which 38-42 foot sailboat?

[SloopJonB]

Originally Posted by smurphny

Two boats on my list of "next boat to fix up" are an Alberg 37 or a Pearson 40. You can probably find either in pretty good shape for 20k less than 75k.

I've always liked the Pearson - any boat with a flush deck can't be all bad IMHO. No matter what faults it may have, it's almost CERTAIN to look good as you row away.

I wouldn't do the Alberg though, I'd do a Hughes 38 II. Same size, same great looks but more sail and way less keel. Build quality seems comparable as well

[Faster]

Originally Posted by SloopJonB

....- any boat with a flush deck can't be all bad IMHO. ....

Jon you'd like our last boat then.... We owned her for 12 years.. Choate 40.. btw do you know this spot?

[SloopJonB]

Originally Posted by Faster

Jon you'd like our last boat then.... We owned her for 12 years.. Choate 40.. btw do you know this spot?

It's the east side of Whyte islet isn't it? If so, it's about 1/2 click from my house.

And I do like your old boat. Did it once have an IMP style paint job in blue instead of green? I looked at buying a Choate done up that way a long time ago.

[Faster]

You're thinking of Kydaka, a Choate 42 that raced around here for years in the 80s. She lived at Degnen Bay for a time and is currently in the FCYC just east of the Granville Bridge - still with that paint job.. Ours was white w/black stripe when we bought her, we did the grey/black awlgrip job ourselves at Lynwood, including decks. We also cut an anchor locker and cockpit lazarette access at the same time. When we painted her we found (beneath the white) a true 80's grey/red/black wild stripe theme, presumably the original gel. Phantom sold recently again and is in Campbell River, I believe.

Oh.. no, you're off by several miles.. Christie Cove in northern Howe Sound at the head of Thornborough passage (near Pt Mellon)

End of hijack.. back to the regular feature!

[smurphny]

Originally Posted by SloopJonB

I've always liked the Pearson - any boat with a flush deck can't be all bad IMHO. No matter what faults it may have, it's almost CERTAIN to look good as you row away.

I wouldn't do the Alberg though, I'd do a Hughes 38 II. Same size, same great looks but more sail and way less keel. Build quality seems comparable as well

I almost bought a P40 before finding the A35 basket case. I get as much satisfaction from the renovation as anything else. I like the flush deck of the P40 a lot. The cabin has an amazing amount of headroom and space for a flush deck. Although I like the swing keel idea to decrease draft, it adds another mechanical mechanism to break/jam (at the worst possible moment) and by the looks of the hull, the boat would not remain mast-up for long without that 10' fin.

For the money, I think the Albergs are an amazingly worthy design, They are pretty much bullet proof (as I have proven on occasion), VERY comfortable when the going gets rough, will take you anywhere you want to go, and of a simple, easily-singlehandled design. They are comparatively slow, but I'm in no hurry. For speed, you give up stability, a pretty simple equation. I'll take my 1.5 capsize ratio, thank you. If I had a zillion dollars, a Pacific Seacraft would be nice but my idea about sailboats is to own one that you can afford to lose.

[SloopJonB]

Originally Posted by smurphny

I almost bought a P40 before finding the A35 basket case. I get as much satisfaction from the renovation as anything else.

I have the same problem. Over the years I have spent a LOT more time working on them than sailing them. Boatyards are about my favourite places of all. When I don't have a boat I spend a lot of time just walking around in them looking at other peoples projects.

Originally Posted by smurphny

I like the flush deck of the P40 a lot. The cabin has an amazing amount of headroom and space for a flush deck. Although I like the swing keel idea to decrease draft, it adds another mechanical mechanism to break/jam (at the worst possible moment) and by the looks of the hull, the boat would not remain mast-up for long without that 10' fin.

Don't think you need to worry about that - the ballast is in the bottom of the hull. That's the main reason the boat is so heavy. I'm not sure if the board is real heavy or not but even if it is, it's only an addition to the righting arm, not essential. It's a centerboarder, not a swing keeler.