Which AWB for the mediteranean?

[Baggywrinkle]

Looking for collective advice on the next boat. I am an AWB mega-fan so if you love your MAB from last century then I am really happy for you, but a boat with no sugar scoop, swim platform, or without an XXL party-sized cockpit is not for me - I also need at least 3 double cabins for children/guests.

In short, I want a floating holiday home with which to cruise the mediteranean with a focus on island hopping in the sunshine, good food, a cooled wine-cellar and no fixed itinerary - spending as much time as possible at anchor away from population centres. I am a fair weather sailor and the thought of sailing in anything more than shorts and a t-shirt doesn't really appeal - I'll do it if I have to, but will avoid it if possible.

Shortlist is as follows ...

Oceanis 41 or 41.1
Sun Odyssey 419
Dufour 412
Bavaria 41 Cruiser

Would love to hear from anyone with one of the above boats or anything similar - in particular, what do you love/hate about your AWB?

Also like to hear from anyone who has something equivalent (in size and price) that I might have missed off my list - hopefully no more than 10-12 years old.

PS: Please don't bother AWB bashing - they are absolutely suitable for my needs.

 

[newtothis]

I reckon you'll get about three replies before the anti-AWB pile on starts

 

[Baggywrinkle]

I reckon you'll get about three replies before the anti-AWB pile on starts

Hopefully I'll also get some usefull insights into what owners (or charterers) of the boats think of them.

 

[Irish Rover]

You need a power cat. Fountaine Pajot or Leopard. No catty remarks please.

 

[Daydream believer]

You seem to like the lazy options & one can understand that. What about the Hanse with its self tacking jib. Very handy if you have kids & want to make the tacks easy. If you want to do something a bit more adventurous you can always add a furling code zero or cruising chute. I expect that you would want that option with the other boats anyway.
Boats that tend to sell for money do so for a reason though.

By the way, it is nice to hear from the one & only bloke that buys these boats. After some of the comments on this forum we began to wonder if you dared stick your head above the parapet. Well done. Just make sure you have your hard hat on

 

[Baggywrinkle]

You need a power cat. Fountaine Pajot or Leopard. No catty remarks please.

Got a power cat, unfortunately not a leopard, he's a maine coon called Fergus .....

 

[Bajansailor]

You have your pretty power cat, and it seems to me that rather than a Monomaran AWB, you really need a sailing cat - that will satisfy all your requirements, although I suppose you would then have to pay double for berthing fees?

Going back to MAWBs, the different makes are all very similar really, and your best bet (if you are insistent on one of these) probably is to compare cost / condition / location rather than simply say that a BJB Mk II is the best MAWB for your purposes.

 

[Baggywrinkle]

You seem to like the lazy options & one can understand that. What about the Hanse with its self tacking jib. Very handy if you have kids & want to make the tacks easy. If you want to do something a bit more adventurous you can always add a furling code zero or cruising chute. I expect that you would want that option with the other boats anyway.
Boats that tend to sell for money do so for a reason though.

By the way, it is nice to hear from the one & only bloke that buys these boats. After some of the comments on this forum we began to wonder if you dared stick your head above the parapet. Well done. Just make sure you have your hard hat on

Good point, self tacking jib would be a boon .... could tack without putting down the G&T .... I'll add Hanse to the list.

I grew up sailing on my dads various boats on the West coast of Scotland from the late 70s to early 90s. Needless to say, my own boat had solar, a fridge, hot and cold running water, 3 double cabins, a sugar scoop swim platform, furling main and genoa, a reliable engine, and was moored in the Adriatic for the warmth and sunshine - the polar opposite of the sturdy, seaworthy boats I grew up with.

Interestingly, my father and his peers ridiculed anything newer than their own boats as being flimsy death traps, or floating caravans (Moodys were particularly frowned upon) - if it hadn't had an entry in Bristows Guide for at least a decade it was no good. . Not a lot has changed.

A modern AWB just suits my intended use better than an older design.

 

[Goldie]

At that size - just above 12m - you’ll pay a lot more in cruising taxes and mooring fees for I suspect, not much gain. Can you find something at 11.99m or less? If not, at last you know what to expect! If not, then something slightly longer probably won’t cost any more in these fees; everyone in the Med’ seems to use a size bracket system and in most places we’ve been, the next bracket point is 13.99m or even 14.99m so for best bang for your buck, something with an LOA ending in ‘.99’ has much to commend it.

 

[Irish Rover]

Got a power cat, unfortunately not a leopard, he's a maine coon called Fergus .....

View attachment 151152

A pussy with an Irish name. What next?

 

[Baggywrinkle]

You have your pretty power cat, and it seems to me that rather than a monomaran AWB, you really need a sailing cat - that will satisfy all your requirements, although I suppose you would then have to pay double for berthing fees?

Going back to MAWBs, the different makes are all very similar really, and your best bet (if you are insistent on one of these) probably is to compare cost / condition / location rather than simply say that a BJB Mk II is the best AWB for your purposes.

