underdog
Well-Known Member
How about a Hunter Impala?
http://www.impala28.co.uk/boats-for-sale
http://www.impala28.co.uk/boats-for-sale
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Next boat - is my wish list achievable?
- Thread starter mrming
- Start date
mrming
Well-Known Member
I know the Impala well having raced one for 15 years. Unfortunately you need 6 to race it competitively and the interior is too spartan. There's no seperate heads compartment for example - just a chemical loo under the front bunks. A shame because it's probably the best IRC boat at that size.
flaming
Well-Known Member
Out of interest, why are you so wedded to 4? I think it's probably going to be easier to recruit 2 more crew than find a boat that's 30 feet and competitive with 4.
northwind
Well-Known Member
Parker 275?
mrming
Well-Known Member
It's just hard to find crew as it is. Also I'm teaching various friends and family how to sail and sometimes am the only experienced sailor on board when racing so I'd like a boat where the the loads aren't unmanageable.
I raced it's predecessor, the Super Seal 26 for a couple of seasons back in the 90s. It was extremely quick. The one I sailed on had an outboard in a well, and had won it's class in the AZAB in the late 70s. It and the Parker 275 are definitely contenders but I would rather not have another iron keel.
mrming
Well-Known Member
Okay so, on the shortlist so far:
Super Seal 26 / Parker 27 - great except for the iron keel.
MG C27 - can't really fault this boat from a practical point of view, but I'm not in completely love with the look of it.
Dehler 28 - I like the styling, it looks good on paper (narrow-ish beam, plenty of sail area), and the interior looks practical. Only thing is I've never heard of anyone racing one. Most of the other van de Stadt Dehlers sail well to their ratings though.
Hanse 301 - again spot on from a practical POV but the looks aren't completely inspiring me as it's a little bit AWB-ish. Also possibly a tiny bit big.
Any other suggestions similar to the above?
Super Seal 26 / Parker 27 - great except for the iron keel.
MG C27 - can't really fault this boat from a practical point of view, but I'm not in completely love with the look of it.
Dehler 28 - I like the styling, it looks good on paper (narrow-ish beam, plenty of sail area), and the interior looks practical. Only thing is I've never heard of anyone racing one. Most of the other van de Stadt Dehlers sail well to their ratings though.
Hanse 301 - again spot on from a practical POV but the looks aren't completely inspiring me as it's a little bit AWB-ish. Also possibly a tiny bit big.
Any other suggestions similar to the above?
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BlueSkyNick
Well-Known Member
The simple answer is that there is no simple answer. All boats are a compromise one way or another !
E39mad
Well-Known Member
I also like the MG C27 - lovely Rob Humphreys design
Laser 28 but are rarer
Feeling 286
Laser 28 but are rarer
Feeling 286
Twister_Ken
Well-Known Member
X99?
mrming
Well-Known Member
Laser 28 is a great boat but needs too much weight on the rail and as you say they are difficult to find.
Feeling 286 looks interesting though - I'll investigate that one further.
I love the X-99 but it's too big and the rig is too complex (runners and checkers). It would be a great boat with a simplified rig though.
olly_love
Well-Known Member
not to sure which one you are racing? ours has a propper loo in a seperate heads and a pretty good accomadation (all be it basic)
mrming
Well-Known Member
I was racing a fairly bare bones outboard version which is now sold. It had no loo, no table and hammocks above the main saloon berths.
Interesting that there are Impalas with a better interior. Does yours also have an inboard diesel?
You definitely need 6 to sail it competitively though in my experience. The Dehler 28 is looking the most intriguing at the mo...
olly_love
Well-Known Member
That sounds far from standard,
ours is an inboard, i only know of a few which are stripped,
as for 6 to race, yes with the class keel but an option may be to put the mark mills keel on it which is what burhuo has done and they race with 2-4.
have a look at http://www.impala28.co.uk/about-2/take-a-tour/ this is what it should look like
ours is an inboard, i only know of a few which are stripped,
as for 6 to race, yes with the class keel but an option may be to put the mark mills keel on it which is what burhuo has done and they race with 2-4.
have a look at http://www.impala28.co.uk/about-2/take-a-tour/ this is what it should look like
mrming
Well-Known Member
Interesting - an Impala is pretty cheap on the used market. I wonder if the cost of the keel and a bit of a re-fit / tidy up could be incorporated into my budget?
According to to various online results Burhou rates 0.880 which means the new keel carries no IRC penalty. Do you have any idea how she performs relative to the other boats?
olly_love
Well-Known Member
she has had her forestay moved fwd and only carrys non overlappers,
seems to go very well except in the light,
there is another impala in the hamble which also has this keel, it seems to go ok.
you can always get a standard boat and just rate for the no 2?
seems to go very well except in the light,
there is another impala in the hamble which also has this keel, it seems to go ok.
you can always get a standard boat and just rate for the no 2?
mrming
Well-Known Member
Yep that's also a good idea. Hmm - interesting - it could be a case of "better the devil you know". I could get an Impala, tart it up and get nice new sails for well inside my budget.
olly_love
Well-Known Member
you will also have the option of racing one design for the nationals, jog, etc
mrming
Well-Known Member
Yep very true although in I'm based on the East coast and the admin of moving my boat to the Solent and back for RTIR this year severely tested my patience, so I think it will mostly be a club racer, maybe doing Burnham or Ramsgate week at a push.
We did come second in the "Europeans" in the other boat.
Grumpybear
Well-Known Member
What about a Jeanneau Sundream 28? There is or used to be a thriving racing fleet in Cork (we sold ours there in 2003). Dunno how it would rate, but ours was quick enough to frighten us now and again - masthead rig though.
Double cabin aft, good fore cabin, reasonable heads with shower as standard. I fitted an Eber Hydronic for hot water and also heating via a car heater matrix.
Double cabin aft, good fore cabin, reasonable heads with shower as standard. I fitted an Eber Hydronic for hot water and also heating via a car heater matrix.
Twister_Ken
Well-Known Member
Take a look at the current PBO. There's a review of boats designed by Rob Humphries. Seems like some of his older, smaller designs might be real bandits.