Sigma 362. Any Opinions?

DJE

DJE

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My crew from last year's Cherbourg trip is thinking of getting his own boat (one crossing with me was enough then!). He's been looking at Contessa 26s but has just announced that he's off to look at a Sigma 362 and wants to know what they're like. Anybody got any views for or against?
 
Wouldn't have one as a first boat. Dopn't get me wrong, they're great, but I am still in the dwindling minority who think you've learn more, damage less and scare yourself less if you start small and simple.
 
Great. Ours is our first boat and we've had it 6 years. Easy to sail even for duffers. Fast enough to be encouraging (even for duffers). Goes where you point it. Ours has looked after us in some bad weather where we only just knew what to do. Cockpit is a bit on the small side but we only sail two handed so that isn't a problem for us. Has a good build feel about it. Nav station, galley, berths and heads all usable in a seaway and convenient in harbor.

We may, in fullness of time, fit out the pilot berth with cupboards, since it is only big enough for a 12 year old.

No anchor windlass keeps me fit. Inner fore stay would be nice.

Other than that - it will see us out: wouldn't change it.

<edit>If it is on interest clicky clicky for an account of our forth (I think) summer sailing our 362. We did East coast, Poole, CI, w Brittany, Cornwall and home. </edit>
 
Agree - 36 feet is big for a first boat. The Sigma can be a lively boat - superb but is it a first boat? Contessa 26 will be a peach of a first boat and dead easy to sell and move up in a couple of years time.
 
The 362 is not hard to handle - if it were we would be drowned by now.

Before we bought it my sailing experience was limited to a couple of charters a year and the admiral had never sailed. Neither of us had ever sailed dinghys. We got from East Coast to IOW in our first summer cruise and saw some bad weather. Second year we got to Honfluer and third to Ussant. See the link in my edit to my post above for the cruise in our fourth summer.

I only get 4 weeks off in the summer and we couldn't have done that stuff in a slower boat.

Don't make the mistake that parents often do when their kids want to learn, say, the violin, of buying other than a really good one.

Quote from the admiral (with permission) "We have been quite scared a few times, but the boat never has been".
 
Contessa 26 or Sigma 362 - a big difference, innit ! Not really comparable. Sounds like he needs to decide what type and size of boat he wants and can afford first.

As an aside, I know a very tidy Contessa 28 for sale locallly if he is interested!
 
I agree with Shmoo.
It takes several years to "work up" a boat regardless of size but whats the point when you then decide to move up.
Usually the progression from small to larger is dictated by economics and if you have the money--go for it. These days 36ft is not big and I see dinghy sailors on charter boats of this size managing very well.(some not so well I agree!)
There is no argument which says you should experience a force9 in a 26footer before doing the same in a 36footer.
The Sigma362 was regarded as very advanced in its time and by all accounts is a superb boat.
 
Agree, I think some knowledge of sailing is necessary but Dinghy experience in something with all the same bits of string like a wayfarer is adequate.

We had a great charter holiday in a 36' yacht with only wayfarer sailing experience. Interestingly the owner of Sailing Holidays said it rarely the novices that are sensibly cautious that damage our boats - its the sailing club commodore's that think they know it all!!

A few years after that we bought a new 36' and had no problems.

Buying a series of progresively bigger boats is a waste of money IMHO. Learn to sail, get as much experience as you can, decide on the boat you finally want, buy & enjoy. Life is too short!!
 
Had one for 4 years.
Fantastic boat and perfect for what you describe. If your mate can't learn to handle it in a couple of months he shouldn't be out there. Get some help learning about parking and the prop walk etc, there after it's an incredible forgiving boat. Quick, sea-kindly and the perfect size cockpit, one of Mr Thomas' best!. You are never going to have 8 people on board, if you are, get a different boat. If you get serious pm me and we can talk further about what to look for.
 
First boat was a Sigma 33, was looking at 26 - 28 footers, in hindsight am very glad I did not bother with a smaller boat.

First few trips take an old sea dog to show you the roles then bobs yer uncle.

Only thing your friend needs to consider is mooring fees and finding somewhere "reasonable" for a 36 footer.

Of course my advice is get dinghy part 1&2 and day skipper practical before venturing out on your own, if you cannot read a map, or work out tides then it may be an expensive experience.
 
One person's giant boat is another person's tiddler

I think 36ft is a perfectly OK starter size as long as you get the basics right. Arguably, a 36 footer will 'force' you to get the basics right as opposed to being able to get by with some bad habits you could learn in a 26 footer - but these would eventually come to light as you scaled up.

Of course loads are higher and so the stakes are higher so watch those fingers and topsides - a pretty good incentive!

And so with the right preparation, attitude of respect and budget, I agree a 36 footer is quite OK to start with. And a Sigma is not some quirky wildcard but a proven design with a good habits and a good turn of speed.
 
I have sailed the 33,36,38(the best) & the 41(once).The 38 is in my opinion the best all rounder made & a superb boat.Many of the Sigmas will have been driven hard & the article in April PBO highlights the things to look out for.A 362 is less likely to have been raced as much but the same criteria apply.The shallow draught wing keel version(as opposed to fin) is likely to have been raced even less if at all as it was designed as the cruiser version.
 
The 362 is same hull as the 36 but with masthead rig, different coachroof and a bit more cruisy as I recall - good boat I imagine if my Fastnet (with a bit of wind in the Irish Sea) in a 36 is anything to go by.

Others may agree that Sigmas (particularly the 33) do have a heavy helm at times but I would certainly look at a 362 for cruising and the odd race. Not quite the same as a Contessa 26 in any way however but I guess that has occured to him!
 
I think a lot depends on what sort of sailing a person does. I echo the comments about the Sigma 38.. superb, I sailed one on my Day Skipper practical and we short tacked it up the Beaulieu river at LW..but we did have 6 on board. My Sigma 33 was great, bought after the course, but I never felt confident single handing it into a marina. I would be interested to know if those who had 36s for their first boat have ever picked up moorings under sail, anchored single handed, and beat to windward in strong winds. All perfectly feasible in a Sigma, but maybe not for a novice in a large boat.
 
[ QUOTE ]

I would be interested to know if those who had 36s for their first boat have ever picked up moorings under sail, anchored single handed, and beat to windward in strong winds. All perfectly feasible in a Sigma, but maybe not for a novice in a large boat.


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Yup. All that in a first-boat 362. When single handing I do cheat and use the auto pilot! The boat always seems to behave very predictably. When two handed the admiral, who helms like a machine, usually drives. I have not yet managed to persuade her to drive it in to a marina berth, but that is more to do with confidence than skill at handling the boat.

We put on a nr 3 and put two or three reefs in the main and she will beat to windward in strong winds just fine - pretty upright and tacks without a problem. Big waves slow the progress but I guess you can't help that.

<edit> As I think I suggested in the posts above, what we are able to do in the boat is more a testament to how straightforward it is to sail than to any special skills of ours</edit>
 
Perhaps you're just a natural! They do say that in the end it's the skipper and not the boat that matters. I remember discussing Shane Acton's book Shrimpy, not long after I had started sailing, with a bunch of old hands, and they said well he was one who made it, one never hears of the ones who didn't. I remember my first crossing in the Sigma, Ramsgate to Ostend. The engine kept stalling in the approaches, I had to enter Ostend in the dark and there was thick fog at North Foreland on the return, and the Sigma looked after me well through all of it.
 
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