New boat, but which one??

[Guest]

I'm looking to buy my first boat and would like some advice from you lot.

The choice range's from the French boats to a Hallberg Rassy. The French boats look good but I would'nt want to keep one too long but with a HR it would be a boat for life. HR's are a lot more expensive but with a two year wait list for a new 36 the money will have been saved up (almost!!). On the other hand two years is a long time without a boat.

Thoughts, idea's, sugestions and experiances??

 

[Reap]

If yo can afford it, get the Rassy

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.yacht-links.net>http://www.yacht-links.net</A>

 

[Guest]

Seems you want a NEW boat, but have you considered buying second hand for your first boat? Less money tied up and immediate delivery. There are sometimes almost-new boats available from builders' brokerages as original owners trade up to a bigger boat from the same builder.

If it's your first boat, you may not know exactly what you want to order. You can sell a second-hand boat down the road when you've gone up the learning curve a little without losing too much money, and go for what you then know you really want and are willing to pay for.

I'd also recommend going for a well-respected solid boat (such as the Rassy you mention) if you can possibly afford it - they hold their value more than the mass produced French eggshells. The initial capital outlay may be more, but actual cost of ownership can be about the same over time, and you get the pleasure (and safety) of a better boat.

 

[Guest]

I did consider a secondhand HR but they sell for not much less than a new one, at least with the new boat you know you will get some time before you start pouring money into that hole!! I even considered a 3 year old HR 34 in Holland, €30.000 more than a new one but it was kitted out ready to go and avoided the wait list.

 

[HaraldS]

Not sure what the right recommendation is in your case.

Getting the boat for the life is always a goal, and rarely achived as you will always find thing sthat you want change dor different.

You say it would be your first boat, so iunless you have a deep experience with boats from skippering other boats, t's more likely you'll gain experience quickly and your list may grow quite fast.

In that case, it may make more sense to get something cheaper or second hand and then work your list and finally enjoy the "ultimate boat." when you know what it is for you.

Don't think new boats are trouble free, they are probably best after one or two years.

Probably a very opionated recommendation:

If you are looking at the upper end of your scale, look for a 2 year old Najad 371. There are currently two listed at www.najad.com

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.taniwani.de>http://www.taniwani.de</A>

 

[pvb]

Excellent advice, but...

But Harald's a Najad fan! Otherwise, the advice is excellent. As a HR owner, I'd suggest you buy a used HR, use it for a season, then order a new HR, and sell your old HR just before you take delivery. By the time you get around to deciding the spec of the new boat, I'd guarantee your priorities will have changed, and you'll make different choices.

 

[Samphire]

I'd advise a second hand Hallberg Rassy,mainly because as already mentioned, by the time you have owned it for a few years your experience will mean that your requirements re size,layout and equipment will change.
In addition if you analyse the costs of kittting out a new boat to the same spec as a used one the differences will disappear.The cost of almost all new boats only includes the most basic of equipment.
Anyway your assertion that used HRs cost almost as much as new ones proves that they hold their value.

 

[rhinorhino]

Used HRs generally sell for more than the boat cost new. Looked after they go up at about 3/5% a year. This of course discounts the money that has been spendt on extras during it's life

 

[Chris_Stannard]

I would advise you to strongly consider the Najad 373. I bought a nearly new one in Holland in Nov2001 and it is the boat of a lifetime. I did fit a folding prop and now get 8.2 knots motoring and regularly average over 7 knots off the wind, in other words the boat sails extemely well. We came back from guernsey last summer in a forecast 5 which turned into a 7 to 8 and the boat took it in its stride with 2 reefs and a hald a large genoa.
From the live aboard point of view in my previous boat, when we got back from holiday, my wife was off like a startled hare, these days I have to get a long lever to prise her out.
If you contact Mike Jennings, Najad UK on 02380 455555, he has a 373 he can take you out on and if you are serious I suggest you go and have a look.

