Pick me a boat 🙂

[Sea Change]

First off, this isn't really a serious thing as I'm fairly happy with my current boat and not in a position to change any time soon. But I would like to draw up a shortlist of three kind of thing I might want to change to one day. Just in case I get the chance to have a look at one

Current boat- old Primrose era Moody 39. I like the enormous space and stowage. It has adequate trade winds passage speed and sufficient tankage. Inline spreaders are good downwind. It's sub 12m/1.8m draft. Simple transom stern doesn't slap and is practical for mounting davits, wind vane etc. It also doesn't try to ride over my dinghy in a swell.
What I'd like is a bit more performance- our SA is only 13.76- plus better sea berths (we don't really have one to starboard). I also don't like the babystay which cuts the deck space up.

So, the hypothetical next boat would be:
- under 12m LOA
- ideally under 1.8 draft
- able to dry out on a wall without damage; strong preference for a skeg hung rudder
- good sea berth on each tack
- SA of at least 16; better windward performance than the current boat
- strong preference for inline spreaders and forward lowers
- GRP

The 'nice to have' list includes:
- similar sort of stern to my current boat, no open transoms or raised sugar scoop. Would prefer a slight forward rake for easier boarding.
- at least one decent double cabin plus two other spaces. So it could be three cabin, or two cabins plus a walk in storage/ workshop.
- able to entertain 8 for drinks on the cockpit and 6 for dinner below
- heads near the companionway
- prefer shaft drive to saildrive but this isn't essential

And bonus points if it has:
- no teak
- Solent/cutter rig
- 500l+ water tankage

What do you reckon? So far I'm thinking a Warrior 40 would be a fairly good match, but the cockpit is a bit small, the performance unlikely to be scintillating, and it has a saildrive.

 

[Minerva]

Following with interest.

Could you change your baby stay for forward lowers? Do you have a conviennent bulkhead to affix the new chain plates?

 

[Sea Change]

Following with interest.

Could you change your baby stay for forward lowers? Do you have a conviennent bulkhead to affix the new chain plates?

It's something I've given a little thought to. There's a partial bulkhead in about the right place to starboard, but to port you'd have to install a knee which would render the top bunk in the passageway cabin unusable.

 

[Tranona]

As usual with an "ideal" list some of your requirements are mutually exclusive. On a 12m boat a decent size cockpit is difficult with all the other things you want - no centre cockpit (to get the proper double cabin) will be big enough. 1,8m draft with fin and skeg is rare on that size of boat. Solid transom like your current boat is also rare as post 1980 some sort of sugar scoop transom was considered to be essential by the market - many plain transom boats designed in the late 70s and early 80s were quickly redrawn to include boarding facilities. Likewise few 12m boats have two headsail rigs as standard although some could be re-rigged in that way.

Couple of suggestions that might suit (depending on budget) Island Packet 40 and Contesr 40

 

[Sea Change]

We find our cockpit and saloon space perfectly ample at present. Just don't want to go smaller if possible.
I've spent some time on a Warrior and the cockpit was definitely less spacious than ours. But bigger saloon.

I don't know a huge amount about IPs, the only one I was aboard I remember thinking it was much harder to board because the transom was completely vertical.

I'm not completely against a partial sugar scoop, but I'd like to leave enough space for the windvane and davits, and I'd like it to present a big enough 'wall' to berth the tender across with risk of it going under. That might be solveable with a drop down ladder of course.

 

[geem]

We find our cockpit and saloon space perfectly ample at present. Just don't want to go smaller if possible.
I've spent some time on a Warrior and the cockpit was definitely less spacious than ours. But bigger saloon.

I don't know a huge amount about IPs, the only one I was aboard I remember thinking it was much harder to board because the transom was completely vertical.

I'm not completely against a partial sugar scoop, but I'd like to leave enough space for the windvane and davits, and I'd like it to present a big enough 'wall' to berth the tender across with risk of it going under. That might be solveable with a drop down ladder of course.

I guess it's what you get used to with transoms. Ours is vertical. When I go on other boats with sugar scoops in the Caribbean choppy anchorages I often wonder why they make it so hard. Ditto with sloping transoms. Vertical seems so easy to me.

 

[Sea Change]

I might put the Beneteau Idylle 1150 on the list, but it's definitely a bit smaller than I'd ideally like.

 

[dansaskip]

My choice - maybe a bit left field and perhaps old fashioned and not to everyones taste would be a Tayana either a 37 or perhaps better a Baba 35. A brilliant Bob Perry design

 

[Fr J Hackett]

My choice - maybe a bit left field and perhaps old fashioned and not to everyones taste would be a Tayana either a 37 or perhaps better a Baba 35. A brilliant Bob Perry design

You would struggle to find either of those over this side of the pond and unlikely in the OPs bracket after CE certification and VAT and possibly import duty.

 

[mrming]

Westerly Typhoon. 37ft, 1.83m draft, tough, good performance, no skeg hung rudder and it’s a fractional rig with swept back spreaders, but otherwise fits the brief. If you have a look on yachtworld there’s a very nice one for sale in the Netherlands with a self tacking jib fitted. You would have to pay VAT on import, but as this is hypothetical you could always splash out.

