SailNet Community - The Under 40' Offshore Boat Thread!

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The Under 40' Offshore Boat Thread!

Since the suggestion was made... and I happen to be mulling this over...
I took the lead on the hint from the other thread.

Quote:

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=alt2 style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1px inset; BORDER-TOP: 1px inset; BORDER-LEFT: 1px inset; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px inset">Originally Posted by 3Reefs http://www.sailnet.com/forums/images...s/viewpost.gif
I've got the same search, though with less money, and happily taking a few feet off. But here is a short list. Would anyone have a stab at ranking the list -- purely in relation to seaworthiness. So capsize resistance, higher AVS, robust build, seakindly shape. All the rest, the space, the looks, the tankage, etc etc, is essentially malleable. Pure seaworthiness is what I want to focus on at outset. You'll see I've left off Tayana 37, Ingrid 38, HansChristian, etc because I just think they are too heavy, too tank-like, and I want a boat that's strong, but lighter than those. A boat that could sail out of trouble, not just plough through it. Here goes (in no particular order):

Wauquiez Pretorien 35
Bayfield 36
Morgan 382
Southern Cross 39
Sabre 38
Bristol 40
Spencer 35/42
Valiant 37
Valiant 40
PSC 37
Shannon 38
Rafiki 37 (the only 'Tayana' type, but actually lighter than Tayanas and, I understand, better sailers).

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>I'd create a new thread on this...

I'm thinking about what I want in an offshore boat. Must be pleasing to the eye (Bermuda 40, Sea Sprite 34, Pilot 35, Allied Princess, Alberg 35 etc..) but they are a little snug and slow. I do like what I've seen of the Morgan 382, Bristol 40 and Valiant 37 as well as some others. Boat would be singlehanded occasionally and couple sailed the rest of the time w/ the rare visitor. J40 would possibly do, but I think the storage on them is lacking. I have spent some time at sea on a CS40 and have *heard* the CS36T is an even better boat. Pearson 39 would be an acceptable boat but ... I'm not sure.

I would prefer to have at least one pilot berth, and/or a good quarter berth. Nice motion at sea is at least as important as being fast.
I'm not liking the modern styles nor the H-R's.

List is (at least) one short...

Strong, fast, not too heavy, and with tens of thousands of ocean-crossing miles on the design... Mostly all out there cruising, but one also won everything in the last Pacific Cup race, too.

That would be a Cascade 36.
They have been called the "affordable circumnavigator" with good reason.

Quote:

Originally Posted by olson34 (Post 564174)

That would be a Cascade 36.

I had never heard of them. Your post got me to look them up in Yachtworld.

Here is one very nice example; 1969/Cascade-Sloop/San-Carlos,-Sonora/Mexico
Hard dodger, 10' dinghy w/ 15hp outboard, and integral anchor platform. $36K

Looks like a great boat!

They seem to be mainly on the west coast of North America...

Cascade can be a good boat but because many were owner finished quality can be all over the map.

Calibers are pretty good too. I have a 33 which has a good quarter birth - The 38s and 40s are big roomy boats and pretty fast too, for their weight.

My rank ordered list

I own and single hand a completely refitted Wauquiez Pretorien in New England, so I may be prejudiced. But I've sailed several of these on deliveries and I am aware of their design characteristics and construction quality (which is a really big deal in the case of a used yacht) Here is my ranking:

Sabre 38
Wauquiez Pretorien 35
Valiant 37
Valiant 40
Shannon 38
Bristol 40
Southern Cross 39

This following ranking I am less sure about. I am working more from theory, but I propose:

Morgan 382
Spencer 35/42
Bayfield 36
PSC 37
Rafiki 37 (the only 'Tayana' type, but actually lighter than Tayanas and, I understand, better sailers).

Captain Richard D. Buchanan
S/V Fianna
Portland, ME

The Spencer 35/42 are both long keel designs similar to the Alberg 37 and many others. Very solid boats many of which have crossed oceans and circumnavigated. The late Hal Roth's Whisper is a Spencer 35 and a neighbor is currently near the Horn in his 35. The Spencer 1330 is a more modern design with a long fin keel and a rudder on a substantial skeg. All were very well built. Here's the link to the owners group SYOG-index
Here are the profiles of the 35, 42, and 1330 There is a later version of the 35 with a shorter boom and a slightly taller mast and a squared off rudder.

Ranking by seaworthiness

Hi, thanks Sailordave for seizing this thread by the horns. I started a new one doing the same thing. To avoid further confusion, would be great if everyone stuck to this one, since it's already kicked off.

But PLEASE can everyone stick to the idea of my original question:

NOT enter a general discussion about bluewater cruisers, but rank the shortlist of ocean boats I drew up and rank them ONLY for seaworthiness. NOT for beauty/livability/ etc. Just performance in the rough stuff, resistance to capsize, happiness in gale conditions, construction of hulls, rudders, etc.

Discussing beauty and comfort is so subjective. I'd really like if for once we focused on the single most important attribute of a true 'go anywhere' boat: ability to sail in all conditions.

Thanks.

Valiant 37/40
Spencer 35/42
PSC 37
Shannon 38
Southern Cross 39
Sabre 38
Wauquiez Pretorien 35
Bristol 40
Morgan 382
Rafiki 37
Bayfield 36