the track you really are - or aren't.

2 One for your partner as well as for you : The TCM boat-buying gambit (again)

You arrive home one day (soon!) and announce that - good news! - you've found the right boat at a remarkable price cos the owner has sadly passed away - and you have put down a deposit! Yes, really! Only $55k for a 12-year old Halbrg Rassy (or whatever, make it up, but it's got to be believable to your target ...) So anyways, Hurrah, eh! Let's have some champagne! Wassername estate agent will be pleased to rent out the house for a few years so we can kick off the blue water thing next March or Apri! Or perhaps you invent a likely boat located in the Canaries - and the cheap Euro means this very possible so even better - you can cross the Atlantic THIS November or December.

.... and you wait to see what she says.

If she asks about the boat "what's it like?" then YOU say ooh, it's got a lovely cockpit, wheel steering and fab galley and fab blue-purple (whatever her favourite colour) upholstery in the saloon - and if she's all nice and positive and excited about it - she's IN!

BUT If she gets annoyed that you chose without her, or gets annoyed for any other reason - she isn't. You pacify her with saying that you can get the deposit back - but only AFTER she either has shown that she IS attracted to the fact that you've moved the dream along and completely solved the boat-buying problem - OR not.

Cos see - in fact any boat that you think will be ok will be sort of ok, really, at least to start. OK, actually your ideas of rufty tufty boats with slab reefing are not that brilliant cos if you think about it - those faraway places all have charter boats on offer which are all BenJenBavs aren't they? Yes. So they presumably last a lot better and are more suitable than a similar-priced but older gentleman's type rare -breed weekend upwind bash bash saily thing, see? Bit like buying a car in which you plan to do thousands and thousands of miles a year and chose it on the basis of it's roadholding and acceleration, instead of its reliability/fixability and lack of hassle. And likewise the ARC is also full of modern middle of the road boats too, and they're all fine. Nonetheless almost ANY boat will do, really.

Anyway - this tests if she's quite happy with the (current) obstacle course of impossible and nicely-distant vague boat-choosing that you've laid out which seems likely to last for quite few years yet, before perhaps well, something else happens such as ooh look, grandchildren, or oh dear, poor health so not very sensible right now, darling.

If you don't or won't do the test, well, that kinda proves that you too are happy in your not-yet-cruising-and-not-for- quite-some-time- yet-but-hey-i've got-reasons position. Which is fine, aside from wasting everyone's time but what the heck, we all love wasting our time here.

IMHO those who put these sorts of vague posts up - and especially those with a whole load of conditions attached and a unrealistically low budget - and ESPECIALLY if they won't even try the tcm "I've actually bought a boat" gambit - are actually extremely UNLIKELY to ever go long-distance cruising. EVER!
 
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birdseye said:
Allan. Can you think of a boat that hasnt been recommended in the 62 replies so far?
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Quite right. There is no shortage of boats in that price range that will do the job and appeal to most on the spectrum from lightweight flier to staid oldie, or from mass produced to semi custom. all elderly, though so care needed in buying.

Just a matter of choosing one from what is available for sale that you like and is properly equipped and then getting on with it.
 
Tranona said:
Just a matter of choosing one from what is available for sale that you like and is properly equipped and then getting on with it.
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Nope not entirely my advice..... Choose the type you really like at the lower price that has not been kitted out, hasn't had a hard life, that's in cosmetically, structurally and mechanically sound condition, then spend the remainder of the budget on all the quality things you really . Leave a small %age over to cover the things you didn't think were urgent for the second year of ownership... :) Simple!

S.
 
It's very interesting the way this thread has gone. I find TCMs post fascinating. My partner and I have no interest in a circumnavigation like the ones undertaken by yourself and Blue Bear. An Atlantic circuit is probably on the cards. The only firm plan we have is spending next summer visiting the rias of northern Spain. As Duncan mentioned above, I've done an atlantic circuit on a Moody 31. If we don't find the boat my partner wants, I'd be happy for us to take my boat, a Westerly.
There seems to be many people these days that sail off into the sunset. Good luck to all of those and the ones that only dream of it.
So far we've looked at a number of boats, HR, Najad, Starlight, Malo and Westerly. All have positives and negatives. We have more to see this week.
Any further suggestions are welcome.
Allan
 
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pvb said:
It's a sensible solution. However, HR buyers generally expect a teak deck, so if it hasn't got one it will be (a) more difficult to resell and (b) worth a lot less on resale.
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Though this thread seems to indicate that as it reaches the end of its life, the teak deak deters many purchasers.
 
JumbleDuck said:
Though this thread seems to indicate that as it reaches the end of its life, the teak deak deters many purchasers.
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I think if you have had a boat with a teak deck close to the end of its useful life and you have had to deal with the consequences you would sensibly stay clear on your next boat unless you could factor the whole replacement cost into the deal. Having just replaced ours I realise what a massive job it is to do it well. The deck hides a multitude of issues that are not visible until you get the wood off. We had lots of rot in the reinforcing sections under the windlass that needed lots of work to fix. The raised deck area also needed fully rebuilding.
I think if I ever sold my yacht, the photographic record of the rebuilding of the deck may help me sell it for a good price. The fact that the main deck are now glass and deck paint and leak free is worth a lot to me. The deck is now cool to walk on in the Caribbean sun and noticebly cooler down below. We still have 80 ft2 of teak to satisfy my needs but not on the main deck. The cockpit is new 18mm teak and epoxied down. It's lovely to sit on and will last a one time
 
My boat doesn't tick many of your boxes but it is an HR without a teak deck and its 35'

Not sure this thread is adding much except there is a glut of suitable boats about that would do what you wish.

Nic 35 seems best value with plenty left to finish it off
S&S 34 also comes to mind
If you could tolerate slightly bigger length there is a Moody 38 for sale on the pontoons behind me and it would be my preference at your budget point.
 
Allan said:
We are looking for a a new boat. It will be second hand. Maximum 36 feet, suitable for an Atlantic crossing. Suitable for two people and a few guests occasionally. We've looked at Hallberg Rasseys, Najads and Malls so far and would like some suggestions for other makes/models to look at.
Allan
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Looked at Sigma 362?
 
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