Old world cruiser or newer ship

[PHN]

Hi all cruisers,

Not new to this forum, but my first post.

I am into finding a new ship for my next trips, but did not find anything suitable yet. It needs to be a rock solid 36-38 foot that is capable to handle bad weather, F9+ winds on the Atlantic and North Sea and suitable to live on with 2 persons for a couple of months. The stormy Irish west coast is part of the sailing plan.

From the budget something like a Wauquiez Centurion 38 from the 1980's would be a consideration. However it's still an old boat and when you buy this kind of ships at realistic price levels they come with a "To Do" list (for my purpose) and unrealistic price tag that also buys newer boats with lesser reputation.

However ... I wonder if in the 50K Euro price range nothing can be found that is ready to sail for my purpose.

Requirements:
* 36-38 foot (or bigger)
* aft cockpit (no CC)
* skeg hung rudder
* steering wheel
* deeper draft is better than shallow draft
* simpler design is better, because less can get broken
* moderate to heavy weight

I don't care about cosmetic scratches and dents or fancy inventory. The ship will be a work horse for the purpose to get the job done.

So I hope you have some suggestions what to look for ...

Regards,

Paul

 

[Tranona]

Tradewind 35. Well under budget and meets most of your requirements.

 

[Fatbeard]

Someone else spotted this @15k...
https://www.annonces-marine.com/118748,annonce-voilier-beneteau-evasion-32.html

 

[DavidMcMullan]

Would this be of interest?
Ticks most of the boxes, but rudder not skeg mounted.

 

[TQA]

Someone else spotted this @15k...
https://www.annonces-marine.com/118748,annonce-voilier-beneteau-evasion-32.html

Too cheap ? I would be looking hard for horrors.

 

[Tranona]

Too cheap ? I would be looking hard for horrors.

Agree. With £50k budget why look at boats for £15 particularly when they were never intended for what he imagines he needs!

 

[ridgy]

Looks already set up for long distance cruising, though with tiller steering which might be a good or bad thing depending on how simple you want it:

https://yachts.apolloduck.co.uk/boat/rival-38a/578007

 

[dansaskip]

Surprised you want wheel steering if you want to keep it simple with less to go wrong/break. In my humble opinion a tiller is the way to go.

 

[Kukri]

I'd better keep out of this... but the Red Monster ticks all the boxes (which is why I bought her) apart from size (which I am learning to live with..) Built like a pocket battleship; the weak point is undoubtedly the crew... oh, and a shortage of creeks and harbours that she can get into...

 

[Kelpie]

Would this be of interest?
Ticks most of the boxes, but rudder not skeg mounted.

We berthed next to her some years ago in Tory Island. Very smart boat. Surprised they aren't asking more for her.

 

[PHN]

Would this be of interest?
Ticks most of the boxes, but rudder not skeg mounted.

Can you please elaborate on "this" or is a link missing?

 

[lukedh]

"this" is the link, VDS Forma 37ft steel yacht.

 

[PHN]

Surprised you want wheel steering if you want to keep it simple with less to go wrong/break. In my humble opinion a tiller is the way to go.

Wheel steering usually also has an emergency tiller connection if all else fails.

 

[beef]

REF: Steelpulse.. Keel hit rocks hard a number of years ago and buckled the hull. That said, if you were going to ground on something hard at 6 knots this is the boat to do it in. Not sure how many grp fin keel production yachts would have survived a similar encounter.

 

[davidlhill]

"this" is the link, VDS Forma 37ft steel yacht.

Gorgeous boat. But I'm slightly puzzled - at the end of the description the owner descibes her as "suitable for medium distance cruising, as well as coast hopping and cruiser-racing."

What is it about her that doesn't make her suitable for ocean cruising (which I'm inferring from the medium distance comment)? The boat itself or that she doesn't have passage making stuff on board?

 

[Tranona]

Wheel steering usually also has an emergency tiller connection if all else fails.

Have you ever tried to use an emergency tiller?

Downside of wheel steering is installing windvane steering easily. Clearly possible, and not an issue if you install a Hydrovane.

For some the simplicity of a tiller steered boat with outboard rudder is desirable, but is not common on boats in the size range you are looking at.

 

[E39mad]

A Warrior 38 might get into your budget. Vancouver 36 will cost more but is a perfect candidate.

 

[wully1]

I sailed round Ireland in a First 375 - really good boat but you’d be lucky to find one that doesn’t need a lot of work.
That was replaced by an older First 38 which would go through anything. Often wish I’d kept her..
Although a similar boat would certainly need a good lot doing to her.

Pretty much any boat built up until the silly twin wheel craze started would be just fine I suspect. Those fat arsed boats would be awful in a rough sea as there is a long way to fall in the cockpit and down below. ( braces himself for a torrent of abuse from fat arsed boat owners, the boats-not the owners, who have sailed many,many rough ocean miles in their comfy boats)

 

[PHN]

REF: Steelpulse.. Keel hit rocks hard a number of years ago and buckled the hull. That said, if you were going to ground on something hard at 6 knots this is the boat to do it in. Not sure how many grp fin keel production yachts would have survived a similar encounter.

If the hull is buckled from the collision there is a good chance of structural damage on the inside you cannot see with the naked eye and needs investigation. Especially hull-keel connections.

For GRP if you google Dehler crash test you will find a series of youtube movies about a Dehler 31 that was slammed into a range of obstacles while sailing at 6 knots and survived pretty well. But of course no guarantees ...

 

[Yngmar]

REF: Steelpulse.. Keel hit rocks hard a number of years ago and buckled the hull. That said, if you were going to ground on something hard at 6 knots this is the boat to do it in. Not sure how many grp fin keel production yachts would have survived a similar encounter.

Seen a Najad do this in Santa Ponsa (Mallorca) this year. Motoring 4-5 knots into the (well-marked, charted and clearly visible) rocks stopping the boat dead, then getting stuck on them for a bit too. Once he got clear, he ran below and then ashamedly anchored off somewhere a bit away before putting on his mask and snorkel. Still floated there the next morning, so must be pretty sturdy. Didn't look like a £50k boat though, probably 5x that.