New build bluewater cruising boats

aquaholic

aquaholic

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 Jul 2004
Messages
1,151
Location
London
Visit site
Was thinking about posts and people's opinions regarding capable ocean crossing boats, especially smaller ones and, and it seems in the main that most people seem to say that older is better.

I don't doubt the capabilities of boats from say 30-40 years ago like the rivals, nics, contessa's etc but what boats of this era would suitably matched?

Surely we don't just have to look to the past in order to find capable cruising boats, and I am having trouble thinking of current boats that are as highly regarded.

I am aware of the Rasseys, ovnis, rustlers, swans, discoverys etc but what if you were looking for say a 30-34 ft new bluewater boat?
 
aquaholic said:
I am aware of the Rasseys, ovnis, rustlers, swans, discoverys etc but what if you were looking for say a 30-34 ft new bluewater boat?
Click to expand...

I believe Rustler still make them in that sort of size.

I suspect it's a question of markets, though. People who can afford to buy a brand new boat to sail off into the blue are wealthy and generally seem to think that 45 feet or so is a minimum to be comfortable. There must be relatively few who want to sail away in a 30-footer yet are able to fund a new one.

Pete
 
prv said:
I believe Rustler still make them in that sort of size.

I suspect it's a question of markets, though. People who can afford to buy a brand new boat to sail off into the blue are wealthy and generally seem to think that 45 feet or so is a minimum to be comfortable. There must be relatively few who want to sail away in a 30-footer yet are able to fund a new one.

Pete
Click to expand...

I would also suspect that if you where in the market for 30 foot blue water cruiser new, you would tend to compromise and error towards an older bigger boat say a nic 35? as the cost savings with the extra space and water line length would be infavour..
 
I'd agree with the others, if you're not in marinas there is no benefit to a smaller boat and the purchase cost difference is small enough that you may as well go bigger.
 
aquaholic said:
Was thinking about posts and people's opinions regarding capable ocean crossing boats, especially smaller ones and, and it seems in the main that most people seem to say that older is better.

I don't doubt the capabilities of boats from say 30-40 years ago like the rivals, nics, contessa's etc but what boats of this era would suitably matched?

Surely we don't just have to look to the past in order to find capable cruising boats, and I am having trouble thinking of current boats that are as highly regarded.

I am aware of the Rasseys, ovnis, rustlers, swans, discoverys etc but what if you were looking for say a 30-34 ft new bluewater boat?
Click to expand...

You are right that most people would lean towards the old designs and the old names despite much larger numbers of bavs and bennies cruising all over the world. Some traditionalists would go for gaff anf wooden hulls and lots would go for long keels. Reflkects the conservatism that aflicts most cruisers and which comes with age and too much reading of Hiscock books

Lots of mini transat boats cross the pond. All you get with size is comfort and expense.
 
I think it has over the past 20 years been proven that an ocean capable boat is one that is prepared and sailed within it's limits, look after the boat and it will look after you. The result is that pretty much any cruising (or racing) boat that doesn't have a design fault will easily be capable. You might want to add another fore stay and perhaps beef up or change rudder bearings, and even up the standing rigging size but most I would be happy to take across any ocean.

For new boats that I would cruise the world in I'd be looking at something like the Pogo 12.5, or sunbeam 36.1.

My experience meant I grew up sailing Rivals/twisters/crusaders/warriors so very old school but then crossed the Atlantic on a Sweden 38 and then a Bavaria 390, funny thing is the Bavaria was the best boat, it suffered less damage/failure and went through some pretty awful conditions inspiring confidence in me and the crew.
 
Neil_Y said:
I think it has over the past 20 years been proven that an ocean capable boat is one that is prepared and sailed within it's limits, look after the boat and it will look after you. The result is that pretty much any cruising (or racing) boat that doesn't have a design fault will easily be capable. You might want to add another fore stay and perhaps beef up or change rudder bearings, and even up the standing rigging size but most I would be happy to take across any ocean.

For new boats that I would cruise the world in I'd be looking at something like the Pogo 12.5, or sunbeam 36.1.

My experience meant I grew up sailing Rivals/twisters/crusaders/warriors so very old school but then crossed the Atlantic on a Sweden 38 and then a Bavaria 390, funny thing is the Bavaria was the best boat, it suffered less damage/failure and went through some pretty awful conditions inspiring confidence in me and the crew.
Click to expand...

Wow! a Pogo 12.5 and a SUnbeam 36.1 are very very different creatures. Another poster has mentioned the Beneteau Figaro. This and the Pogo are not wqhat I would call blue water cruising boats - transatlantic speedsters yes, very exciting, exhillerating and rewarding yes; comfortable and easy to handle no, capable of taking cruising weight no.
 
aquaholic said:
Was thinking about posts and people's opinions regarding capable ocean crossing boats, especially smaller ones and, and it seems in the main that most people seem to say that older is better.

I don't doubt the capabilities of boats from say 30-40 years ago like the rivals, nics, contessa's etc but what boats of this era would suitably matched?

Surely we don't just have to look to the past in order to find capable cruising boats, and I am having trouble thinking of current boats that are as highly regarded.

I am aware of the Rasseys, ovnis, rustlers, swans, discoverys etc but what if you were looking for say a 30-34 ft new bluewater boat?
Click to expand...

To answer the specific of your question the smaller Najads (OK no longer made), Malos and HRs are the obvious candidates.

I, personally don't think older is better. Many of the designs regularly mentioned - Rivals, Contessa etc, are very cramped below by modern standards with limited ability to carry the equipment modern long term cruisers want.
 
