Moody 346 v Westerly Seahawk

Bajansailor

Well-known member
Joined
27 Dec 2004
Messages
6,495
Location
Marine Surveyor in Barbados
Visit site
I think I would go for a Moody, all else being equal in all respects, but this is just based on the aesthetic appeal - I think the Moody is prettier IMHO.
However I have never sailed on either vessel, and overall sailing ability (and everything else) would have to be considered as well.
 

Sixpence

Active member
Joined
24 Aug 2005
Messages
28,970
Location
Here, yah fule
Visit site
Moody seems to be quite a popular choice with quite a few freinds of mine but I can't offer much of an opinion so it depends what you're looking for really . Looks are one thing that I go for , but I also break the trend and go for what others wouldn't go for
 

Richard10002

Well-known member
Joined
17 Mar 2006
Messages
18,979
Location
Manchester
Visit site
I would probably lean towards the Moody because I own one, and thought it was the better boat at the size I was buying.

having said that.... from what I can tell anecdotally, both are reasonably well built and both sail reasonably well, so I guess it would be the one I like the look and feel of, coupled with the layout that suited me.

Cheers

Richard
 

Neil_M

New member
Joined
29 Oct 2002
Messages
301
Location
River Deben, Suffolk
home.btconnect.com
Considering the same question myself, having narrowed the field to these two, for a possible change in a year or so...

Love the Dufour we have now, but the kids are rapidly growing to 6'+ and its getting a bit tight in there!

Will be interested in your conclusion - there seem to be some good examples of both around.
 

TheArchers

New member
Joined
19 Jan 2007
Messages
37
Location
Bangor, NI
Visit site
I'll 3rd that question! We have just seriously considered both of those for our first boat.

We are still considering the Moody 346, due to it's re-sellability (did i make that word up?) in comparison to the seahawk. In the end we were also put off by the Seahawks' extremely high CC. For a family, both have extremely good accomodation. Both very seaworthy boats in comparison to the newer production boats (IMHO).

Personally we're now keener on the Moody, only because of the high CC on the Seahawk and the fact that we think it will be easier to sell than the Westerly. What about a Corsair? (Although if there was a decent one of those currently for sale at the right price, we would've bought it by now:))
 

jonic

Well-known member
Joined
12 Mar 2002
Messages
4,105
Location
Solent
www.jryachts.com
I took a Westerly Corsair transatlantic and beyond and loved her but sadly lost her in Hurricane Ivan see here . The replacement after much deliberation was a Moody, and we are very glad we went that route. Both boats are undoubtedly good, but the Moody has the edge. Slightly more refined all round. Good luck in your quest. There is a good 346 found by clicking my link below.
 

ostra4

Member
Joined
11 Jul 2004
Messages
291
Location
west yorks/Greece ionian
Visit site
We own a 346 moody and are delighted with the layout and way she sails .I am over 6 foot and dont find the access passage to aft cabin any problem but am agile .We went for Moody mostly on looks to be honest .Im sure both have their merits .Good luck with your choice .
 

kengill

New member
Joined
12 Sep 2005
Messages
1,319
Location
Me Cambridgeshire. Boat east coast.
Visit site
If you want to have fun as a family and tend to restrict sailing to F7 or less then go for the Moody - If you like life with the toerail buried and don't go out unless the winds over a six go for the Westerly.

Both great boats for their afficionados. me? I like the Moody best. But that's my opinion. What do you want to use it for?
 

andymcp

New member
Joined
14 Jan 2004
Messages
1,463
Location
Glasgow
Visit site
[ QUOTE ]
Similar price, similar condition. Which would you go for ?

[/ QUOTE ]
The Moody. As a kid, it was my favourite boat. My Dad chartered one for a week and I loved it then, still do. Whenever I see one to this day, I always get the urge to just go buy one. Last year in Greece we tied up next to one for the evening and the lovely owners confirmed that they are a joy to live with. My only reason for not having bought one is our third child's arrival - so the kids would now need to expand into using the saloon at bed-time and that's a no-no for me.