 

[Clancy Moped]

Najad 440.

 

[Sea Change]

My choice - maybe a bit left field and perhaps old fashioned and not to everyones taste would be a Tayana either a 37 or perhaps better a Baba 35. A brilliant Bob Perry design

I don't think I'm quite ready to compromise on a fin and skeg with transom stern. Pretty boats though!

 

[Tradewinds]

Najad 440.

Ran2 didn't half creak and groan (inside) in a seaway. Would put me off getting one.

 

[Sea Change]

Najad 440.

A fair bit over the 12m limit. But I've been aboard a couple of Najads and they really are lovely things.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

So, the hypothetical next boat would be:
- under 12m LOA NO, 12.3
- ideally under 1.8 draft 1.8m
- able to dry out on a wall without damage; strong preference for a skeg hung rudder YES
- good sea berth on each tack YES
- SA of at least 16; better windward performance than the current boat 16.1
- strong preference for inline spreaders and forward lowers YES
- GRP YES

The 'nice to have' list includes:
- similar sort of stern to my current boat, no open transoms or raised sugar scoop. Would prefer a slight forward rake for easier boarding. A BIT MORE THAN SLIGHT FWD
- at least one decent double cabin plus two other spaces. So it could be three cabin, or two cabins plus a walk in storage/ workshop. AFT CABIN, PILOT BERT, SALOON, FWD CABIN
- able to entertain 8 for drinks on the cockpit and 6 for dinner below AC YES, CC CRAMPED. BOTH 8 in SALOON YES but CLOSE. SIX BETTER.
- heads near the companionway AFT CABIN HEADS YES
- prefer shaft drive to saildrive but this isn't essential YES

And bonus points if it has:
- no teak YES
- Solent/cutter rig YES
- 500l+ water tankage YES

See comments next to requirements for Rival 41C or Rival 41A

 

[Sea Change]

Najad 440.

A fair bit over the 12m limit. But I've been aboard a couple of Najads and they really are lovely things.

 

[geem]

How about a Moody 39?

 

[Minerva]

Ran2 didn't half creak and groan (inside) in a seaway. Would put me off getting one.

It was eye opening seeing how quick they sold that after spending such a huge amount on a new rig & sails. I’d love to hear their private commentary on the boat!

 

[geem]

It was eye opening seeing how quick they sold that after spending such a huge amount on a new rig & sails. I’d love to hear their private commentary on the boat!

It was always a quick and comfortable boat.
Creaks can be removable furniture and not structural. My access to the two 600mm diameter water tank manholes demand that some furniture can be removed that make up the saloon seating. Sailing hard on the weather makes those screwed joints creak. I would love it if they didn't but a do love the great access to the 800 litre water tank as well.

 

[geem]

First off, this isn't really a serious thing as I'm fairly happy with my current boat and not in a position to change any time soon. But I would like to draw up a shortlist of three kind of thing I might want to change to one day. Just in case I get the chance to have a look at one

Current boat- old Primrose era Moody 39. I like the enormous space and stowage. It has adequate trade winds passage speed and sufficient tankage. Inline spreaders are good downwind. It's sub 12m/1.8m draft. Simple transom stern doesn't slap and is practical for mounting davits, wind vane etc. It also doesn't try to ride over my dinghy in a swell.
What I'd like is a bit more performance- our SA is only 13.76- plus better sea berths (we don't really have one to starboard). I also don't like the babystay which cuts the deck space up.

So, the hypothetical next boat would be:
- under 12m LOA
- ideally under 1.8 draft
- able to dry out on a wall without damage; strong preference for a skeg hung rudder
- good sea berth on each tack
- SA of at least 16; better windward performance than the current boat
- strong preference for inline spreaders and forward lowers
- GRP

The 'nice to have' list includes:
- similar sort of stern to my current boat, no open transoms or raised sugar scoop. Would prefer a slight forward rake for easier boarding.
- at least one decent double cabin plus two other spaces. So it could be three cabin, or two cabins plus a walk in storage/ workshop.
- able to entertain 8 for drinks on the cockpit and 6 for dinner below
- heads near the companionway
- prefer shaft drive to saildrive but this isn't essential

And bonus points if it has:
- no teak
- Solent/cutter rig
- 500l+ water tankage

What do you reckon? So far I'm thinking a Warrior 40 would be a fairly good match, but the cockpit is a bit small, the performance unlikely to be scintillating, and it has a saildrive.

I think you have pretty well described my boat but not in a 12m package, ours being 13.4m and 2.2m draft
800L water tank,
500L diesel,
Solent rig,
No teak decks
Huge storage
Cockpit seats 8
Two heads
No sugar scoop
Shaft drive
Workbench with a couple of vices in engine room with full headroom
Aft double cabin and large foredeck cabin with an additional top bunk. Bottom bunk used for storage.
Lead fin keel and skeg hung rudder
Excellent sea berth in the middle of the boat low down on top of the keel
Inline spreaders
The 2.2m draft contributes to its upwind ability.


I don't think your ideal boat will exist in 12m format