Help in Boat Choice

[mparent]

I was getting closer to deciding on a boat but after talking to more people I am once again totally confused. What I want to do is take the boat back and forth between Nova Scotia and the Carribbean and then after some years cross the Atlantic to cruise the Mediterranean. I hate Canadian winters!

My max price is 100,000 Canadian.

My questions are as follows:

1. What is the ideal size? I am looking at 38 max and 35 min. Is 35 too small?

2. Should I buy a newer boat even though it is a Hunter etc. or should I buy an older boat such as a Niagara, Tartan, Sabre or IP?

3. I like the IP35 or 38 but do they really sail badly?

4. Is a freshwater boat worth that much more than a saltwater one?

Thank you.

[sailingdog]

Originally Posted by mparent

I was getting closer to deciding on a boat but after talking to more people I am once again totally confused. What I want to do is take the boat back and forth between Nova Scotia and the Carribbean and then after some years cross the Atlantic to cruise the Mediterranean. I hate Canadian winters!

My max price is 100,000 Canadian.

My questions are as follows:

1. What is the ideal size? I am looking at 38 max and 35 min. Is 35 too small?

for how many people???

2. Should I buy a newer boat even though it is a Hunter etc. or should I buy an older boat such as a Niagara, Tartan, Sabre or IP?

No, imho, you should go with an older design, given your budget.

3. I like the IP35 or 38 but do they really sail badly?

depends on what your priorities are.

4. Is a freshwater boat worth that much more than a saltwater one?

Thank you.

depends on the age and location. A great lakes boat may have less than a third the wear and tear of the same age boat that was kept/sailed in florida due to the shorter season, weaker uv, and no-salt.

[mparent]

Two

[sailhog]

A nicely equipped Tartan 37 can be had for less than $100,000 Canadian.

Here's one just a few doors down:

1987 Tartan 37 Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

[sailingdog]

Two as in a couple or two as in two separate, otherwise unaffiliated adults.... if a couple, the boat can often be a bit smaller, since they will often share a double berth... if two individuals, having separate cabins can make life less complicated.

Originally Posted by mparent

Two

[sailhog]

Here's one in freakishly good shape...
1979 Tartan Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

[blt2ski]

Reality is, ANY of the typical coastal cruisers would probably work for what you have in mind, be it a newer Hunter, Jeanneau, Beneteau, Catalina, sabre, tartan etc. Altho the latter two will be the pricier of the bunch. Or an IP as you mentioned you like.

In the end tho, you have to live with your choice. I would not have a problem with a recent Jeanneau Sun Odysess or the Sun Fast version of the 34.2, 35, 36.2 or newest 36i, 37 in it variations on up in size. Some older versions include the Sunshine 36/38 from the mid 80's.

Bens would be any of the first series from 32' on up. The Oceanus models from 35 or so on up, the Oceanus models frankly are on the Hunter end for me, not my first choice, but near the bottom and last option!

Sabres, Tartans and IPs as you mention are nice, The IP would also be on my bottom end of the list, only because it is (too much) slower per equal length than the other boats for my tastes.

I am sure there are some other boats that may work, Tyana,(sp?) Valiant, wetsail, a few J-boats etc that would fit the budget and work too. It really comes down to, finkeel, vs full vs moderate, speed, interior how you want it etc. Maybe even going into the comfot ratings, ie Disp length ratio's, motion ratio etc.

I am sure there are lots of boats that will work, but in the end, what I would choose, I know is different than others.

Marty

[Sailormann]

My questions are as follows:

1. What is the ideal size? I am looking at 38 max and 35 min. Is 35 too small?

No it is not. If you are alone or with one other person, it is probably ideal

2. Should I buy a newer boat even though it is a Hunter etc. or should I buy an older boat such as a Niagara, Tartan, Sabre or IP?

You should buy a thicker-hulled and more heavily-built boat. The current production boats tend to have pretty lightly built hulls. So I would say not a Hunter, not a Catalina or Beneteau (under 40 feet), not a C&C or Tartan built after the late 1990's, not an Etap and not a Bavaria.

Sabre is borderline, Tartan is just over the line, Niagara is good but be careful of the cored hull, IP is ideal as is Pacific Seacraft, Cabo Rico, Nauticat, Valiant, Tayana, Hinckley, Hans Christian,
etc., etc.

3. I like the IP35 or 38 but do they really sail badly?

No they don't sail badly. They sail more slowly than some other boats, but not badly.

4. Is a freshwater boat worth that much more than a saltwater one?

If there were two boats that had received identical maintenance for identical periods of time and one had been used in saltwater where and one had been used in freshwater, then the freshwater boat would be expected to be in better condition than the one that had been kept in seawater.

Be aware though that most freshwater boats are in colder climates where they are subject to freezing every winter. If they have not been properly dried and covered for the winter, water may have gotten into areas it shouldn't have and frozen and expanded. This causes damage sometimes. It is not an uncommon problem.

So - in brief - it depends on the boat and how well it was taken care of more than it depends on the type of water it sailed in.

Good Luck