That leaves the sensible CC choice for me between a 376 or a Corsair where there's a nav berth. Strangely, I'd opt for the Corsair of those two..... no idea why. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 

BlueSkyNick

Active member
Joined
29 Apr 2003
Messages
11,766
Location
Near a marina, sailing club and pub
Visit site
I wouldnt even waste petrol going to look at a Seahawk, but I would say that having just sold a 346 and bought another Moody.

The Seahawk is one of three designs, I believe, based on the same hull which makes them a compromise - the others being the aft cockpit Falcon and the carbunkle called a Riviera.

The objective evidence is in the numbers - there were over 300 Moody 34/346's built and ours was sold for more than her new value in 1990. They are sought after as an excellent allrounder for good reasons.

There are much fewer Seahawks (cant quote the numbers) because they were not as popular when new, and therefore not as likely to hold there value now.

All IMHO of course.
 

mplant

New member
Joined
11 Apr 2007
Messages
2
Visit site
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I prefer the westerly thats why I bought one! She sails like a dream and is an excellent sea boat. My engineer who does my maintainance can't believe the build quality, mine has a Lloyds certificate on the bulkhead! I like the high centre cockpit because I like to look down on all the Moody owners! Best wishes with your search
 

wragges

New member
Joined
7 Nov 2005
Messages
145
Location
Nottingham, UK
www.minstercomputers.com
It's not as simple as which is best. It really depends upon what your selection criteron are, .e.g racing, family, space, crew, kids etc.

After veiwing more than 20 general designs we settled on the same list. Seahawk vs. 346. We then looked at at least 4 examples of each before settling on the Seahawk 34.

Initially observations: the seahawk is far roomier (especially galley and aft cabin). The heads is a little small (me being 21 stone and 6'1), but more in keeping with a narrower 34 footer. You wont find an aft cabin that nice and roomy in anything else short of 39' LOA.

The moody's all felt a little plasticy inside than the seahawk which has mainly all-wood finish with no plastic showing. The seahawk certainly feels better built and has a bullet-proof hull and rig, and Lloyd build certification.

However, she is not the fastest boat around, that being said this weekend we were doing 7.2kts with 20kts over the deck and climbing to windward! Many lighter boats around us were reefing down with gust of f5-6 but our seahawk loved it.

We've got the fin keel version. Personally I would not buy a bilge keeler even though we are mud-plugging-east-coasters!

The seahawk hull desisn was so sucessful that it went on in several new different models to produce more than 400 hulls built. For example the area around the keel is over 55mm thick, don't think you would find that weight of material in a Moody hull.

The moody is probably a shade faster, and I dare say a little prettier, but that doesn't bother us as we are not interested in racing or cosmetics, more safe secure and trustworth family cruising and all-weather abilty.

The high cockpit is a good thing and bad. the good bit for us is that we are a little bit off of the water (less spray etc). The bad bit is that when you fully unroll the 130% overlapping genoa (only very light airs) you almost cant see anything to l'ward underneath it.

To me the two boats are quite different, and you need to carefully define your selection critera in order to differentiate the relative merits of each.
 

PeteCooper

Well-known member
Joined
16 Jan 2005
Messages
3,061
Location
West of Scotland
Visit site
[ QUOTE ]

The seahawk hull desisn was so sucessful that it went on in several new different models to produce more than 400 hulls built. For example the area around the keel is over 55mm thick, don't think you would find that weight of material in a Moody hull .


[/ QUOTE ]
Have you any evidence to support this? I am not having a go, but genuinely interested.
 

mplant

New member
Joined
11 Apr 2007
Messages
2
Visit site
According to Yachtnet .co.uk the displacement of the Moody is 11,200lbs and the Seahawk is 14,080lbs, within the realms of sensible argument this goes some way towards proving the point, at least as far as I'm concerned!

Best Wishes
 
Top