Ideal boat for the east coast?

[Paulfireblade]

That statement hasn’t aged well !

Don't I know it, crazy out there. You need to put 10% deposit down unseen within an hour of advert going live for a decent sail boat.

 

[Adios]

Don't I know it, crazy out there. You need to put 10% deposit down unseen within an hour of advert going live for a decent sail boat.

I wonder if its the furloughers buying them up? 80% of salary for a year with no expenses and able to take on a second job. Free time and free money.

 

[mrming]

I think it’s more likely to be people trying to make sure they have an option for UK holidays. The market for caravans and campers has similarly exploded.

 

[Adios]

Its going to be carnage in the marinas with all the new floating caravan drivers around

 

[sailorman]

I have an Achilles 24 at the moment, which I’ve loved but now I want to make the next move up.

Supposing you had £15-20k to spend and wanted something for the east coast around 28ft that would be easy to manage solo but also with room for two or three adults to spend a few days on board, that would provide an entertaining sail and not come with too many restrictions on where you could go. Something that you might take cross-channel or coast-hop further afield but no blue water voyages. Something with a bit of character but no big maintenance obligations. What would be the yacht you’d get?

These are my requirements and I have a small list of candidates but I’d like to see what other ideas are out there.

Most yachts can be setup for single handed sailing my las sail down the orwell was in my fine oyster37 aged 73 at the timehatd on the wind too i have sailed her extensivly on my own. A regular weekendtrip wasipswich to the pyefleet and back.i have a youtube video of one wetrip last yr a good auto pilot is essential?

 

[sailorman]

I have an Achilles 24 at the moment, which I’ve loved but now I want to make the next move up.

Supposing you had £15-20k to spend and wanted something for the east coast around 28ft that would be easy to manage solo but also with room for two or three adults to spend a few days on board, that would provide an entertaining sail and not come with too many restrictions on where you could go. Something that you might take cross-channel or coast-hop further afield but no blue water voyages. Something with a bit of character but no big maintenance obligations. What would be the yacht you’d get?

These are my requirements and I have a small list of candidates but I’d like to see what other ideas are out there.

Ine that is a joy to sail.

 

[Daydream believer]

, I htink I would lok for something like a good condition Sigma 33.

Cramped inside & the chances of finding a good one thathas not been raced to bits is slim. They are old boats now.
I see someone mentioned a Fulmar but at the OP's budget of £20K he will be lucky to get a good one. One left our club on the east coast, to get rid of it, for £10k , has been tarted up & sold for £ 19k. However considering the state of the blistering on the hull above the waterline & the condition of the boat one would suggest that £19K is too much for a boat well past its sell by date. A decent Fulmar would cost more.
As for creek crawling- Once one has been up one muddy ditch one has been up them all & the OP would soon start looking farther afield. I have rarely found my 1.800 draft a real problem - apart from timing in & out of my marina. After 18 years I am well used to it & it does not really worry me. However, being able to cover miles upwind is important to me on the east coast. A fin keel makes a difference to when & where I can go far more than if I had bilge keels.

 

[Daydream believer]

Friend of mine had a Seamaster 925 for a while. He tarted it up & sold it when he was offered a good price. Looked nice & sleek & he said it sailed well. Although bigger than the Op suggested they can be picked up for £15-20K. Possibly get one at the bottom end of the budget in Holland & bring it back to UK. Even with VAT on £14K it should still be in budget.

 

[xyachtdave]

Cramped inside & the chances of finding a good one thathas not been raced to bits is slim. They are old boats now.
I see someone mentioned a Fulmar but at the OP's budget of £20K he will be lucky to get a good one. One left our club on the east coast, to get rid of it, for £10k , has been tarted up & sold for £ 19k. However considering the state of the blistering on the hull above the waterline.....

I think I know the new owner of this!

 

[Kukri]

I had been thinking of a Trimaran actually, but not a Cat, though I do like the Catalac I really want a monohull. I like the heel.

I had the great pleasure of being invited to look over the ideal East Coast boat by her owner of 33 years (and builder for 13 years before that) - I refer to the well known Newick trimaran “Slainte!”

She isn’t for sale… but she ticks every box. Small sail area, easy to handle, very shallow draft and pretty shallow with the board down, goes like a rocket upwind and down, nice comfy cabin, with stove, stays upright when aground…

That, ladies and gentlemen, is the ideal East Coast boat!

 

[Tradewinds]

I had the great pleasure of being invited to look over the ideal East Coast boat by her owner of 33 years (and builder for 13 years before that) - I refer to the well known Newick trimaran “Slainte!”

She isn’t for sale… but she ticks every box. Small sail area, easy to handle, very shallow draft and pretty shallow with the board down, goes like a rocket upwind and down, nice comfy cabin…

That, ladies and gentlemen, is the ideal East Coast boat!

Is she the one at Neptune?

 

[Kukri]

Is she the one at Neptune?

Think she lives at Ipswich Haven. Lemon yellow. Was on the beach getting anti fouled at RHYC two days ago.

 

[Tradewinds]

This is the tri I was referring to -

 

[Kukri]

This is the tri I was referring to -

View attachment 121110

That is she.

 

[Tradewinds]

So a moot point - she's technically berthed adjacent to Neptune! Newick designs just have something about them don't they?

 

[Kukri]

So a moot point - she's technically berthed adjacent to Neptune! Newick designs just have something about them don't they?

Indeed they do! Particularly in this size. Every line looks “right”.

 

[fredrussell]

I had the great pleasure of being invited to look over the ideal East Coast boat by her owner of 33 years (and builder for 13 years before that) - I refer to the well known Newick trimaran “Slainte!”

She isn’t for sale… but she ticks every box. Small sail area, easy to handle, very shallow draft and pretty shallow with the board down, goes like a rocket upwind and down, nice comfy cabin…

That, ladies and gentlemen, is the ideal East Coast boat!

Although it’s hard to creek-crawl when your boat is wider than the creek you’re trying to crawl up!

 

[Kukri]

I'm a great fan of fine entries. Many of the AWBs from 20 years ago were very full in the bow and suffered as a result. I am pleased to see that recent boats are much finer, though their exaggerated beam aft doesn't always seem to work well. The one thing one can say about the larger freeboard of today's boats is that they can cope with a fine bow without becoming too wet.

That is a point often overlooked. Back in the 1930s when commenting on the design of my ex (boat!) Maurice Griffiths remarked on her East Coast bow.

In the West with big long seas a full bow doesn’t stop a boat as much as it does in a North Sea short chop.

 

[Wansworth]

A nice smack,pleanty of deck space ,pleanty to occupy yourself ,snugg with stove on anda delight to other people

 

[Kukri]

This is the tri I was referring to -

View attachment 121110

This one (note where she is anchored - inside the RYHC half tide mooring trot - floating on a heavy dew and “playing barge yacht”!) - I took the picture ten minutes ago.