What boat

[pjcam]

My wife & I are in the process of selling up & are looking at what boat to buy for the two of us plus a daughter aged 10 (to live aboard full time) & possibly a son aged 20 with enough spare room for our visiting daughter aged 23. We want something that 2 of us can manage quite easily (ketch maybe) and we are planning a couple of years in the Med then plan an Atlantic crossing and probably further afield. One boat that we like is the Victory 40 with pilot house/deck saloon. Has anyone any experience of one or anything similar? Any info will be most appreciated

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Johnboy2004]

hi im planning the same.. its a big decision to sell up......and an even bigger one
to choose what boat to buy.......

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[slowlane]

I Have been looking for two years and discovered a Canadian Company, Seaforth Marine Group. I am purchasing their Tradition 54. The boat is outstanding. They spent over two years designing and engineering this series and have sold 9 hulls in two weeks prior to my purchase.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[charles_reed]

Basically the longest waterline you can afford.
LWL gives you speed, carrying capacity and volume.

Next, look for a boat that has most of the cruising goodies, properly fitted. Many production boats are fitted with totally inadequate refrigeration, tankage is too small for living aboard and battery capacity and charging are too limited.

As regards sail handling, this is probably one of the secondary considerations - with modern winches and materials you can handle about twice the areas possible 30 years ago.
In any case most modern boats have in-mast furling, which cuts work at the cost of efficiency.

If you are looking at the Wever boats, how about the Trintellas - soundly built tho' not the easiest for single-handing. Look also at the Angus Primrose/Bill Dixon designs, tubby but with a remarkably nippy turn of speed and lots of stowage.
Amongst the French, eschew the Janneau/Beneteau, some of the early Dufours were good but too small for you, Wauquiez are excellent.

As a material aluminium comes out marginally ahead of GRP and steel so you might like to look at the Alubat range, tho' as far as I'm concerned they're below decks layout doesn't match the workmanlike deck fittings and layout.

Then you have your Scandanavians, Baltic, Hallberg Rassey tend to be overpriced on the 2nd hand market but are soundly built and well finished.

Not knowing your budget I'm unable to be more specific




<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[snowleopard]

judging by the voyagers we have met, 40ft seems to be about minimum. 2 can manage on a 36 footer but for 3 or 4, 45ft is nearer the mark. one voyager, when asked 'what would you add to your boat in the light of your experience?' replied 'another 10 feet'.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Ric]

Buy World Cruising Guide by Jimmy Cornell. It is a synopsis of his interviews with the genuine liveaboards he meets in his travels. Super book.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[pjcam]

Thanks for your reply, you obviously know your onions where boats are concerned. My budget will be in the region of 100,000 Euro so is not vast but hopefully we'll find something suitable probably in the older s/hand market. Any further info from you or anyone else will be much appreciated. Thanks. pjcam.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[charles_reed]

Don\'t confine yourself

to the UK and Eire - in both these markets boats are excessively overvalued.

Dutch brokers are good and invariably speak English, France is (after the USA) the largest boating market in the world with many reasonable bargains to be had, but unless you're prepared to try your hand at French a little more difficult.

I'd recommend against blowing all the money on the boat, keep say €30K for "improvements" giving you a budget on €70K - that will allow you to get an 8-10 year old 12-13m boat.

Even if you don't know much about boats I'd suggest pulling together a performance specification (I want it to do this..), use any experienced boaters you know or can cultivate to help towards this.

If you can find Phil & Mary Kennedy, who have a house just outside Kinsale, they're fantastically experienced and helpful - unfortunately they're usually at sea.
If you like to let me have your e-mail address by PM I'll let you have their C/O address (Mary's sister) and you can drop them a line.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[bbilly]

Why buy a boat in the UK to come to the med. Take a plane and buy the boat in the med. You will propbably save, money and time. The French, Spanish, Italians, Greeks..... have reputable organizations governed by law, they courteous, efffcient and warm hearted.

Have you looked at the EYB site for used boats.

http://www.eyb.fr/

<hr width=100% size=1>