Csail
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Has anyone got one and any input welcomed.
Harmony 38
- Thread starter Csail
- Start date
Monique
Well-Known Member
Ooops... my post may be irrelevant. The one I know is a CC and looks totally different than the straight 38....
One of the nearby boats is a Harmony 38 center cockpit. Looks like a proper sea caravan with a large aft cabin and large fore cabin. High freeboard would give nice windage too.... Seem well built.
Shallow keel and short mast indicate a sedate cruiser. Only goes out when weather is totally benign; = twice a year.
Austrian built and they have no access to the sea... says a lot doesn't it?
GL
One of the nearby boats is a Harmony 38 center cockpit. Looks like a proper sea caravan with a large aft cabin and large fore cabin. High freeboard would give nice windage too.... Seem well built.
Shallow keel and short mast indicate a sedate cruiser. Only goes out when weather is totally benign; = twice a year.
Austrian built and they have no access to the sea... says a lot doesn't it?
GL
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Twister_Ken
Well-Known Member
Makes Austria sound a bit like Bavaria, then!
mattonthesea
Well-Known Member
imho
I chartered one once. The opinion of the entire crew was that they were trying to get in on the Bavaria market and that they had failed, badly! We christened her the IKEA boat because we wondered if she came as a flat pack. She had a safe but no water tank indicator, only two winches so if you were using the genoa sheet you couldn't do anything else on that side, a sideways facing nav desk and the stool for it was fixed, hard corners and right outside the st'bd quarter cabin. Ouch many times.
But I'm sure they will have improved on this in the last 5 years
I chartered one once. The opinion of the entire crew was that they were trying to get in on the Bavaria market and that they had failed, badly! We christened her the IKEA boat because we wondered if she came as a flat pack. She had a safe but no water tank indicator, only two winches so if you were using the genoa sheet you couldn't do anything else on that side, a sideways facing nav desk and the stool for it was fixed, hard corners and right outside the st'bd quarter cabin. Ouch many times.
But I'm sure they will have improved on this in the last 5 years
photodog
Lord High Commander of Upper Broughton and Gunthor
I dont think you guys are talking about the same harmony.... I think Csail is asking about the Group Poncin yachts built in La Rochelle.....
Company was started by the guy who restarted Dufour in the late 90's.... I think they went bust last year...(??)
I looked at a earlyish 34 and it left me a bit cold...I thought the interiro was not very nice, with countertops without fiddles... and a stark appearance overall... under winched... nasty looking hull/deck join..... the inboard genoa sheets looked both too short and too inboard to work effectivley.....
There were some nice ideas like the toerails, bowsprit... but overall dissapointing.
I think in the end they tried to spruce up the interior... but they didnt seem to sell well and as a result I think they will be difficult to shift, as they are not really modern in their style... and I dont think as functional as the big boys (JenBenBav.)
Frankly, I wouldnt.
But if its cheap enough and you like it....
Company was started by the guy who restarted Dufour in the late 90's.... I think they went bust last year...(??)
I looked at a earlyish 34 and it left me a bit cold...I thought the interiro was not very nice, with countertops without fiddles... and a stark appearance overall... under winched... nasty looking hull/deck join..... the inboard genoa sheets looked both too short and too inboard to work effectivley.....
There were some nice ideas like the toerails, bowsprit... but overall dissapointing.
I think in the end they tried to spruce up the interior... but they didnt seem to sell well and as a result I think they will be difficult to shift, as they are not really modern in their style... and I dont think as functional as the big boys (JenBenBav.)
Frankly, I wouldnt.
But if its cheap enough and you like it....
Bav34
...
The only Harmony that I have ever seen was a brand new one that tied up alongside us in Isle de Groix.
It had been towed in by a French lifeboat as the rudder had dropped off just NE of the island
It had been towed in by a French lifeboat as the rudder had dropped off just NE of the island
Nick Vass
Active Member
Harmony yacht
We bought our Harmony 34 new in 2008 and are very happy with it. As far as I know Poncin never made a centre cockpit CC yacht so I think that GL confused it with another make?
People often compare Poncin Harmony yacht to Bavaria but having sailed several Bavararias between 31' and 40' I would say that Harmony sail a lot better. Bavaria yachts are a little light and I found a 34 to be out of control in winds that our Harmony would have sailed through.
Our Harmony 34 is fast! Made excellent progress a few weeks ago on one leg between Dartmouth and Plymouth doing between 6.8 knots and 8.1 knots all the way. Did the journey in very little time.
Never had a problem with the hull to deck joint!
The Lewmar 40 self tailing winches are fine.
Cockpit lockers are huge.
Anchor locker is also huge and very practical.
The fold down transom with boarding ladder is fantastic.
Volvo Penta D1-30 goes very nicely.
The interior is a bit plain but the cabins are large and the beds are rectangular and spacious rather than being V shaped.
We have a massive fridge and the sink has a proper draining board. We actually like the interior.
The water tank does have a manual sight gauge on it. It has a 400 litre water tank! The plastic water tank is U shaped and filleted under the saloon seats so easy to get at and see the level. Perhaps the writer who chartered one did not lift up the seat and did not know about the gauge?
The Harmony 34 sails very nicely, looks good, is spacious, safe for our family and we are very pleased with it.
It is easy for people to knock them and rubbish other boats such as Bavaria but we must remember that boats like Twisters are not built any more! Uphams Boatyard and Tylers went bust years ago!
