Opinions on Trintella 29 (1980)

[Minerva]

To be blunt, it’s a <£10k 50year old boat. The photos look par for the course of a boat that age and the wiring looks broadly OK - certainly I’ve seen far worse.

It needs a deep clean, the wood needs some care & attention, bits mostly it’s small enough to take the woodwork home to do of a few evenings in the warm garage with a nice varnish. You also need to rebuild the hatch garage

Nothing you’ve shown there gives me particular cause for concern, but you’ve got a few weekends worth of work to do.

 

[ridgy]

I agree, looks ok just needs a clean and a bit of wood work.

You have used the term "we" in your last post which suggests that there may be a lady involved. In this case you really need to be looking at something with a proper separate heads compartment, Having someone peeing next to your head at 4am is not as good as it sounds. This type of boat is a better choice for the single gentleman.

I once owned this type of boat as a single gentleman, an Elizabethan 29 which is very similar though a bit less beam. At the time I was in the "long keel, great seaboat, looks after you in a blow etc etc" phase of my life. Since then I have sailed many other more modern and quicker boats and will now own only more recent sporty boats. They are cramped, slow and wet and when you've experienced the alternatives you wouldn't go back.
I actually saw my old boat fairly recently for the first time in many years and I couldn't believe how small it was. When I bought it I was moving up from a Hurley 22 thought it was a palace at the time.

I would second Tranona's suggestion of the Seamaster. At least go and look at it for comparison. Being able to have a double bed in the saloon makes for a great lounging space and means that the heads can be separate and the forepeak used as storage.

 

[srm]

Very seriously looking to buy a <30ft boat capable of ocean crossings (planned for next year).

Then go for the Trintella 29, no ifs and no buts, provided that she is structurally sound.
Way back in the mid 70's I bought one, "Petrella". She had been built for a retired naval officer to visit his son, who was on the other side of the Atlantic so completed an Atlantic circuit. We bought her on the Dart and sailed home to Shetland with four on board. A great sea boat and comfortable for one or two people. My wife and I sailed around Shetland, Orkney and the west coast of Norway.

Keep her simple for ocean sailing, she just needs a basic wind vane gear as the hull is well balanced and directionally stable.

 

[Tranona]

You don't say what your sailing and boat owning experience is, but it is just not true to say that boats like that are the only ones that are "sturdy and truly sail" - if they were people would still pay good money for them instead of being like this one - messed about and lying unused in a the back of a boatyard.

I agree with Ridgy - once you have sailed a good more modern boat (and I don't mean a 21st century flash 40 footer) but the next generation of designs that killed the sales of boats like the Trintella stone dead in less than 5 years. I linked to the Seamaster because that was designed by the same person as the Twister as a "modern" replacement for the outgoing heavy displacement narrow gutted, wet cramped long keelers. It will sail rings round the older boats, even if the latter are a pleasure to helm particularly to windward.

However.... that is not what is good for ocean passage making such as you plan, where helming and enjoying sailing a responsive boat is not a big part of the scene. Much better a comfortable boat that will make good daily passage times mostly downwind under an autopilot of some sort. Those old style boats were never intended for such work and were only used in the past because they were cheap and effectively all that was available. Now your choice is much wider even at the bargain basement level. Something like that Seamaster will do the job with a minimum of preparation because it is kept up to date for serious cruising whereas the Trintella will eat up a big chunk of your budget just to get it up to a basic cruising standard and you will still have a slow, wet, cramped uncomfortable boat!

That is not to say that all long keel boats are bad for the job, but you have to go "bigger" in the sense of more beam, more waterline length which is what some did in the late 70s and 80s to meet a more demanding market. So boats like the Nic 31, Halmatic 30, Twister and its developments like the Rustlers, Elzabethan 31, Vancouvers and the slightly later fin and skeg boats from Scandinavia and the Contessa 32. However, even now good ones fetch good money and are maybe out of your budget.

Anyway, suggest you have a look at it and see what more you get for the extra £5k - or more importantly how little of your £20k budget is needed to get it ready for your adventure. Leave the Trintella for the next dreamer who will likely spend hours and hours plus storage fees and a few grand of bits before he realises it will never get back in the water, never mind sail across the Atlantic. In 2 years time it will be back on the market as he tries to recover something!

 

[Motor_Sailor]

At this stage, what you need most of all, is a spreadsheet. If you really want to go cruising, you must have a budget and a timetable and a spreadsheet lets you compare your options in reality. The initial purchase price is only a stepping stone towards the amount you’ll pay in total by your departure date.

For example, this (Sadler 32 for sale - Yachtsnet Ltd. UK yacht brokers - yacht brokerage and boat sales ) could be got for every penny of your budget, and not only is it a better boat by a country mile, but you could be sailing tomorrow. Add a self steering ( there’s a Monitor on Facebook for £1500), you could be ocean cruising within the month.

In contrast you could spend way more than that getting that Trintella ready. And it’s not the capital items, it’s all the little things and the expendables, plus yard storage fees and insurance before it’s ready, etc, that will eat up your budget.

