Which AWB for the mediteranean?

[xcw]

I've owned a 2014 Bavaria 41 since new (trading up from a Bav 36) and have been very pleased with her. At the time I looked at the market and the Bav provided the best value for what I was looking for. Well put together and good sailing performance and ideal for my needs of family sailing along the south coast and channel hopping. No significant issues with her. I would recommend her and if I was in the market I would make the same decision again.

 

[LittleSister]

OK, so there's a consensus that any old AWB will do - they're all much of a muchness.

Now on to the important decisions. What anchor should he have ?

 

[Baggywrinkle]

OK, so there's a consensus that any old AWB will do - they're all much of a muchness.

Now on to the important decisions. What anchor should he have ?

This is my AWB. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
My AWB is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life.
Without me, my AWB is useless. Without my AWB, I am useless. I must sail my AWB true. I must point higher than the other AWBs who are trying to overtake me. I must pass him before he sees me coming and changes course. I will ...
My AWB and I know that what counts in sailing is not the displacement we have, the filth in our bilges, nor the smoke from our engines. We know that it is the fun that counts. We will chill ...
My AWB is human, even as I [am human], because it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as a wife. I will learn its weaknesses, its strengths, its parts, its accessories, its sails and its engine. I will keep my AWB clean and ready, even as I am clean and ready. We will become part of each other. We will ...
Before Poseidon, I swear this creed. My AWB and I are the adventurers of my country. We are the masters of our anchorages. We are the saviors of my sanity.
So be it, until victory is ours and there is no foul weather, just G&Ts at sunset!

 

[upcountry2]

Beneteau 423, best boat I ever owned and I have owned a few, ticks all your boxes…..

 

[Skylark]

I bought a new Bene Oceanis 41 in 2013 so now in its 10th season. Wonderful boat for my/our needs. Very comfortably equipped. Forward cabin with heads, two aft cabins, starboard side with jack and Jill entrance to heads. Two big fridge/freezers. A lot of inbuilt wine racks. Huge cockpit, electric drop down transom. Teak deck. Happy to show you around if you’re anywhere near the Clyde, @Baggywrinkle

I’m in the Med, but not on my boat, as I write and there are a few 41s and 40.1s in the marina, they look fantastic .

 

[Roberto]

I'd rate highly all these factors, not in this specific order
1. Ventilation
2. Large bimini + easily removable large awning
3. Two steering wheels + drop down stern platform for ease of movement when stern moored (things I really would *not* want to sail anywhere else)
4. "Performance" version of rigging/sail plan, say a slightly taller mast
5. Good engine power + diesel tankage
6. Large portions of flush deck (again I would not want them to sail elsewhere)

Also, a dedicated locker to store this, when not in use:

 

[Baggywrinkle]

I bought a new Bene Oceanis 41 in 2013 so now in its 10th season. Wonderful boat for my/our needs. Very comfortably equipped. Forward cabin with heads, two aft cabins, starboard side with jack and Jill entrance to heads. Two big fridge/freezers. A lot of inbuilt wine racks. Huge cockpit, electric drop down transom. Teak deck. Happy to show you around if you’re anywhere near the Clyde, @Baggywrinkle

I’m in the Med, but not on my boat, as I write and there are a few 41s and 40.1s in the marina, they look fantastic .

... may well take you up on that.

 

[Stemar]

I've only skimmed the replies, so might have missed someone saying the same thing, but have you thought about a cat? All the space you want and, with twin engines, easy to manoeuvre at close quarters , plus it won't spill the beer when the wind catches the sails!

 

[Skylark]

... may well take you up on that.

You’re more than welcome. Here she is on the pontoon adjacent to the Transport Museum, The Clyde

 

[doug748]

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

Well, 29 posts and no reaction yet. I think most sailing folk don't mind what boat you choose as long as you stick to facts and leave out silly abuse.

The OP has done his best to troll up a response but, from close observation of these matters, it is far easier if you say you are looking for an older boat, maybe a smaller Westerly. Say you prefer the sailing style of heavy displacement and feel happier at sea, this really seems to inflame them.
My working theory is that, after spending upwards of 100 grand on a boat, the gilded ones feel it's politically unjust that they have bought something with disadvantages as well as positives.

Better still, say you don't mind a bit of work to bring the boat up to scratch. That really brings them out ; - )

.

 

[cmedsailor]

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

I have an Elan Impression 45 bought new 4 years ago if you have any specific questions. Or you can search some of my previous posts…

 

[RupertW]

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.

I read this a lot and I remain baffled as we have a Jeanneau 42.2 so 12.3 metres and in every Med country we have never seen a dividing line between below and above 12m except for Greece for a short period when they introduced a new tax.
My advice for the OP is that a drop down swimming platform is worse for swimming than a sugar scoop and much more fragile when mooring stern too - however it is such a standard that I would accept one for all the other advantages of a newer boat.
We also don’t have a bow thruster and until swimming platforms came along and lengthened every boat by 3 metres (platform plus anxiety distance) we didn’t need one but now if I went back to the Med I would definitely want one.
Other things to look out for is lots of room for solar power for all the gadgets, fridge, autohelm and water heating and lots of water storage (we have 600 litres and get through 40 litres a day when swimming, showering and washing clothes) or a water maker if you are using the boat for months at a time).
And two heads with showers obviously for two people on board.

 

[Goldie]

I read this a lot and I remain baffled as we have a Jeanneau 42.2 so 12.3 metres and in every Med country we have never seen a dividing line between below and above 12m

I’ve come across it a lot in the W. Med and Portugal. My boat’s registered LOA (and all marinas base charging on the registration certificate in my experience) is 12.06m. In my current winter berth, that 6cm is costing me > €1000 and the price for that size bracket would be valid for a boat up to 14.99m LOA. Same experience trying to book berths in the Med and one of the main marina groups in the Balearics only offered visitors moorings for boats up to 12m - and no, they won’t ‘flex’ for 6cm!

We’ve obviously had quite different experiences.

 

[RupertW]

I’ve come across it a lot in the W. Med and Portugal. My boat’s registered LOA (and all marinas base charging on the registration certificate in my experience) is 12.06m. In my current winter berth, that 6cm is costing me > €1000 and the price for that size bracket would be valid for a boat up to 14.99m LOA. Same experience trying to book berths in the Med and one of the main marina groups in the Balearics only offered visitors moorings for boats up to 12m - and no, they won’t ‘flex’ for 6cm!

We’ve obviously had quite different experiences.

I’ve just checked as my wife does the marina bookings and apparently she always declares 11.95m and has an SSR to “prove” it.

 

[Goldie]

I’ve just checked as my wife does the marina bookings and apparently she always declares 11.95m and has an SSR to “prove” it.

I might need to change from Part 1 to SSR !

 

[RupertW]

I might need to change from Part 1 to SSR !

You don’t even need to change - SSR application used to be so lax we saved time by getting one for a boat we had only put an offer in. Even now I suspect they wouldn’t cross check to see if the boat already has a Part 1.