Moody 346 - any similar?

[CFarr]

I am looking for my first yacht and like the look and feel of the Moody 346 fin keel, good pedigree, large and fairly separate aft cabin, centre cockpit safety for SWMBO but they seem to come in at around 50k for a late 80's model.
The Sadlers, Rivals, Contessa's etc come in cheaper and are my personal choice (if only it was just mine to make) but they don't have the same room below do they?
I know the Ben, Bav, Jen brigade have all the comforts below but I would prefer the seaworthiness of one of the above when sailing mainly off the coast of Scotland.

What does the panel think?

 

[tidclacy]

Really down to what sailing you will do on a regular basis. Had a 346 when my girls were little. Great boat for family sailing, tough and safe. Many trips to Holland and France and around the East Coast. With little ones never went out in much more than a force 5/6 so cant tell you what she was like in a real blow. Yes they are expensive but do hold their price very well. Lots of room and storage below with all the comforts. Galley very good and reliable big 35hp Thornycroft engine.

 

[Tranona]

I know the Ben, Bav, Jen brigade have all the comforts below but I would prefer the seaworthiness of one of the above when sailing mainly off the coast of Scotland.

What does the panel think?

Have a walk down the pontoons in your area and you will find plenty of this kind of boat being used. Suggest you try one (plenty of charter boats available) before you dismiss them.

Alternatives to the Moody in similar price range are the various Westerlys of the same period plus more limited production boats like the Countess. However, all these boats are getting very old and vary in condition. Good ones don't come on the market often and sell quickly. Those needing work can be money pits.

£50k will buy you a 10-15 year old modern boat or a 25-30 year old older style. As you have discovered there is a trade of space/condition/price.

 

[Little Five]

A friend of mine has a moody 35 and the room, comfort and seaworthiness of it for coastal sailing is very good. He has been in a couple of big blows and she handles very well. Of that type of boat, I don't think you could much better for the money. Good luck

 

[CFarr]

If your SWMBO has made her mind up ......... live with it!

I know, I know. Was just hoping for something similar but more in the region of 35k!
I have sailed a couple of Bavs. A 38 that rolled like a pig all the way to Cherebourg and back and a 36 that sailed ok but was slowly falling apart down below.
SWMBO mainly likes the cabin arrangement on the 346. If sharing with another couple it gives a lot more separation and ones 'own space' than the normal AWB of that size.
If there was another make that had a similar arrangement but a smaller price tag, well, that might be worth a look.
As for walking down the pontoons in my area, it's a bit difficult when you're about as far away from the sea as one can get in the UK!

Thanks for all your responses so far, all grist to the mill.

 

[RobBrown]

Basically what is giving you that much valued personal cabin space is the centre cockpit, so concentrate on those designs. Personally I don't think you can do better than a Moody but other brands are allegedly available, and I guess Westerlies as mentioned by a previous poster are your best bet. If the top end cost is an issue, you could look at older Moody CC models, such as the 33 and 34, which should come in around the 30-40K mark. 34 particularly is just a 346 without the sugar scoop, but will be a little older- prob mid 80s.

MOA site has option for non member pot purchaser questions.

 

[fireball]

I know, I know. Was just hoping for something similar but more in the region of 35k!
I have sailed a couple of Bavs. A 38 that rolled like a pig all the way to Cherebourg and back and a 36 that sailed ok but was slowly falling apart down below.
SWMBO mainly likes the cabin arrangement on the 346. If sharing with another couple it gives a lot more separation and ones 'own space' than the normal AWB of that size.
If there was another make that had a similar arrangement but a smaller price tag, well, that might be worth a look.
As for walking down the pontoons in my area, it's a bit difficult when you're about as far away from the sea as one can get in the UK!

Thanks for all your responses so far, all grist to the mill.

£35k isn't going to get you much in a centre cockpit ...
When looking for our current boat we did investigate the Westerlies - - Falcon and SeaHawk - both at 34' - but neither offered what we were after and we were told the centre cockpit - with fuel tank above the engine (just below the cockpit) - rolled terribly down wind.

We now have a Bav 37 - It doesn't roll - certainly not as much as our previous Jenneau SO 30 - and it's not falling apart below either ... so sounds like you tried a couple of duff ones!

You won't get a CC Bav until you get up into the 38 ocean range - then you're talking over double your 'budget' - but I'm told they are nice boats!

The 34 (aft cockpit) would be stretching your budget anyway - so if it won't make SWMBO happy then there's little point in going down that road!

 

[Slow_boat]

I'm looking at similar for out long term boat, purely for the after cabin arrangement. The modern idea of a 'double' you have to crawl over the head of to get in, all crammed under the cockpit, is not ideal for long term, IMHO.

Also in the frame are Westerly Seahawk and the slightly bigger Corsair, Colvic Countess and Contest 33 which is rare but very good value with a big three berth (well, one single and a small double) after cabin which could be re-arranged to make a decent sized double.

