Quandary
Well-Known Member
Pouring rain today I have been researching my choices and trying to put together a shortlist, any contributions would be welcome as an aid to reducing choice and travelling.
Moody S31- about the size and style I like, though old fashioned short boom IOR type sail layout, plenty on the market BUT - they are all now about 20 years old, have saildrives and most of the owners still seem to be asking a lot for them. What worries me most is that the lack of a proper main sheet and no traveller. I am a bit worried about sail drive legs at that age as well. Anyone know if putting a traveller and tackle in the cockpit is possible?
First 31.7 - much younger and most a lot cheaper than the Moody with good sail controls including a mainsheet traveller in the right place BUT, perhaps a bit sporty for us now, and a tiny (30l?) fuel tank for distance cruising up here. I would perhaps be happier with an Oceanis equivalent but a lot of them seem to have wheel steering which does not look very comfortable on this size of boat and while I would not mind the smaller rig, again the mainsheet seems an afterthought. Perhaps it can be moved? In the same class as the First there are Elans and Dehlers but if I was to go for a sportier boat the 31.7 seems to be the better option with a lot more choice, it surely would not be impossible to install a proper fuel tank.
Sun Oddessey 32- Perhaps better than the Oceanis? and more of them have a tiller but the same mainsheet problem, proper depth fin keels like we use up here seem to be rarer on these though. ( There was a newish small Jeanneau with an enormous stern, two wheels and two rudders sharing a lock with the boat I was helping earlier in the week, even with almost continuous use of a bow thruster it was all over the place in not much breeze, not at all impressed)
Dufour 32 Classic, these do have a mainsheet traveller in the cockpit but it looks as if it is poorly sited, right across the companionway, few of the about in the UK and I do not want to extend my search further than England/ Ireland.
W, Storm/ Tempest, - proper sailing boats but getting a bit old, most have the linings sorted by now but interior veneers and some other parts seem tired and I am not sure if I want to go back to a raw water cooled 2002, contemporary Moody 31 Mk IIs look fresher at the same age?
Sigma 33 OOD - I had one of these in the eighties and loved it but there is surely something as good and younger.
Anyone able to comment on the boats above or to recommend an alternative, around 10m. max. fin keel, preferable tiller steered with a moderately efficient rig including if possible a multi tackle mainsheet toward the back of the boom, scoop at the back for getting into the dinghy, budget around £40k. (or less). Purpose, for 2 elderly people and a dog cruising under sail and engine in W.Scottish/N Irish waters, normal maintenance replacement acceptable but probably not re-engining or other work on that scale. Selling our Finngulf 33 was a big mistake but the next boat does not need to sail quite as well.
Moody S31- about the size and style I like, though old fashioned short boom IOR type sail layout, plenty on the market BUT - they are all now about 20 years old, have saildrives and most of the owners still seem to be asking a lot for them. What worries me most is that the lack of a proper main sheet and no traveller. I am a bit worried about sail drive legs at that age as well. Anyone know if putting a traveller and tackle in the cockpit is possible?
First 31.7 - much younger and most a lot cheaper than the Moody with good sail controls including a mainsheet traveller in the right place BUT, perhaps a bit sporty for us now, and a tiny (30l?) fuel tank for distance cruising up here. I would perhaps be happier with an Oceanis equivalent but a lot of them seem to have wheel steering which does not look very comfortable on this size of boat and while I would not mind the smaller rig, again the mainsheet seems an afterthought. Perhaps it can be moved? In the same class as the First there are Elans and Dehlers but if I was to go for a sportier boat the 31.7 seems to be the better option with a lot more choice, it surely would not be impossible to install a proper fuel tank.
Sun Oddessey 32- Perhaps better than the Oceanis? and more of them have a tiller but the same mainsheet problem, proper depth fin keels like we use up here seem to be rarer on these though. ( There was a newish small Jeanneau with an enormous stern, two wheels and two rudders sharing a lock with the boat I was helping earlier in the week, even with almost continuous use of a bow thruster it was all over the place in not much breeze, not at all impressed)
Dufour 32 Classic, these do have a mainsheet traveller in the cockpit but it looks as if it is poorly sited, right across the companionway, few of the about in the UK and I do not want to extend my search further than England/ Ireland.
W, Storm/ Tempest, - proper sailing boats but getting a bit old, most have the linings sorted by now but interior veneers and some other parts seem tired and I am not sure if I want to go back to a raw water cooled 2002, contemporary Moody 31 Mk IIs look fresher at the same age?
Sigma 33 OOD - I had one of these in the eighties and loved it but there is surely something as good and younger.
Anyone able to comment on the boats above or to recommend an alternative, around 10m. max. fin keel, preferable tiller steered with a moderately efficient rig including if possible a multi tackle mainsheet toward the back of the boom, scoop at the back for getting into the dinghy, budget around £40k. (or less). Purpose, for 2 elderly people and a dog cruising under sail and engine in W.Scottish/N Irish waters, normal maintenance replacement acceptable but probably not re-engining or other work on that scale. Selling our Finngulf 33 was a big mistake but the next boat does not need to sail quite as well.
