What modern cruising yacht would suit me?

AndrewB

AndrewB

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I'm looking for a modern cruising yacht in the range 35-38', with a fin-and-skeg configuration (NOT deep fin, unsupported rudder, long keel, bilge or lifting keel), reasonably stable (AVS 128+ and/or STIX 30+), GRP, not more than 15 years old. Cutter rig preferred.

Can anyone recommend a reasonably popular class of production yacht that would meet this spec?
 
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How are you defining "modern"? - is it just the age? Does popular mean desirable or built in large numbers? Not many fin and skeg boats built in any numbers in the last 15 years. Late Moodys and Westerlys plus Swedish boats such as the HR36. Cutter rig requirement will also be very restrictive. Go back a further 10 years and the choice widens substantially.
 
For once, I'm in the happy position that money is not, within reason, an issue for a yacht of this size. It HAS to be fin-and-skeg. There were lots of possibilities back when I couldn't possibly afford one, twenty years ago. Now I can, there seem to be hardly any! I don't want an old boat and the maintenance issues that implies, nor steel or wood for the same reason.
 
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Starlight 35 or 39. Both are magnificent sea boats, lead keel , keel sump, sensibly sized deep cockpit, and with a good turn of speed thanks to Stephen Jones who designed them.
 
Many thanks for your replies. Unfortunately most of these boats are too old (none currently for sale less than 20 years old), and as far as I can make out from the available photographs, the Starlight 39, Moody 38, HR39 are not fin-and-skeg. In fact, hull shots don't figure much among advertising pics - mostly boring interior snaps which don't interest me. Doesn't anyone care about what's underwater any more?

I'm off to look at a Dufour 36 Classic tomorrow which does, on paper, seem to fit my spec. Otherwise there doesn't seem to be a lot of choice right now and I may have to compromise with an older boat.
 
AndrewB said:
Many thanks for your replies. Unfortunately most of these boats are too old (none currently for sale less than 20 years old), and as far as I can make out from the available photographs, the Starlight 39, Moody 38, HR39 are not fin-and-skeg. In fact, hull shots don't figure much among advertising pics - mostly boring interior snaps which don't interest me. Doesn't anyone care about what's underwater any more?

I'm off to look at a Dufour 36 Classic tomorrow which does, on paper, seem to fit my spec. Otherwise there doesn't seem to be a lot of choice right now and I may have to compromise with an older boat.
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HR39 & starlight are fin & half skeg. Dufour 38 Classic definitely isn't.
 
Hi Andrew B,
We have a Dufour 36 Classic since 2000.Ours has two aft cabins so nobody has to sleep on the saloon table,we have a double up front, set back from the bow.We accept an odd visitor on the settee, which with the addition of a lee cloth forms the only useable sea berth on passage.Other berths have lee cloths fitted too.Useful for chucking stuff into.These boats are great for live aboard use, sail very quickly on most points of sailing, recover quickly from knockdown (lead keel 1.8m).Would benefit from better quality jibs than those supplied,larger and flatter in some exotic material would be more useful upwind.Engine should be a Volvo 2030 which is more than adequate for good passage times.Best ever speed maintained for a beam reach was 8.7 on way to Scillies from Arklow.Passages tend to average out at a meeker 6.7 knots.Dufour 36 are lighter and accelerate more quickly than Scandinavian designs.Usual maintenance issues, but nothing out of the ordinary yet.PM me if wanting any advice on versions, or queries.
 
AndrewB said:
Many thanks for your replies. Unfortunately most of these boats are too old (none currently for sale less than 20 years old), and as far as I can make out from the available photographs, the Starlight 39, Moody 38, HR39 are not fin-and-skeg. In fact, hull shots don't figure much among advertising pics - mostly boring interior snaps which don't interest me. Doesn't anyone care about what's underwater any more?

I'm off to look at a Dufour 36 Classic tomorrow which does, on paper, seem to fit my spec. Otherwise there doesn't seem to be a lot of choice right now and I may have to compromise with an older boat.
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If you turn down a starlight 35 for a dufour 36 classic you will be making the mistake of your life.

The starlight 35 is one of the finest yachts going and ticks all your boxes... Versus the dufour, not a bad boat but not a great one, is a spade rudder.


Buy this.


http://www.yachtworld.com/core/list...rency=USD&access=Public&listing_id=42626&url=
 
Starlights were not immune from big hull recalls, as I remember,leaks were endemic on one larger one which was wet all the way over and all the way back (Atlantic). Would be a great boat probably if even a reworked model.
 
If the not more than 15 years old is negotiable, how about a Vancouver or a Victoria. I know that that the Victoria 34 has a long fin and a skeg and can be found cutter rigged in the region of £70K. I I think that the Vancouver 36 or 38P both had long fins with skeg as well as the Victoria 38. There is a nice looking Victoria 38 here.
 
To be honest, I can't think of any recent "production" yacht that is fin and skeg, apart from the last of the Moody 36/38s - built up to about 2000. You may have to stretch your 15 year old rule.
 
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