Hallberg Rassy 352 v Westerly Oceanquest v Moody 346

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shaunb

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Anyone have any opinions on any of these boats? I am sat here surfing the net dreaming of my next yacht. I like all of these centre cockpit yachts as they have decent aft cabins. The heart says Rassy every time. But the aft cabin on the westerly takes some beating. What do you all think?
 
Ask an owner...

Almost all Hallberg-Rassy owners have owned other makes previously. If you ask an HR owner what aspects of their boat they truly value, they'll talk about the quality of construction, the attention to detail, the thoroughness of installation. Above all, they may be tempted to talk about the sheer satisfaction of ownership.

Now if you ask Westerly and Moody owners whether they'd rather own a Hallberg-Rassy....
 
Re: Ask an owner...

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Now if you ask Westerly and Moody owners whether they'd rather own a Hallberg-Rassy....

[/ QUOTE ]

As a Moody owner, would like a boat with the quality and the lines of an HR but:

One of my key criteria was to have a stern platform of some kind, for swimming, scuba diving, getting dog back aboard etc... and I'm sure I didnt find an HR with one.

In addition, I kept coming back to the layout of the Moody 44 with effectively 4 cabins and 8 berths as a preference.. and I found very few other boats which provided this.

So my answer is a bit yes and a bit no.... so I guess there will always be a compromise in some respects.
 
Re: Ask an owner...

I think compromise is the name of the game here. The westerly aft cabin is superb for a 35 footer:

http://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/archives/westerly-oceanquest/westerly-oceanquest.htm

We hope to do the ARC and some extensive cruising in 2010.

A boat I love is the S&S 34, this has had to be dismissed along with the Contessa 32 due to accomodation. Following these, I keep getting drawn towards the Rassy and the rarer Sweden Yacht 36!
 
Re: Ask an owner...

It isnt easy to compare these three boats because there is quite a price difference.

I would clearly recommend a Moody 346 as I am selling one, to buy another Moody (see my footer). I can't comment on the Westerly or HR not having been on either, but as there were over 300 Moody346's built, their continued popularity proves they are worth having.

You are right about compromise - the 346 is an excellent combination of sailing performance, accommodation, and seakindliness.
 
Re: Ask an owner...

I guess you are looking at between 60 & 75k for all boats, so not a massive price difference comparatively. The HR has had over 800 built of the 352 i believe. not sure on the westerly though
 
Re: Ask an owner...

Just noticed that "Moondance" is for sale at £56k, so please ignore my previous pricing comment. She looks a beautiful yacht too. How do you find the aft cabin? Is it large enough for 2 people to sleep comfotrably (The wife is only 9 stone, so doesn;t take up too much space)
 
Re: Ask an owner...

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I think compromise is the name of the game here. The westerly aft cabin is superb for a 35 footer:



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I can see a big plus for the size of the bed, but there doesnt seem to be much room to manouevre in front of it.

If I know typical SWMBO, they might appreciate the floor space on the Hallberg and the Moody, i.e. they can sit on one side of the boat, and have all their bits and pieces for doing makeup and whatever else they do, on the other side.

Have you been on board examples of each... That's what did it for me.... in a nanosecond.

Cheers

Richard
 
Re: Ask an owner...

P.S.

you should probably arrange to have a look at Nicks boat.... at least it would give you some hands on experience.... and you might own a boat by the time you leave <g>
 
I have a hr 352. I am delighted with it. All of the things I heard about their stability and sailing characteristics are true.

My previous boat was a 1974 dufour 35 which is also a very solid safe boat but the HR is far better.

There are many 352s around for 100k euros which is only 65 ish in sterling.

The aft cabin is fine and I am a 6 foot 17 stone fatty .

I have it set up for singlehanding with all lines led aft and it is a dream to sail. when you go out in huge sea with f8 you find yurself saying "now I know why people buy these things."

I would suggest that you look for a 38 footer they are almost the same money but the boom is higher and they are a little roomier in general.

I saw a blog a few weeks ago from a couple sailing the world in a 352 complete with watermaker, generator, and washingmachine.

If you want any more info pm me and i will send you a telephone number.

tony.
 
HR 352 boom height...

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I would suggest that you look for a 38 footer they are almost the same money but the boom is higher and they are a little roomier in general.

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The boom in the regular 352 is a little low, but many 352s were fitted with inmast furling which results in a higher boom with (for most people) adequate head clearance in the cockpit.

352s built from around 1986 have a slightly higher deck, giving more space inside.
 
Re: Ask an owner...

The westerly aft cabin is superb for a 35 footer:
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That's why the boat looks like a floating caravan. All Westerly's look very dated compared to HR's from the same era. Westerly build quality is also a bit questionable; their facilities in Waterlooville were primitive.
 
Re: Ask an owner...

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Westerly build quality is also a bit questionable; their facilities in Waterlooville were primitive.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm glad someone else has mentioned that first! What I have heard, from a reliable source, and you don't have to be Einstein to work it out, during the very unstable later years of Westerly, the build quality went up and down depending on how close they were to one of their several downfalls.

Buying a Westerly could be a lottery!

Westerly owners load your guns! I'm running as fast as I can!
 
Re: Ask an owner...

I had to peel the gelcoat off my Fulmar to cure osmosis. The "naked" hull was not a solid laminate as I expected, but full of voids due to poor quality control at Westerly. The Lloyds standards plaque screwed to the bulkhead of all Westerlies is no guarantee as to the quality of the hull.
 
Re: Ask an owner...

This why I've never been able to understand the high price or the following that Westerlies get /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
Re: Ask an owner...

Or the Swedes /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

If you had no life outside these forums you would only be aware of 3 sorts of boats:

1. Modern mass produced - JenBenBav et al (big, shiny & build to a budget)
2. Older British built "proper" boats. Moody, Contessa, Westerly, etc... (smelly, cramped)
3. The Swedes. HR, Najad,... (overpriced and build quality's gone downhill in recent years)

People seem afraid to abandon well trodden paths.
How about a Van De Stadt design, a lovely S&S, a Contest, or even a Kalik /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Not to mention one offs.
 
Re: Ask an owner...

... or dare I even mention....

....no no no! sailfree would be on my case! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Re: Ask an owner...

[ QUOTE ]


If you had no life outside these forums you would only be aware of 3 sorts of boats:

2. Older British built "proper" boats. Moody, Contessa, Westerly, etc... (smelly, cramped)

[/ QUOTE ]

Are you seriously suggesting that these fine craft are all smelly and cramped?

Can I be first in the queue to disagree?

Donald
 
Re: Ask an owner...

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]


If you had no life outside these forums you would only be aware of 3 sorts of boats:

2. Older British built "proper" boats. Moody, Contessa, Westerly, etc... (smelly, cramped)

[/ QUOTE ]

Are you seriously suggesting that these fine craft are all smelly and cramped?

Can I be first in the queue to disagree?

Donald

[/ QUOTE ]

Can I be second
 
Re: Ask an owner...

Hold on - I'll call "Crowd Control" /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Seriously though: years ago I part owned a Contessa 32 - the icon of British built yachts - and looking back - yes, it was cramped, smelly and not to mention wet. It was also a lot of fun to sail. It is - to my mind - a young person's boat. I also had to go sailing alone or with friends. No way were the wife and kids spending the night.
 
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