Small Boat Options for the North Sea

[Matwill]

Hi Guys,

I have been looking to buy a boat now for a while and I think I have decided that a smaller boat is probably going to be better for me.

The sort of sailing I will be doing is solo North Sea crossings from NL to UK and sailing to the Faroes etc so the max time spent at sea would be around 7-10 days.

I have been looking at boats such as the Contessa 26, Alben Vega, Frendship 28, Tornado 770, Contest 25, Sadler 26, Halycon 27 etc etc I'm looking for something that is safe but not necessarily a brick to sail. If i had a choice between a long keel or a fin and skeg i'd be inclined to take the fin and skeg as long as it was still seaworthy. I'm also looking for something that is suitable for a wind vane, i'm 6'2 so being able to lie down would be good. Headroom is a nice to have but not necessary.

What other boats would you suggest for such trips or why would one of the above boats be a good choice over another?

I know these threads are a dime a dozen and I have read most of them, i'm looking for a little more specific info about the type of sailing I will be doing.

Thanks
Mat

 

[nathanglasgow]

We've had Halcyon27. No way would I want to be in the middle of the North Sea in that when it's rough. Low freeboard, very tender, low headroom. Most of those listed have poor headroom if you're over 5'5".For comforts sake I'd go bigger.

 

[Daydream believer]

There is a chap that wrote a really informative book about his 2 round uk trips single handed ( sorry forget his name) he did it in a sadler 26 and his travel times were quite reasonable. That would suggest to me that the boat was emminently suitable. From memory his book does describe the preparations he made to it such as having a bright orange storm jib etc.
Others will know the name of the author and book
however, my boat is a 31 ft fin keel and i would not really want to do it in anything smaller ( i have been round twice SH plus over 200 north sea crossings) i do not find the fin a problem so ignore the suggestions of bilge keels if they come up.
i also appreciate the speed so that is another reason for the size. If i was younger and have more SH sailng years left i would go for a bigger boat. if doing the trips you suggest i would definitly go for size if £'s were not the constraint.
I started in a 26ft long keeled boat that sailed beautifully, but anything over 24 hours was a killer. That being said i have met loads of people cruising in boats in the size range you suggest. They just did shorter hops. The more stable the platform the easier it is

 

[Old Harry]

Frank Dye did it in a Wayfarer i seem to remember, plenty of headroom but little else

 

[nathanglasgow]

Not that I'm disrespecting smaller craft That wee H27 was a great boat. Solid and a joy to sail. Could go down below to make a brew and she would stay on course with no one at the tiller. Tender though when the wind got up. Most of our sailing was 'on her ear'. Got water over the stern a few times as low freeboard and all this was in the Clyde. North Sea hmmmmm.

 

[lw395]

Folkboat?

 

[fifer]

I have an Albin Vega and would also like to take it to Shetland, Faroes NW Norway etc. Someone on the Albin Vega Facebook group was up in Faroe this summer in theirs.

I think its fine for the task as long as you can put up with less space and luxury. In terms of the Berth size, the starboard berth in the Saloon is plenty long enough for someone of 6 ft 2, but you may find the other Saloon and forepeak berths more cramped (but not intolerable).

I'm a smidge under 6ft and only have full headroom in the companion way. This isn't generally an issue - i find the height of worktops/stove a little too low however for complete comfort. I had a 6ft 2+ pal on board this summer who get on ok. However, you can probably get boats with more internal volume for the same hull length.

I have a Pacific light wind vane on the back of mine which works well.

Best not to focus too much on the boat brand though and try and get the best (i.e. needs least work) boat for the money you have.

 

[Robert Wilson]

Javelin30?
IIIRC there's one for sale for about £6,000 somewhere "down south" so try a web-search.
I s/h'd mine round Britain in 2015. Perfect for the job (I'm 5'7"). Fin keel's only problem was into Wells-next-the-sea - but it wasn't my fault (honest, Guv!)
Sadly, I'll be parting with mine sometime in the not-too-distant future, but I'll be wanting more than £6,000.
It's a superb boat to sail, look at and own. Goes well, not too many "modern" expensive gizmos to service and pay for and I would not hesitate to circumnavigate the UK again in her.
edit: I have a Hebridean wind vane, which was a fantastic help in my 2015 trip, and since

 

[Finbar]

Have a look at a Sadler 32. Good headroom and a solid sailing boat.

 

[Kukri]

Twister, Rustler 31, Contessa 32.

The Contessa 26 is a very small boat.

 

[halcyon]

We've had Halcyon27. No way would I want to be in the middle of the North Sea in that when it's rough. Low freeboard, very tender, low headroom. Most of those listed have poor headroom if you're over 5'5".For comforts sake I'd go bigger.

