Modern equivalent of Sigma33?

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Adjag

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We are looking to buy a yacht with the ultimate aim of sailing, slowly, around the UK in our forthcoming early retirement. Our needs/wants are:

-Budget £40k

-Mostly sailed by 2 people, I’m biased towards tiller steering as it’s probably easier to get at the sheets when you’re on your own on deck (?)

-Able to accommodate up to 6 for weekends with teenage kids

-Sails well (we’re ex dinghy racers) so my bias is fin keel. Some modern performance yachts are awfully deep though (e.g. Sunfast 32 is 6’5”) which might be a nuisance in our round UK adventure?

-Not too hard to resell when the time comes (which maybe means a popular model)

I am drawn to the boats I used to sail (Sigma 33, Fulmar, Sadler34) but the world has moved on in the last 30 years and the accommodation (and lower maintenance?) of modern yachts like the First 31.7 or Sunfast 32 is appealing. Any advice anyone?
 
Adjag said:
We are looking to buy a yacht with the ultimate aim of sailing, slowly, around the UK in our forthcoming early retirement. Our needs/wants are:

-Budget £40k

-Mostly sailed by 2 people, I’m biased towards tiller steering as it’s probably easier to get at the sheets when you’re on your own on deck (?)

-Able to accommodate up to 6 for weekends with teenage kids

-Sails well (we’re ex dinghy racers) so my bias is fin keel. Some modern performance yachts are awfully deep though (e.g. Sunfast 32 is 6’5”) which might be a nuisance in our round UK adventure?

-Not too hard to resell when the time comes (which maybe means a popular model)

I am drawn to the boats I used to sail (Sigma 33, Fulmar, Sadler34) but the world has moved on in the last 30 years and the accommodation (and lower maintenance?) of modern yachts like the First 31.7 or Sunfast 32 is appealing. Any advice anyone?
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buy an older boat, less £s more boat for those £s, better built :D
 
Closest thing to a modern Sigma33 might be the X-332, but they tend to be expensive.
At you budget, you are trading off newer boat vs longer boat, which is always a tough choice down to personal preference.
I would look to avoid sporty boats that are too dependent on crew on the rail for their performance. I say this having cruised an Impala, which although it sailed well enough two up, it was a different animal with some weight on the side.
 
Adjag said:
We are looking to buy a yacht with the ultimate aim of sailing, slowly, around the UK in our forthcoming early retirement. Our needs/wants are:

-Budget £40k

-Mostly sailed by 2 people, I’m biased towards tiller steering as it’s probably easier to get at the sheets when you’re on your own on deck (?)

-Able to accommodate up to 6 for weekends with teenage kids

-Sails well (we’re ex dinghy racers) so my bias is fin keel. Some modern performance yachts are awfully deep though (e.g. Sunfast 32 is 6’5”) which might be a nuisance in our round UK adventure?

-Not too hard to resell when the time comes (which maybe means a popular model)

I am drawn to the boats I used to sail (Sigma 33, Fulmar, Sadler34) but the world has moved on in the last 30 years and the accommodation (and lower maintenance?) of modern yachts like the First 31.7 or Sunfast 32 is appealing. Any advice anyone?
Click to expand...

As a current racer, albeit PY, I changed my old bilgie for a fin. For racing its great but for much of the UK coast a fin is a PITA. Wouldnt want to do what you are planning unless with a bilgie or a cat. Your "slowly " bit implies calling in lots of nooks and crannies which is ideal but rules out deep water marinas.

As for types of boats, maybe a Westerly Fulmar or Tempest bilge or a Sadler 34 bilge or a Moody 336 or 31 bilge. The Fulmar and the 336 both perform quite well in bilge forms but the 31 is sluggish All of these botas have a ready second hand market.

I used to race the 336 bilge and did quite well with it. If I had any sense I would still have it.
 
You are asking for an oxymoron ,the nearest boat to your description is the Arcona 340

Photos here

It is not in your budget. If you want something newer along similar lines then look at a second hand Maxi 1000 and here is a really nice one and it is about your budget Maxi 1000 I don't think you will do much better that this with your money and it will go like a rocket.
 