Yes, I am an enthusiast. I think at the m,oment you can probably get a boat in Germany at a good price, they seem to be in the mire so negotiate hard. I got mine at a pretty fair discount

Chris Stannard

 

[billmacfarlane]

You might have already guessed the problem asking such a question on a forum like this - most replies will be from owners singing the praises of their particular boat . There's nothing wrong with that , I could do the same about mine but I don't think that's what you're looking for. Can I start by asking you some questions ?
If this is you're first boat , what sailing have you done ? Do you have a particular style of boat in mind ? A French production boat is a totally different kettle of fish from one built in a Swedish yard in terms of both style and performance. What type of sailing are you planning to do ? Coastal , longer distance , blue water or what ? What's you're level of experience ? Why are you thinking of buying a new boat as opposed to a used one ? It's kind of difficult to advise unless we know a lot more about you and your experience.
YM is bringing out a magazine at the start of April , containing about 60 boats tests. I might be an idea to read through it and see what you like then tour the yards and see them first hand , then arrange to test sail your favourites. Take your time as it's such a lot of money and you need to make sure you're spending it on the right product. It took me 18 months to find my boat so there's no hurry. Regardless of what you end up with , enjoy the experience and good luck.

 

[david_e]

Take Bill McFarlanes advice and in the meantime charter which will give you the chance to try many different boats and at the same time meet new people & gain more experience. The money you spend will be nought compared to buying badly; act in haste, repent...........

 

[Guest]

Marry in haste, repent at leisure!!!!

Tell me about it!!

I'm still suffering.

 

[qsiv]

Dont forget the old boatbuilders addage:

Fools build new boats for wise men to buy secondhand ...

It's a bit less true with production line techniques - but there can still be significant snagging to overcome.

I know a local owner who bought a nice new Sweden 45 - by the beginning of the second season the yard had made a number of visits and eventually the instruments that had been ordered were fitted, the sail covers were the correct colour and so on and so forth.

He did however thoroughly enjoy the delivery trip!

 

[david_e]

Re: Marriage

If you are married and have leisure time then you aint doin to bad!

 

[pkb]

Whatever boat you buy won't be a boat for life. With experience your views and attitudes will change and what seemed like a perfect choice now might not measure up to your demands a few years down the track.

I don't know if you have a lot of sailing experience but my alternative idea would be to buy a second hand production boat - Moody, Beneteau etc - use that for a bit, find out how boat ownership suits and make mistakes and learn with something costing less than £60K rather than something costing more than £100K.

Much better than chartering - you can live with the boat rather than spending a few weekends on one during the year. The problem with chartering it seems to me is that you have to pre plan and pre book and what if the weather on your chosen weekend doesn't suit? And you have to take the half finished bottle of Scotch home with you rather than leaving it in the drinks locker as something to look forward to for the following weekend.

Then, after a season or so, if you want a Swede go for it. Or who knows, you may even be seduced by the French. Lots of us have and don't regret it for a moment.

Good luck whatever you decide to do.

Peter

 

[david_e]

Re: Chartering

The good thing about bad(ish) weather is that it is someone elses boat you are going out in. Most folk don't go out in bad weather, but get caught out in it.

 

[Guest]

Re: Chartering

I was thinking about ordering a new Rassy and then chartering boats during the summer. As you say its not your boat. Works out expensive but your not risking your own boat, and with working on a 28/28 rotation I could get quite a bit of sailing in.

 

[Guest]

I was almost seduced buy a Beneteau First 31.7. Its not a bad boat and in France you get half the VAT back!! But I don't know how easy it would be to sell again the marina's are full of such boats and none seem to sell to quickly.

 

[pkb]

I'm not sure about your last point. The fact that marinas are full of these boats - as you put it - signifies a demand and therefore a good turnover. Good examples of mainstream boats will never have a problem in finding a buyer - provided of course that they are priced correctly.

Peter

 

[pkb]

Re: Chartering

The point about going out in bad weather is actually a very serious one. If a bunch of people have shelled out a lot of money to charter a boat then they're not going to be happy to spend their expensive time sitting in a marina. Which means the temptation to take their boat out - and its almost surely one they don't know - in weather which is potentially dangerous can be all too great. Remeber the policemen with a chartered Beneteau who drowned in the Needles and the people who died on a chartered Storm on a cross Channel passage a coulple of years or so ago. I can understand the allure of chartering for people for whom the cost of ownership is too much but deciding to charter, as an alternative to buying your own when you can afford to, has to be a very poor second.

Peter