I'm considering Rival 34 (skeg) or Nicholson 35- 36 (long keel) ?

[Piotr]

Hello every one. Im looking for long keel or skeg yacht for single sailing . Size 34-36 foot. I'm considering Rival 34 (skeg) or Nicholson 35- 36 (long keel) hull composite wooden deck. Price around 30 000 GBP. I would like to sail by her Greece from Portsmouth next year. I'm looking forward for some advice which boat will be better . Regards

 

[Wansworth]

Skeg hung rudders work effectively with vane gears and turn better in confined spaces….immho

 

[Tranona]

Welcome. Both are longish keel and skeg (if you are talking about the common Nic 35). Both are well respected ocean cruisers, although perhaps not the sort of boat you would choose if your destination was the Med. However neither is better than the other in any meaningful way. Both will be good for long single handed passages, although by today's standards rather heavy and slow. While you may well get and be able to prepare a Rival 34 within that budget unlikely you will get a good Nic 35. Remember these boats are getting on for 40 years old and given their type will almost certainly be very well used so don't expect to get a boat ready to go. Think about spending about 70% of your budget on buying the boat and the rest on making good, upgrading and preparation.

Good luck with your search

 

[V1701]

Focusing on particular makes/models might limit your choice - pretty much anything will take you to the Med so look for a boat that's not on it's original engine, has standing rigging less than 10 years old, good sails, canvas work, bunk cushions and a minimum of depth sounder & DSC VHF radio. If it was me I'd go for a boat with tiller steering and a tiller pilot, get a second tiller pilot for back up - a means of steering the boat while you mess about with sails, etc. is essential if single handed. You can use Navionics on a tablet for navigation. Windvane steering & AIS would be nice...

 

[Kukri]

Why do you want a wooden deck? Most people avoid them, and I know two Nicholson 55s that were built that way in the early 70s which have had their decks replaced entirely.

 

[Fascadale]

I have a Rival 34. Wonderful sailing boat Very capable of going anywhere except…,,.,

………………I would not want to sail her in the Med, very very unpredictable in reverse.

I used to have a long keeler: even worse in reverse

I would very happily sail my R34 from Northern Europe to Greece, but she would be far from ideal once there

As others have suggested, if you want to spend time in the Easten Med then consider buying a boat there……

 

[Kukri]

The red one is my boat. Not a Nic 35 but a very close relative, as you may see. The prop is just ahead of the keel.



I used to think she was unpredictable in reverse - until last Thursday, when an expert spun her on the spot and reversed her up a narrow lane of water between highly expensive boats and into a hoist.

I realise that I just need lessons.

 

[BobnLesley]

If you intend going to Greece with it I know there was a really well maintained Nic 35 recently listed with Williams & Smithells in Levkas - not mine, but a boat that I know and would recommend viewing if it hasn't already gone.

 

[Wansworth]

The red one is my boat. I used to think she was unpredictable in reverse - until last Thursday, when an expert spun her on the spot and reversed her up a narrow lane of water between highly expensive boats and into a hoist.

I realise that I just need lessons.

Confidence from not being the owner……?

 

[Kukri]

Confidence from not being the owner……?

He’s a YM Instructor and he tells me that the secret is lots of power and speed. I’m seriously going to book him for some advanced boat handling under power tuition!

 

[Gary Fox]

Hello every one. Im looking for long keel or skeg yacht for single sailing . Size 34-36 foot. I'm considering Rival 34 (skeg) or Nicholson 35- 36 (long keel) hull composite wooden deck. Price around 30 000 GBP. I would like to sail by her Greece from Portsmouth next year. I'm looking forward for some advice which boat will be better . Regards

Good evening Piotr, this type of construction is very bad, please do not consider wood and glassfibre to be good as a team, they will never work together to make a deck.
I am proud of your interest in English-built yachts.
I can tell you now that Rivals all have a very bad, low, waterline length.
Those Nic's are of course beautiful, expensive and sought-after (they hold afficionados' in envy, something like an old Jaguar car..), , and will have been used for amazing trips by illustrious yacht heros.
I like your keel views... for a trip like that, and hopefully longer ones in future, you should always be looking for a long keel.
I would also suggest a more versatile rig than a bermudan sloop or slutter. Not only crippingly less versatile, they do not offer enough opportunities for fun, compared to the ideal ditch-crawler's delight, and the ocean cruiser's confort, the ..

GAFF CUTTER. This is my boat, she is faster than those Nicholsons and Rivals, because her waterline length is only 2 feer lower than her Length on Deck', which is 34 feet.

Those crazy 1970's English yacht designers with their overhangs and sheerlines!

Where are you from mate? Many here speak foreign languages if you need. I am English.

 

[Tranona]

I like your keel views... for a trip like that, and hopefully longer ones in future, you should always be looking for a long keel.

I wonder how the 95% of the people who have made that trip, or indeed sailed all over the worlds oceans without a long keeled boat managed then.

Nothing wrong in preferring long keeled boats, nor owning them, but just absolute nonsense to suggest that they are always needed.

Could not imagine a more unsuitable boat than the one you posted for sailing to Greece from the UK on your own.

 

[Koeketiene]

He’s a YM Instructor and he tells me that the secret is lots of power and speed.

The secret is lots of power and speed in short, controlled bursts - especially in reverse.

 

[Kukri]

The secret is lots of power and speed in short, controlled burts - especialliy in reverse.

Yes; that’s exactly what he said.

 

[Tradewinds]

Yes; that’s exactly what he said.

And knowing how to bale out when it all starts to go TU

 

[Malish]

I have a Rival 34. Wonderful sailing boat Very capable of going anywhere except…,,.,

………………I would not want to sail her in the Med, very very unpredictable in reverse.

I used to have a long keeler: even worse in reverse

I would very happily sail my R34 from Northern Europe to Greece, but she would be far from ideal once there

As others have suggested, if you want to spend time in the Easten Med then consider buying a boat there……

Some years ago there were a series of articles written in the ROA newsletter concerning a chap (Malcolm Brown) single handing around the Greek Islands without issue in a R34. (Parts 9&10 in the Rival Roundup for 2003, available as a PDF on the ROA site if you join). He berthed bow-to and ran a kedge from the stern.

 

[Kukri]

John Passmore sails an elderly Rival extensively single handed but I cannot recall if she is a 32 or a 34.

An obvious point - it’s much easier to go astern in a boat with a wheel than in a boat with a tiller.

 

[BobnLesley]

...single handing around the Greek Islands without issue in a R34...He berthed bow-to and ran a kedge from the stern.

That's how we did it on the Vega and a Trident Challenger, much less aggravation and more privacy too; with the advent of the fortress lightweight anchors, even easier and more secure too.

 

[BobnLesley]

...An obvious point - it’s much easier to go astern in a boat with a wheel than in a boat with a tiller.

How so? Fitting a wheel does nothing for the boat's power characteristics or underwater profile.

 

[Kukri]

How so? Fitting a wheel does nothing for the boat's power characteristics or underwater profile.

No indeed, but it stops the tiller slamming hard over in astern, which is a real problem if you are really going backwards as opposed to just putting the engine astern for a “ kick”.