My next boat.

[Frogmogman]

I have sold my Sun Odyssey 349. I need to buy a slightly smaller boat, as the Marina berth available to me from 1 January is smaller than the one that I had. My new boat has to be a maximum of 10 m length overall, and maximum beam of 3.30 m. So, I’m looking in the 28-32 ft sort of range.

I really liked the 349. My only real reservation was that at 5.5 Tonnes it was too heavy, so a bit sluggish in light airs. To be fair, the excellent code 0 it had made up for this in a lot of circumstances. With its hydraulic lift keel, it was well suited to my sailing area of North Brittany, but to be honest for most of the time a normal deep draught of 1.8-1.9m would work for me, as my berth is in Saint Quay which has all-tide access. Most of my sailing is with the missus or friends in the Baie de Saint Brieuc/Channel Islands/Saint Malo area, but I also quite fancy getting back into a little club racing.

I thought it only fair to give you lot the opportunity to tell me that I’m an idiot, that the boats I fancy are rubbish, and that I should buy a Contessa 32 or Westley Fulmar etc.

Top of my list is the Rob Humphreys Elan 31, I also like the First 31.7, Seaquest 32 and X302. I have a max budget of €60k to include having enough to cover any urgent things that need sorting (standing rigging, sails, sail drive joint etc). I would also consider something smaller such as a First 27.7.

I’m not fixated on a particular model; my main aim is to buy well equipped boat in good condition that has been cherished and properly maintained, that is suitable for short handed cruising and a little bit of club racing.

Any thoughts ?

 

[Concerto]

Why not keep your existing boat and find a new mooring? Certainly work out cheaper and you keep the boat you like.

 

[Frogmogman]

Why not keep your existing boat and find a new mooring? Certainly work out cheaper and you keep the boat you like.

Boat already sold. Good berths here have long waiting lists because the pricing is very attractive. The other advantage of this plan is that we get to keep half of the cash we had tied up in the other boat to do other stuff with.

 

[Concerto]

Boat already sold. Good berths here have long waiting lists because the pricing is very attractive. The other advantage of this plan is that we get to keep half of the cash we had tied up in the other boat to do other stuff with.

That makes sense.

I love my Fulmar, but I doubt you would find one maintained to the standard I have. If you need any advice about a Fulmar, I am happy the help. In the past 11 years I have assisted 9 potential buyers of a Fulmar choose the best one available, plus several others who bought similar sized Westerlys.

 

[newtothis]

A wide selection of perfect boats available here:
Anderson 22 for sale - Daily Boats

 

[Frogmogman]

A wide selection of perfect boats available here:
Anderson 22 for sale - Daily Boats

How did I neglect to include the Anderson 22 in my list of dream boats ?

 

[Baggywrinkle]

Boat already sold. Good berths here have long waiting lists because the pricing is very attractive. The other advantage of this plan is that we get to keep half of the cash we had tied up in the other boat to do other stuff with.

Here's a suggestion of what to do with the other half of the cash .....

First 30 | BENETEAU

 

[flaming]

I have sold my Sun Odyssey 349. I need to buy a slightly smaller boat, as the Marina berth available to me from 1 January is smaller than the one that I had. My new boat has to be a maximum of 10 m length overall, and maximum beam of 3.30 m. So, I’m looking in the 28-32 ft sort of range.

I really liked the 349. My only real reservation was that at 5.5 Tonnes it was too heavy, so a bit sluggish in light airs. To be fair, the excellent code 0 it had made up for this in a lot of circumstances. With its hydraulic lift keel, it was well suited to my sailing area of North Brittany, but to be honest for most of the time a normal deep draught of 1.8-1.9m would work for me, as my berth is in Saint Quay which has all-tide access. Most of my sailing is with the missus or friends in the Baie de Saint Brieuc/Channel Islands/Saint Malo area, but I also quite fancy getting back into a little club racing.

I thought it only fair to give you lot the opportunity to tell me that I’m an idiot, that the boats I fancy are rubbish, and that I should buy a Contessa 32 or Westley Fulmar etc.

Top of my list is the Rob Humphreys Elan 31, I also like the First 31.7, Seaquest 32 and X302. I have a max budget of €60k to include having enough to cover any urgent things that need sorting (standing rigging, sails, sail drive joint etc). I would also consider something smaller such as a First 27.7.

I’m not fixated on a particular model; my main aim is to buy well equipped boat in good condition that has been cherished and properly maintained, that is suitable for short handed cruising and a little bit of club racing.

Any thoughts ?

https://www.yachtworld.co.uk/yacht/1996-beneteau-first-300-spirit-8904424/
Older option leaving lots of budget for upgrades. Supposedly a little less flighty than the 31.7
https://www.yachtworld.co.uk/yacht/1996-dehler-33-competition-9894802/
Another older option, but very well thought of boats.

Otherwise your list seems very well thought out.

 

[Frogmogman]

https://www.yachtworld.co.uk/yacht/1996-beneteau-first-300-spirit-8904424/
Older option leaving lots of budget for upgrades. Supposedly a little less flighty than the 31.7
https://www.yachtworld.co.uk/yacht/1996-dehler-33-competition-9894802/
Another older option, but very well thought of boats.

Otherwise your list seems very well thought out.

