Where to best search Blue Water Yachts 32 to 36 feet.

[geem]

Some part of that can’t be right or you need to get hold of the racing bods and tell them your secret - heavy, full large tankage beamy and high and faster than lightweight boats with smaller wetted areas.

Thats the issue. A Ben 45 has such a wide stern and such a huge wetted area that we can sail past them in light winds. Full displacement like ours is economic with wetted area. We are not beamy. 13.4m over deck, 4.1m beam . We also carry a lot of sail. In stronger conditions down wind we cant compete as we dont have the right hull shape to plane. Up wind in 25kts we are competitive with a Jen 44i when its narly conditions. In 2m seas and gusty conditions we dont need to dump the main we just plough on. Friends in their 44i just couldnt do this sailing in company. We sailed from Antigua to Barbuda and arrived together. This is boats in liveaboard attire. We are all loaded with creature comforts ? it may be different if we were all stripped down for racing as we would still have 6000kg of lead in the keel?

 

[Sharky34]

Have you looked at "Boats for Sale" on this YBW site?

 

[rotrax]

Reply to post #20.


IP485 has said the same.

Our previous Island Packet - a 38 footer - did not need reefing untill 22kts of wind.

They were built for the Trade Winds and pick up as other yachts are reefing down.

We did a light wind RTI and were a real slug until the wind piped up late on where we just flew with full sail while others were reefing and rounding up if they did not.

Horses for courses.

 

[RupertW]

Reply to post #20.


IP485 has said the same.

Our previous Island Packet - a 38 footer - did not need reefing untill 22kts of wind.

Don’t you want a boat that can sail well in 8 knots of wind. If I started out double reefed and with 1000 litres of fuel I wouldn’t need to reef until 22 knots either but I would miss out on so much good sailing.

 

[Buck Turgidson]

I would estimate 1978 might be a good place because "Bluewater" and "32'" were not considered good bedfellows after 1979.

 

[jonic]

I suggest the OP sends jonic a PM.

He has his finger on the pulse of available Blue Water boats.

Thank you Rotrax! (and hope you are both well)

Stocks are a bit thin right now, everyone went mad for a well found offshore cruiser at the end of the summer, but more will be coming soon in the new year.

However we leave the specs, videos and photos of the sold yachts on the website as a useful resource for people who want to begin to get an idea of what may suit them in the future. The video walkthroughs have been particularly useful and Covid has meant we had to do a lot more of them. www.jryachts.com

 

[rotrax]

Thats the issue. A Ben 45 has such a wide stern and such a huge wetted area that we can sail past them in light winds. Full displacement like ours is economic with wetted area. We are not beamy. 13.4m over deck, 4.1m beam . We also carry a lot of sail. In stronger conditions down wind we cant compete as we dont have the right hull shape to plane. Up wind in 25kts we are competitive with a Jen 44i when its narly conditions. In 2m seas and gusty conditions we dont need to dump the main we just plough on. Friends in their 44i just couldnt do this sailing in company. We sailed from Antigua to Barbuda and arrived together. This is boats in liveaboard attire. We are all loaded with creature comforts ? it may be different if we were all stripped down for racing as we would still have 6000kg of lead in the keel?

Don’t you want a boat that can sail well in 8 knots of wind. If I started out double reefed and with 1000 litres of fuel I wouldn’t need to reef until 22 knots either but I would miss out on so much good sailing.

Sailing is fine, but we are travellers by water rather than purist sailors - and make no bones about it. We are not actually very good sailors compared to those who have been at it most of their lives. Our Hartley 32 in NZ keeps our sailing skills up, she is a simple boat.

Comfort on the hook and alongside are paramount, shallow draught opens up more options than a deep fin and the huge pilothouse keeps us dry and warm and gives an almost perfect all round view.

Our passage average is 6.6 kts. We travel on average 1500NM's each season when cruising.

We came to sailing late, spent the previous 45 years racing motorbikes all around the world so have the travel bug.

Our big, fat, slow under sail but large engined motorsailer does it for us.

I am fully aware it will not do it for others, but that is a matter of indiference to us as we like and enjoy what we have chosen.

 

[RJJ]

I am a bit sceptical about the claims of any heavier boats to keep up let alone beat an AWB in light or medium conditions...appreciate of course that we are well into the inevitable thread drift. I would love to test our 44 foot cruiser empirically against you beem ;-)

The sail area / wetted surface ratio doesn't determine light airs performance, it limits it. Hull form still comes into it (let's assume the rig is of equivalent efficiency and aspect); a buoyant ballasted sphere would minimise wetted area but would sail like a pig. A fin keel and spade rudder will still develop more lift for less drag than a longer / long keel and a skeg; that translates to more power and more apparent wind. Then the beamy AWB with her shallow bilge starts to heel a bit, and suddenly the wetted area is slashed. It's the same as an Albacore/GP14/Enterprise vs a Lark; yes the Albacore is a slippery shape when upright, but as soon as the Lark heels a little in light airs she's away, while the Albacore's hull shape is nearly constant as she heels.

Then the AWB attains hull speed, reaching or beating, in 8-10 knots true. Most heavier boats are still wallowing around. Once powered-up, with or without a reef, the efficiency of the "wing under the water" continues to deliver gains particularly close-hauled. You can't go faster (for given length) but with less induced drag, you point higher and make less leeway.

Where I agree the heavier boats do have two advantages are (1) in lugging gear around for extended cruising; that would seem to be a major factor at 30-35 foot, but much less so above 40 foot. A socket set is still a socket set; most gear does not add weight in proportion to length (2) the AWB requires more attentive sailing in order not to over-power and stall the sensitive higher-aspect "wing-under-the-water"; in the absence of concentration, she won't sail herself as well.

