What boat should I be dreaming about?

C

chrisbitz

Well-Known Member
Joined
18 Sep 2012
Messages
509
Location
Bromley, Kent - Sail in Medway
www.freyacat.co.uk
I'm currently saving for a new boat, and my plan is around £9000 max.

Until now, I've been dreaming about a Westerly Centaur, but as my experience with club racing on Sunday has been growing, I'm beginning to wonder if I might grow out of a centaur?

It's not that I've got racing blood, It;s just that I don't want to regret buying it, because it's comparatively slow? (as far as I've heard)...

I'm currently looking at a She 27
images

or a Prospect 900
images

Both appear to be relatively unusual boats.. I understand that the She is an S&S boat, and everyone says they're great, and the Prospect is a Van der Stradt boat, and they're respected too?..

Is the fin keel version of the Centaur, the Pembroke(I think) any better than the centaur?

Does anyone have any advice as to what I should be setting my heart on? It's so much easier to save when you have an object of affection? :-)

Are there any other boats should I consider?
 
I considered a prospect 900 but the forepeak put me off. I'm sure it works for some people but i'd prefer the usual arrangement up there.
 
She 27 is a gorgeous boat. Lots moored around me on the Hamble. Then again, can't go wrong with a Van de Stadt.

Not much insight from me there..... ;) Could also look at an Albin Ballard?
 
The SHE is lovely, lovely, lovely to sail and to look at......but, compared to a Centaur is tiny, tiny, tiny.

What's more important to you (and your crew)?
 
There are literally dozens of different boats you can choose from. As already suggested you need to decide on the main purpose of the boat. You will find something like a Centaur very tame after your current boat, but if your objective is to get into leisurely cruising a good choice to learn on. However if you want to race at club level with a reasonable chance of getting somewhere, then you need to look for a more sporty boat. Have a look at what you are racing against at the moment to sort out what boats do well and perhaps get a bit of crewing on some successful boats. You will learn a lot to help your own choice.

Try not to get to fixed on one design - unless you want one design or class racing as the most difficult part of buying a boat is actually finding one that ticks the boxes and is worth buying. Many of the successful boats are also the most difficult to buy in good nick - if they are good people hang onto them, and if they have been let go can cost a fortune to get back up together again. Just as an example a decent set of cruising/racing sails for a boat the size you are looking at could account for a third of your budget!
 
NealB said:
A good call... I was thinking along similar lines eg Halcyon 27, Invicta, etc
Click to expand...

...or the Cutlass 27 for that matter - similar to the Halcyon but (IMHO) better looking! They're rare and don't fetch high prices. You'd get a good one for £9k. Sail beautifully (if you can live with the lack of room below). Roomier than (say) a Contessa 26 though, and possibly the Invicta.
 
chrisbitz said:
I'm currently saving for a new boat.....

.....I don't want to regret buying it, because it's comparatively slow.........

Are there any other boats should I consider?
Click to expand...

Racing is all about handicap, you most certainly don't want a 'fast' boat!

Have a look at the previous Regatta winners and you'll get the idea.


PS I can do you a good deal on 25% of a J80 :-)

PPS Impalas might be around that money, good rating and nice looking boats too.
 
Last edited:
chrisbitz said:
I'm currently saving for a new boat, and my plan is around £9000 max.

Until now, I've been dreaming about a Westerly Centaur, but as my experience with club racing on Sunday has been growing, I'm beginning to wonder if I might grow out of a centaur?

It's not that I've got racing blood, It;s just that I don't want to regret buying it, because it's comparatively slow? (as far as I've heard)...

I'm currently looking at a She 27
images

or a Prospect 900
images

Both appear to be relatively unusual boats.. I understand that the She is an S&S boat, and everyone says they're great, and the Prospect is a Van der Stradt boat, and they're respected too?..

Is the fin keel version of the Centaur, the Pembroke(I think) any better than the centaur?

Does anyone have any advice as to what I should be setting my heart on? It's so much easier to save when you have an object of affection? :-)

Are there any other boats should I consider?
Click to expand...

