Hallberg-Rassy Rasmus?

[iwm]

After 10+ years sailing our Sabre 28 around southern new England, my wife and I are ready to move upward (in size) and onward (6-12 months IC, florida, bahama, etc). Current leading candidate is Hallberg-Rassy Rasmus, but we are also considering other late 70s, early 80s boats such as CS 36, Bristol 35.5, Valiant Esprit, Cape Dory 36. Budget should be less than $80,000ish
Would appreciate any comments about Rasmus or others, especially critical ones!!!

Thanks

Van

[Cruisingdad]

Why not a typical island hopper or coastal cruiser for those cruising grounds? That is what they are made for. 80k is not much for a boat. I hope you have a bunch put back for systems and upgrades. You would get a lot more boat if you got a Beneteau or Catalina. I would actually look into a Morgan OI like this as it fits your $$ parameters and will be a MUCH more comfortable liveaboard.
http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listi...g_id=1925&url=

An Islander Freeport is nice too (as a liveaboard and motorsailor). Will not go to weateher worth a crap, but I have been in many and they are nice and comfortable.

http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listi..._id=62530&url=

If you are stuck on being cramped, the HR and Bristol are my first choices - but they are not the best boat for those cruising grounds. THese are just my opinions and am not trying to offend anyone. Love the boats. Just not what I would choose and why.

[camaraderie]

Well...the Rasmus is certainly a beautiful boat and perfectly up to doing the cruising you want to. I guess that I too am wondering a bit on why you are looking at full keel bluewater designs like the Rasmus and Cape Dory for you particular cruising plans. As CD says...production boats will give you more room and liveability and be equally capable of fulfilling your plans. On the other hand...they won't look as pretty IMHO. In your price range...you are trading off space and size for blue water build quality so as long as you are comfortable with that, any of the boats on your list is suitable. I would say that the CS36 will be the best performer under sail of the group and it would be my choice of the 4 for your intentions.
We looked at several HR center cockpit boats over the years and they are wonderful vessels but I never could get past the rear cabin arrangements with the spit bunks & pilot berths for full time living aboard.

[sailingdog]

I'd have to agree with Cam and CD... a coastal cruising production boat will probably make more sense, and be far more usable and far more comfortable in the long run.

I also recommend that you take and reserve 15-20% of your budget for upgrades, repairs, re-fitting and modifications to any boat you buy. I haven't seen a single person ever buy a boat and not do some changes to the boat to make it work for them.

[iwm]

Thanks for the comments Cruisingdad, Camaraderie and Sailingdog

Let me give you a little more info about my thinking. I didn’t think that I was all that committed to “full keel, bluewater designs.” At least, I didn’t think so before your comments!! That’s why other’s comments can be helpful. However, I was aware that I tended to choose boats with a reputation of good build quality. I’m also aware that I simply don’t like the looks of some of the more modern, production boats (Hunter, Beneteau). I am also trying to keep the draft relatively shallow (<5.5feet??) But, I probably should more serously consider some of the other “production boats” in my size and price range (tartan 37, Catalina 36, maybe Sabre 36).
But let me give you a little more info about the intended use. Before and after our extended “cruise,” the boat would need to serve a similar purpose to our current Sabre 28 - day sailing, weekending, commuter to our summer home, etc. So we are really trying to find a reasonable compromise (as if all sailboats weren’t compromises to begin with) between a larger, more comfortable “cruising” boat and a smaller, more easily manageable (single handed) boat for before and after. As I think about it, these additional criteria take me further away from the cape dorys and valiants and closer to the Bristol/tartan/sabre types.
One option would be to just buy a larger boat for the “cruise” and then sell it and buy something smaller when we return. But that’s rather unappealing on a number of dimensions (time, money, effort, etc). So, we are trying to find something that would fit both purposes.
So that brings us back around to the Rasmus. It is appealing in that it is not that large, appears easily single handed, and motors well (important for the commuting purpose). The windshield and protected center cockpit are also appealing features. I do worry that it will be on the small size for our longer trip, but others have certainly found it “big enough.”
Anyhow, enough rambling for now. Thanks again for your comments. Any and all other suggestions/comments welcome

Van

[bestfriend]

I can only speak on the CS. I like the 36, but you might want to look at the 40 too, if its not out of your range for size. I like it better than the 36 down below, but they are harder to find. The couple of Rasmus' that I looked at were a mess, requiring lots of work, and my friend that owns a Rassy says that the Rasmus is not a good boat to buy. Not to mention the strange arrangement of berths.

[Cruisingdad]

IWM,

The Catalina 36 is a very well done boat, but not perfect. THe MKII is the better for many reasons, but instead of listing them, take my adivce and you can research the rest yourself. It was also just written up in BoatUS.

If you want something that sails well, avoid the Freeport. However, if you are intersted in something that is very comfortable for cruising, give it strong consideration. Many of the Hunters that are 80's era are suspect. I do like the new ones (No one put a hex on me). I am concerned about the new benes and Jeauneaus and some of the catalinas, but they are well out of your price range. The older benes seemed better to me as do the older catalinas and morgans. (I keep retyping this because I am trying to stay in your $$ range).

Buying and selling boats is a losing proposition. Get the one that will do most of what you want the first time. THere is no perfect boat, period. Also, it MUST BE COMFORTABLE. If you are a cruiser or liveabord and your boat is uncomfortbale, you will not be cruising for long. What comfort is for you versus me may be different, but I look for something I can stretch out in, has a lot of sotrage, room for the kids to play (may not be a prob for you), amongst many other things. This typically makes a poor passagemaker but a great live aboard. However, if you are going cruising, you better start thinking in those terms (comfort). If you are making for distant shores, you better start thinking passagemaker. The two are different unless you have big bucks. Your boat needs to have some level of performance unless you have no time schedule. Even so, I don't care for tanks in the water. THis is another long conversation, so I will leave it there.

At 80k, you are really, really limited. If I were in your shoes, I would go with a production type of boat: an old bene or catalina or morgan. Others have different opinions. Ask PBeezer about his Ontario. Nice boat too and seems comfortable. More sold than some production boats, but smaller too. Maybe a compromise????? PB has done a lot to his boat so consider his more pristine that what you might get yourself into.

Take care. Let me know if you have specific questions.

- CD

[sailingdog]

Oh nooooooooo!!!!!!! CD has admitted to liking the new Hunters... Bet on the Cubs to win the World Series this year... and send Satan some snowshoes.

Have you deserted Catalinas for good???

[camaraderie]

IWM....The only thing I would add is that if single handing ability is desired you should eliminate the Rasmus and any other CC designs as it is impossible to both steer the boat and deal with dock lines. I love CC's for a lot of reasons but would not single hand in one.

[sailingdog]

Good point Cam... not having much experience with center cockpit designs myself, I wasn't aware of that issue. Why are dock lines more difficult on a center-cockpit design? Is it the extra height of the cockpit??