Baggywrinkle
Well-known member
With the budget you have, then the boats you are looking at make a huge amount of sense, and they are also what you are used to, so also a bonus. You will certainly not be disapointed. Hope you find the boat of your dreams.
I am also looking for a boat to sail single handed or 2-up most of the time.
My must have list is more about easily managing the boat and sail-plan rather than out and out sailing qualities, I have a preference for more modern boats. (My crew also wants all her creature comforts) so my must-have list for the sailing part of the boat is as follows ....
Roller reefing main and genny - so I can reef with minimum fuss or course alteration.
All sheets lead back to primary winches in front of the wheels - so no ropey snake-pit on the cockpit floor/seats.
All furling from cockpit to minimise my requirement to go on deck.
Strong reliable below deck autopilot - good enough to helm in any sea state - so I can hide under the spray-hood in bad weather while the boat just gets on with it.
A powerful engine so I can just plough through the weather to shelter as quickly as possible - regardless of wind direction - this has more to do with getting the crew out of bad weather ASAP than my sailing preferences - (Gentlemen don't sail to windward.)
My additional preference is for electric primary winches - so no winch handles to misplace/lose or get in the way when dumping sheets or swapping sheets on the primary winches.
I recently chartered a Sun Odyssey 409 which had the sheet/winch layout described above to try it out and see if it really made a difference compared to my last boat - on the SO all sheets were lead back to the primary winches through clutch blocks, and the primaries were just forward of the wheels with sheet tail bins behind them - see pic.
What a revelation!
It unfortunately didn't have a roller furling main, or electric winches but was a joy to sail and my crew could relax in a rope free cockpit with a chilled white wine while I took care of sailing the boat from behind the wheels - an absolute joy and so easy.
I am also looking for a boat to sail single handed or 2-up most of the time.
My must have list is more about easily managing the boat and sail-plan rather than out and out sailing qualities, I have a preference for more modern boats. (My crew also wants all her creature comforts) so my must-have list for the sailing part of the boat is as follows ....
Roller reefing main and genny - so I can reef with minimum fuss or course alteration.
All sheets lead back to primary winches in front of the wheels - so no ropey snake-pit on the cockpit floor/seats.
All furling from cockpit to minimise my requirement to go on deck.
Strong reliable below deck autopilot - good enough to helm in any sea state - so I can hide under the spray-hood in bad weather while the boat just gets on with it.
A powerful engine so I can just plough through the weather to shelter as quickly as possible - regardless of wind direction - this has more to do with getting the crew out of bad weather ASAP than my sailing preferences - (Gentlemen don't sail to windward.)
My additional preference is for electric primary winches - so no winch handles to misplace/lose or get in the way when dumping sheets or swapping sheets on the primary winches.
I recently chartered a Sun Odyssey 409 which had the sheet/winch layout described above to try it out and see if it really made a difference compared to my last boat - on the SO all sheets were lead back to the primary winches through clutch blocks, and the primaries were just forward of the wheels with sheet tail bins behind them - see pic.
What a revelation!
It unfortunately didn't have a roller furling main, or electric winches but was a joy to sail and my crew could relax in a rope free cockpit with a chilled white wine while I took care of sailing the boat from behind the wheels - an absolute joy and so easy.
!