Hi Looking for advice/opinions on yacht purchase .

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Adrian62

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We are returning to sailing after 15 years and have been looking at at Westerly Konsorts and have also seen a Hunter Horizon 273 , just looking at advice on the two options .Both about same condition , Hunter is 10 years newer , My wife is not a keen sailor and wants a stable boat . Would the Hunter be more lively as it is 2100kg compared to 3600kg of the westerly .Hunter is 40 cm shorter and 55cm narrower . Would be sailed mostly single handed and just coastal with the odd channel crossing . Which would be better value .
Thanks in advance
 
The Konsort every time. There is nothing wrong with the Hunter but the Konsort has good accomodation and a long waterline, meaning that it should make easy passages. I have sailed with many sailors with reluctant wives and keeping the ladies comfortable is a priority. The sensible ones have bought boats like Fishers and Island Packets, but a Konsort will be a much better sailor for its size, with a nice simple rig.
 
The Westerly Konsort will fit your requirements better. The fact that is 10 older is less important than the condition of the boat. Engine and sails are the big ticket items, so presumably, that the engine and sails on the Konsort are good. Good luck
 
I believe there is a website which gives comparable stats on stability of each vessel . This means for example you can compare stats eg sail area weight etc of say a Moody with other vessels of similar length say a rustler and a Bav up to a choice of 4 vessels . If you are looking for stability many more stable but assume that choice is between 2 named however you might also look at a Moody of like size but what it seems to confirm is weight counts when it comes to bouncing. A generalisation but newer boats tend to prefer to be sailed more upright than the westerlies etc.
 
Ashtead noted that "A generalisation but newer boats tend to prefer to be sailed more upright than the westerlies etc."

Especially so some of the boats with (relatively) wide sterns to accommodate double quarter berth cabins under the cockpit.
I am thinking in particular here about boats like the American Hunters (which are very different to the English Hunters).
I think the American Hunters were basically designed for typical balmy (10 - 15 knots max) summer conditions in North America - and they work very well at achieving what they were designed to do.
I have sailed on a few, and it is not just a case of they prefer to be sailed more upright - they HAVE to be sailed more upright.
Otherwise it is very easy for them to 'spin out' if over pressed.
And over pressed in this instance could be sailing (under full sail) in 10 - 12 knots, and then you get a 15 knot 'gust'.
Very different from Chuck Paine's 20/20 rule - this basically says that boats should be capable of standing up to full sail in 20 knots of apparent wind, without heeling more than 20 degrees.
I think that the weather conditions in Britain tend to be much more varied than North America, hence if I was looking for a 27 / 28 ft boat I would definitely choose a Konsort OR a Hunter 273 (or one of the many other fine vessels available) over a design like an American Hunter which is more suitable for calmer waters. .
Although the English Hunter 273 has a double quarter cabin, she still has a relatively narrow stern (compared to the obviously wide sterns on many other boats out there), hence her waterlines should be more 'balanced' when heeled, and she should be more kindly in a gust.
As noted, the Konsort is heavier than the Horizon, hence should be (relatively) less lively which should (generally) contribute to a more comfortable motion.
Lots of generalisations here, sorry!
 
I agree Konsort is much better for what you plan, I had a share in one for a number of year and we went as far as La Rochelle in one direction and S Ireland in the other from the Solent. The other big advantage of the Konsort is that a lot were made ( 2400?) and so there is a lot of choice out there. Prices I have seen on the Westerly Owners website in the last few months seem to vary from £8,000 ( and that one had a newish engine) to around the £15,000 mark with a few very optimists asking for £20k, which they will never achieve. Look on Westerly Owners website there are always at least 5 for sale, or place a 'wanted' ad there - you don't have to be a member, but it might be cheaper to join and then place the advert.
 
