The Ideal 36 footer?

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Finbar

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I have sailed my Sadler 32 around Ireland and cruised the Irish Sea from the Hebrides to the Scillies. A lovely boat to day sail single handed and ideal to cruise three up for watchkeeping. Now that she is laid up for winter my fancy is free to wander. For France, Spain or perhaps further afield, longer legs could have attractions.

The old favourites are the Nich 35, the Rustler 36 and Rival 36, the Vancouver 36, et al, all to be had for the mid five figures, but probably needing a refit budget.

Then you have the young Swedes, the Hallberg Rassy, Najad, and Malo . Younger and more accomodating, but probably twice the price.

Who knows, there are probably other beautiful strangers.

Some of these girls could be singlehanded, more would respond better to numbers.

If you were me, where would you direct your dreams - youth and beauty or the old dog for the hard road?
 
Slightly over your LOA point but this week I am mostly daydreaming about a Condor 37, made as the Tartan 37 in the US. I like S&S designs, and this is a good 'un. If wet, a She 36 will substitute.
 
Hi Barry,

My ideal 36 footer is a Maxi 1100, well it would be, I own one :o)

Not a Rustler, Vancouver etc for heavy weather but not as expensive as Najad, Hallberg etc but with Scandinavian build quality.

The Maxi 1100 is quick but not as racy as the Maxi 1050.......... length to beam ratio she's the fat girl of the Maxi fleet......... plus side is excellent accommodation in a 36 footer.

BTW I once sailed from the Canaries to Gibraltar on a Challenger yacht with a Barry Kenny who owned a Sadler 32........... don't suppose I'm conversing with the same person, am I??

Paul.
 
Is a 1980 Holman & Pye designed Oyster 37 on one of the sites for about £40k which looks very nice.
I think some of the scandanavian boats are taking the p with their prices.
I like the look of Dehler yachts, and the value of benbavjen can't be ignored.
 
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Well, YM (September -ish) thought that the Sirius 35 is the best boat ever built. You may not like the hull windows (but they would be happy to build it without them), but it's certainly worth inclusion on your list. Build quality is amazing! Not cheap, but you did ask for ideal.
 
Based on the reputation they have and the boat test reports I bought a Starlight 35. It was a good decision - the sailing performance is first class and it will happily make to windward deep reefed in 40 gusting 60 knots. I know - I've done it and we were the only boat in the fleet to make the windward mark. So in the bad weather sense it's like a Rustler 36 but with much better sailing performance.

There's a price for this. The internal space isnt what you would expect of a 2010 vintage 35/6 footer. No stern double cabins, no twin heads. Decent accommodation for 4 - bit more spacious than the Rustler but nothing like a Benny.

Excellent cockpit if again fairly small - 5 seater with mainsheet track in front of the wheel. Seamanlike fittings with good strong double bow roller. First class locker space which I suppose is where the second stern cabin has gone. And its a pretty hull with a nice lead keel.

Still being made but at 180k new, I wont be changing my 96 version for a new one.
 
Slight thread hijack: are there tiller-steered Starlights available? If not, is a Rustler the only tiller-steered option for that certain combination of style, sturdiness, performance, and accomodation?
 
I think it is important to identify what your reasons for moving 'up' are, in order to achieve what you want from your additional expenditure.

When we sold our W33 we started thinking about 36 footers but once we began to look at specific boats realised that we were spending a lot of extra money to achieve just a little bit of extra space, little bit of extra speed and a little bit younger, in other words not a lot for a lot of extra money.

We were just two, so no crew space needed. Our existing W33 was quite capable of taking us anywhere and it was in very good nick. So we decided that (for us) a faster passage speed was what we wanted to gain for raiding the bank and that a higher average speed for planning really meant extra waterline length, so maybe we needed to jump a bit more to say 40ft. We looked long and hard at Westerly Oceanlords, HRs, Moody 41/42s, Starlight 39s to name but a few yet couldn't find anything we really liked enough to justify the money. We had almost given up when we went on board friend's Sun Fizz 40 which ticked all the boxes for half the price! We ended up buying a Sun Legende 41 which replaced the Sun Fizz 40 in Jeanneau's cruiser/racer range, same layout but a different designer (Doug Peterson), bit younger, nice all teak interior and very quick in all weathers.

So IMO you need first to decide YOUR priorities which will not be the same as mine or anyone else.
 
