*Thinking* about a bigger, better boat

[arf145]

We've had our Pearson 28-2 for 5 years, and she's been great for day sailing and a little cruising on the Chesapeake. Yet we're thinking of moving to something larger. My wife and I day sail together, but she leaves the cruising to me and any friends I can entice because she finds overnighting on the 28-2 to be the equivalent of "camping."

I didn't get this at first because I backpack, and the boat accommodations seemed luxurious by comparison. A roof! Mattresses! Hot water! Seats! Lights! But I can now see it through her eyes, and she sees Ice Box! Cramped quarters! Climbing up to the V berth! Old foam mattresses! No stowage! Alcohol stove!

So we're sort of looking. Basically, we want a boat that is still fun to day sail on the light-wind Chesapeake, has a shoal keel or centerboard (say under 5 ft) so we don't have to sweat every anchorage, two cabins and some room so we can take another couple along on 2 to 5 day trips.

More specifically:
* Under $100K
* Prefer to stay under say 38 feet
* No keel stepped masts (I like a dry bilge!)
* No fixer uppers--Happy to maintain and upgrade, but I brought the 28-2 back from the dead. I don't want to do that this time.
* Would prefer something 10 years old or less (or ferociously maintained!)
* No Volvo engines
* No Hunters--No offense! But I hate the limitations of the severly swept back spreaders of the B&R rig! I can just tolerate the slightly swept back spreaders I've got.

When I look on YW, I seem to have gotten us down to Beneteau and Catalina, which is fine, but I'm open to suggestions--or nasty comments if you must

[chucklesR]

They don't fit your 10 years or less criteria, but I've sort of found that center cockpits are very nice.
Irwin, Morgan etc.. There are a lot that are indeed ferociously maintained.
I know a Irwin 43 CC for 99k.

My Irwin 38 went for considerably less than your budget.
https://plus.google.com/photos/11369...18534036416418

[deltaten]

Boy! Howdy... does that "back-packing" comment ring true. More than all the luxuries of home-away-from-home. Literally, "cabin" camping vs tent/tarp/blue sky camping.
AFA suggestions....
I looked using the beam as a preset requirement. Wide beam equals more room! sailboatdata.com and go thru the list using beam as selector. As the list rolls down, scan beam and when one comes up at or beyond yer tick point, check the other specs..like length/draft requirements. After while, you'll be able to visually sort pretty quick

Beam-ey mebbe not to fast; but cruising is meant ta be slow and easy; isn't it?

[deniseO30]

Arf check out the Catlaina 36-38s Nice nice layouts

[Cruisingdad]

Yep, for that dollar and that year range, you will be looking at a production boat. I have sailed and like the Catalina 36. Reasonably fast and fun to sail. The 34 can be a better performer but I like the comfort of the 36 better. A bene Oceanis series is also worth looking at. Honestly, if you don't mind the tighter beam, I really like the first series. However, I would not want to cruise on one. The c36 is a boat I would take cruising.

Brian

[Cruisingdad]

I owned and cruised on a c38. Only prob is they are not as good performers. They are more comfortable than the 36. Mine was a 2001 c380. I would look at that too.

[Alex W]

It's funny Tom because the first half of your email read like my search when going from my previous boat to the 28-2. It's got so much storage space and is so much more comfortable than my Catalina 25 was (and we still enjoyed cruising on that). I guess that is why it's three foot itis.

I'm curious to see what you end up with and hope you enjoy the search.

[SailingJackson]

Originally Posted by Alex W

It's funny Tom because the first half of your email read like my search when going from my previous boat to the 28-2. It's got so much storage space and is so much more comfortable than my Catalina 25 was (and we still enjoyed cruising on that). I guess that is why it's three foot itis.

I guess I got eleven foot itis. I went from cruising in a Catalina 25 to cruising in a Catalina 36.

Be prepared, you cannot go back, at least I cannot. Camping is a good comparison. Last summer I solo'd to South Manitou Island in Lake Michigan. I explored the island and the beaches on a cold rainy fall day, as did a few of the island campers. The island is only open to backpack campers and offers primitive sites only. When I got back to my boat I took a hot shower, changed into warm clothes, turned on the stereo, opened a bottle of wine, and then started dinner. All the time I thought of the others on the beach who were crawling into their nylon tents in their wet gear, probably to have dinner on protein bars or else fight the rain and mosquitoes with their tiny back pack stove. I've been camping. Sailing is better.

I think the Catalina 34 is about as nice as the 36, unless you actually plan to use the stern cabin for more than storage. Cabin is pretty similar, but the cabin seems small in the 34. Anything 34 or above is going to seem like a palace compared to what you've been in.

G. J.

[steve77]

I went from a 1966 Pearson Triton (28 ft) to an '86 Catalina 34 this past fall. While I haven't had a chance to sail on the C34 yet the room down below is really impressive. I've seen ads for C34's that are older than 10 years, but are very well taken care of. And you can get them for a lot less than $100K. C36's too.

The first C34's (like mine) had deck stepped masts, then they made keel stepped masts an option (I think in '87) and a lot of the ones I've seen are keel stepped. Then at some point I think they went back to all deck stepped masts. You could still probably get one of those later ones for under $100K.

[arf145]

Interesting that the C34 has come up with a few of you. That was my first focus and still a contender. It was fading for me because I thought they were all keel stepped, but if I'm hearing correctly, there should be some deck stepped C34s out there? Is that true for the C36 too, anyone know?

I threw the under $100K out there so as not to miss any possibilities, but truth be told, I'd rather stay under $80K.