Then remember that plenty of AWBs are chartered (=terrible sails, smaller rig plans, poorly tuned, occasional-not-expert skippers). Even if not, it's hard to correct for the clot on the wheel!

 

[capnsensible]

In Australia if people want a Blue Water Yacht (or large launch) they often import from the USA where they are a lot cheaper.

New & Used Boats | California - West Coast | CYBA Yachts For Sale West

Or buy ex charter boats in Greece and sail them home.....

 

[Buck Turgidson]

I am a bit sceptical about the claims of any heavier boats to keep up let alone beat an AWB in light or medium conditions...appreciate of course that we are well into the inevitable thread drift. I would love to test our 44 foot cruiser empirically against you beem ;-)

The sail area / wetted surface ratio doesn't determine light airs performance, it limits it. Hull form still comes into it (let's assume the rig is of equivalent efficiency and aspect); a buoyant ballasted sphere would minimise wetted area but would sail like a pig. A fin keel and spade rudder will still develop more lift for less drag than a longer / long keel and a skeg; that translates to more power and more apparent wind. Then the beamy AWB with her shallow bilge starts to heel a bit, and suddenly the wetted area is slashed. It's the same as an Albacore/GP14/Enterprise vs a Lark; yes the Albacore is a slippery shape when upright, but as soon as the Lark heels a little in light airs she's away, while the Albacore's hull shape is nearly constant as she heels.

Then the AWB attains hull speed, reaching or beating, in 8-10 knots true. Most heavier boats are still wallowing around. Once powered-up, with or without a reef, the efficiency of the "wing under the water" continues to deliver gains particularly close-hauled. You can't go faster (for given length) but with less induced drag, you point higher and make less leeway.

Where I agree the heavier boats do have two advantages are (1) in lugging gear around for extended cruising; that would seem to be a major factor at 30-35 foot, but much less so above 40 foot. A socket set is still a socket set; most gear does not add weight in proportion to length (2) the AWB requires more attentive sailing in order not to over-power and stall the sensitive higher-aspect "wing-under-the-water"; in the absence of concentration, she won't sail herself as well.

Then remember that plenty of AWBs are chartered (=terrible sails, smaller rig plans, poorly tuned, occasional-not-expert skippers). Even if not, it's hard to correct for the clot on the wheel!

I agree with this but you don't discuss sea state. My old long Keeler will tramp along in a choppy sea much happier than similar sized AWB's that I've sailed. And that can make a significant difference. I'm not claiming she's fast in all conditions but there are times when she has her advantages.

Here she is beating into 40kts of wind earlier this year. Wouldn't have done this on a 28' AWB.

 

[ashtead]

I believe one may expect to find every boat for sale in the Netherlands at BotenTeKoop - make sure you pick the English language option at the top of the page; you can filter by length and such to make the selection more navigable. I found the Netherlands a pleasant and convenient place for a few weeks' boat shopping, and write now from a 12m Van De Stadt.

Cannot chose between an xc50, a moody 49 or an old jongert though

 

[doug748]

Red Ensign always seem to favour boats designed for this kind of work:

Sailing Yacht Brokerage -

Usually towards the top end but they do have some cheaper models. Last year they had a handy looking Contessa 38 asking c 38k.

PS
Contest 34 on there looks nice.

 

[geem]

Deleted

 

[Sharky34]

Or buy ex charter boats in Greece and sail them home.....

Which way?

 

[capnsensible]

Which way?

Gib Canaries Windies Panama Polynesia, Oz or New Zealand. Mostly.

 

[HunterWanderer]

Buy one that's already in the Caribbean !

 

[Sharky34]

Gib Canaries Windies Panama Polynesia, Oz or New Zealand. Mostly.

Not chancing the other canal & cutting a lot of distance then?

 

[capnsensible]

Not chancing the other canal & cutting a lot of distance then?

Not really. I've been involved with two and seen dozens. Whole point of buying the boat is to have a bit of a cruise. That's why buy in Greece and not the Carib. I'm sure people do. But lots don't.

 

[Uricanejack]

Maybe it’s just me.
it appears most of the usual sites have dried up significantly.
Not sure if this means boats have been selling better due to Covid or just not being put up for sale due to Covid.

 

[differentroads]

Some good advice above. Some hot air about fast vs slow boats though.
I bought a tough, sturdy, heavy duty, very bloody slow 10m Offshore 34 as my perfect bluewater cruiser. I bought her in England, did a refit and two years later I've only got as far as Spain. What I've learned in that time is:
- 'blue water yacht' is an overrated concept. If Lagoon catamarans can circumnavigate, anything can go blue water. I'm speaking as the proud and happy owner of a boat that could take most of what an ocean could throw at it. Am I going to take it down to the Roaring 40s to find out? Probably not. Am I going to take it up to Greenland to see if it bounces off icebergs? Definitely not. If they are your own ambitions, buy a tough blue water boat like mine. If not, any half decent AWB will do the job.
-Buy where you intend to sail. Its cheaper and saves a lot of time. And if you have to do repairs or improvements, nicer weather than English winters is a major benefit.
-Decide your own balance of the importance of comfort, performance and liveability. I value a comfortable motion at sea over speed. And a deep cockpit and flat deck that that keeps me safe on board. And a saloon that is deep and well insulated so it stays much cooler in the blazing sun. These features would drive other sailors nuts because they make the boat slow with little visibility from the saloon and prevent us having a big owners ensuite cabin. Have a long think about your own lifestyle on board as well as a boat as a sailing machine.
-Running costs are more important than the purchase price. At your purchase price I'm guessing that you are not on an unlimited annual budget. Doer-uppers are money pits (hard won knowledge.) Next time round I'm going to buy a boat from a long-retired German doctor or dentist. I've two aquaintances that did just that and say they fit out and maintain their boats to the most meticulous standards!