What boat?

[Guest]

Anyone have suggestions as to an ideal, if there is such a thing, used boat for a beginnerish (ex dinghey) over the hill bloke to use for coastal cruising & cross channel etc (and further when I get braver). Wife wasn't keen on dingheys & even less willing to risk her life on the ocean blue (or brown) so I'm after something easily, and safely, sailed singlehanded.
Oh yes, and as cheap as possible so as not to upset the wife!

I'm at a loss as to where or what I should be looking for so any help would be much appreciated.

 

[Guest]

Having seen this question asked many times on this forum I reckon the most popular choice is a Hurley 22. The long keeled one with an outboard in a well. ' A real little boat ' as one magazine article put it. They have sailed all over the place and a good one will cost you about 5 to 6 K.

Welcome aboard Frogbottler !

 

[halcyon]

Hurley 22 nice boat, but may be on small side for offshore and the wife, but ok for lone sailing.
May pay to look at a 27 footer, will keep the wife happier and more secure, found this out the hard way when we had a Newbridge Navigater. You could look at Hurley, Sabre, Halcyon 27s all good resonable and solid sea boats, may give the wife some security, cost around £8-12,000.

Brian

 

[Guest]

Hurley 22 is definitely a sound little seaboat. As an ex dinghy sailor you might like something a little more spritely. How about an Eyghtene (?) 24, a lot of boat for your money or the Pegasus 700 or 800.

Hope this helps; go and see as many as you can and establish a shortlist.

Good luck,

KCA

 

[billmacfarlane]

Don't forget the ubiquitous Westerly Centaur.

 

[SimonD]

...and in the same ilk, the Jaguar 27, Trapper 500 and Tomahawk...

 

[Twister_Ken]

Folkboat or Contessa 26

 

[pugwash]

Frogbottles..?

There are some weird names in this forum but this takes the biscuit. Can't imagine what it might mean. If you don't give us a clue we might have to start guessing and that could get embarrassing.

 

[DanTribe]

Re: Frogbottles..?

I thought it was some strange practice that the French got up to.
Dan

 

[Chris_Stannard]

Old Salts saying, " A boat gets one foot shorter for every week you send in her"

If you intend to go off for any length of time buy the biggest boat you can afford.

Contessa and Sadler 32s are good sea boats, as are the Sadler 34s. In bad weather it is not the boat that gives up it is usually the crew, and this also says bigger is better. Rivals are alos worth considering if you can afford them.

I would stay away from the lightly built French boats, Jenneaus, Beneteaus etc, which are built with the charter market ion mind (Just how many berths can we get in this?) It sounds as though you wnat a comfortable berth for both of you in harbour and a secure berth for the management at sea where she can go an get her head down if she doesn't like it.

Happy hunting

Chris Stannard

 

[bigmart]

This biggest is best lark is all very well but, there's always a but, the bigger the boat the more it costs to moor, to antifoul, to maintain.

If you want to keep your wife happy choose something dry, solid & safe in the water with comfortable accomodation down below & at the very least a proper flushing bog.

 

[billmacfarlane]

If you're coming from a dinghy background , the performance of some of the boats mentioned here might bore you to death. Not all Frech boats were designed for the charter market as has been stated below and some of the ones that have might even suit your requirements- try having a look at one of the older French designs like the Dufour Arpege.

 

[jamesjermain]

Newer

There is a counter argument to the 'big-is-best' position, and that is 'the-newer-the-better'. This is particularly true in your situation when you are trying to keep your unconvinced wife on board. Older boats, which may be smelly, unreliable, lacking in facilities and constantly requiring inputs of money, may not be as appealing as one which is in good condition, is as much like home as possible, and, by and large, doesn't spend its life in the yard being repaired.

You give us few clues to your budget, but if you can, I would suggest a boat from 27 to 32ft, 10 years old or less, designed for shorthanded cruising rather than charter or racing and well maintained. If you can find an older boat which is in very good condition and has a survey report to prove it, then fine, but I don't believe a big, cheap restoration project is necessarily what you need.

Do spend time in research around brokers and boat yards and sail as wide a variety of boats as you can. Don't ignore catamarans.

JJ

 

[Guest]

Re: Frogbottles..?

If you pop along to the Wimpole Street Porridge Bar you might be lucky enough to see a 'Display of Old Tyme Frog Bottling' but only if it's the season of the year!

 

[graham]

Re: Frogbottles..?

The discussion as to what boat is best is similar to how long is a piece of string.

One mans meat is another mans poison and obviously one major factor is your budget.

Other factors are what type of mooring you have (or willhave) and where your sailing area is .

My only advise would be to buy a popular design that will be easy to sell in a few years time as most people sell their first boat after a few years when they have a better idea of what they want.

Possibly Count Rory O"Thighblaster may have some advice.

 

[chippie]

Re: Frogbottles..?

As I'm on the other side of the world and am unlikely to drop into that bar in the forseeable future, could you elucidate?

 

[chippie]

Re: Frogbottles..?

As I'm on the other side of the world and am unlikely to drop into that bar in the forseeable future, could you elucidate?

Please.