You don't have any choice about what boat to set your heart on, your head you might be able to control but your heart, not a chance! Keep looking, it will come to you!
 
Thanks for the suggestions everyone!

One thing that I'm thinking though - the halcyon 27 and Albin Vega are both long keel designs...
In my limited understanding, isn't that the least performance orientated of the three types of keel?

I guess that the niceness of the interior is directly proportionate to the lack of performance, although the Prospect 900 seems to have a nice (unusual) interior, but I have no idea if the boat is acceptable performance-wise?
 
I have been fiddling around racing with my little boat at our club for 30 years. It is an oddball ie the only one of its type in the club though fortunately not slow. There certainly is an attraction in buying what other people have so that you can compete one class though I fear my skills may be shown up in one class.
I don't know the boats mentioned but I would suggest as already said that if you participate in racing of different sorts it will become obvious what sort of boat will suit you best. I don't subscribe to getting a low boat with an easy handicap. It is very depressing to come home last. You want a chancee for line honours occasionally. Bit then racing in our little club might be different to your situation. Just keep crewing. If you are reliable and fit you will always have a crew position. good luck olewill
 
I've never understood why people choose boats based on outright speed. In any boat that size that actually offers real accommodation and is affordable your speed will vary between a brisk walking pace and a gentle jog for most of the time. In terms of racing you'll be under a handicap usually so the absolute speed isn't a factor. I'd rate the feel of the boat and her ability to point (which can be the difference between motoring and sailing) as far more important. I'd rather be helming a boat that feels right and is doing 4 or 5 knots than one that is doing 6 or 7 knots but has no feel or is a buggar to control. Totally a personal opinion though and I'm sure plenty feel differently from me.
 
That's a totally fair point, however, do people really buy boats *solely* on the basis of speed?

For me it's a contributory factor, but speed isn't the deciding factor. Equally, isn't it the case that a boat that's well designed for speed, will also be well designed for handling too? I don't know to be honest, and it may well be that high speed design creates a bad handling boat?
 
You are in a great position. There are many good old boats begging to be bought.
You could have your pick of many Centaurs so why not get one of those with everything done up
In your position I would list out what your ideal boat would be , then spend a few quid on an ad and see what you could get soemone to part with for the money - I am sure some people are just looking for a good home for thier boat which has served them well
 
grumpy_o_g said:
I've never understood why people choose boats based on outright speed. In any boat that size that actually offers real accommodation and is affordable your speed will vary between a brisk walking pace and a gentle jog for most of the time. In terms of racing you'll be under a handicap usually so the absolute speed isn't a factor. I'd rate the feel of the boat and her ability to point (which can be the difference between motoring and sailing) as far more important. I'd rather be helming a boat that feels right and is doing 4 or 5 knots than one that is doing 6 or 7 knots but has no feel or is a buggar to control. Totally a personal opinion though and I'm sure plenty feel differently from me.
Click to expand...


Spot on.

chrisbitz....."do people really buy boats *solely* on the basis of speed"

I am sure they do not.

However there are comments on these pages that would make you believe the opposite. They struggle to prove to thier own satisfaction that they either have a "faster" boat or a bigger one. The implicit idea is that this trumps everything.

Back to the subject. I used to cub race against a Pembroke and she went very well, pointing better than you might expect and picking up regular class wins. Not many about though. Both boats like a blow. As you know, the accommodation is excellent.
 
You already have the boat you should be dreaming about! The Micro Challenger is a great wee boat - ideal for club racing. However if you are dead set on wasting money on something a bit bigger:D I would suggest looking at older quarter tonners - Egythene, Trapper 300, Ecume De Mer etc. All go well and have decent accommodation. Slightly newer(and quicker) you could look at a Bolero - the accommodation isn't as good as the older quarter tonners but still palatial compared with your micro. Downside of the Bolero is that most have runners so it's a bit fiddlier if short handed. Sonatas are good - but you will usually get stuffed on handicap.
 
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