Cats are lovely but generally double the mooring costs and the upkeep and servicing of two engines puts me off too - I'm not rich enough to swallow the additional costs a cat would entail.

As for the AWBs ... they are pretty much all the same .... but it's the little things like the Dufour with integrated BBQ on the stern, or the Oceanis with the mainsheet on an arch which considerably strengthens the spray hood and provides a fixing point for a massive solar array over the cockpit ... just hoping some owners/users will come forward with some insights into their boats.

 

[Baggywrinkle]

At that size - just above 12m - you’ll pay a lot more in cruising taxes and mooring fees for I suspect, not much gain. Can you find something at 11.99m or less? If not, at last you know what to expect!

My last boat was 11.55 metres and going up to 12-13m doesn't worry me from a cost perspective - I've priced it out for the same marina as my last boat and it's OK.

I would have kept my old boat as I loved it, it was electrically self-sufficient using solar, and was already a 3-cabin AWB ... but I needed more space for a few more "essentials" ... freezer, small washing machine, more solar, a watermaker, an outboard hoist and davits for a RIB. It was all getting a bit too tight and with the reliance on shore-power gone, I found myself having to find harbours to fill up with water too often - once every 4-5 days.

This was her just before I sold her ...

 

[capnsensible]

Mebbe any of the BenJen Bav coming off their charter lives would suit? Nicely priced often.

 

[flaming]

Looking for collective advice on the next boat. I am an AWB mega-fan so if you love your MAB from last century then I am really happy for you, but a boat with no sugar scoop, swim platform, or without an XXL party-sized cockpit is not for me - I also need at least 3 double cabins for children/guests.

In short, I want a floating holiday home with which to cruise the mediteranean with a focus on island hopping in the sunshine, good food, a cooled wine-cellar and no fixed itinerary - spending as much time as possible at anchor away from population centres. I am a fair weather sailor and the thought of sailing in anything more than shorts and a t-shirt doesn't really appeal - I'll do it if I have to, but will avoid it if possible.

Shortlist is as follows ...

Oceanis 41 or 41.1
Sun Odyssey 419
Dufour 412
Bavaria 41 Cruiser

Would love to hear from anyone with one of the above boats or anything similar - in particular, what do you love/hate about your AWB?

Also like to hear from anyone who has something equivalent (in size and price) that I might have missed off my list - hopefully no more than 10-12 years old.

PS: Please don't bother AWB bashing - they are absoltely suitable for my needs.

You should also look at the Elan impression range. They are popular (hence pretty readily available) in the med. Also the Hanses.

Otherwise, I think to be honest looking at the differences between them is going to be personal preference between exactly how big a fridge you like, and how many heads etc. Anything mentioned will almost certainly be an excellent option, so pick the one you like the layout/looks of.

 

[Baggywrinkle]

Mebbe any of the BenJen Bav coming off their charter lives would suit? Nicely priced often.

My last one was ex-charter, extremely cheap, and lasted me over a decade - I did stick a lot of money and effort into refurbishments and equipment but this suited me fine as I enjoy a good mini-project as and when the cash is available ... hopefully get the same kind of deal again - the skill is finding a cheap ex-charter that by some miracle has escaped any serious damage.

 

[Baggywrinkle]

You should also look at the Elan impression range. They are popular (hence pretty readily available) in the med. Also the Hanses.

Otherwise, I think to be honest looking at the differences between them is going to be personal preference between exactly how big a fridge you like, and how many heads etc. Anything mentioned will almost certainly be an excellent option, so pick the one you like the layout/looks of.

Will add the Elans to my search, they do seem very competitively priced

You are right, it'll probably boil down to a combination of price, availability, and how I actually feel when I get on board. I knew the last boat was "the one" as soon as I got aboard - it just had a better feel than the others I looked at.

 

[geem]

I reckon you'll get about three replies before the anti-AWB pile on starts

I don't think so. What the OP is asking is perfect for his needs. No AWB bashing

 

[Daydream believer]

If you want owners opinions of the Hanse then the place to ask is here
Obviously the replies will be biased, as the best boats in the world are Hanse- Well you get the drift. But you will get answers to specific queries, if you specify a particular range of Hanse
Just try not to be too "all embracing" & direct your questions to details that you need.

 

[ithet]

I spent a fortnight on a Beneteau Cyclades 43. A design that is a little stripped down for charter, but meets your requirements - we were two couples and five kids on board. The bunk cabin is great for teenagers. Stood up well to some bad weather.

 

[Baggywrinkle]

If you want owners opinions of the Hanse then the place to ask is here
Obviously the replies will be biased, as the best boats in the world are Hanse- Well you get the drift. But you will get answers to specific queries, if you specify a particular range of Hanse
Just try not to be too "all embracing" & direct your questions to details that you need.

Thank-you ... I'll go and lurk in the forum for a bit