Suitable Yacht for around Britain

[Willfox]

How does this make any difference to comparing yachts? In a very early post, a member mentioned that people have done it in a huge variety of vessels. All the spread sheet shows is rough similarities between yachts. Using a familiar yacht as a datum will give an understanding of where others lie in comparison.

 

[awol]

You've missed out one of the most important parameters - RAF* Then there's depreciation and ease of disposal after it has sailed round England. So what is your conclusion for the "best" boat based on your research?




*RAF - Row Away Factor

 

[Tranona]

How does this make any difference to comparing yachts? In a very early post, a member mentioned that people have done it in a huge variety of vessels. All the spread sheet shows is rough similarities between yachts. Using a familiar yacht as a datum will give an understanding of where others lie in comparison.

Useful in terms of either putting boats into comparable categories and maybe eliminating those that you don't like on the basis of their design characteristics. However, it won't tell you much about which is "better" for you on its own. Most people get down from a list the length of yours to one of maybe only 4 or 5 very quickly, partly because they are fairly clear about what they like (in a general sense), but mainly because it is difficult to handle a wide range of options when you can only buy one boat.

Much more common, particularly buying used where you can only choose from the boats available at the time, is to draw up a set of key criteria and assess what is on offer against those. You can use a spreadsheet, and weight the criteria if you want, then score each boat on offer against the criteria. However, you will almost certainly find that you will end up with some boats that you don't like getting high scores!

Buying a boat relies usually more on qualitative reasoning rather than so-called objective assessment, so although the analytical approach is useful in sorting out preferences, the final choice is much more likely to be the boat you feel comfortable with and suits the way you want to do things.

 

[Willfox]

Row away factor?

Wel at the moment, I think that the deep keel Sun Odyssey 40 DS suggested by photodog. I think it encompasses everything that the members on the forum have suggested in way of comfort but with the added bit of performance looking at the parametrics. We can see that it sits on the fence between the quick cruiser racers with high draft, ballast ratios and Sail area displacements ratios such as the X-362 sport and the slower cruisers such as the Malo 37 with relatively low draft, displacement and SA/ displacement ratio. It also has plenty of fuel and water storage.

I also think the Fingulf 33 loooks good also suggested by photodog. On paper it looks solid with its relatively high displacement, high ballast ratio and draft, This countered with its high SA/displacement ratio shows this is worth a look at in the smaller range although this struggles a bit with fuel and water storage.....

What do you think?

 

[PeterR]

I would not choose a boat specifically for going round Britain. That trip will only last two or three months and you will have to live with the boat for years afterwards. Choose a boat you want for the rest of your sailing and within reason it will be OK for going around the UK.

Having said that, if you want to do it in a performance cruiser and are not planning on trying to win an IRC championship afterwards consider the Dufour 34. The Dufour is almost as fast as the boats you mentioned and in my opinion is a much better cruiser. The cockpit of the models up to 2009 are set up for short handed sailing. They also have bigger water tanks and more storage than the boats you mention. The Dufour Classic series were nice boats but did not really fit into the performance cruiser category.

We did the trip two up in 2010 in my Dufour 34. There was plenty of room for 2 people. Nothing on the boat broke - not even a scratch. Nothing overtook us all the way round. We only lost one days sailing because we considered it too windy to sail. Admittedly that meant we got caught out crossed the Irish sea in 40+ knot winds and rounded Cape Wrath in 30 knots whilst bigger boats layed up in Kinlochbervie for a week but my point is that is where a deep keel helps and the boat can take it.

The down side is that after Milford Haven the Welsh coast is more or less off limits to a deep draft boat until Holyhead but there are plenty of options on the Irish coast. Worse is the East Coast which offers little refuge; you even have to time your arrival carefully at standard stop overs like Eyemouth and Whitby.


http://havocarounduk.blogspot.com/

 

[Willfox]

Ok great, thanks alot for that. I will have a look at this too.

Thanks for the link. This is perfect!

Will

 

[SAWDOC]

Snooks has it, if you want to do it, you can, and in almost any boat. It's the will that's important, the determination to deal with weather, bad weather, contrary winds, or whatever strikes.

A lack of hurry & no shortage of cash would also help. The boat itself is almost irrelevant provided you like it, you plan well & it is well found. Read "A Summer's Grace" for some idea of the issues that can arise. There is no need to push into foul weather if you have time to sit it out. If you don't have time, I wouldn't even consider setting out with such a finite aim. Remember sailing boats set out "towards" an objective rather than "to" a port.

Searush is to be highly commended for the quality of his postings - always interesting in their independence of thought and good sound input.

 

[photodog]

Row away factor?

Wel at the moment, I think that the deep keel Sun Odyssey 40 DS suggested by photodog. I think it encompasses everything that the members on the forum have suggested in way of comfort but with the added bit of performance looking at the parametrics. We can see that it sits on the fence between the quick cruiser racers with high draft, ballast ratios and Sail area displacements ratios such as the X-362 sport and the slower cruisers such as the Malo 37 with relatively low draft, displacement and SA/ displacement ratio. It also has plenty of fuel and water storage.

I also think the Fingulf 33 loooks good also suggested by photodog. On paper it looks solid with its relatively high displacement, high ballast ratio and draft, This countered with its high SA/displacement ratio shows this is worth a look at in the smaller range although this struggles a bit with fuel and water storage.....

What do you think?

I am such a genius.


anyways... RAF is actually really important...

When you row away from the boat and look back.... how do you feel...


The contessa 32 and the She 36 have stupendous RAF's in my opinion... the Fingulf 33 does as well.... the SO 40 a bit less... but if properly kitted with a big arch and kayaks and rufty tufty bits I think they look puka...

another boat that I think has great RAF is the Rival 36.... the 34 no... the 36, Excellent!

The Dufour 34 is a great boat... Not sure If I would choose her for rufty tufty sailing... one did the ARC a couple of years 6 up IIRC.. I think the Dufour 40 is a better bet... they have high RAF and look killer on a reach when screaming past you...

 

[sailorman]

I am such a genius.


anyways... RAF is actually really important...

When you row away from the boat and look back.... how do you feel...


The contessa 32 and the She 36 have stupendous RAF's in my opinion... the Fingulf 33 does as well.... the SO 40 a bit less... but if properly kitted with a big arch and kayaks and rufty tufty bits I think they look puka...

another boat that I think has great RAF is the Rival 36.... the 34 no... the 36, Excellent!

The Dufour 34 is a great boat... Not sure If I would choose her for rufty tufty sailing... one did the ARC a couple of years 6 up IIRC.. I think the Dufour 40 is a better bet... they have high RAF and look killer on a reach when screaming past you...

How about a Benny Blobby 40.7 from a Helio

 

[Willfox]

Searush is to be highly commended for the quality of his postings - always interesting in their independence of thought and good sound input.

Definitely. Sorry. there are many people who have been very helpful, Searush being notable. I will take a look at a summers grace and advise my parents read it. Thanks guys....

 

[JimC]

Your deep keel sails faster down wind too, then does it? Drying harbours or safe anchorages can be within 5-10 miles, while deep water ones may be 60 odd miles apart. I don't think a marginally quicker boat is really that much help.

No problem along much of the Channel or in Scotland where tides are not that big, but when you get 10-12m tides &/or lots of mud/ sandbanks as around the edges of the Irish Sea, Bristol Channel, Thames Estuary & East Coast then a deep keel is a real disadvantage. That's why I would NEVER buy one.

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