Which pocket cruiser to look for?

[JimC]

Peter Poland - who I was fortunate enough to sail with, a nice guy - was the Sales Manager on the early ( and to my mind best ) Hunters such as the 490, Squib, Tracer, 19, Europa & 701 and did an article for PBO a few months ago about their designer, Oliver Lee ( who also designed the Anderson 22, Achilles 24 and others ).

He was a partner (with Dereck Chardin) in the firm through the later period when Hunters built the David Thomas designs such as the Sonata, Impala and the very popular Horizon, Ranger and Channel ranges of cruisers. He only ceased his association with Hunters when the firm was sold to the Select Yacht Group in 2004. Select subsequently went bankrupt and Hunters are now built in Southamton at the yard of Lauren Marine. http://www.britishhunter.co.uk/index.html

 

[Seajet]

He was a partner (with Dereck Chardin) in the firm through the later period when Hunters built the David Thomas designs such as the Sonata, Impala and the very popular Horizon, Ranger and Channel ranges of cruisers. He only ceased his association with Hunters when the firm was sold to the Select Yacht Group in 2004. Select subsequently went bankrupt and Hunters are now built in Southamton at the yard of Lauren Marine. http://www.britishhunter.co.uk/index.html

Yes I know, I test sailed the Horizon 27 with him; and frankly found it and the other later Hunter designs far less wonderful to sail than Oliver Lee's creations !

 

[Lakesailor]

Hi

Thanks for the reply.

That is the boat in question. If the price is a bit steep did yours include a trailer? This does & sails are 2011 vintage so relatively new.

Gotta go to work now so longer reply later.

Cheers

I'd agree that it seems a bit dear. Although it has a decent trailer and newish sails, you can't be expected to repay the previous owner for simply keeping the boat up to scratch. I would be searching my soul to pay more than £2500 for such a boat.
They seem to have gone overboard on the pics of the interior when you really need to be seeing the bits that you may need to replace.

 

[Greenheart]

I'd agree that it seems a bit dear. I would be searching my soul to pay more than £2500 for such a boat.

Cripes, that's nothing! Here's a nice clean Sailfish for sale...well, new to be honest. How much, d'you think? She's still only 18ft.

http://www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk/...ish-new-sailfish-18/89959#r7i13oSEDCxovkaR.97

 

[Slowtack]

http://www.achillesyachts.co.uk/

 

[steve yates]

Wight way, when I started this thread, someone gave me the very good advice not to get hung up on which boat, but just look at any in my price range. I have ended up with a brad well 18, which was never on my original lists from researches done online and here
I don't collect it till next month, so I could still have bought a pile of shite, but I'm quietly confident I have got a decent boat for a decent price with plenty of extra bits. Regardless, I have no doubt I will learn masses from it. I'd read Phils blog too, I'm basically going to treat my bradwell as a pirate express

 

[NickC]

Steve,

If that Bradwell 18 falls through what about looking at a Shipmate Senior: http://yachts.apolloduck.co.uk/advert.phtml?id=409701.

 

[steve yates]

I had some on my short list nick, though the ballast/weight ratio now seems very much on the light side after seeing the brad wells 33% , I think it was something like 17?
Cheers, Steve

 

[Sybarite]

This is what I started with :

http://www.lysander-owners.org.uk/

 

[steve yates]

Just found this old thread of mine from last year, for the benefit of anyone new who comes across it searching for similar subjects....
The best advice I got was buy whatever appears that meets most criteria at a decent price, don't get hung up on marque.

My little Bradwell 18 has turned out to be a great buy. £1200 with death trap trailer, ( rollers missing, falling off encounter etc) but almost new mariner 6 outboard. Gps, depth sounder, compass, cooker, lighting, 12v sockets etc.
I don't trail her in the end, I sail her out of Maryport, soon to be Workington.
She is a tough wee thing and seems very dry even when out in a lumpy Irish Sea.
I plan on sailing her to Isle of Man and round Galloway and up west coast of Scotland this year, we'll see how that goes
But any real problems will be due to the skipper rather than the craft I think.