Nauticat S-340/Finnsailer 34

[KathyD]

Hello,

Am new to the forum.

Does anyone have any experience or opinions of the Nauticat S340 (previously the Finnsailer 34).

Would particularly like to know how well it performs under sail or any other information anyone has. We have found the original brochure details, just doesn't seem to be any information out there from anyone who has sailed them.

Many thanks

Kathryn

 

[tony_lavelle]

The Nauticat company website says:

"For some time at the beginning of the 80´s the yard even produced ordinary sailboats, the Nauticat S-series, like the S-300, the S-320, S-340 and S-380. The S-300, 340 and 380 had earlier been called Finnsailer and they were renamed nauticats when Nauticat Yachts bought the moulds and the rights for these fine yachts."

From this you could assume that the S-340 which is described above as an "ordinary sailboat" or a "fine yacht" (take your pick) sails better than a "traditional" Nauticat motor-sailer.

Assuming you are looking at the one in Liverpool, which has been steadily reduced from £50K to £40K (or offers) - what's wrong with it? It looks like a lot of quality boat for hte money and I'm surprised it hasn't been snapped up before now.

Tony

 

[KathyD]

It needs a fair amount of work. Teak decks need replacing and some of the work required means we cannot have a sea trial until work is done. Trying to find out as much as possible before we make a decision. There were only 10 built by Nauticat so not easy to find any information. Before Nauticat took over the design it was known as the Finnsailer 34. We have found a little more info with regard to that version (which appears to be exactly the same - though not sure if many of those were made either). Designed by Hans Groop. Have downloaded a boat test from 1979 but it was fairly short and sweet!!

 

[Schuss39]

No experience of the S340 but I have a Nauticat 39, pilot house yacht, which lacked routine maintenance by a couple of previos owners. I have steadily been working through these and a few updates this year. They are well built, I have found mine fairly easy to access for these jobs. She sails and motors very well.

Nauticat in Finland hold all of the build/production information on each yacht they have built and should have info on the one you are looking at. They have always been very good in replying to my emailed questions particularly when I asked about teak decking and replacing the teak screw cap plugs! You will need to quote the hull number.

Hope this helps

 

[Glynny]

Hi

Again, assuming that you are looking at the Nauticat S-340 in Merseyside, history has it that she has been in the water (not used) for 3 years. I have spoken with a guy in Guatamala who also has this model and is also selling. He states, " she rides more like a racing yacht - very heeled over but, quality build in the GRP etc. maintenance work is getting quite intense now"

I have owned a 33 motor sailer and they are quite forgiving with mountains of practicality and common sense poured in for good measure.
You have to ask yourself,

why only build 10 (especially when the Finnsailer model was so popular)?

A surveyor friend has urged me to buy the earlier Finnsailer due to known history and sailing qualities. I am still looking..............

Hope this helps.

 

[KathyD]

Interesting 'Glynny'. Thank you. It has concerned us she has been left for so long.

We have found out a fair amount of info but there is a discrepancy on whether the decks contain any balsa core. We thought it was 100% grp layup which makes it less of a problem to sort the decks but if there is balsa core .....

All Nauticat seem to be 100% GRP layup but the articles we have read don't list the S series. The Finnsailer brochure doesn't state whether it's 100% or not. Not a great worry other than the teak needs replacing.

At the moment we are looking for an alternative but this boat is still nagging at us!!

She could be a lovely boat, but it's how much work we would be taking on. We don't want to spend all next season working instead of sailing!

Buying a boat is quite a headache!!

 

[Tranona]

Highly unlikely that it has cored decks. Nauticat are very anti-core. However deck replacement is a major job and likely to cost you 40% of the asking price if you have it done professionally with glued on teak. Compared with similar boats the asking price probably reflects the work needed, but with such a rare boat it is difficult to determine a market price for one in good condition. If the rest of the boat is OK and you intend keeping it for a long time it is worth consideration - and strip the teak off, make good with epoxy and coat with something durable like Kiwigrip. In 10 years time the lack of teak deck will have little impact on resale value and you will have had hopefully good service out of a quality boat for not a lot of money.

 

[Glynny]

I am curious that you previously mentioned that you would need to do some repairs to this boat prior to a sea trial - what repairs do you need to do? Surely, if the vendor has offered a sea trial then, it is his/her responsibility to make sure that the vessel is seaworthy and up to the job.
If a sea trial is not offered by the vendor, a full survey report should be instigated (that is, if you still feel confident about this boat!)

Again, assuming that this is the same boat that is very close to my berth in Liverpool, I have seen the decks myself and, being the same length as mine I would assume same costings for deck covering renewal. I had Tek Dek to replace the teak on mine (We did the nasty work, removing the original teak and filling in the hundreds of screw holes with epoxy) then they spent 4 days laying the artificial teak covering. Really great finish and a big improvement on teak for practicality. This came in at £3850 fitted. I priced Treadmaster at £2200. This was 2009. So, I guess you could assume a little more when you have yours done. You can, of course, do the job yourself for a lot less.

Have you checked the area of deck where the mast is stepped? Are there any stress cracks in this area? Have you noticed any movement of the internal bulkheads under where the mast is situated? I believe that the chain plates were renewed on this boat some years ago. You have to ask yourself, Why?

