Please Help Me Decided Which IOR Boat

[bizirka]

Hi Guys and Gals,

I am new to posting but far from new to this forum. The time has come, I am buying my first "bigger" boat.

I cannot decide betwen a 1982 San Juan 34 or a 1973 C&C 39.

The C&C is a proven racer and not easy to single hand, while the San Juan is also fast, it is a fair bit more set up for single handed fast cruising. I am new to racing but have many experienced friends and wish to get involved in our local racing scene.

I am from the Puget Sound area so light wind performance is a big plus. I also do plan on living on the boat part time.

As a new user I cannot post links, but the boats are both available at: Marine Service Center in seattle.


Any discussion will be very helpful!

[treilley]

Consider the Crown 34. It came from the same mold as the SJ34 but was better built.

[olson34]

Originally Posted by treilley

Consider the Crown 34. It came from the same mold as the SJ34 but was better built.

Ah Yup. The SJ was not built to the same standards as the Crown product (or a C&C).
I note that there is a C&C34 for sale in Seattle now, and a Maxi also.
Then there's this deal on another modern classic, up North of you a ways...
E 35II for sale - EY.o Information Exchange

Happy hunting,
L

[Faster]

The Sceptre 36 is a reworked Crown 34 - another option if that's what you really want. Agree these two are likely better, the older C&C 39 is an interesting, classic boat but I suspect the Crown/Sceptre is a bit more nimble and may well have more space below too. The 39 may not be quite so prone to the typical IOR downwind dance.

The C&C 34 would be rather a different beast from the older 39 - on many levels. Also a nice boat, though.

[YeahJohn]

This boat is nice... Wauquiez 33 Sailboat, Ready to Cruise.

[bizirka]

Thanks for the input! Sadly I have looked around and cannot find the crown nor the sceptre in my area, I think my question was more specific to these two boats, if you google marine Servicenter seattle you can see these two boats.
In reality I would prefer the 39, i like its racing pedigree, but the inside is a bit dated and well used, and the equipment has been repaired as needed for the past 40 years, but never completely reworked. The SJ34 on the other hand has more up to date (expensive) equipment. I will do lots of cruising and will be getting more into racing.

Thanks for your help!

[bizirka]

C&C 39
Marine Servicenter - Seattle (Seattle, WA)


SJ34
Marine Servicenter - Seattle (Seattle, WA)

I can post links now!

[bizirka]

Originally Posted by YeahJohn

This boat is nice... Wauquiez 33 Sailboat, Ready to Cruise.

Thanks for the link, I have looked at the boat it is a bit out of my price range, 45K with taxes and haul-out.

[YeahJohn]

I would go with the San Juan. There are a few owners you can pm... check out this thread if you haven't. http://www.sailnet.com/forums/boat-r...juan-34-a.html The SJ34 is 10 years newer, still 30 years old but not 40. I personally like my 80's era boat. Like you said too equipment is everything. You can spend 10k just making sure you have the right safety gear, so make sure flare guns, fire extinguishers etc. are all up to date and included. Also electronics and rigging are a big deal. Make sure that it is all upgraded and decent. On my boat the first few sails I broke every single clutch handle because they had not been touched for a few years. $500 later I had new clutches. If the fuller had gone out that would have been $2500. If you discover a winch in bad that could be more. Obviously you are going to have the boat you choose surveyed along with that look at what you are willing to and not willing to spend money on right away. In the end buy the boat you will be happiest on, or the one your wife likes best?

[Jeff_H]

You have described this as being a boat that you would like to race and cruise, but like many IOR boats neither of these are especially good boats for either. These were fast boats for their day and their racing rule, but their day and rule was nearly forty years ago. To be competitive, or even get around a race course safely in a breeze, these are both boats that take very skilled helmsmen and large, strong, skilled crews to race well and which are not very competitive without large (in number), high tech sail inventories. Boats like these lose speed easily but are hard to get back to speed and are a real handful in heavier going.

By the same token, they are not especially good cruising boats (although the C&C 39 is the better of the two) and neither are especially easy boats to sail short handed.

You might want to step back and rethink how you are approaching this. While I doubt that these are the only two convenient boats within your price range in your area at the moment, I would suggest that there is a reason that these boats relatively inexpensive, but if you take a little time to catch yoru breath, you should be able to find better suited designs within your budget that better suit your stated needs.

Respectfully,
Jeff