Thanks for all your replies looks a Konsort it is .
Rafiki said:
I agree Konsort is much better for what you plan, I had a share in one for a number of year and we went as far as La Rochelle in one direction and S Ireland in the other from the Solent. The other big advantage of the Konsort is that a lot were made ( 2400?) and so there is a lot of choice out there. Prices I have seen on the Westerly Owners website in the last few months seem to vary from £8,000 ( and that one had a newish engine) to around the £15,000 mark with a few very optimists asking for £20k, which they will never achieve. Look on Westerly Owners website there are always at least 5 for sale, or place a 'wanted' ad there - you don't have to be a member, but it might be cheaper to join and then place the advert.
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I saw one that was £8000 with good engine but on enquiring was covered in osmosis bubbles .
can you give a guide what we should offer pre survey off the asking price ,would 2 -3000 off a boat priced at 16500 be seen as insulting or reasonable ?
 
You should offer what you personally feel the boat is worth to you.
Remember that a boat is only worth what somebody is prepared to pay for it.
Re the 16.5k boat, this might be worth an offer of 15.5k to somebody else, and 14k to you.
In which case the owner will accept the other offer - if he receives it just before yours.
Conversely, he might be getting fed up, and accept your offer, and then kick himself if he receives a higher offer soon after.
Has it got a good engine, sails and rig?

Re the 8k boat with osmosis, how 'good' is the good engine?
Look up on osmosis threads on here, and see what the general consensus is - there are an awful lot of threads about this topic if you do a search.
You could just make an offer on it (never mind that it is already discounted, presumably because of the osmosis?), having done some research as to what the likely repair cost might be. And then maybe sail her, and monitor the situation, and then at some stage do the repair (if desired) later on.
 
Or the OP if he has units of time to kill might drill out each bubble by hand. I met a chap once at Gosport boatyard who spent weeks while doing this but he gained some satisfaction it seemed to me for a job well done.
 
The Konsort is definitely the better boat to choose. Have a look at the information on the Westerly Wiki. Konsort - Westerly-Wiki This agent has useful archive information. Westerly Konsort archive data - Yachtsnet Ltd. online UK yacht brokers - yacht brokerage and boat sales They also have details on the Hunter 273. Hunter Horizon 273 archive details - Yachtsnet Ltd. online UK yacht brokers - yacht brokerage and boat sales

If you are seriously thinking of buying a Konsort then join the Westerly Owners Association for £15.00 p.a. and includes lots of benefits including 2 magazines, the year book, access to technical pages for members only and access to BoatLine members for the Konsort for direct advice. About Us – The WOA have plenty of rallies and meetings for members, I have attended quite a few and organised some as well. You will be part of a large friendly family of yachtsmen and women.

You do not have to be a member to register for their forum. You can ask as many questions as you like and there are a number of regular contributors who have or had Konsorts. https://westerly-owners.co.uk/peepso-activity/

I sail a Fulmar, similar layout but slightly longer in a more modern hull form, so I am biased towards Westerlys. On the other hand I have also owned a Hunter, as did my brother who owned 2, but I would still choose the Konsort over the Hunter 273. Internally it has more volume and has a nicer wood interior, plus will sail faster and be more stable.
 
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johnalison said:
The Konsort every time. There is nothing wrong with the Hunter but the Konsort has good accomodation and a long waterline, meaning that it should make easy passages. I have sailed with many sailors with reluctant wives and keeping the ladies comfortable is a priority. The sensible ones have bought boats like Fishers and Island Packets, but a Konsort will be a much better sailor for its size, with a nice simple rig.
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Agree on all counts. Konsort a better choice than Hunter but being one of the "sensible" ones I have just bought a Fisher Northeaster!
 
Adrian62 said:
Thanks for all your replies looks a Konsort it is .

I saw one that was £8000 with good engine but on enquiring was covered in osmosis bubbles .
can you give a guide what we should offer pre survey off the asking price ,would 2 -3000 off a boat priced at 16500 be seen as insulting or reasonable ?
Click to expand...


There is no reliable guide to offers. As the others have said, if you like the boat bid accordingly but only after viewing the boat carefully. It helps tremendously if you have seen a few examples.

Only put in very low offers if you can take the boat or leave it, they are unlikely to succeed and you will end up viewing boats as a sort of hobby. An informed offer of £3.000 under would upset nobody.

PS

I would pick the Westerly as well it would be a better bet for Channel sailing; only show the Hunter to the Mrs if you are sure she won't like it. : -)
.
 
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