You say you see the boat as being expendable, but you must be realistic. The inflated value of that Trintella will feature in your divorce settlement in three year’s time. Whereas at the same time, the Sadler will be still be transporting you as a couple happily round the world and still worth every penny of £25000.

 

[doug748]

An update: I went and saw the boat... It's much more of a project boat than the ad seems to imply. I've created an imgur album with photos and a couple videos.

Meanwhile, the owner and broker have significantly reduced the asking price to £7500, which is probably much more realistic for what the boat actually is.

It seems the current owner has started a lot of projects, and actually finished very few. The electricals in particular seem worrying.

If anyone has a moment, would you mind checking out the photos, and let me know if any major red flags stick out to you? Wondering if this boat is worth trying to get at a bargain price, or if it should be avoided entirely.

It certainly has some nice bits but If the boat strikes you as a bigger project than you imagined then it is worth thinking carefully about it, regardless of price. You would certainly be working on it throughout the summer and probably launching in the New Year which makes your timetable look very tight. Ideally you want to sail a boat for least part of a season and then fettle it before putting any major trust in the project.

I would look at other stuff which may help clear your mind, that Seamaster could be a starting point if it's reasonably local.

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[ridgy]

Not local but just observe the relative comfort levels in a sail away package for relatively speaking not that much more money. Aft cabin, aft heads, proper galley, proper chart table, sprayhood etc.

Think of the fun you could have sailing it home.

Gib Sea 92 for sale UK, Gib Sea boats for sale, Gib Sea used boat sales, Gib Sea Sailing Yachts For Sale 1987 Gib'sea 92 - Apollo Duck

 

[fredrussell]

As this thread is morphing into a ‘recommend me a boat’ thread (nowt wrong with that) I reckon OP’s £20k budget would get him a half decent Fulmar, or perhaps a Sadler 34.

 

[doug748]

As this thread is morphing into a ‘recommend me a boat’ thread (nowt wrong with that) I reckon OP’s £20k budget would get him a half decent Fulmar, or perhaps a Sadler 34.

Indeed. We are in danger of telling him what boat we would like to buy, rather than suggestions which meet his proposals in #1. It's an iron law of the forum that people are not allowed to want a traditionally styled GRP boat. It always sets off a low background whining noise.

A 20k boat would overdo it, leaving him nothing spend when he will probably requires 8k or more to chuck into any new purchase.

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[Tranona]

As this thread is morphing into a ‘recommend me a boat’ thread (nowt wrong with that) I reckon OP’s £20k budget would get him a half decent Fulmar, or perhaps a Sadler 34.

If you look closely the £20k includes all upgrades and a year's marina/storage fees. so realistically looking at £12-14k max as budget for the boat - depending on condition and level of kit. Getting a well prepared boat of this size for long distance cruising within that budget is a challenge, and restricting choice to older long keel boats because they are considered "sturdy and truly sail" makes it even more difficult!

A Fulmar or a Sadler 32/34 or even a Sadler 29/Moody 29/30 would be a far better starting point but they all have bolt on keels which are on the OPs no-no list and none could be got ready to go within a £20k budget

At some point reality will kick in and expectations revised.

 

[srm]

and restricting choice to older long keel boats because they are considered "sturdy and truly sail" makes it even more difficult!

Indeed it does.
However, if the OP is serious about ocean crossing in a sub 30ft boat, as opposed to home waters and a day or two crossing the North Sea then there is a lot to be said for a sea kindly directionally stable hull. Realistically, a boat that size, regardless of hull form, will only be able to carry one or two people on an ocean crossing when the weight of stores and equipment is added. It will also have to take whatever the weather gods choose to put its way.
I would prefer an older design that will carry excess weight without loss of performance and will look after a tired crew in bad conditions rather than one with a greater internal volume and twitchy steering that becomes 'exciting' and needs looking after as conditions deteriorate.
There is a trade off between many factors when choosing a boat including internal volumes, steering characteristics, safe load carrying ability, sea keeping, ease of handling, long term comfort at sea, and the risk of crew fatigue on passage that the OP will have to weigh up along with his budget constraints. The requirements for a boat likely to face a series of passages of around 3000 miles are somewhat different to those for sailing across the Channel or North Sea a couple of times in a season.
EDIT
Oh, add in the age and stamina of the crew. I have seen a few boats, sailed here by people that are probably in their 20's, that are basically ballasted sailing dinghys with a lid on.

 

[caasi]

Indeed the thread seems to be morphing. Apologies for that.

I do greatly appreciate all the opinions given. We all have our biases and most for good reason!

I have taken some of the advice given in this thread and gone to check out a Moody 28 today. Pics below. Asking price is ~£19k. Indeed that's more than twice the price of the Trintella, and yes it's a bolt-on keel, but I am considering it. Largely due to some of the chatter in this thread. It's local, and very much in ready-to-go state. Would need some bits and bobs, and yes we'd blow the 20k budget, but the Moody is a different proposition as it certainly wouldn't be a "consumable" boat and would retain some resale value. It's a nice boat, but we're not really comparing apples to apples

https://imgur.com/a/AxfzBPZ

 

[penfold]

The restoration of that very boat is covered in a thread on here. I'll have a look and see if I can find it.