I don't want to appear to put you off this boat however, I am just being practical and am just reiterating my surveyor friends' words of wisdom when I bought my boat.
It does seem a lot of boat for the money but "buyer beware" as they say.

 

[KathyD]

Hi again,

Thanks for all your replies ..... it does help - we are looking for our first sailing boat, having sold our motor boat in August. It's a much tougher job than finding a motor boat. There are so many options and so many more things to consider.

We wouldn't replace with real teak and have considered the fake teak options, tek-dek, flexiteek or there is something called MarineDeck 2000 which is a cork option. Good to have an idea of cost and that it looks good.

To take it further we have to commit and go for a survey (which we almost did). They are not happy to take it for a sea trial without it being checked out first.

At the moment we are not feeling so confident about it for some of the reasons you mention.

I really like the boat and think she could look lovely with some care, it's just whether it's too much for us to take on. I think they are going to check the decks and maybe that will influence our decision. Also concerns my OH that we would be working on her for many weekends over the winter and possibly beyond and we don't know how she sails!

 

[clyst]

Hello,

Am new to the forum.

Does anyone have any experience or opinions of the Nauticat S340 (previously the Finnsailer 34).

Would particularly like to know how well it performs under sail or any other information anyone has. We have found the original brochure details, just doesn't seem to be any information out there from anyone who has sailed them.

Many thanks

Kathryn

Have sent you a PM

regards

Terry

 

[KathyD]

Yes, just! I bit of a long message I am afraid!!

Kathryn

 

[Seajet]

Pardon me nosing in, but is this the boat with the mast right aft, effectively at the forward end of the cockpit & just behind the pilot house ?

If so I think I have the original review ( of the class not a particular boat ), though it might take a bit of searching !

 

[clyst]

Yes, just! I bit of a long message I am afraid!!

Kathryn

I posted

Have sent you a PM

Think you may have misread my post .

 

[KathyD]

I posted


Think you may have misread my post .

oops!!

Like the smilies!

 

[KathyD]

Pardon me nosing in, but is this the boat with the mast right aft, effectively at the forward end of the cockpit & just behind the pilot house ?

If so I think I have the original review ( of the class not a particular boat ), though it might take a bit of searching !

Thank you for the reply, but it doesn't sound like the same type of boat. This is cutter rigged, mast position compression post on front part of keel.

 

[Tranona]

Pardon me nosing in, but is this the boat with the mast right aft, effectively at the forward end of the cockpit & just behind the pilot house ?

If so I think I have the original review ( of the class not a particular boat ), though it might take a bit of searching !

Think this is a Fjord Motor sailer - not the same thing at all. Google the boat and you will get the broker's details including a picture.

 

[stigolofeklund]

Hello Kathryn

Am new to the forum.

Does anyone have any experience or opinions of the Nauticat S340 (previously the Finnsailer 34).

Would particularly like to know how well it performs under sail or any other information anyone has. We have found the original brochure details, just doesn't seem to be any information out there from anyone who has sailed them.

Many thanks

Kathryn[/QUOTE]

Hello Kathryn

My name is Stig and I´m from Finland and happy owner to a Nauticat S-300. s/y Omaru. The S serie are really sailingboats and not motorsailers and that was the reason there was not produced very meny of them. The big hit for the yard in that time was Nauticat 33. The S serie has nothing in common with the other Nauticats than the name. Hans Groop is most wellknown for the H-boat now international one-class. Off course a boat from 1980 ies can not compete with a modern boat - their construction are so different. My Omaru has a depl of 6000 kg as a modern 30ft is 2500 - ... But they are extremly well built and that is good to know when the sea begins to behave badly , I have sailed my Omaru mostly singlehanded ca 2200 nm the last 2 years and she is this winter on the swedish westcoast ...

The Gustavsson family now owners to the Nauticat yard are very kind and sympathic people, the hole family is working in the company, so don´t hasitate to contact them if you need some information - they even remembered how Omaru were designed inside - and she was sold to Germany from the boatshow in Naantali 1984 as new

Please feel free also to contact me if I can help you in any way,

with kind regards,

Stig Eklund

 

[KathyD]

Thank you Stig for your response, good to hear about your boat.

We are still interested in the boat but the weather is not great here at the moment so things are being held up. Heavy snowfall over most of the UK. We are central and only have a small amount at the moment but forecast is that we are expected to get ours tomorrow!!

I will pass messge on to Paul.

 

[doctorfresh]

Nauticat s340

Kathy

the price has just dropped on that Nauticat in Liverpool Marina .

I have been interested in it too . That or a (rather more expensive) Westerly Seahawk .

Can anyone tell me what sort of headroom there is below decks on the Nauticat? I can't see any information in the literature I have found. I am over 2m tall (6' 7.5" in 'old money') and some yachts make me feel positively Gulliveresque below decks .

I am hoping that the Nauticat is built appropriately for Scandinavians!

Anyone?

 

[KathyD]

Hi,

My husband is a tad over 6ft and headroom fine for him but not sure if there is 6' 7" headroom. I am only 5'4" so hard for me to say. I will ask Paul as he will be aware of how much was over his head!!

Kathryn