Which Boat again?

[Cheeky Girl]

Sorry I know this has been asked many times but I just can decide whic way to go.

We are planning to go to the Med/Carribean for two years Wife & 2 kids (5/7). I would like a boat with 3 sleeping cabins but not a cat (Sorry Snowleopard etc) and have about £100k to spend. Do I go for a newish BAV/BEN, an older HR or a steel boat.

What are your thoughts.
Graham

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[Talbot]

<<but not a cat >> Well if you really wish to display a lack of appreciation for the finer points of boats /forums/images/icons/smile.gif - If I wanted a half boat I would probably be looking at an older HR.

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[mike_bryon]

With children we find it really useful to have one or better two cabins with bunk beds – good at sea also. The bigger the better with a family I think is also true. Issues like the size of heads, overall level of equipment and condition have been more significant considerations for us then what particular make. We have owned an older Jeanneau and we found it a great boat for our family (they made lift keel versions of many models) although ours a sunmagic 44 was too small for 6 to live aboard long term.

Best wishes with your plans.


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[Sea Devil]

I really would think about about an older quality boat rather than a cheap lightweight with lots of acommadation. My 26 year old Moody 36 is still in excellent condition and ready to cross oceans. Bravaria, Jenneau, Benneateau, Hunter etc are all made to a price- the maximum accommadation for the least money. They begin to look very tired quite quickly if you live aboard them. They were not designed with long distance cruising in mind(although lots do of course)I have met several with shifted bulkheads and dodgy hulls.

The heavier and quality construted boats like Halbourg Rassy, Oyster, Moody, Westerly etc will last for much longer and were designed for long distance cruising. When things get interesting they are much better platforms and are not going to twist or strart to come apart. They also hold their value/price much better.

I have never owned one but I must say everone I meet blue water sailing in a cat is having a very comfortable time - they really do seem to be better once you are away from marinas - but that is of course after the med.
Just an opinion
regards
Michael

<hr width=100% size=1>If you have time visit my web site
www.michaelbriant.com/sailing

 

[timentide]

I have to agree with Bambola about Bendytoys as they are known over in Carib. I have met a couple of guys spending their time re-bonding bulkheads after their Atlantic crossing. They said they tended to twist in a sea!! Can't be much fun in the middle of the Atlantic with that happening. For comfort and space , of course go far a catamaran. I'm biased slightly, but was the only way to get SWMBO to come with me!!

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[tcm]

1. I wd look out for a boat that has done a long trip. These more likely kitted out for the trip. Kitting out an existing boat for long distance cruising/living in terms of bigger anchors etc etc will be a steep learning process, and expensive.

2. Since most of your crusing sounds as tho it will be in the sunny climes, i wd look out for one that is in uk and been abroad a lot, or is already abroad. Fans, sun canopies, more sun canopies will all be expensive if not already on board.

3. The bigger the boat, the better. You don't have to thrash it to move along, nor have previous owners. It's comfier at anchor. Its gear is all proportioanlly bigger. When stuff breaks, there's more room to fix it and carry on with the living on board.

4. I like steel, but you need to check the inside more carefuly than the outside - in med, lots of condensation can mean lots of rust.

5. It is a pity that <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.shantooti.co.uk/>http://www.shantooti.co.uk/</A> has been sold. Or is it for sale again? Worth a call to track it down for your trip?

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[roly_voya]

Worth a look at some back copies of YM & PBO there have been some exellent discussions on designs for cruising. The other point I would make is that weight = comfort & loade carrying. Lightweght flyers may cross the oceans but the crew cut the handles off there toothbrushes to keep the wt down! That is not just to make them quick its also because as soon as a shallow canoe bodied hull sinks deep enough to be going throught the water not over it it has a radical effect on form stability - and thats the main thing keeping you upright. A heavy boat usually dosnt mind sinking a few inches on her marks. Think about the wt of all your gear, extra ground takle, tanks etc that you might want for a live-board and its probably a couple of tons or more in some light 40ft boats this could be 25% of displacement. Also if you have never sailed one try and do so, the difference in comford even in a moderate chop has to be experienced to be believed and with a young family this alone would convince me to look for 15ton minimum in a 40ft boat. Dont be fooled into thinking heavy boats are slow. My boat is 10ton on a 27ft waterline and will get 6kn in 12kn wind on the beam plus you dont have to secure the coffee cups till its above 20kn! Of course the down side is that they sell boats by the pound not the foot so heavy = expensive so definatly look at old and solid its safer and more confortable.

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[Sea Devil]

You will find a range of blue water boats arriving in the Med/UK for sale every May or June. When I popped out of Suez last May there were at least 6 boats that came up the Red Sea at the same time that were going to be sold. They normally fetch about the same as a standard boat but come with all the anchors, solar panels and SSB's etc...

I have owned a steel boat once and never again - endlessly chipping rust - you have to do maintance on the paint work all the time and its a pain. Mine had stacks of coats of paint and was built by Terry Erskin so was well finished but the maintance was a pain - and it was slow and heavy.. It is true that if you put it on a reef it will survive - off the Great Barrier Reef two years ago a small steel boat parked next to me, dragged its anchor in a storm onto the reef, the crew were lifted off by helicopter - the boat vanished the next night and reappeard on a beach a week later almost undamaged except for some dents and paint loss.. Having said that I would never have one in salt water for the reasons stated.

I think the Blue Water Kit of Self Steering, SSB, Solar Panels, Anchors and chain etc etc probably needs a budget of around £10-15000. If I sell my moody 36 (which was 12 years old when I got her) which I have had now for 13 years I expect to get about what I paid for her.

For sure Older and Heavy(which does not mean slow) and possibly a Cat is the way to go I think

regards

<hr width=100% size=1>If you have time visit my web site
www.michaelbriant.com/sailing

 

[wazza]

Have you thought about a Najad?? The same quality as HR (if not better IMHO) but alot less expensive 343, 360/1..... obviously depends on how much money you want to spend and how much space you need!!
You should investigate Najad or even Malö, ALL 3 are built on the same island, Orust, in Sweden.

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[Newbieknownowt]

Some nice steel boats in here, not too far away from your price range:
http://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/index.htm
I'll have the Van De Stadt when you've finished with it...

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[oorwullie]

We have just started to live aboard a Moody 425 with the intention of going to the Med Next Year for a couple of Years she is a lovely spacious boat built for cruising but if I had my choice again I would go for an Island Packet. They are designed by people who do long term cruising, live aboard for extensive periods and have evolved rather than been designed

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[rwoofer]

Out of interest - What is it about the Moody that does not meet up with liveaboard expectations?

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