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Cruising Worlds Top 40 Boats

15K views 48 replies 23 participants last post by  jak3b 
#1 ·
#39 ·
Chef:
Me too. That's a hard one to figure out. I'm going sailing on a T37 on Tuesday. Can't wait. Never sailed one before.

Pet:
You do rrealize that people PAID Ferenc Matte to get in that book. Right? That said, I would say that the B40 deserves consideration. I'm a fan of just about everything that Tripp designed.
 
#40 ·
I certainly agree on the T37. Should be on the list.
Bob....you would know better on Matte book but having said that I've never read a bad review on a Bermuda 40 except for by Jeff H. :) Kretschmer gave her a "rare five stars for construction quality"."Her steering easy and well balanced." Henderson called her a thoroughbred and like other Tripp centerboarders a splendid performer in most conditions.
To me, quality of build is at the top of the list. They sail well and resale value is good. Row away factor is second to none in my opinion.
I like most Tripp designs as well.
 
#42 ·
This is a great thread for me...especially since I have been actively looking at sailboats to buy for the past several months.
Based on all of your accumulative knowledge; I have the following criteria so I welcome feedback especially since this thread is about the 'best' boats:

1.) Don't tell me to 'keep looking and when you fall in love with a boat you will know. Unfortunately there are too many boats to 'date' while waiting to 'fall in love'
2.) Don't tell me to 'sail every boat you can to learn what you really want' because I have already been sailing on alot of boats and I have certain restrictive parameters.
3.) Don't tell me to 'buy a dinghy now and learn how to sail best and then buy a bigger boat' because I already know how to sail and I am an old man and may die soon. I can buy 'one boat' for my life, at my age.
4.) I need to find a boat that can be found on the east coast of the USA. I cannot afford to travel to Mexico, the BVI's, Asia, or Panama to find a 'great deal'.
5.) I need a boat that is 'blue water capable or blue water modifiable'. I am not interested in a day sailor no matter how fast it sails or how neat it is.
6.) I need a smaller-ish sailboat that can be single-handed or 'mom and pop' crewed by a 55 year old skipper and a 45 year old first mate.
7.) I need a used sailboat for about 50K.
8.) I need that 50K sailboat to have a good diesel engine as part of the 50K.
9.) I can put about 20K more into the boat to prepare it over a 3-5 year period.
10.) The boat should be mid to heavy displacement and with a full keel with a seakindly motion that does not cause us to puke our guts out in a seaway or 24-hour passage.
11.) Although I can learn 'diesel mechanics', I am not a talented 'Do it yourself- lets build a new bulkhead' kind of guy. I am not great at manual mechanic skills- I am more of the intellectual brain power doctor/lawyer type skills; ie., no 'do it youself' ability whatsoever.........but not such a rich lawyer or doctor that I can pay someone else to do everything. In other words; I cannot do a 'fix-me-up' boat because I suck at changing a light bulb (although if you have been arrested or in need of an appendectomy our crew can save you- ha-ha..:D)
Based on the above criterion.....does anybody have a 'top 10 blue water sailboats readily accessible for review on America's east coast that do not require major deck work or tens of thousands of dollars in refit costs for blue water work for a crew of 2?)

Is that asking too much?
Help me to focus.....I am getting weary of my sailboat search...
HELP! Any ideas on what boats to focus in on?
(And dont tell me to buy what my heart falls in love with...:(
 
#44 ·
Mac:
I'm with you on the row away factor of the B40. Hard to beat. Performance is a bit dated given the way the boat was wrapped around the CCA rule, i.e. short DWL, shoal draft squatty rig. You can change the rig but not the other stuff. Not sure I'd change anything though. I'd like to experience that boat just the way Tripp designed it.

I have a client with an XKE. He took out the Jag engine and replaced it with a Ford engine. He claims it is now a far superior car. Probably right. But,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
 
#48 · (Edited)
When I think about Bill Tripp, one of his most amazingly visionary designs was his Galaxy 32. It is amazing how advanced that design was for its day. Bulb Keel, spade rudder, comparatively fine bow, powerful quarter sections and longish waterline for that era.











The amazing part of this design was that it supposedly drawn in 1957-58 depending on who you believe.....

Jeff
 
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