Do bear in mind that such voluminous boats necessarily have a lot of freeboard, so it may be a bit of a jump onto the pontoon or to reach the cleats or mooring with a boathook. So it may be best for swmbo to drive while you do the jumping on and off.

 

[maxi77]

Why not look at a slightly older Moody 36, side passage to a good aft cabin with ensuite, decent saloon and for cabin.

A trifle biased as we have one for sale if you are interested.

 

[E39mad]

Southerly 105 - 115's are coming in under £50k now but likely to need to some tlc

 

[Tranona]

Westerly Conway ketch for sale in Poole. Asking less than £30k www.seakers.co.uk Looks all together but not as plush as the later Moody. As suggested the earlier Moody 36 has the accommodation and performance but not as "modern" inside.

Like Fireball, I have a Bavaria 37 and don't recognise your comments. Streets ahead of most older boats in terms of finish, equipment and usability (largely because it is only 10 years old) - but was a full time charter boat for 7 of those and has done more hours than most older privately owned boats will achieve in a lifetime. Little has broken or fallen off and has been all over the Med - now in UK looking forward to different kind of sailing.

However your budget of £35k limits you to 30 year old boats in that size range.

 

[BurnitBlue]

I bought a Moody 346 in the Med a few month ago. There are two Moody 34's in the Preveza Area for 34,000 pounds (each). Good condition, virtually identical to the 346. Personally I dont see the point in nit-picking between 20 and thirty year old models. At that age, past maintenance is what is important.

Buy one in the Med then enjoy a cheap holiday for the summer (imagine how much a three month charter would cost you) then sail her to UK in the Autumn if that floats your boat. Only 1.5 metre draft so three weeks up the canals. Win Win. No downside.

 

[V1701]

How about a Moody 33, certainly less than £35k but no walk through to the aft cabin. Or the 333 which does have stoop through to the aft cabin? Or more expensive but very nice Nic 39?

 

[jordanbasset]

Westerly Conway ketch for sale in Poole. Asking less than £30k www.seakers.co.uk Looks all together but not as plush as the later Moody. As suggested the earlier Moody 36 has the accommodation and performance but not as "modern" inside.

Like Fireball, I have a Bavaria 37 and don't recognise your comments. Streets ahead of most older boats in terms of finish, equipment and usability (largely because it is only 10 years old) - but was a full time charter boat for 7 of those and has done more hours than most older privately owned boats will achieve in a lifetime. Little has broken or fallen off and has been all over the Med - now in UK looking forward to different kind of sailing.

However your budget of £35k limits you to 30 year old boats in that size range.

+1, our Bavaria 38 is certainly not falling apart. She has served us very well on our trip into down and into the med, the only things to go wrong have been a couple of items common to most boats, tachometer and fresh water pump for instance. Yes, if over pressed in strong winds she has a tendency to round up but easily controlled by a reef or two in the sails.

 

[CFarr]

Thanks for all your thoughts gentlemen.
I have lots to think over now as well as some interesting pm's.
I didn't mean to rankle any Bav owners so sorry about my insensitivity there but can only speak from personal experience. Maybe the sails were shot on the 38 or something.
I'm unfortunately not in a position to jump straight away so some of the yachts available now will probably not wait for me.
Thanks again for all the suggestions and I'll keep you posted.

 

[AliM]

We looked at both Moody 346's and 336's a year or two ago, and preferred the layout of the 336 - less of a tunnel to the stern cabin, I seem to remember. Keep the 336 on the list. The build quality of the Moodys is excellent (that's just a statement, not a criticism of any other boat!).

 

[jordanbasset]

Thanks for all your thoughts gentlemen.
I have lots to think over now as well as some interesting pm's.
I didn't mean to rankle any Bav owners so sorry about my insensitivity there but can only speak from personal experience. Maybe the sails were shot on the 38 or something.
I'm unfortunately not in a position to jump straight away so some of the yachts available now will probably not wait for me.
Thanks again for all the suggestions and I'll keep you posted.

No problems, the Moody's I have been on are good boats and you will not go far wrong with them

 

[GrahamM376]

Have had Moody 346, now have 376. Both good boats although I prefer the latter. As you may know, the 34 (slightly cheaper) is the same hull as the 346 but without the sugar scoop.

If budget is tight, why not have a look at the earlier Angus Primrose range? Lots of them around, many in excellent condition and still doing circumnavigations.

 

[Shuggy]

You could try a Warrior 35 as an alternative to an old Westerly.

 

[richardbrennan]

I did some of my RYA Courses in a Westerly Seahawk and a friend has a Moody Excel 34. If security is the prime concern of SWMBO I would definitely make sure you take her for a sail in any of these centre cockpit boats around 34 feet prior to purchase. When heeled it looks like a very long way down to the leeward side and one gets the impression that one is sitting on rather than in the boat.