Edit; here it is.

 

[penfold]

Thanks all, for such helpful responses!

We're well aware of the size of the boat and aren't bothered by lack of headroom or being "cosy". We're looking for something sturdy, and something to truly sail, not a cruiser for cocktail evenings.

As far as other boats go, we're open to anything relatively nearby. Indeed it looks like road transport for the Vega from the Hull area would be ~1k+, basically making it a non-starter. We're not dead set on a full keel boat, but I think we can rule out bolt-on cast iron options. Cheap and simple sounds like what we're after. Willing to sacrifice weight and speed on that front.

Most AWBs will do what you want and be faster, roomier, more comfortable and easier to sell or give away afterward; small long keel boats will do it but will be wetter, slower and more cramped. Ruling out bolted on keels is barmy, when was the last time you heard of one falling off? File that alongside fretting about GRP blistering.

Also for such a tight budget for what you are proposing why splurge 15+% of it on a marina berth? Moorings are much cheaper.

 

[Tranona]

Indeed the thread seems to be morphing. Apologies for that.

I do greatly appreciate all the opinions given. We all have our biases and most for good reason!

I have taken some of the advice given in this thread and gone to check out a Moody 28 today. Pics below. Reckon it could be had for ~£17k, possibly less. Indeed that's more than twice the price of the Trintella, and yes it's a bolt-on keel, but I am considering it. Largely due to some of the chatter in this thread. It's local, and very much in ready-to-go state. Would need some bits and bobs, and yes we'd blow the 20k budget, but the Moody is a different proposition as it certainly wouldn't be a "consumable" boat and would retain some resale value. It's a nice boat, but we're not really comparing apples to apples

https://imgur.com/a/AxfzBPZ

As ever once you up your purchase budget a whole new world of possibilities opens up. This for example boatshed.com/halmatic_30ft-boat-315030.html would not bust your original budget too much if it is as good as it looks in the listing. Slight question mark over the keel/hull joint from the photo, but otherwise has just about all the gear you need so your prep budget would be less. A delivery trip from Eastbourne up to you would identify any bugs that need sorting and you would be ready to go by the end of the year.

The £15-25k price range gives you a huge choice of suitable ready to go boats compared with the sub £10k choice of project boats.

I am in the process of refitting a low cost project boat from that period and can tell you that refit costs dwarf the initial purchase cost. I have already spent more than twice what I paid for the boat. Much better to buy a boat like this Halmatic where somebody else has endured that financial pain. Not everything they have done will be exactly what you want, but just cost the windvane, new solar, new winches, liferaft and there is £4k gone in an instant, never mind the £6k for the engine. Don't forget the time involved either. That Trintella would be a just about a full time job for 3 months to get to sailing condition - third of the time actually working on it and the rest figuring out what is required, formulating a plan and sourcing the bits. Don't forget the travel time either. I am lucky - 15 minutes from home to the club plus 15 minutes to unload car and walk down the pontoon to the boat. Some jobs are easy on the productive work ratio, like the stripping and refinishing all the teak on the boat where you can just get stuck in but most are fiddly in confined spaces where you often look at it and say things like "did it really take 2 hours just to re-route that water hose and change a fitting?"

I am in a position where doing the refit is the whole purpose of the project. Finished project and sailing is secondary. But a few years ago when actually sailing was a priority I took the plunge and bought a new boat built to my spec and had 6 seasons of just sailing and zero work. Appreciate not everybody is in a position to do that but as your objective seems to be the adventure of sailing the oceans buying a (nearly) ready to go boat is the right way or you will join what I call the "next year we will go" club who never get to next year.

 

[Kelpie]

We viewed some supposedly 'fully kitted out' boats which did not meet expectations. Inflated asking prices but tired and outdated gear.
The boat we ended up buying was cheaper and had the bare minimum of gear onboard. I then shopped around to pick up exactly what I wanted in the way of upgrades. I had a couple of years before I was setting off, which helped.

The budget depends on how you approach these things. If you're willing to wait and go secondhand, you can save a fortune. Some of the upgrades ended up being a bit agricultural but it's all done the job. It doesn't have to be pretty

 

[Tranona]

That is true because most of that type of boat are for sale at the end of the adventure as the owner has had the fun or can't justify the work and expense of getting it back to the level that it was a few years and several thousand miles earlier.

What could be attractive about the Halmatic is that it is for sale before the adventure has really started so while one might nit pick about some of the choices it does seem well prepared - although as ever listings can be misleading so needs very careful inspection.

 

[srm]

As ever once you up your purchase budget a whole new world of possibilities opens up. This for example boatshed.com/halmatic_30ft-boat-315030.html would not bust your original budget too much if it is as good as it looks in the listing.

Having looked at the listing I would agree with @Tranona's comments. Slightly more living space than the Trintella 29, and a similar hull. If interested check the VAT status, could be very useful if it is EU tax paid should you want to sail it there for more than 18 months.