But then our H27 with it's previous owner's crossed the Atlantic to the US, sailed down the Eastern seaboard to the Caribbean, cruised there for a year, over to the Azores, Gib round the Med and back through Biscay to the UK, took about 3 years. The headroom is near 6 foot in the saloon and not bad forward, though it is only 2 berth plus pilot berth, all depends on the boat.

I have to make that decision now, wife and crew has gone down with duff knee, and single handing is not the answer, so one very different H27 may be for sale.

Brian

 

[Tradewinds]

Nicholson 32 - good enough to do the Golden Globe Race. Prices are fairly cheap nowadays.

https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/p...es-round-the-world-home-to-emsworth-1-8913856

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Non of the OPs boats are suitable for the trip to the Faeroes what he needs is an Andersen 22 but is seriousness some of the later suggestions are viable, Saddler 32, Rustler 31, Contessa 32 certainly, Nic 32 all very capable. The waters north of Scotland, open seas in deteriorating weather are no place for small 24 to 26' boats, no doubt they could survive but it would be a very uncomfortable experience if not frightening to get caught there.

 

[Crowblack]

There is a chap that wrote a really informative book about his 2 round uk trips single handed ( sorry forget his name) he did it in a sadler 26 and his travel times were quite reasonable. That would suggest to me that the boat was emminently suitable. From memory his book does describe the preparations he made to it such as having a bright orange storm jib etc.
Others will know the name of the author and book
however, my boat is a 31 ft fin keel and i would not really want to do it in anything smaller ( i have been round twice SH plus over 200 north sea crossings) i do not find the fin a problem so ignore the suggestions of bilge keels if they come up.
i also appreciate the speed so that is another reason for the size. If i was younger and have more SH sailng years left i would go for a bigger boat. if doing the trips you suggest i would definitly go for size if £'s were not the constraint.
I started in a 26ft long keeled boat that sailed beautifully, but anything over 24 hours was a killer. That being said i have met loads of people cruising in boats in the size range you suggest. They just did shorter hops. The more stable the platform the easier it is

Roger Oliver wrote this about his RB in a Sadler 25 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Practical-Owners-Sailing-Around-Ireland/dp/1408109646

I've been round in a Sadler 26 and loved her to bits - but for lots of northern stuff I'd prefer something a bit bigger then the price goes up - - something like a Halmatic 30 would suit ?

 

[Buck Turgidson]

Just done 1600nm singlehanded in my Twister. Can't think of a better boat at that size.

 

[Daydream believer]

Just done 1600nm singlehanded in my Twister. Can't think of a better boat at that size.

From my experience in my Stella, plus speaking to Twister owners, that Kim Holman design was his " next one up" and would be perfect if the OP really wants to stay with that size. Good sea boat and can grind upwind in a blow. No slouch either. Was good in its day on the EAORA circuit

 

[dunedin]

Usual question - what is your budget.

Nowadays I am a believer in a more modern boat that is fast enough to make the crossing in the reliable weather forecast window (generally 2-3 days), rather than a slow boat able to withstand a hurricane, when the skipper is not.
Similarly prefer moderate fin and skeg rather than long keel for easier manoeuvring singlehanded in harbour.

Hence things like Sadler 32 would be more my starting point than various small folkboat variants.
Nowadays I also prefer good autopilot and power generation over vanes.

However, whilst been around a bit including Northern North Sea, Orkneys etc, not yet reached Faroes

 

[Matwill]

i did look at a twister and a rustler 31 good options if i cant find a decent fin keeler, I liked that the rustler i saw was a cutter. Going to look at a sadler 29 and tornado 770 on sat, if anyone has experience with dutch or french or german boats i'm open to those as well

 

[Kukri]

I honestly think your decent fin keeler is called a Contessa 32. There are plenty of them to look at.

By today’s standards the Co32 is still quite a small boat and you may not be able to stand up much, below decks, but as a very seaworthy, docile, boat they are about as good as you will get.

If you like cutters (I do!) another contender albeit with a long keel is the Vancouver 27 or 28. The Vancouver 34 is a big boat.

 

[Buck Turgidson]

Usual question - what is your budget.

Nowadays I am a believer in a more modern boat that is fast enough to make the crossing in the reliable weather forecast window (generally 2-3 days), rather than a slow boat able to withstand a hurricane, when the skipper is not.
Similarly prefer moderate fin and skeg rather than long keel for easier manoeuvring singlehanded in harbour.

Hence things like Sadler 32 would be more my starting point than various small folkboat variants.
Nowadays I also prefer good autopilot and power generation over vanes.

However, whilst been around a bit including Northern North Sea, Orkneys etc, not yet reached Faroes

Just how much faster for the same length is a "modern" design? Enough to make any difference on a day or two passage?

There is a video somewhere on youtube of a delivery of a Dragonfly 35 from the baltic down to the canaries. He was making 7-8kts on a close reach in 15. I would be making 5-6 in the same conditions!!