Bosun Higgs said:
You are right that most people would lean towards the old designs and the old names despite much larger numbers of bavs and bennies cruising all over the world.
Click to expand...

Pretty internally inconsistent! From what I understand to be the numbers in the ARC and similar, most people lean towards modern production boats to cruise around the world. The numbers wouldn't be high if modern production boats were not suitable for crossing oceans.

And I for one would be very happy to try cruising in a Pogo 12.50! Keeping the cruising gear on a diet, of course. Maybe I'd be disappointed but I'd sure like to give it a try.
 
Yes but the old Excalibers, Contessas,Rivals and Nic's look like yachts not caravans after a road traffic accident and have a bit underneath that's unlikely to fall off 'cos it's encapsulated!Also they tended to built like brick stih houses and are very good value in todays market.An Excaliber 36 in good nick can be picked up for about £25k.
 
Last edited:
bbg said:
Pretty internally inconsistent! From what I understand to be the numbers in the ARC and similar, most people lean towards modern production boats to cruise around the world.
Click to expand...
That illustrates exactly the point the OP is making. There are people who can afford several hundred 000's £ or $ or Euros who will buy a new or newish boat for the job and find their well prepared AWB (in the broadest sense) very good for the job. On the other hand there are those who only have, say £50k, or if you believe some of the posters here as little as £10k to spend but still want to go ocean sailing, and they have little option but to buy an old boat and therefore will tend to favour old designs. If they did have the larger sums available experience shows (as illustrated by the 2 Rustler 36s sold a year) they are unlikely to buy a new, old style boat, but the best new style boat they could afford. Plenty of capable boats around without being restricted to old designs with their well known drawbacks - and good points, of course.
 
Very interesting points from many who have actually done it. Not something I am planning on doing soon but was just a question nagging me as a relative newbie (6th season). Suppose after reading many posts its easy to form an opnion that unless your boat is 30 yrs + old and of a traditional design you would be mad to stray from sight of land ;-)
 
Theory is all very well, nothing wrong with light weight modern boats etc, etc until people find that the tradewinds "ain't right" or they have to bash upwind and the crew arent being oaid for a tuff delivery! I mean really cover some distance to windward, not simply motorsailing a couple of hours wind over tide in the Solent...
 
Blueboatman said:
Theory is all very well, nothing wrong with light weight modern boats etc, etc until people find that the tradewinds "ain't right" or they have to bash upwind and the crew arent being oaid for a tuff delivery! I mean really cover some distance to windward, not simply motorsailing a couple of hours wind over tide in the Solent...
Click to expand...
That is the the real issue. Read Old Varnish's account of his recent down to Cape Horn and back trip. His biggest problem was keeping the boat moving in light airs and the amount of time spent going to windward in heavy weather was minimal as a proportion of his total time at sea - although he did experience some very extreme weather on his return. A lot of image of ocean sailing is based on things like the OSTAR and going round the world against the prevailing wind and the tales of derring do by our intrepid sailing heroes when in reality most people seem to do their best to avoid such conditions. Perhaps that is why modern boats have become so popular - why have a boat that is at its best for perhaps less than 5% of the time? - or even less if you plan well and have a good slice of luck. That way you can benefit from the undoubted advantages of modern boats for the majority of your time at sea.
 
Plenty of <10 year Beneteaus, Bavarias, Jeanneaus, out in the Caribbean, most have sailed across from Europe and quite a few around the world and come back here. It's a Brit thing not liking them - the Frogs and Krauts love 'em! If I was going to buy a new <40 Bluewater boat I'd go for Ovni, or better still have a good look at the Cruising Association, OCC classified ads and buy a well proven second hand boat already kitted out - much cheaper in the long run.

Oh, and don't listen to all that **** about certain boats not going to windward - if your going to circumnavigate, long term cruising then you'll only be reaching or runnning. Most of us never go to windward unless we absolutely have to and 95% of the time you don't, you sit a few days at anchor; much nicer than beating anywhere. Light air sailing is what it needs to good at, and the ability to point well if heading up and down the Caribbean chain at the wrong time.

Make sure it has a good anchor winch and can carry a decent hard bottom dinghy and 10HP+ outboard. You'll come around to this big dinghy idea eventually!
 
Last edited:
Well well.
Light airs and winds forward of the beam have been mentioned, how curious that two very different hull designs and displacements can both be right! Could the Diesel engine be the secret link ?
 
aquaholic said:
I am aware of the Rasseys, ovnis, rustlers, swans, discoverys etc but what if you were looking for say a 30-34 ft new bluewater boat?
Click to expand...
I would never look for a new bluewater boat that small. Two reasons a) the builders don't build them that small and b) the cost per foot much higher than a 40-50 foot boat.

Over the last two years I have been drawn more and more to aluminium, or tin boats as my wife calls them, with the Boreal 47 currently being top of my list of ideal bluewater as it is so well engineered.
 
bbg said:
Pretty internally inconsistent! From what I understand to be the numbers in the ARC and similar, most people lean towards modern production boats to cruise around the world. The numbers wouldn't be high if modern production boats were not suitable for crossing oceans.

And I for one would be very happy to try cruising in a Pogo 12.50! Keeping the cruising gear on a diet, of course. Maybe I'd be disappointed but I'd sure like to give it a try.
Click to expand...

Not really inconsistent bbg. There are far more dreamers asking the question than sailors crossing the oceans, and the dreamers are the ones in my experience that get hung up on long keels, steel hulls, heavy boats, multi mast rigs etc. There are a lot of romantics in yachting, feeding off a diet of Hiscock etc
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top