hustler 35 vs fastnet 34 vs nicholson 32 etc any ideas welcome!

bikedaft

bikedaft

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hi, have had a halcyon clipper 27 since new, but have seen the above 3 boats for sale locally and bizarrely i can afford to buy one. 3 young kids, cruising west coast of scotland, but hope to get out to st kilda, norway etc in a few years when they are older etc.

plenty folk talk highly of the nicolson and the hustler, can't seem to find out much about the fastnet 34? the age seems to put folk off, but no different to our current boat.

my main concerns (i think!) will be hull, keel bolts, bolts attaching deck to hull etc

any thoughts would be much appreciated

cheers /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
I've sailed quite a few times on a Fastnet 34. Sails well, was raced successfully and always seemed strongly built. Many were home finished from hull and deck mouldings, so internally they may vary. The one I knew was very comfortable below.

The big downside for me is that it is the wettest boat I ever sailed. The late 70's design with rounded topsides draws waves upwards and inwards and dumps them onto the helm. I recall helming from Liverpool to IOM in SW force 5 and never had more water inside my oilies, before or since.
 
Nicholson 32 came in lots of different 'Mks' as they made improvements over the years. Very heavy and not a light winds boat at all, needs a fair blow to get going but might suit your neck of the woods. Engine arrangement was a bit odd on some I think with a prop hydraulically driven behind the keel. In all versions good luck parking it if reverse is needed.

Hustler 35s came in two versions, racing layout with pilot berths both sides and cruising layout with a dinette type layout but fewer built. Some racing ones had trim tabs on the trailing edge of the keel controlled by a tiny tiller below the main one. Some had tiller steering and some wheel. For a 35 footer space was not huge inside, we looked hard at them in the mid 1980's as a trade up from an Elizabethan 30 and decided there wasn't enough extra space then for the considerable amount of extra money needed. Very nice sailing boat though and the best by far of the three you mention.

Fastnet 34 I have only looked at from outside.
 
Nic 32's have encapsulated keels so no problems with bolts there. Excellent seaboats, they point very well and stand up well in a blow.
 
I had a Hustler 35 from mid 80's to mid 90's and have very fond memories. Lovely to sail and you knew it would keep going long after you gave up. Mine had been fitted out by the original owner so we ended up rebuilding a lot of the interior. Not big volume by modern standards but practical and loads of stowage.
Lovely to sail and great in heavy weather. Helm was heavy unless you got balance just right.
Encapsulated keel so no worry about bolts or corrosion.
I never heard of the wheel steered option and I don't see how it would have worked.
Feel free to contact me with any questions
 
I remember racing regularly against a Fastnet 34 It was very tender and heeled rather too much. The owner put extra ballast on the keel tip. I don't know if they are all like that but the boat was quite nice in most other respects.
 
Looked around couple of Nicky 32's and was smitten, they have the feel of being bomb proof.

However, number of berths is limited (unless you go for the mark 10 or 11 that has the quater berth). If you are thinking of cruising with SWMBO and three kids this could be an issue.

My SWMBO put a practical hat on (never seen it before or since) and forced the issue to a Fulmar. Now of course there has never been a better boat than a Fulmar, the gracious lines, the way she.....

I digress, my point was number of berths.

regards, Status
 
Possibly a good idea to have a look at each boat types association website to get an idea of support you may be able to glean and to see how many are for sale and at what price. As a long keel owner I recommend them in a blow. Some Nicholsons prone to osmosis but generally built like a tank. The Nic 35 a much better boat but more expensive.
 
Like you, I had a 27ft boat mine being a Trapper 500 then I bought a Fastnet 34 which is moored in Southsea. A truly phenomenal boat. Fast, stiff, tardis accommodation and a boat that is exceptional in the rough. A bit wet but safe. The aft cabin is a small honeymoon double, great for young kids. send me an email and I will dig out some photos for you. Lots home built and lots built professionally, so a bit of a mixed bag. Loads in Scotland where there is a very keen race group.

Richard.swire@btinternet.com
 
I must take issue with you, tender, not a word you would hear to descibe a Fastnet 34. Ni on 50% ballast ratio, stiff as old boots. You need at least a F4 to get going. And then they just keep on going the more you reef the flatter and faster they get. Fantastic boats
 
hi, many thanks for all of your posts.

tbh not too keen on the nicolson (1967, mk VI) as we go into a lot of small anchorages, and although they get a great name in pure sailing terms, the manouverability is likely to be an issue.

we will look at all three, from an accomodation angle etc. our current halcyon clipper has a deep sheltered cockpit, and would be loath to lose too much of that (woose, i know!)

next difficulty is what to offer in current economic climate...

thanks again, great website, forums etc /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
I found your short list rather odd. Would not have put the Nicholson in the same bracket as the other two. Old, narrow long keeler against more modern fin and skeg. Like twister ken I would not dismiss it on manouverability grounds, but on space age and condition - some of that age are great but many are really showing their age as you can see from the wide range of asking prices.
 
I own a Fastnet 34, and having sailed it 3000 miles down to the Med and back I can honestly say they are great boats!

I dont have experience of the otherboats you mentioned so cant compare directly, but she has certainly looked after us well in all conditions, and I have not experienced water in the cockpit that another poster mentioned, I have a spray hood so maybe that helps. I did once have two big waves from different directions meet each other at my bow, resulting in a huge one off wave jumping over the boat and landing directly in to the cockpit, it drained very quickly and just added to my confidence in the boat.

The slightly curved deck is a very good idea, it means that its flat whilst under sail.

There were several keel options, I would say mine is weighted a little more than current budget production boats and handles all teh better for it, she draws 6' if that helps you compare it.

They were built by several different builders in their time using the same moulds, and had some different interior layouts, I am not aware of any home finish option from the other owners I have spoken to or the sales materials that I have. Please feel free to PM me with any questions you may have.

Anthony
 
hi,

thoughts after looking at them,

nicholson 32, lovely seaworthy boat, nice wood interior, however small shallow cockpit with less stowage.

fastnet 34, hull, deck etc solid, however the one i looked at was not well finished in the interior (tho a lick of paint on the exposed grp would have made a huge difference for not much effort).

hustler 35, large deep cockpit, massive cockpit storage, well finished downstairs, great stowage downstairs too, so have agreed to buy her subject to survey not finding any major faults

would be happy sailing far on any of the three, but we will be mostly cruising with kids for a while, so went for the hustler. other fastnet 34's would probably be more cosmetically fitted out downstairs, doesn't affect sailing ability...

thanks again for your thoughts...
 
Hi! I've just registered as a new user and have sent you a letter about your questions comparing Nicholson 32's, Fastnet 34's and Hustler 35's.
I have a Hustler 35 and am totally smitten by her. Hope you receive my fuller comments about her specification.
 
hi, merryfiddler77 thanks for the info got your pm

there were not many hustler 35's made (?44) so if any other owners wish to get in touch to tell me common probs/how to fix them etc please get in touch! ours has just been surveyed, main 2 probs chainplate areas need strengthened and base of mast corrosion... and a whole list of the usual wee things to keep for the winter, but basically sound solid boat.

cheers

eddiecrawford@hotmail.com
 
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