RCD category B sub 30ft cruisers

[briany]

Looking for recommendations please for 25 - 30ft cruisers mainly for day coastal use but with the ability for an occasional cross channel hop - accomodation needs to fit four.

We like the look of the Scandinavian boats (Nimbus, Aquador, Bella) which have spacious, light and airy wheelhouses. However, a bit surprised to see that the Aquadors and Bella boats in this size range are all category C not B - whereas the Nimbus 280 is a B. I would prefer a "B" rating but is this being too cautious or is there some technical reason why the Aquador etc boats don't merit a "B"rating whilst being good sea boats? The write ups in the mags certainly don't suggest any particular problems with the handling.

Also are there any other models we should look at?

 

[[2068]]

Might be worth looking at the Sealine S29 as well.

It isn't necessarily the case that an RCD category "C" boat will be less seaworthy than an RCD category "B" boat.

A categorisation just means that the boat was certified to have passed a set of tests at a known loading. It could be that Aquador have chosen to certify to a lower category, but at a higher loading, because that's what their market asked - "How many people can I carry".

If you wanted to emphasise how "seaworthy" your boat was, you could certify it at a lower load, and maybe scrape a higher classification, if it was thought to be important to those buying.

(This is a gross oversimplification. There are limits (I'm not aware of any 20ft outboard powered RCD category "A" boats out there), and there are many additional requirements beyond stability tests..)

dv.

 

[Kevin]

It is also dependent on where the boats are produced as certain manufacturers in countries are known to place a 'better' catagory on their boat than other manufacturers in other countries may feel appropriate. The test it isnt as uniform as a simple set of rules that must be passed it can be subjective. An example of this was that in the past boats built in the UK werent catgorised as 'A' under about 70 foot, whilst like I say other manufacturers in other countries have been known to have cat 'A' on 30 foot boats - I dont care about how well they are designed and built in my opinion no boat under 30 foot can realistically be classed as cat. 'A'

I wont go into makes etc as this always leads to arguments as has ben said it is far more complex than aset of tests to be passed

I would never use a boats RCD catagory as the sole or even possibly the major decision on a boat, its best as youve done, to get people with first hand experience of the type of boating you want to do in the makes/ models you are interested in IMVHO

Kevin

 

[jimg]

What kind of budget are you thinking of?

 

[whisper]

Botnia Targas, provided you are into solid & practical rather than "stylish".

 

[hlb]

Dont think any boat sub 30ft is cat b, not in the real sence, though my 2.3 dinghy is cat c but the barge cat d. Having said that, the waves are alot smaller way off shore than they are nearer to it, most of the time. So maybe need Cat D if miles off but Cat A if going round Start Point ferinstance!!

 

[Whitelighter]

My 2005 Bayliner 285 shows a cat B on the CE plate. Has the advantage of being a 6 berth boat and under 30 feet. Comfortable for 8 in the cockpit and goes well in the sea (was out in a F5 at the weekend punching the tide) - though as everybody else has said, dont go on plates alone!

 

[MedDreamer]

I have NEVER considered my 2855 a Category B - The fact that it can show that on the plate just shows how ridiculous the RCD categories are.

Martyn

 

[Benbw]

The Aquador 28 C is Cat B!!!

 

[Whitelighter]

Couldnt agree with you more - the most important thing is it feels solid and will take a decent sea. I would feel more than comfortable in taking her across the channel.

CE marking is just more euro conformity gone mad!

 

[briany]

Re: the Aquador 28C - don't want to split hairs particularly in view of the above responses - but the 28C is RCD category C as per the Bella website and the MBM test report. Most of the replies confirm my suspicion that the RCD rating isn't much of a guide to seaworthy behaviour.

If I asked the question in a different way - which sub 30ft cruisers would you feel comfortable crossing the Channel in other than perfect weather - would there be other boats to add to the list?

 

[duncan]

hehehe my 25ft'r is a B but my family aren't!

seriously, there are a number of newer models, especially the French ones, that have pretty good setups for the sort of conditions I think you are asking. They tend to be charatierised by a small keel slower top speeds for their engine/size than other craft. Personally, as indicated above, crew and passanger comfort is the key to handling the boredom associated with a channel slop so the scandanavian craft already mentioned, with high very high marks to the Botnia Targas, do the job well.

 

[whisper]

When I last looked at an Aquador brochure I thought that there was a "B" and a "C" category given for boats with the same hull but different styles of accomodation - can't remember if this was the 28 footer though. As has been said earlier, I don't believe that the classification is necessarily a gauge of sea-worthiness in the real world.