Caliber 40 LRC and Sabre 402

[rockDAWG]

I believe that both vessels are a capable ocean voyager. I would greatly appreciate if you can comments on their ability in turns of

1. Ability to sail close hull
2. Light wind
3. Sea motion comfort
4. Reported problem due to manufacture and design faults.

Every made and design have compromises on the paper. However, if they hold up in the real world, I will not worry about it. TIA.

[sailingdog]

The Sabre 402 isn't designed as a bluewater cruiser, while the Caliber 40 LRC definitely was purposely designed as such. The Sabre can probably point higher and does better in light winds. The Caliber is probably more seakindly.

[kd3pc]

sabre can be made in to a decent voyager...and it sails very well, even in light winds..and can point higher than the LRC..

Sabre will be short on all tankage and storage for most long voyages. It has a less comfortable motion in large seas than the caliber, not sure if it is the keel or the weight, but I found that the Sabre bobs a bit in heavy seas...the LRC just shoulders through on a straight line

The Sabre to me is much more comfortable at the dock and most are "light and airy" compared to the LRC...but the LRC has the Sabre beat on seaworthiness in general

Both are well made boats, just different purposes. Neither have a host of inherent problems, quite the opposite...but I would speak with and hire the surveyor who knows voyaging boats, were I in your position - wanting to cross oceans...

I have owned the Sabre and only crewed on the LRC...so I may be a tad partial to the Sabre...but you will need to do quite a bit of upgrading to the Sabre to get what the LRC comes with..

[sck5]

Sabres are beautiful boats. I looked at several when I was boat shopping but because I wanted to do ocean passages I got a Caliber.

[AlanGSYS]

All good posts with valid comments. But think about the day you want to sell the boat. I think the Sabre will sell more quickly than the Caliber when you are ready to move on.

[Sabreman]

I think the Sabre will sell more quickly ... when you are ready to move on.

I hope so!

A check of Sabre 38 prices shows that selling prices are at or above what I paid. Sabre hold their value very, very well. When we sold our 28, we "lost" $10k over 15 years.

[chef2sail]

2 different boats for two different purposes. Both excellant builds and reputations. You wont have any trouble selling either. Notice there are very few Calibers for sale ever. Both 40s are on our short list. Sabre better light air performance and quicker overall. Cant go wrong with a well maintained Sabre or Caliber

Dave

[lawdawg]

I would greatly appreciate some more thoughts on the comments about the seaworthiness of the Sabre as far as ocean passages go. I started looking at Island Packet 35's (the same sort of high displacement design thinking as the caliber), but then found a Sabre 42 for about the same price that is very well equipped. By going up in size I was able to get more of the storage and tankage that came in the smaller IP, but also feel that I am getting a boat that sails much better. I just helped take an IP42 from West Florida to the Bahamas last week and there was definitely a clear shortage of any light wind performance and the iron genoa was cranked up much more than I would be happy with.
kd3pc- you commented that the Sabre would need much more upgrading to be capable of ocean passages, versus what the Caliber comes with. Do you think you could expand on this a bit?
Sailingdog- you stated that the Sabre isn't designed as a blue-water cruiser, do you think you could add a few more comments?
While I know that the Sabre isn't built with the same full keel, heavy displacement philosophy, I am still under the impression that it will make a good boat to not only enjoy cruising the caribbean with, but to also head to the Pacific in. Am I wrong in this assessment?
Thank you for your thoughts...
Drew