Help! Which 26' cruiser to buy?

[flipperskipper]

Help! Which 26\' cruiser to buy?

New to sailing (18 months), own a Seawych currently in use on the Norfolk Broads. Completing Competent Crew course this week, Day Skipper to follow.

Hope to purchase used cruiser up to 26' for Broads & Coastal use - possible cross channel. Seeking shallow draft, good accomodation & cockpit size, not looking for a racer! Like the look of the Horizon & Legend 26 also Macgregor 26.

Budget up to £15,000.

Would welcome any views on these, good & bad as well as any suitable alternatives. Please take account of my experience in replies where terminology is concerned!

Propose purchase in 18 months to 2 years time. All responses gratefully received.

 

[Tranona]

Re: Help! Which 26\' cruiser to buy?

Welcome to the forum - from a one time Seawych owner, good choice for first boat.

Legend and McGregor are very specific perhaps non-mainstream boats and an acquired taste. there are literally dozens of boats that will meet your brief but it is almost impossible to give recommendations without knowing mre, particularly budget. Prices can range from £5k for a reasonably sound 1970's boat to £40k for a new one.

Suggest you do some desk research, the magazines run regular features on different kinds of boats and narrow your choice down a bit then read up test reports and contact class associations. Websites such as Yachtsnet also have details of many different types of boats. Joining a club so that you meet and quiz other more experienced owners is also useful. You will then be in a better position to ask more specific advice.

Finding out for yourself is part of the fun of looking for a boat!

 

[peteK]

Re: Help! Which 26\' cruiser to buy?

As an ex seawych owner I found a Leisure 23 was a good step up from a seawych.A tidy one with an inboard should be under £10-000.Almost any boat over 22`will seem huge at first.

 

[Pye_End]

Re: Help! Which 26\' cruiser to buy?

For Broads and other use you are going to have to think fairly carefully about the ease of getting the mast up and down. You could do with a proper tabernacle which you don't see so aften in the coastal scene. Stepping using an A-frame may be possible with the right 26', although there is a difference between it being easy and being possible!

 

[LORDNELSON]

Re: Help! Which 26\' cruiser to buy?

Worth having a look at a 23 foot Seamaster sailor preferably the centreboard version, some had a mast that would lower (using a tabernacle - a sort of hinge at the bottom of the mast); probable cost around £6,000 to £8,000. Another option is the Westerly Centaur (26 foot, bilge keel) around £10,000 to £12,000 for a good one. Worth obtaining a copy of the Westerly Owners Association (www.westerly-owners.co.uk) book entitled "The Westerly Range" and looking at the definative guides on the WOA website. Good luck..

 

[Tranona]

Re: Help! Which 26\' cruiser to buy?

Somehow missed your £15k budget!

Anyway this still leaves a huge range of boats. You need to look at priorities. Regular Broads use requires easily dropped mast which limits boat size. Other major decisions are lift keel, centre board, twin keel. Inboard or outboard, sporty or family accommodation (not mutually exclusive but boats at different ends of spectrum are very different). Chances are this will not be your last boat so easy saleability may also be a factor.

 

[MissFitz]

Re: Help! Which 26\' cruiser to buy?

Another vote for a Centaur - we bought one as our first boat last year, very happy with her. Loads of space inside & out (we had four people sleeping on her this weekend), built like a tank (witness our head-on collision with a pontoon in Hamble, cosmetic damage only), sea-kindly & sails surprisingly well in bad weather.

Prices as above - altho if you're in the 15k category, you might want to look at a Griffin, the successor to the Centaur, 6ft headroom throughout, newer models & glitches ironed out (I gather).

 

[purplerobbie]

Re: Help! Which 26\' cruiser to buy?

Albin Vega
You would get a really nice one for £15k
Only downside (For you) is they are 27ft

Or a vancouver 27 but that has just blown your budget right out of the water.

Rob

 

[nathanlee]

Re: Help! Which 26\' cruiser to buy?

[ QUOTE ]
As an ex seawych owner I found a Leisure 23 was a good step up from a seawych.A tidy one with an inboard should be under £10-000.Almost any boat over 22`will seem huge at first.

[/ QUOTE ]

I was about to suggest the same thing. The Leisure 23SL is a massive boat for it's size, and you could pick one up in good condition for about 6 grand if you find an eager seller.

 

[RobBrown]

Re: Help! Which 26\' cruiser to buy?

We used to sail a Marcon Sabre on the Broads, out of Wroxham , with an A frame. Excellent Broads boat and plenty good enough for cross channel as well eg see Ken Endean's? London Apprentice trips. 27 footer I think and I guess should be within the top end of your budget.