Suggestions - Lifting keeler, approx 28ft, sub £15K

Bit of an update.

We have now had a look at a Seal 28. This particular one needed a fair bit of work to say the least but the other issue was headroom. Maybe ok for me but my partner in this boat is a few inches taller than me and not enough headroom for him.

So conclusion is we are looking for something with full 6' standing headroom.
 
FullCircle said:
http://www.boatwizardwebsolutions.c...nits=Feet&access=Public&listing_id=31304&url=
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Full Circle,

just spotted your post; I'd query the 1985 build date; I believe Anderson Rigden & Perkins folded in about 1982.

The moulds for the A26 then went to nearby Conyer Marine, they might just have managed to last to '85 but I suspect not ! I know they built a few, but didn't last long after Andersons.

The moulds then went to an unkown ( to me ) builders in the West Country, who as far as I know didn't build any; that company suffered one of those spontaneous fires which happen at places in trouble and the moulds were destroyed.

I have sailed on a few A26's, they are deceptively fast, while no nutter racer; ignore the silly high PY, that must be because nobody raced them in the sort of races where results went to the RYA.
 
NickC said:
Bit of an update.

We have now had a look at a Seal 28. This particular one needed a fair bit of work to say the least but the other issue was headroom. Maybe ok for me but my partner in this boat is a few inches taller than me and not enough headroom for him.

So conclusion is we are looking for something with full 6' standing headroom.
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Stag 28.
However, won't dry out very well, and has a keel-up draught comparable with most bilge keelers, which I think you should probably reconsider.
 
Some good boats listed here, but just wanted to ask what you mean by "full" standing headroom?

The Evolution 25 for example has 6' towards the rear of the saloon but it gets lower as you go forward. Same with the First 285.

The Super Seal has 5' 8", again getting lower as you go forward.

The smaller boats will usually only have their quoted maximum headroom at the back of the saloon, so if you want 6' most of the way forward you're probably going to need one of the bigger boats mentioned, such as the Symphonie.

Incidentally I have a swing keel boat on the East Coast and it definitely gives you the confidence to explore the shallower areas. I've lost count of the amount of times we've wound the handle to get out of trouble - particularly when we were getting to know our local area.
 
TheCharteringClasses said:
Stag 28.
However, won't dry out very well, and has a keel-up draught comparable with most bilge keelers, which I think you should probably reconsider.
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Agree, the headroom under the hatch is closer to 7ft decreasing slowly to about 6ft at the forward end of the main cabin. Virtually no internal mouldings so a very nice looking 'woody' interior. Sails well, though maybe considered a little tender by some, needs early reefing. Minimum draft is about 3ft but sails almost as well with the board up as down on anything other than a beat. Masses of storage. Won't dry out upright on a hard bottom, but very stable against a wall.
 
northwind said:
Just as an fyi...

The Super Seal 26 and Parker 27 are the same boat, The Parker 27 was when Bill Parker brought the moulds, and changed the marketing (he included the rudder in the overall length :-). The later 275 and 285 are tweaks to the topsides and deck to increase interior headroom.
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Could be wrong but I seem to recall that the Parker 27 had a bit more headroom than the Super Seal 26.
 
Seajet said:
Full Circle,

just spotted your post; I'd query the 1985 build date; I believe Anderson Rigden & Perkins folded in about 1982.

The moulds for the A26 then went to nearby Conyer Marine, they might just have managed to last to '85 but I suspect not ! I know they built a few, but didn't last long after Andersons.

The moulds then went to an unkown ( to me ) builders in the West Country, who as far as I know didn't build any; that company suffered one of those spontaneous fires which happen at places in trouble and the moulds were destroyed.

I have sailed on a few A26's, they are deceptively fast, while no nutter racer; ignore the silly high PY, that must be because nobody raced them in the sort of races where results went to the RYA.
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Thanks for the info Seajet (& FullCircle).

That A 26 is certainly worth a look. Might have too limited headroom for my boat sharing friend and don't know if it has separate fore-cabin with a door on but certainly very interesting.
 
mrming said:
Some good boats listed here, but just wanted to ask what you mean by "full" standing headroom?

The Evolution 25 for example has 6' towards the rear of the saloon but it gets lower as you go forward. Same with the First 285.

The Super Seal has 5' 8", again getting lower as you go forward.

