Sporty small boat with ability to take the ground

[TernVI]

I've been watching the markets as my Pal was looking for a 30 - 38ft'r ... and I am looking for a bigger boat in the 36ft ~

UK seems to be strange as its not following the trend of others like Sweden .. Finland etc. When Winter comes to end - market has lots of good boats but prices are way low ... they only start picking back up as numbers of boats for sale diminishes and season is underway.
As I say UK seems to be carrying daft prices for boats ...

Exchange rates fluctuate, but I remember 15 or so years ago, the perception was boats were usually more expensive in the Uk if you could find a like-for-like comparison. 3 years ago, brokers were saying a lot of boats were being bought in the Uk to go to Euroland.
Likewise some classic vehicles seem to have a market where the UK is sometimes out of phase with much of europe?
I know a few people who sold things like Triumph Stags to Germany 10 years ago, now classic prices look very frothy in the UK and lots of stuff is being imported from europe and the US.

 

[Refueler]

I know two guys who send 2nd hand boats to UK ... they are quiet at present while things sort out. But they were doing quite well at it. They reckoned their average profit line even after shipping over was worth it.

The only bump in prices I see is here in Latvia ... but its a very limited market and most people cannot afford it. So the prices are silly.
The B31 Cruiser Racer my pal just bought for 3000 Euros - he just sailed it to Ventspils from Sweden. On arrival he was offered 5000 on the spot. If he advertised it - he could ask about 7000, sell for about 6000. But that's Latvian silliness.

Another guy who runs a Yacht repair business here I'm friendly with ... asked me to give him first chance on my boat .. he offered me then easily 50% more than I could get in UK.

 

[Tranona]

As I say UK seems to be carrying daft prices for boats ...

Simple supply and demand. Supply has fallen because new boat sales have collapsed in the last couple of years and people are not selling their existing boats because restrictions mean that overseas holidays are almost impossible. Add to that the EU market is no longer viable for UK buyers because VAT is payable on imports. Demand has risen for much the same reasons - people are looking for home based leisure activities. Add to that £100Billion estimated increase in savings mainly by the middle class in the last year or so now looking for an outlet.

Outcome hose prices rising (helped by stamp duty holiday and virtually interest free mortgages), used car prices up approx 12% in the last 3 months, long waiting lists for new cars (lack of supplies again) etc.

 

[MADRIGAL]

I find it interesting .... I can remember when a small sporty would be a 15 - 16ftr .... 26ft was regarded as medium size.

To OP - I think a general online search putting Bilge Keel as a criteria. Lift Keels are OK - but some have still deepish fixed hull keels.
Then its a case of looking through....

To get a 6ft2 berth - then that would usually mean an open plan cabin style in the smaller boats.

Wayfarer? They take the ground easily and the new Mark IV version is quite sporty. There is over 10 feet of berth length on the cockpit sole, but you have to sleep under the thwart in the older models... and under a tent.

 

[RupertW]

Or something like this if 12 knots sailing speed counts as sporty?

Woods Strider 25R for sale UK, Woods boats for sale, Woods used boat sales, Woods Sailing Yachts For Sale 2008 Woods Strider 25R Club MK2 Catamaran - Apollo Duck

 

[Praxinoscope]

The OP is for a small boat capable of taking the ground, what does rexel235 consider a small boat?
Some of the suggestions seem to veer towards what I would consider medium sized boats(30').
If taking the ground is a requirement the bilge keel still offers the best option, it may not point to wind as close as a fin, but a good bilge keeler can still be 'sporty'.
I remember one of our longer races (22miles round trip) where the winner was a 19' Seawych, bilge keel. It even beat the Fulmars!
If considering something larger 25' then you won't find much that beats a Sadler25, with perhaps the Jaguar 25 coming in close.
The Sadler has an aft quarter berth that is well over the 6'2" requirement.

 

[mrming]

The Red Fox 200e is worth a look. Totally flat bottom, pretty good performance, interesting design with the daggerboards. I think the main berths are long enough too.

 

[Rum Run]

Obviously there can only be one!




the Anderson 22

Saloon berths are long enough, sporty and not expensive. Bulb keel so the slot does not fill with seabed detritus and sinks nicely into mud.
The Faceache page tells me that there are a couple available at the moment, but needing some work

 

[wombat88]

Jaguar 21, lifting keel, and at least one long berth. Quite lively, can plane and cheap. There's one in Brighton for under £2k.

Not the 22 etc.

 

[Caraway]

You can get a Prelude 19 for peanuts. nice sail, pretty close winded.

The cabin is generous for the size of the boat; comprising 4 full sized berths (minimum 1.86m or 6'1"),[1] space for a chemical toilet and a small galley area with a sink, food store and space for a 2 burner hob.

 

[Refueler]

Wayfarer? They take the ground easily and the new Mark IV version is quite sporty. There is over 10 feet of berth length on the cockpit sole, but you have to sleep under the thwart in the older models... and under a tent.

Guy has a Wayfarer out here at the boat station along from me. What made me look twice was its Gaff Rigged ...

