Sub 8m sailing boat you can live on comfortably for 7 days.

[Simon F]

Hello fellow sailors.

I'd like some advice on a boat purchase if you have a mo.

I'm planning to buy a sailing boat for around 10k on which I would live for one week per month throughout the season, whilst I AirBnB my flat to pay for mooring fees and maintenance.

The 8m limit is based on the fact that moorings in my local marina are much more expensive over this length. So it is a hard 8m, which rules out the Sadler 501 and many others.

It's not a hard 10k purchase price in the same sense, but it would need to be a boat with the prospect of manageable maintenance rather than a project. So one which comes with evidence of a programme of ongoing renewal, standing rigging, osmosis treatment, recent sails, replacement engine (some of the above at least).

It has to be nice to sail in the English Channel.

I think in general the English type layout with the bulkhead beneath the mast, rather than the open plan european interior with the mast compression post in the saloon. Standing headroom for a 5'10" occupant too.

I'm thinking Westerly Griffon, which seems a comfortable and cosy second home and a decent sea boat. Maybe the Sadler 26. I'd welcome other suggestions.

I've only owned one other boat and that was a hand me down, so I'm new to boat hunting. I was thinking it probably makes sense to buy in the Winter when boats are on the hard, so I could get a hull survey. Is that a good idea? Also, what's the wiggle room on price likely to be? If a boat's advertised through a broker at 12k is that potentially in range for a 10k offer as a car would be? Or is it more like the housing market where 5% would be a tough haggle?

All the best,

Simon.

 

[RivalRedwing]

or an updated Centaur (newish engine and sails), a little more boxy on the visuals but plenty out there.

 

[NickRobinson]

This Covid year might be worth giving a miss. My Marina brokerage has sold everything that mostly floats as
people spend money they have 'saved' not going out/on hoidays.
Last year I negotiated a33% reduction on a boat ticket price.
As to a boat? Might be worth scoping a Mirage 2700. Very roomy. I spent c. 35 consecutive nights on mine.

 

[Gwylan]

Achilles, if you are alone and bend in the middle. Dufour Arpege?

Oops, too big.

A Westerly then.

 

[AndrewB]

When times were hard I lived for a year on a Kingfisher 26 (7.9m) in Oare Creek near Faversham. Not a bad boat for it - the double skin in the main cabin minimised the condensation problem in winter, which to my mind is the worst aspect of living on a small boat without power.

Not what I'd call a fast boat, but curiously a Kingfisher 26 was handicap winner of the OSTAR in 1972.

 

[Praxinoscope]

Sadler 25, sails better than a Centaur, not quite as spacious below but still good accommodation, the Sadler 26 is a good boat, with more slightly spacious accommodation than the 25 but I don’t think it sails as well.
Comfort is very much a personal thing, in my early sailing days 4 of us lads went all over the place in a Leisure 17, including cross channel to France, we then found that 22’ was more comfortable so sailed around in a Foxterrier for a while, my previous boat was an Invicta 26, a bit cramped down below but two of us both in our late 60’s then, did a 6 week sail down to Spain and back about 12 years ago, in reasonable comfort. My current boat a Sadler 25, doesn’t get used for much more than overnights, Aberaeron to Arklow occasionally, but wouldn’t hesitate to spend a fortnight on her with the right crew.

 

[mrming]

Westerly Griffon does seem like the answer here. There’s a few on the market in budget too - have a look on Apollo Duck.

 

[Munz]

bowman 26?

 

[Bajansailor]

Here is a search I did on Apollo Duck UK for boats under 8 metres, under GBP 10,000, and in Hampshire - you can change the constraints, eg for different counties.
Boats for sale UK, used boats, new boat sales, free photo ads - Apollo Duck

And here is a link to a similar search on Yachtworld, but for the whole of the UK, as I couldn't break it down any more than that.
I asked it for boats between 7 - 8 metres, but for some reason it starts on page 1 with boats that are 9 metres - the link is for page 2.
Used Sailboats for sale. Page 2 of 6 - YachtWorld

If any of the boats in these links appeal to the OP, then maybe you could ask on here for opinions about them?

 

[zoidberg]

Here's an idea that could meet all requirements....

'Heavenly Twins' catamaran £4000

 

[Praxinoscope]

In my experience comfort down below and sailing performance are IMHO very much a compromise and it depends very much upon the designer as to which way the pendulum points, a few designers of small yachts have succeeded in the fine balance of comfort and sailing ability, many have compromised the sailing to achieve the comfort, whilst others have sacrificed comfort for quality of sailing.
My old Invicta 26 was a dream to sail, but was cramped down below, other designs such as the Virgo Voyager I found was well appointed and spacious down below, but I did not enjoy sailing one.
The choice is very personal and depends on ones priorities to an extent, but there are the odd examples around where the combination of reasonable comfort has been achieved with good sailing qualities.
Certainly in the 70’s and 80’s there were several ‘pocket cruisers’ designed and produced where the balance was well managed.

 

[ashtead]

I wonder if you can find a sub 8m boat like a Fisher in that budget? One with a hard top might be another solution if the Fisher type seem rather slow . I have even seen a centaur with a hard lid retrofitted which is open at back which might seem a good idea to expand living area and serve as a form of porch as well as giving protection when sailing .