kingfisher
Well-Known Member
SWMBO + myself + son 1/2 (not mine, hers, you see) want to move up from our 1973 Sirocco 31 half tonner to something more roomier. We do weekend sails, with the casual long weekend and the annual 3 week summer sail, this year Ostende- London, last year Ostende-Alderney.
Of course one dreams of a Najad/HR/Contest, but rationally they don't fit our cruising habits (like taking your kids to school in a 4x4), and my budget constraints would mean buying an old tatty one.
So far the short list
- 2003 Bavaria 37, in the "floating caravan" category, the old version with the sit-around-the table sofa, rather than the longitudinal version (don't need sea bunks, no night passages)
- 1999 Dufour 36, but not sure about the pullman bed, see previous disussion on 'how do you climb in your bed"
- 1999 Dufour 38, the better sailer, but a tad on the large side
- Arcona 37, in the "hmmm, could stretch the budget a bit"
No-no's
- teak deck: wooden floors are for bedrooms and living rooms, not on top of boats
- furling main
- 2 bathrooms (ffs, there's only 3-4 people on board, how many kazies do you need?)
- Deeper than 1m7 (except for the Arcona)
- older than 1990, I'm tired of trying to repair things quicker than they wear.
Must
- mainsheet and genua winches accessible by helmsman (I know, that should rule out the Bav and the Dufour, but one has to make compromises)
There was a Moody 36cc on the list, which we visited. Small cockpit, ridiculously undersized winches
Already studied and discarded
Jeanneau SO35
Beneteau
Elan (sailed a 33, never again)
X-yachts: too sporty
Dehler: ugly interior, SWMBO veto
Any others we should look at?
Of course one dreams of a Najad/HR/Contest, but rationally they don't fit our cruising habits (like taking your kids to school in a 4x4), and my budget constraints would mean buying an old tatty one.
So far the short list
- 2003 Bavaria 37, in the "floating caravan" category, the old version with the sit-around-the table sofa, rather than the longitudinal version (don't need sea bunks, no night passages)
- 1999 Dufour 36, but not sure about the pullman bed, see previous disussion on 'how do you climb in your bed"
- 1999 Dufour 38, the better sailer, but a tad on the large side
- Arcona 37, in the "hmmm, could stretch the budget a bit"
No-no's
- teak deck: wooden floors are for bedrooms and living rooms, not on top of boats
- furling main
- 2 bathrooms (ffs, there's only 3-4 people on board, how many kazies do you need?)
- Deeper than 1m7 (except for the Arcona)
- older than 1990, I'm tired of trying to repair things quicker than they wear.
Must
- mainsheet and genua winches accessible by helmsman (I know, that should rule out the Bav and the Dufour, but one has to make compromises)
There was a Moody 36cc on the list, which we visited. Small cockpit, ridiculously undersized winches
Already studied and discarded
Jeanneau SO35
Beneteau
Elan (sailed a 33, never again)
X-yachts: too sporty
Dehler: ugly interior, SWMBO veto
Any others we should look at?