Always liked the Wayfarer ... and its far more capable than many appreciate. There are stories of them crossing Channel and further ..

 

[alahol2]

Telstar 26 trimaran provided the best sailing fun of all my boats. Sailed like a big dinghy. Old now so should be some around at cheap prices.

 

[Alfie168]

Guy has a Wayfarer out here at the boat station along from me. What made me look twice was its Gaff Rigged ...

Always liked the Wayfarer ... and its far more capable than many appreciate. There are stories of them crossing Channel and further ..

The trouble with Wayfarers is very simple. They capsize and are a complete swine to right. I have some experience of racing one on the sea in pretty heavy going on a couple of long races at Largs regatta. I'm not quite sure to this day how we stayed upright. And as for sleeping accommodation, it's somewhat "restricted".
We had a Wayfarer at the Poly sailing club and used to capsize it on the reservoir partly for fun and partly for training. That's how I know they are difficult to right. Not impossible, just difficult.

 

[FairweatherDave]

Jeanneau Sun 2000 was lots of fun to sail, takes the ground (lifting keel) and long bunks. Huge cockpit. Described as a Wayfarer with a lid.
With a Wayfarer I have never felt any risk of capsize, I reef and furl the genoa if necessary. I'm not a racer. Of course if you are racing a dinghy you might be a lot closer to a capsize, but then most other racers are a lot more tippy. Wayfarers are fun to sail and sleep on too......
Someone should mention a Hawk.....not cheap though

 

[Alfie168]

Jeanneau Sun 2000 was lots of fun to sail, takes the ground (lifting keel) and long bunks. Huge cockpit. Described as a Wayfarer with a lid.
With a Wayfarer I have never felt any risk of capsize, I reef and furl the genoa if necessary. I'm not a racer. Of course if you are racing a dinghy you might be a lot closer to a capsize, but then most other racers are a lot more tippy. Wayfarers are fun to sail and sleep on too......
Someone should mention a Hawk.....not cheap though

There is a crucial difference you are missing. A Jeanneau Sun 2000 is designed to go beyond the horizontal and recover in a knockdown, as will the majority of modern small yachts. One unexpected squall in a Wayfarer and you are swimming, make no mistake. Been there are done that enough times to know. You are unlikely to always be reefed. I've never sailed a Hawk, but they seem to have a lot of stability and nearly 400kg of ballast in the hull.
I was out in a Seascape 24 last week. It was only very light airs, but that is one hairy lifting keel machine......at a price I can't afford ! ( Seascape now owned by Beneteau apparently and now sold as the Beneteau Figaro range)

 

[FairweatherDave]

There is a crucial difference you are missing. A Jeanneau Sun 2000 is designed to go beyond the horizontal and recover in a knockdown, as will the majority of modern small yachts. One unexpected squall in a Wayfarer and you are swimming, make no mistake. Been there are done that enough times to know. You are unlikely to always be reefed. I've never sailed a Hawk, but they seem to have a lot of stability and nearly 400kg of ballast in the hull.
I was out in a Seascape 24 last week. It was only very light airs, but that is one hairy lifting keel machine......at a price I can't afford !

Agree with you 100%. Totally different boats. I have owned both and still own and love my W. I just feel you overstated the instability of Wayfarers. As dinghies go, they are stable.....of course there are more stable dinghies with steel centreplates etc . As yachts go, a Wayfarer is tippy. I doubt it is the sort of boat the OP had in mind posting here though. When I said described as a Wayfarer with a lid I knicked that from a Sun 2000 yacht mag review......agree it is somewhat misleading. But maybe it reflects that the Sun 2000 is quite tender too for a "small yacht".

 

[Refueler]

Agree with you 100%. Totally different boats. I have owned both and still own and love my W. I just feel you overstated the instability of Wayfarers. As dinghies go, they are stable.....of course there are more stable dinghies with steel centreplates etc . As yachts go, a Wayfarer is tippy. I doubt it is the sort of boat the OP had in mind posting here though.

Exactly ... Wayfarer was just mentioned ... and is an excellent dayboat ...

 

[TernVI]

I'm not sure I'd want to keep a Wayfarer on a mooring with the mast up in a blow.
In my experience they seem to capsize quite a lot if it's windy, compared to me and Kev sailing a much tippier boat.
They are also generally expensive as dinghies go.

 

[Kelpie]

Wayfarers can be had pretty cheap, thousands of them around and plenty of scruffy but usable ones for sale for well under £1k.
As Refuler mentioned, they have done epic voyages, the most famous being Frank Dye who went to Iceland as well as Norway back in the 60s. But that was pretty hardcore stuff and I'm pretty sure this is all way off topic.

 

[Refueler]

Wayfarers can be had pretty cheap, thousands of them around and plenty of scruffy but usable ones for sale for well under £1k.
As Refuler mentioned, they have done epic voyages, the most famous being Frank Dye who went to Iceland as well as Norway back in the 60s. But that was pretty hardcore stuff and I'm pretty sure this is all way off topic.

Yes - veering off ..

One guy mentioned it .. and I / others responded. Its the way of forums.