I second the Élan 333 as the answer. Fantastic sailing boat and great real wood interior. As an ex-Fulmar owner (and Fulmar fan) the Élan just feels like a modern version.
Otherwise search out the very best little used Fulmar in the country
 
Seven Spades said:
You are asking for an oxymoron ,the nearest boat to your description is the Arcona 340
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His budget is 40k . A quick look for second hand arcona 340 showed them at 120k. What is the point of your suggestion?

If he wanted an expensive new boat he could go better than an Arcona and buy a Southerly which would also give him ability to take to the ground. But thats nearer 180k.
 
wotayottie said:
His budget is 40k . A quick look for second hand arcona 340 showed them at 120k. What is the point of your suggestion?

If he wanted an expensive new boat he could go better than an Arcona and buy a Southerly which would also give him ability to take to the ground. But thats nearer 180k.
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Yes, the Arcona 340 would be way too expensive - but I would tend to agree it is in the same mould of fantastic small fast cruisers and a very grown up Fulmar (with an equally grown up price). (and no the Southerly wouldn't feature in that genre, good boats they may be for shallow draft purposes)
 
wotayottie said:
His budget is 40k . A quick look for second hand arcona 340 showed them at 120k. What is the point of your suggestion?

If he wanted an expensive new boat he could go better than an Arcona and buy a Southerly which would also give him ability to take to the ground. But thats nearer 180k.
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Er has asked for a modern equivalent of a Sigma 33 for £40,000 do you know the meaning of oxymoron? It was not a suggestion, I was just pointing out he could not have both.

My suggestion was the Maxi 1000 and it is within a whisker of his budget, a bit of arm twisting and he might get there. I also think it is a much better boat than the Elan others are suggestion, but that is only my opinion.
 
I have a Westerly Ocean 33 which was the modern replacement for the Fulmar and also designed by Ed Dubois. It would certainly meet all your criteria except perhaps price. They don't come up very often on the second hand market, (they only built 33), and may be over budget, but in the current market you never know!
 
A long shot as they are rare, but the Yamaha 33 is a superb seaboat, reasonably quick but will take any gale.

The interior is surprisingly traditional, ie no aft cabin.

I sailed one on a ym course with Solent School of Yachting, they reckoned it could take anything and I did get that impression.

They had two, one tiller steered one with a wheel; they were planning to remove the wheel and fit a tiller as it's more direct and intuitive.

I believe they fetch good prices but would have thought it must be within range - IF you are happy with the interior.
 
sailorman said:
I have read about new boats :eek:
spend £100k & get grief, no thanks
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But th OP asked for a modern equivalent of a sigma 33 so he doesn't want an old boat and budget is £40k not £100k. I would think a jeanneau, benneteau Bavaria etc would fit the bill
 
Seajet said:
A long shot as they are rare, but the Yamaha 33 is a superb seaboat, reasonably quick but will take any gale.

The interior is surprisingly traditional, ie no aft cabin.

I sailed one on a ym course with Solent School of Yachting, they reckoned it could take anything and I did get that impression.

They had two, one tiller steered one with a wheel; they were planning to remove the wheel and fit a tiller as it's more direct and intuitive.

I believe they fetch good prices but would have thought it must be within range - IF you are happy with the interior.
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A friend bought one of the ex Solent boats (tiller steered) last year, cosmetic wise was very poor but built like a brick out house and he got it very cheap it has huge space compared to my Sigma.
Like you say there are not many about but there is a very well looked after and speced Yamaha 36 in strangford lough I think it was on Apollo Duck (no connections etc etc)
 
Fascinating & very prompt input everyone - thank you.
Actually U have nothing against old boats, in fact a Fulmar/Sigma seems ideal, but I was concerned about sticking to what I knew 29 years ago (I've had a bit of a break from yachts!) & missing out on more recent "developments"
Out of interest Dunedin - what motivated you to move from a Fulmar to the Élan?
 
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