GT 35

[doris]

GT35.

A couple of months ago after the YM article on the new Stephen Jones GT35 there was an enormous amount of ill informed rabbit on the forum.

I have now had an extended sail on her, 250 miles, in both light and very sporting conditions. Let me assure the forum that she is a very worthy successor to the Starlight 35 and the like. She is extremely well put together, no creaks or squeaks, by the same yard that makes Gunfleet and Oysters and is a very fast dry cruiser which will embarrass a lot of the racing contingent.

The solidity of the build is quite extraordinary, just jumping into the deep and reassuring cockpit bears this out, and a beat into 30 kts, wind v tide, in the channel confirms it.

Lovely to sail a locally built and designed boat that matches or beats our Scandinavian/European rivals.

Northshore gone, hail the arrival of a new builder. I wish them the best of fortune.

 

[sailorman]

Correction
"used to " fit out some Oysters & now fits out Gunfleet Yachts

 

[vyv_cox]

Good to know that YM and PBO, who both gave the boat rave reviews, were perfectly justified in doing so.

 

[Sailfree]

No price on their website.

What is the price compared to say a Bavaria and then to anther good sailing yacht the Arcona?

 

[Tranona]

No price on their website.

What is the price compared to say a Bavaria and then to anther good sailing yacht the Arcona?

If you have to ask - you can't afford it. Similar price bracket (pro rata) to the new Rustler 37 and the Arcona 380 so won't be taking any sales from Bavaria!

 

[JumbleDuck]

A couple of months ago after the YM article on the new Stephen Jones GT35 there was an enormous amount of ill informed rabbit on the forum.

The general opinion was "superbly made, sails well, looks a bit old fashioned, rather expensive". Which of these do you think was wrong? Have they sold one yet, by the way? The owner of the company that builds them doesn't really count.

 

[doris]

The general opinion was "superbly made, sails well, looks a bit old fashioned, rather expensive". Which of these do you think was wrong? Have they sold one yet, by the way? The owner of the company that builds them doesn't really count.

'sails well, looks a bit old fashioned, rather expensive' are wrong.

She sails VERY well, does not look old fashioned and is not expensive compared to the competition. I am not going to comment on the Bavaria comparison. The self tappers in the toe rail discussion was done to death in the past.

I have no interest. I just get bored with tedious, ill informed, curmudgeonly prattle.

 

[JumbleDuck]

'sails well, looks a bit old fashioned, rather expensive' are wrong.

She sails VERY well, does not look old fashioned and is not expensive compared to the competition.

Same thing, matter of opinion, rather different point.

Thanks for your view, all the same. I agree that the Bavaria bashing last time was a bit tedious.

 

[eddystone]

Good to know that YM and PBO, who both gave the boat rave reviews, were perfectly justified in doing so.

That's good to hear. Just because I can't afford one (or any new boat for that matter) doesn't stop me hoping they succeed. I wonder whether they will suffer in comparison with other 300K boats from not having an established brand like HR and the resale value that goes with it. Looked on their websire and they are planning to build a GT 30 which is an update/refinement of Stephen Jones own Sadler 290 design, (but this time with a proper chart table) - that seems a good move. If they can build it efficiently at a price the market can stand it could be a winner and a refreshing change from the tendency of the remaining British builders to be driven into a small volume/very expensive niche.

 

[doug748]

GT35.
A couple of months ago after the YM article on the new Stephen Jones GT35 there was an enormous amount of ill informed rabbit on the forum.
I have now had an extended sail on her, 250 miles, in both light and very sporting conditions..
.

How do you get to have free goes? Are you thinking of buying one? If so keep us informed.

I think the only serious criticism from the august corpus was that the inside was too much like the fibreboard gothic of cheaper designs and that is was expensive. I understand the minimalist interior was specified by the customer.

Good to hear she sails well.

 

[robmcg]

I think their problem will be that there are lots of boats out there that sail 'well' but are priced more realistically. It may result in a severe lack of customers!