Other British sailing brands like Southerly, Sadler 290, Moody, Parker, British Hunter. Are they still around either?
We bought our Harmony 34 new in 2008 and are very happy with it. As far as I know Poncin never made a centre cockpit CC yacht so I think that GL confused it with another make?
People often compare Poncin Harmony yacht to Bavaria but having sailed several Bavararias between 31' and 40' I would say that Harmony sail a lot better. Bavaria yachts are a little light and I found a 34 to be out of control in winds that our Harmony would have sailed through.
Our Harmony 34 is fast! Made excellent progress a few weeks ago on one leg between Dartmouth and Plymouth doing between 6.8 knots and 8.1 knots all the way. Did the journey in very little time.
Never had a problem with the hull to deck joint!
The Lewmar 40 self tailing winches are fine.
Cockpit lockers are huge.
Anchor locker is also huge and very practical.
The fold down transom with boarding ladder is fantastic.
Volvo Penta D1-30 goes very nicely.
The interior is a bit plain but the cabins are large and the beds are rectangular and spacious rather than being V shaped.
We have a massive fridge and the sink has a proper draining board. We actually like the interior.
The water tank does have a manual sight gauge on it. It has a 400 litre water tank! The plastic water tank is U shaped and filleted under the saloon seats so easy to get at and see the level. Perhaps the writer who chartered one did not lift up the seat and did not know about the gauge?
The Harmony 34 sails very nicely, looks good, is spacious, safe for our family and we are very pleased with it.
It is easy for people to knock them and rubbish other boats such as Bavaria but we must remember that boats like Twisters are not built any more! Uphams Boatyard and Tylers went bust years ago!
Other British sailing brands like Southerly, Sadler 290, Moody, Parker, British Hunter. Are they still around either?
Sailfree
Well-Known Member
I did a test sail on a Harmony 38 when they first came out. The one I tried was built by Poncin and distributor was based at Hamble Point Marina.
IIRC it had 2 cabins and a aft storage locker/ could be quarter berth or workshop. At that time circa 2002? It was a fast cruiser and had done very well in the RTIR. Suggest you look up results. Fairly sure it was an aft cockpit.
As I had a Dufour 38 at the time that had been project managed by Poncin and was far better sailing boat that our previous Dufour 36 I was interested but the layout of the boat we test sailed was not suitable for charter market.
I was impressed with the way it sailed.
I think the confusion is coming in because Portway yacht distributors sold Dufour yachts and a range of CC yachts built in Austria that were called Harmony. I do not believe this range had anything to do with Poncin. I looked at various models at boat shows as I had bought 2 new Dufours from Portway. These Harmony yachts were a good value CC cruising boat.
Hope this helps
IIRC it had 2 cabins and a aft storage locker/ could be quarter berth or workshop. At that time circa 2002? It was a fast cruiser and had done very well in the RTIR. Suggest you look up results. Fairly sure it was an aft cockpit.
As I had a Dufour 38 at the time that had been project managed by Poncin and was far better sailing boat that our previous Dufour 36 I was interested but the layout of the boat we test sailed was not suitable for charter market.
I was impressed with the way it sailed.
I think the confusion is coming in because Portway yacht distributors sold Dufour yachts and a range of CC yachts built in Austria that were called Harmony. I do not believe this range had anything to do with Poncin. I looked at various models at boat shows as I had bought 2 new Dufours from Portway. These Harmony yachts were a good value CC cruising boat.
Hope this helps
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CFarr
Well-Known Member
Old thread alert chaps.
OP doesn't frequent here any more.
OP doesn't frequent here any more.
prv
Well-Known Member
I've never heard of these boats before, but surely that fact just adds support to the "marina caravan" accusation? A real boat has a second sink for things to drain in, otherwise they fall everywhere.
Pete
Sailfree
Well-Known Member
Reminder to self - look at date!!
Nick Vass
Active Member
Thanks CFarr
Probably best to keep your negative comments to yourself Pete, unless you have actually seen one of these boats.
I don't wash up whilst sailing.
I don't care if you think that it might be a 'marina caravan'. You don't own it. Plus you have not seen one.
We like ours, it sails well and looks good.
We have plenty of space and a sensible interior, which is why my daughter was sailing on it aged 3 months and still loves it now.
My son has his own cabin and all family happy to go sailing almost every weekend April to October. Spoent all of summer school hols sailing.
Can many families say that?
Caravan? Don't care what you think!
Many cross channel trips BTW. Lots of sailing even in rough weather.
You don't mention what yacht you own?
I would not think of rubbishing someone elses boat Pete
prv
Well-Known Member
I made it quite clear that I have never seen one, in order that people should not take my comments too seriously.
One comment about the washing-up arrangements seems a very little thing to get so worked up over, doesn't it?
That was rather the point
You appear to care a great deal, or you wouldn't have written such a ranty post about it.
Pete
Sailfree
Well-Known Member
Nick - don't react - all boats are a compromise. My 43DS is not the best sailing machine but it suits us especially as I am a social animal and enjoy company and drinks.
Most ribbing on here is done in jest.
Enjoy your own choice but also appreciate the qualities of other boats.
We had an Oyster 47 raft up against us this year. Lovely boat but I couldn't justify the investment so I will continue to enjoy our now 10yr old boat.
Happiness is appreciating what you have but you can still admire others!! That goes for boats, cars, motorcycles , properties and if you are brave - even wives!!