The smaller boats will usually only have their quoted maximum headroom at the back of the saloon, so if you want 6' most of the way forward you're probably going to need one of the bigger boats mentioned, such as the Symphonie.

Incidentally I have a swing keel boat on the East Coast and it definitely gives you the confidence to explore the shallower areas. I've lost count of the amount of times we've wound the handle to get out of trouble - particularly when we were getting to know our local area.
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Say 6' headroom where the galley is, hopefully we could live with it going a bit lower forwards.

I am beginning to think that we will need something towards the larger size as you suggest. We have seen a Jeanneau Symphonie and the headroom was fine.

That fact that you have used your lifting keel a few times makes me think that it is a reasonably high priority requirement for comfortable East-coast sailing, don't want to always be sailing only on a rising tide because too frightened of running aground.
 
NickC said:
That fact that you have used your lifting keel a few times makes me think that it is a reasonably high priority requirement for comfortable East-coast sailing, don't want to always be sailing only on a rising tide because too frightened of running aground.
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I should point out that we also race and a lot of our handle-winding has resulted from pushing it a bit too far into the shallows when trying to stay out of the tide. On NHC we're allowed to lift the keel, whereas on IRC (rare in our home waters) we're not.

There are plenty of fin keelers who enjoy the East coast perfectly well so a lifting keel's not the be all and end all. It does allow you to set off a bit earlier and arrive a bit later in certain shallow places though.
 
NickC said:
Thanks for the info Seajet (& FullCircle).

That A 26 is certainly worth a look. Might have too limited headroom for my boat sharing friend and don't know if it has separate fore-cabin with a door on but certainly very interesting.[/QUOT

If you really want well over 6' headroom throughout you're going to have to go way over 30', more like the Queen Mary !

I'm 5'9 and happy with the 4'8 in the Anderson 22, the important thing is it has good sitting headroom.

Pretty sure it has a separate forecabin door, quite civilised with electric keel winch ( manual backup ) too.

Very seaworthy, designed specifically on the lessons learned from the 1979 Fastnet Disaster, with bulwarks instead of toerails etc.

One owner has been to and from the Azores a few times thinking nothing of it.

A fast passage maker but doesn't spin on a sixpence like the Anderson 22.

I have sailed a few A26's and found them deceptively fast + very seaworthy; an owner who is a boatbuilder himself contacted me to say how amazed he was by the build quality.

You're welcome to PM me but all I have - and there's a lot - is on the website on my sig below.

Good luck in your search, this is worth a look if your chum learns to stoop a little as on all boats !

Andy
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I know the Stag ( sigh ) - I'd rate it about the same or even a touch less room than the Anderson 26, still a boat worth looking at.

Please note nothing in it for me, A26 owners don't even pay sub's ! :)
 
Seajet said:
Been on both so can only record & report my impressions; and I suspect the A26 would sail rings around the Stag, though that's not an awfully slow boat.
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I'm sure that's true, I was just doubting the size claims, I guess the Stag has a lot more furniture in it which might give a cramped feel.
 
If you are considering bilge keels, then your choice will open up greatly.

I would suggest looking at a Westerly Griffon at 26ft, the Westerly Merlin at 28ft and the Westerly Konsort at 28ft 10in. Archive files of these boats below.
http://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/archives/westerly-griffon/westerly-griffon.htm
http://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/archives/westerly-merlin/westerly-merlin.htm
http://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/archives/westerly-konsort/konsort.htm

Alternatively look at the Moody 27 and Moody 28.
http://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/archives/moody-27/moody-27.htm
http://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/archives/moody-28/moody-28.htm

They are all well thought of boats that have bilge keel versions. I sail the East Coast on a fin keel Westerly Fulmar and I do not worry about going into every little creek as there are so many places still to visit.
 
northwind said:
The 275/285 have more headroom, Bill Parker raised the topsides in the 275

I'm 6'3 and own a super seal :-)
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There dont seem to be any 275s on sale at the moment which bodes well for the resale price of mine in 5 years. Bought sails for racing so need to wear them out before selling! Unless someone makes me a good offer...........

I need to add up how much of the money i spent on getting the boat in to shape can be moved on to the next boat, life jackets, dinghy and outboard etc.

Oops sorry for the thread drift. But i think if you wait until the autumn and get one that needs work you might get a 275 for under 20k. I am 6 foot and can nearly stand up straight in mine. The headroom really is fine.
 
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