Sabre 28 vs. C & C 30

seanryan · #1 11-09-2009

I am looking to upgrade to a boat in the 28-30 range. I live on the great lakes and sail with my wife and 2 small children. I don't race my boat but I do like to go fast. We frequently have guests on the boat. Our usual day of sailing includes 3-4 hours on the water with some time for swimming. I have a 24 ft keel boat and am looking to go a little bigger and spend no more that 20,000.

I did some research and have focused on the Sabre 28 and the C&C 30. All the models I am looking at were built between 1975 and 1980. Most have Atomic 4 gasoline engines.

Does anyone have an opinion on these boats and opinion on gas vs. diesel.

Thanks

Faster · #2 11-09-2009

Either boat would probably serve you well, provided they pass survey and have been well looked after. After that it'll be down to what appeals to you most about the cockpit, or the layout, or the specific berthing or galley arrangements. If you're comparing otherwise equivalent boats, look for add-on goodies like furling, electronics (recent), cabin heat, good battery banks and monitors etc.

As to the A-4 vs diesel, that's much debated and the market is geared to accept diesel and reject A-4s, there's no escaping the fact that there are tens of thousands of A4s out there. In many respects a gas engine is better suited for the typical daysailors duty cycle (ie start, run 10 minutes out of the marina, stop..... start, run 10 minutes into the dock...), it's lighter weight, smoother/quieter, and has plenty of power (30hp) On most equivalent boats with a diesel you'll get one or two cylinders, 8-15 hp, noise and vibration, (but better resale..)

seanryan · #3 11-09-2009

Thanks for your input.

As per the A 4 vs. diesel- It is somewhat confusing in that the A 4 was standard offered by many reputable builders for a long time, there seem to be many in circulation but they are not thought of as sub par. I don't exactly understand this.

tommays · #4 11-09-2009

It is real easy to get gas smell in a sailboat due to the carb being leaned at all kinds of angles during sailing

On more modern motors the carb is on top and any spilled gas falls into the motor on and A-4 its down low and anything spills into the bilge

I just bought and A-4 boat and unless i cant repiar it its staying

sailingfool · #5 11-09-2009

I owned a '77 C&C 30 for a number of years and consider it a wonderful design, and a boat I'd recommend highly. The Sabre 28 is a nice design, but perhaps 2/3's the size and room of the C&C 30 and less than half the boating experience.

seanryan · #6 11-09-2009

Thanks. Would you be put off by a boat that was probably raced and is about 30 years old? Both of the c&c 30s that I am looking at have been consistently maintained and upgraded (winches, engine rebuilds, electronics, painting) and don't look 30 years old.

Faster · #7 11-09-2009

A boat that been looked after and upgraded will not likely have suffered as a result of racing unless it's been involved in collisions. IMO if (and normally they are) collisions have been avoided then really there's no more stress on a boat from racing (assuming the boat's properly handled) than any other use.

seanryan · #8 11-09-2009

Sailingfool referenced that the Sabre is 1/2 the sailing experience of the C&C 30. What do you mean by that?

paulk · #9 11-09-2009

The Sabre 28 is a nice boat, well put together, that will take you places and get you back as well. The C&C30 is also a nice, pretty well built boat. The thing that hits me looking at these two boats is that the C&C 30 is a lot prettier. It has a nice sheer, pleasant overhangs, and a purposeful, can-do appearance that doesn't need to be polished to look good. The Sabre, being shorter, has a harder time competing on those issues. I think it takes more work to make it look good; the C&C looks good without having to be shined up. The Sabre 30 II rates 204 on Lake Michigan.... not fast. The C&C 30 has about 6 different models, so the rating depends upon which you're looking at. The original Mk I on Lake Michigan rates 171 -- that's faster than a J/24, which is not supposed to be a slow boat. The Mk II version rates 156 on Lake Michigan- 15 seconds per mile quicker than the original. From the size and speed capabilities, it looks like the C&C is the way to go if the boats are both in good or comparable condition.

seanryan · #10 11-09-2009

Thanks Paulk. I agree with your insight. The C&C 30 definitely comes with a higher price tag but I will have it for a long time. Does buying a 30 year old boat make you pause? Where do you weigh in on the gas v. diesel debate?
Thanks again.