 

[doris]

Looked on their websire and they are planning to build a GT 30 which is an update/refinement of Stephen Jones own Sadler 290 design, (but this time with a proper chart table) - that seems a good move. If they can build it efficiently at a price the market can stand it could be a winner and a refreshing change from the tendency of the remaining British builders to be driven into a small volume/very expensive niche.

That could be one the few boats that might persuade me to go down in size. My only point would be....Does one need a designated nav seat. To perch on the end of the settee would free up space and still leave a decent nav station. Mind you one would have to put one visuals thru 180 degrees and that might be a challenge for some of the fossils on the forum!

Whoops, maybe I should get my coat.

 

[dom]

Mind you one would have to put one visuals thru 180 degrees and that might be a challenge for some of the fossils on the forum!

Why do you get so worked up over the "fossils'" view? I happen to think that the GT35 is a good boat and full credit to the start-up enterprise which designed and now manufactures it.

Like any luxury brand, GT will thrive if it delivers the quality, design and experience required in the luxury space. I personally don't think it has and this view has nothing to do with skint sailors as luxury product sales are increasing the world over.

 

[Tranona]

That could be one the few boats that might persuade me to go down in size. My only point would be....Does one need a designated nav seat. To perch on the end of the settee would free up space and still leave a decent nav station. Mind you one would have to put one visuals thru 180 degrees and that might be a challenge for some of the fossils on the forum!

Whoops, maybe I should get my coat.

The majority of sub 35' boats recently introduced have that sort of chart table as the emphasis is on using the space for cabins and loos. Paper based navigation that needs school desk type chart tables no longer seems to be at the core of sailing, so the space is no longer needed.

 

[eddystone]

"Proper" chart table or not the prospective GT30 needs to be made and sold in reasonable volume so that it can be built efficiently at a "reasonable" price, maybe comparable to HR31 or less. If it comes out at a silly price and sells less than a handful an opportunity will have been lost. Sadly GT might more easily achieve that by subcontracting build to Hanse rather than Windboats but there you go.

 

[sailorman]

http://www.windboats.co.uk/history/

 

[dunedin]

'sails well, looks a bit old fashioned, rather expensive' are wrong.

She sails VERY well, does not look old fashioned and is not expensive compared to the competition. I am not going to comment on the Bavaria comparison. The self tappers in the toe rail discussion was done to death in the past.

I have no interest. I just get bored with tedious, ill informed, curmudgeonly prattle.

Isn't the last bit rather tedious curmudgeonly prattle? People gave their (generally reasonable) opinions which seems reasonable on a forum.

As others have asked, what was the context for your getting on the 250 mile extended sail so we can understand the context?

 

[rogerball0]

I think their problem will be that there are lots of boats out there that sail 'well' but are priced more realistically. It may result in a severe lack of customers!

Exactly!

FWIW i don't think its ill-informed comment more a realistic appraisal of the product, if Southerly couldn't keep a brand alive with forty odd years of heritage behind it, it does indicate what the market conditions are like out there.

GT could take a leaf out of Varianta' book and build a stripped-down version but based on the cost of the current spec i dont think there'd be much of a saving to be had, but you know i hope to be proved wrong.

 

[Tranona]

GT could take a leaf out of Varianta' book and build a stripped-down version but based on the cost of the current spec i dont think there'd be much of a saving to be had, but you know i hope to be proved wrong.

Not sure that is a good strategy. The Varianta is Hanse's second go at recycling old models as "economy" boats and Beneteau tried the same a few years ago. Neither were successful. If you look closely at the prices you will find the economy versions end up at near the price of the ordinary models once you get decent cruising gear. Somebody with a budget of £100k wanting a 37' cruising boat is far more likely to buy a fully specced late model used boat than a stripped out cheap looking new one.

 

[rogerball0]

Fair point Tranona, just think they're in an incredibly limited market, mind you at that price point i guess they wont need to sell that many so may help secondhand values unlike my dear (yet very boxy, caravan-esque) Centaur.