Good suggestions. I am considering the older Firsts (that also share the Figaro 1 hull). There was quite a promising First 310 around the corner from me which has recent rigging, sails, engine etc and tbh I prefer the open transom to the one on the 31.7, that it has a prop shaft rather than a sail drive and the Philippe Starck interior is nice. It was asking €34.5K and appears to have sold. Maybe I should have pulled my finger out, but I don’t really want to buy until March or so.

The dehler looks nice, well equipped with plenty of practical touches.

 

[Ed Sned]

I had a First 300 Spirit. Not a bad little boat - very clever how they squeezed so much accommodation into that hull. Was quite tender though - could have done with a bit more lead in the bulb, and a god-awful helming position (too close to the guardrails) which I think was sorted on the 31.7.

 

[John_Silver]

If the First 30 appeals, this Pogo 8.50 is in budget, with a bit left for upgrades. Keel type listed as 'other,' so might be a lifter. If they were doing those, back then - can't see if they did, from the brochure (downloadable here). One problem: she's 300mm over your stated beam limit (@3.6m). Flat foam fenders? Room for negotiation?
Certainly wouldn't be sticky - sub 3t. Was aboard a Pogo 30, in the summer. Impressed by amount of (horizontal) space - achieved by max beam carried right aft. Had I been 5'10" or less (like my host) I'd have been fine vertically too.

 

[Frogmogman]

If the First 30 appeals, this Pogo 8.50 is in budget, with a bit left for upgrades. Keel type listed as 'other,' so might be a lifter. If they were doing those, back then - can't see if they did, from the brochure (downloadable here). One problem: she's 300mm over your stated beam limit (@3.6m). Flat foam fenders? Room for negotiation?
Certainly wouldn't be sticky - sub 3t. Was aboard a Pogo 30, in the summer. Impressed by amount of (horizontal) space - achieved by max beam carried right aft. Had I been 5'10" or less (like my host) I'd have been fine vertically too.

I love pogos, but unfortunately the beam constraint is real. It rules out a surprisingly large number of modern boats of the right length. If I could find a bepox 850 (similar sort of design, but not as beamy) I could be interested in that . The bepox makes the pogo look heavy.

 

[Frogmogman]

Oops

 

[John_Silver]

Liftt keel Django 770? Almost in budget - looks high spec & good kit. Beam's OK (3m) but might be getting too small? Across the bay, from SQP, in St Malo.

 

[John_Silver]

I see from the thread that yours was a 2006.

For sure, the X302 is a different level of build quality, but as with all second hand cruiser racers the difficult bit is finding one that hasn’t been thrashed to within an inch of its life.

Yes, my Elan 31 was 2006. Not sure if she was a 'Friday Boat,' but plenty of problems (as per DM). Although others, in Poole YC, seemed fine. The X 302 was the boat that I had meant to buy. But, just as I pulled funds together, she was discontinued.....

 

[Frogmogman]

Liftt keel Django 770? Almost in budget - looks high spec & good kit. Beam's OK (3m) but might be getting too small? Across the bay, from SQP, in St Malo.

Good shout. Already seen that ad: it would be perfect for me but too far above my budget.

And yet…if it’s still unsold come the spring, maybe a cheeky offer would be in order.

 

[mrming]

It’s a lot less budget wise, but for a short handed, narrow beam cruiser / occasional club racer, the Hanse 291 / 301 is worth a look. It’s based on the Aphrodite 29/291 by Carl Beyer, and very different from the later Hanses. SA/D of 18 but ballast / displacement ratio of 40. A good sailor raced one single handed in our crewed club race fleet and it was very competitive.

As you’re in the EU, the Dutch (and later German) built Winner boats are also worth a look. They were designed by Cees van Tongeren at van de Stadt who created the brilliant Dehler DBs and all their cruising variants like the 34, They’re a more modern boat in that spirit - powerful rig but lots of ballast low down, nice interior and very handy in a club race. The Winner 9.00 fits the size limit.

 

[potentillaCO32]

I rented a first 27.7 for a week out of la trinite and i thought it a smashing little boat with a lot of room for the size. Fast both upwind and downwind.

 

[Frogmogman]

It’s a lot less budget wise, but for a short handed, narrow beam cruiser / occasional club racer, the Hanse 291 / 301 is worth a look. It’s based on the Aphrodite 29/291 by Carl Beyer, and very different from the later Hanses. SA/D of 18 but ballast / displacement ratio of 40. A good sailor raced one single handed in our crewed club race fleet and it was very competitive.

As you’re in the EU, the Dutch (and later German) built Winner boats are also worth a look. They were designed by Cees van Tongeren at van de Stadt who created the brilliant Dehler DBs and all their cruising variants like the 34, They’re a more modern boat in that spirit - powerful rig but lots of ballast low down, nice interior and very handy in a club race. The Winner 9.00 fits the size limit.

Thanks. Good ideas. I’ll have a look and see if a Winner might be a winner.

 

[Frogmogman]

I rented a first 27.7 for a week out of la trinite and i thought it a smashing little boat with a lot of room for the size. Fast both upwind and downwind.

I suspect this might well be where I land. The 27.7 would suit my program pretty well. Only downside is they don’t really sail to rating, but then that isn’t really an issue as racing isn’t my main objective. They are a popular boat here; I just missed out on a smashing one in Saint Malo because I was dragging my heels.