Robin said:
We were just two, so no crew space needed. Our existing W33 was quite capable of taking us anywhere and it was in very good nick. So we decided that (for us) a faster passage speed was what we wanted to gain for raiding the bank and that a higher average speed for planning really meant extra waterline length, so maybe we needed to jump a bit more to say 40ft. We looked long and hard at Westerly Oceanlords, HRs, Moody 41/42s, Starlight 39s to name but a few yet couldn't find anything we really liked enough to justify the money. We had almost given up when we went on board friend's Sun Fizz 40 which ticked all the boxes for half the price! We ended up buying a Sun Legende 41 which replaced the Sun Fizz 40 in Jeanneau's cruiser/racer range, same layout but a different designer (Doug Peterson), bit younger, nice all teak interior and very quick in all weathers.
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In that vein, the Sun Shine 36(and 38 with the rather tacked on sugar scoop) is by the same designer as the Legende, and has not much less internal space and similar layout. Good fast boat, although I have reservations about having a masthead rig on it(was it ever offered with fractional?).
 
The raw question without a budget specified or a purpose given is a bit too open. With a high top limit many would suggest the HR36 or the new HR372. Personally, but I'm biased, I'd suggest an Arcona 370. And yes, a Starlight 35 would be a very good choice, as would a Rustler 36 or a Mystery 35 or anyone of about two dozen other boats.
 
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Robwhelton said:
Slight thread hijack: are there tiller-steered Starlights available? If not, is a Rustler the only tiller-steered option for that certain combination of style, sturdiness, performance, and accomodation?
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Never heard of one and personally being a bit of a tart I go for a large wheel. The bigger the better. :D But the construction of the boat would lend itself to a tiller - it has the rudder stock coming to seat level for the emergency tiller just in front of the backstay
 
Twister_Ken said:
The raw question without a budget specified or a purpose given is a bit too open. With a high top limit many would suggest the HR36 or the new HR372. Personally, but I'm biased, I'd suggest an Arcona 370. And yes, a Starlight 35 would be a very good choice, as would a Rustler 36 or a Mystery 35 or anyone of about two dozen other boats.
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I agree - I quite fancy an Arcona but its double the price of my Starlight so even though I could afford it I wouldnt buy it. Forget the HR36 - they are ponderous even according to the UK agent. The HR34 on the other hand is a fine sailing boat.

I'm inclined to agree with Robin. If you want accomodation then boats go up in "bands" ie there isnt really that much gained over a modern 34 footer until you get to 40 foot. Personally I go for performance rather than accommodation.
 
dylanwinter said:
the ideal 36 footer is....

two 18 footers - one on the West Coast of Scotland and the other in Suffolk

so much cheaper too

Dylan
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More realistically in money terms, the ideal 36 footer is two 27 footers - for us, it would be one on the West coast of Scotland and one in the Canaries - and still lots of money left over for air fares.

- W
 
blimey

webcraft said:
More realistically in money terms, the ideal 36 footer is two 27 footers - for us, it would be one on the West coast of Scotland and one in the Canaries - and still lots of money left over for air fares.

- W
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is that really the way the finances work out

I had no idea that costs rose so fast with length

the longest boat I ever owned was 22 foot

but then I was a rich young journalist

now I am not young and have children at university

Dylan
 
I have to say I am with the bosun here.. I think the Starlight 35 is the ideal 36 footer...

Fast, Strong, Seaworthy, not burdend by a long keel, good accomodation, Partial Skeg rudder.....

And with the price of new equals... (Ie the Arcona...) they are really starting to look like a bargain for a good used one..
 
Thanks

Thanks for all your advice. Yes Paul, I was on the Challenger 72. That trip was breezy, with everyone on the boat seasick except the cook. I remember being on watch sailing into the Gibraltar Straits with 50 knots on the nose. On the helm it was like being hosed down with hailstones. I seem to remember you had a Fulmar at that time?

To be more specific about my needs, I am thinking of something a bit more seaworthy, which will sail well in stronger winds, seakindly, while still being capable of being single handed easily. I am not always in a great hurry but do like to be certain of arriving. As the Higher Authority will only come if there is no wind, I am free to make my own choices. I don't need big volume below, and can do without frills.

If the initial price is not really a constraint, what represents the best sailing solution, taking lifetime costs into account? I probably have one more boat in me before settling down.

The Starlight 35 is certainly worth a look. Is the HR 36 really cumbersome to sail?
While logic is important, I think I am also looking for that little something extra, so if you have found a little magic, let me know.
 
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