Sloop or ketch, pros and cons

[Buck Turgidson]

Sloop or ketch is the wrong question.

A yawl has all the advantages/disadvantages* of either a sloop or a ketch, but is better looking than both.

(*delete according to taste )

I'm with you there.
It was only a last minute bout of sanity that prevented me making an offer on a Rummer.
Not this exact one.

 

[Praxinoscope]

I have always fancied a ketch, despite the disadvantages, but to be worthwhile it would have to be far larger than my budget would allow.

 

[geem]

Geem I am looking at a 1974 47ft Morgan Ketch to purchase, having only sailed a 1977 22ft sloop it is definitely an upgrade but it is a long keel 4'7 with a swing keel to 7ft combination and was wondering if your boat is similar? I have been reading like crazy trying to get educated and people have so many different opinions on them was wondering if you who own one could maybe give me some pointers on what you love and hate about a ketch. Thank you for your time.

No, my Van de Stadt is a fin and skeg 7'2" draft. The keel is lead and 6000kg.
Having never sailed a long keel shallow draft ketch I would only be guessing what it is like.
Morgan's don't have a great reputation but I know little about them

 

[Woodstock 2363]

No, my Van de Stadt is a fin and skeg 7'2" draft. The keel is lead and 6000kg.
Having never sailed a long keel shallow draft ketch I would only be guessing what it is like.
Morgan's don't have a great reputation but I know little about them

Thank you for your reply, I will look up your type boat as see the difference.

 

[Tranona]

Geem I am looking at a 1974 47ft Morgan Ketch to purchase, having only sailed a 1977 22ft sloop it is definitely an upgrade but it is a long keel 4'7 with a swing keel to 7ft combination and was wondering if your boat is similar? I have been reading like crazy trying to get educated and people have so many different opinions on them was wondering if you who own one could maybe give me some pointers on what you love and hate about a ketch. Thank you for your time.

Can't find a 47' Morgan on sailboatdata - do you have a link to the boat? As geem says, Morgans in general do not enjoy a particularly good reputation. They come from a period when offshore cruising expanded rapidly particularly on the eastern seaboard of the US where cruising the shallow waters of the Bahamas and Florida was very popular. So big accommodation, centre cockpits, big engines, shallow draft and often ketch rig to keep sail handling within the capabilities of a husband and wife crew. Sharp sailing performance was not high on the list. They were built to a price at the lower end of the market and time and the environment has not been kind to them.

Whether it is worth buying depends on what your plans are, but boats of that size and age are hard work in more ways than one. Heavy to handle gear, lots of complex systems (probably much messed about with over the years) and heavy on time and money to maintain. Not surprisingly many spend a lot of time "in preparation" for the big adventure rather than actually sailing anywhere. The fact that it is a ketch is sort of irrelevant - it is what it is, although rig and sail replacement will of course be nearly twice as much as a sloop!

 

[Woodstock 2363]

Can't find a 47' Morgan on sailboatdata - do you have a link to the boat? As geem says, Morgans in general do not enjoy a particularly good reputation. They come from a period when offshore cruising expanded rapidly particularly on the eastern seaboard of the US where cruising the shallow waters of the Bahamas and Florida was very popular. So big accommodation, centre cockpits, big engines, shallow draft and often ketch rig to keep sail handling within the capabilities of a husband and wife crew. Sharp sailing performance was not high on the list. They were built to a price at the lower end of the market and time and the environment has not been kind to them.

Whether it is worth buying depends on what your plans are, but boats of that size and age are hard work in more ways than one. Heavy to handle gear, lots of complex systems (probably much messed about with over the years) and heavy on time and money to maintain. Not surprisingly many spend a lot of time "in preparation" for the big adventure rather than actually sailing anywhere. The fact that it is a ketch is sort of irrelevant - it is what it is, although rig and sail replacement will of course be nearly twice as much as a sloop!

Well because I was not reading it right...NOT a Morgan, it is an AL Mason design with the hull made by Bob Vaughn in Miami Florida. Perhaps if I cant read it right I should not buy it. No idea who bob Vaughn Boat works in Miami is but I am about to look it up. Thank you for your reply.

 

[Tranona]

Well because I was not reading it right...NOT a Morgan, it is an AL Mason design with the hull made by Bob Vaughn in Miami Florida. Perhaps if I cant read it right I should not buy it. No idea who bob Vaughn Boat works in Miami is but I am about to look it up. Thank you for your reply.

OK so Al Mason was a very respected designer and worked for both S&S and John Alden as well as under his own name. Would be interesting to see the details.

 

[Buck Turgidson]

is this her?