Singlehanded round the UK - which boat?

Thanks for all the comments and ideas - and I'm now even more confused ever! As Kelpie said, just about any boat will get me round, but I'm a bit old for a Wayfarer!

I have managed to decide I want a 32' to 34' boat with wheel steering... and a cabin heater - but that's about it :)

I've slogged round the brokers on the internet and for my money I can get all sorts of fin keeled AWBs, but I could get an oldish Hallberg Rassy 34 or a Hanse 341. For a long keel I could just about get a Vancouver 34 or an Island Packet (if I'm lucky) or an old Hallberg Rassy Rasmus. Alternatively I could get an old Westerly like the Falcon or Ocean 33 (possibly with bilge keels) and spend some money updating it (but I don't think I'd get my money back on resale).

Hmmm.....
 
I have done it twice single handed, inc via the Channel islands both times in my Hanse 311.. I took 12 weeks both times. I found the 31 perfectly Ok & in one circumnavigation I did 5 legs over 100 miles & 6 legs over that on the second. I keep the boat on the east coast & have never found the draft ( 1.8) an issue except my marina restricts entry at low tide. I find the speed & heavy weather handling of the Hanse really useful. The 34 is one of the best Hanse's. It would be good for a fast trip. The self tacking jib is excellent.

I would never consider a slow boat such as a Vancouver. I sailed in company with one on one small leg of 60 miles & got fed up going back for it. From the dark ages which did not even give the impression of being a good sea handling boat in spite of what diehards say.
 
Daydream believer said:
I would never consider a slow boat such as a Vancouver. I sailed in company with one on one small leg of 60 miles & got fed up going back for it. From the dark ages which did not even give the impression of being a good sea handling boat in spite of what diehards say.
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Oh dear another comment on a particular boat from someone who has probably never sailed one! I have raced most of my life and enjoy a fast and easily driven design but also have sailed a Vancouver 34 fairly regularly. They are not slow boats if sailed properly with the correct gear. In light winds the standard triple stitched heavy duty sail cloth will not drive the boat forward that well. A decent light head sail assists enormously that is larger than the usual yankee. I am no diehard long keel fan and have sailed far more miles in a fin and blade rudder (including an Atlantic) but the V34 is a beautifully balanced sailboat that I would be more than happy to own and sail anywhere without frustration.
 
If you want to do the trip and resell afterwards, my recommendation is to buy something popular from the likes of Bavaria, Beneteau or Jeanneau. Most of these will have 32-34 footers in your price range and most will be wheel steered. Whilst there is some derision against these kinds of boats, they are popular for a reason - which helps with the sale once you've done the voyage. Obviously, now is a good time to start thinking about buying a boat.

If you're going to be spending time in marinas, a £20 fan heater or convection heater will be a very worthwhile purchase and much cheaper than a the diesel heater from the likes of Eberspacher. Do buy one with a good set of sails (or knock £5k off the asking price as this is what it cost to recanvas her with something reasonable). Reliable autohelm and ground tackle is a must. I'd also strongly endorse LED lights (nav and saloon).
 
Do you really want to all the way around?

I've been up to Orkney and back to Portsmouth via the east coast of Ireland (two handed). Cruising Scotland was by far the best bit.

Make sure you have a reliable engine, as to make it round you're essentially sailing a delivery trip as you are sailing to a deadline.

Boats like a Sadler 34, Maxi 1000, Westerly Storm 33, Starlight 35, Bavaria 34(from around 2000), Contest 36, Moody 346/376, or at risk of falling into the 'I'll recommend my boat' trap, a Sadler 32. Then spend the extra getting the kit you want/need and leave yourself enough left over to cover most eventualities and make the most of exploring where you are, hiring cars, meals out etc.
 
I would perhaps focus more on the condition she is in, rather than the specific model. As others have said, pretty much any AWB will make it. If you want SWMBO to come and join you and want to come back, it needs to be something she will be happy living on for a week or two.

There is a lot of junk around, owned by the same guy for 10+ years and nothing maintained, replaced. updated in that time so you end up with something that has obsolete equipment, blown sails, tired engine, lived in interior etc. They may all "work" but will not make the boat sellable when you've finished

I would be looking for something lightly used and built this century, ideally with a rolling program of upgrades evident. around 34 feet. Possibly steer clear of the newer "Ikea look" designs as i'm not sure they have a broad resale appeal.

Decent solar, autopilot to the quadrant, good engine, large battery bank, radar and AIS transceiver and cockpit enclosure would be good.

AIS Transceiver mainly so that SWMBO can track you when on passage and be certain that you're all ok.
 
Good suggestion, but I'll stick to AIS - very useful in detecting ferries popping out from behind islands unexpectedly, not to mention its value in foggy shipping lanes. BTW I think radar on yachts was never much use, and AIS is a much better investment.
 
I'd either use my current boat (Catalina 270) with all of its gubbins (new engine, rigging, sails, AIS, etc) or I'd go for the 'trad' route of an Albin Vega.

Both lovely boats to sail for different reasons. Both will easily handle the round UK at less cost and less comfort than the 35 footers being mentioned.
 
grumpy_o_g said:
For the sake of my comfort I'd want something that could maintain a reasonable speed regardless of conditions (for the long legs) and that didn't turn into a washing machine in the nasty little short choppy seas we get around the UK so much. That would mean something with a reasonable LWL and not too light a displacement to me. Something in the mid-30 foot area sounds about right to me and tending to medium displacement or slightly heavier. If you have the time inclination you could buy something that a little older but sound and spend some money on turning it into the boat you want. Something that can dry out but is still manoeuvrable in tight harbours would be good too, preferably without needing the Mariana Trench to float her.
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I think I'd want something that went well in light airs.
A lot of these epics seem to involve a lot of sitting in pubs while it's windy, interspersed with days of motoring upwind in light weather, needing to make progress.
 
iLens said:
Good suggestion, but I'll stick to AIS - very useful in detecting ferries popping out from behind islands unexpectedly, not to mention its value in foggy shipping lanes. BTW I think radar on yachts was never much use, and AIS is a much better investment.
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You may well change your opinion after the trip :0)

Sailing from Newlyn to Kilmore Quay we encountered thick fog crossing the Celtic sea. Fishing boats don't use AIS, with radar we were able to avoid the fleet of boats we would have sailed into.

Likewise coming into Adrglass we were able to avoid fishing boats coming out of the harbour as we were less than 1/2 a mile from the harbour entrance but could not see land due to fog.
 
Snooks has given the most succinct reply in the AIS v Radar argument yet and illustrates with good examples ,at the end of the day fishing boats are concentrating on fishing and especially the echosounder and chartplotter,bigger ships are concentrating on getting from A to B.
 
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