small offshore boat with decent preformance

[redstripesailor]

Hi all, I'm a young guy fresh out of college looking for my first boat. I've been sailing on a variety of boats for most of my life, so I've got a little experiance. I've been looking for a small and afforable boat for costal and probable offshore work. Most of the boats I've been looking at have been Tritons or Contessas or other boats of the type. I like those boats a lot, but they are terrible preformers in light winds. Are there any small (27-30ft) boats out there with good all around preformance and the ability to slog it out offshore?

[kwaltersmi]

How about something even smaller like a Flicka? Or perhaps the venerable Pearson-Triton 28?

[mstern]

I can't think of any boats under thirty feet or less that would be suitable for real offshore work that aren't full keel boats like the Triton or Contessa. If you give up on the ability to go offshore (or have a high tolerance for rough rides or a higher tolerance for risk), then a whole world of boats become available. Any of the Catalina or Pearson boats (the ones with the fin keels) in that boat length will peform better in light air than a Triton or Contessa, and are good coastal boats. Of course, you will probably get a lot of feedback here that it is the skipper that makes a boat offshore-capable, not the opposite.

[pigslo]

A boat that size that is offshore capable by definition would lean toward moderate to heavy. Pacific Seacraft 27?

[sailingdog]

The Alberg 30, Contessa 26, Pearson Triton are all excellent boats... but if you want a boat that is <30' and capable of offshore passages, you have to give up a bit of light air performance.

BTW, none of those boats are really all that terrible in terms of performance, but it does take some skill to get them to sail well in light air.

[sailingfool]

I personally think the older Cals fit your bill well, well constructed yet with a performance bent - look at the 27-2, 29-2 or 30-2. Sample PHRF ratings can speak volumes, if you want to be sailing most of the time...

Cal 29-2 : 183
Alberg 30: 228
Triton: 255

[redstripesailor]

Sailingfool thank you for your suggestion, I'll look into the cals. What about a tartan, yankee or ericson?

[sailingfool]

The Tartan 30 is the classic of '70s and I would agree an excellent choice - it would be at the top of my short list if I were to ever go smaller on a budget. The Yankee 30 is a nice boat, I don't think quite as tough as the Tartan, and I can't comment on the older Ericsons as there have never been many in New England. The newer Ericsons like the 35-2 are excellent boats...