SailNet Community banner
  • SailNet is a forum community dedicated to Sailing enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about sailing, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, repairs, reviews, maintenance, and more!

Need a boat to cruise the coast of Maine

4K views 17 replies 10 participants last post by  CarbonSink62 
#1 · (Edited)
I'm happy to announce that it is time for that process to start all over again.

My wife and I have decided to sell a small bit of property we own and buy a bigger sailboat. The big difference here is that 'we' are buying the boat, not just me. I think that is just the coolest thing ever. :cool: We have no idea how long it will take the property to sell, so this could be a long term thing.

Most of our trips will be day sailing out of Portsmouth, NH with frequent overnights on a rented mooring at Isles of Shoals (4-5mi offshore). Once or twice a season we'll be sailing further north to explore the coast of Maine; perhaps eventually as far as Canada. Maybe we'll sail south and spend a weekend on Cape Cod. I hope to someday sail further south and explore the Florida Keys or maybe the Caribbean. I don't plan on any offshore work, but I'd like to know that the boat could do it. :D

It's just the two of us, maybe an overnight guest or a couple; we think 29 to 32 feet is about the right size.

We'd like:
Above: monohull 29-32 feet; masthead rig; inboard diesel; protected rudder & screw; decent foredeck for anchor handling; wide side decks; roomy cockpit; wheel steering;

Below: traditional interior; full galley w/ oven; nav station; quarterberth; moderate tankage; head w/shower;

The cockpit is more important than the cabin. I'm more of a cruiser than a racer, but no one wants a barge. I prefer sailing ability over shallow draft. I'm willing to lose some roominess to get some sea kindliness.

My brother recently bought a Bristol 32 and it really opened my eyes to these fine boats. If I had the cash right now there are 2 Bristol 29.9 boats in my area and price range that I'd be looking at. In my view, these 29.9s are the boats to beat. I love the modified full/fin keel and the sit down, forward facing nav station (on a 30' boat!). The joinery down below is also very nice.

For the right boat in 'turn key' condition and set up for cruising, we could go close to $20k; We'd be happy to buy a less well equipped boat (no dodger, no roller furling, maybe it needs a new stove) for less and equip it ourselves, but I don't want an $7,500 fixer-upper. I know I'll be looking at 30 year old boats, but I want one that's been cared for.

So, if I can't get one of those Bristol 29.9s, what's the next best thing?

Is there something better?

Thanks in advance!

Ken
 
See less See more
#4 ·
Good luck!. For that bit of water you might add in a quality radar system and chart plotter. With all the fog, ledges, crab pots, and confusing buoys you might want figure in the cost of hiring Mainesail as a guide just to keep you out of trouble.

Seriously, a Tartan 34-1 might fit the bill. Pretty close to your price range. The prices vary a lot with condition. Diesel might be hard to find. Some have wheels. Here is a nice one. Tartan 34C Sailboat For Sale
 
#5 ·
Good luck!. For that bit of water you might add in a quality radar system and chart plotter.
Thanks for the advice. I'm just picking the boat itself here; equipping it for coastal cruising will be another thread.

That Tartan looks nice! How is the build quality? I'd like to get away from the bolt-on keels and get into a boat that has the ballast glassed in.

Ken
 
#9 ·
Thanks for all the feedback; it's too early in the process to be looking at individual listings. I'm hoping to use this thread to narrow the field from 'any 30 foot boat that I can afford' to a short list of maybe 6-8 designs that I'm likely to be able to find and afford.

My last three boats have been Catalinas and when the time to upgrade came I really thought it would be a choice between the C27 & the C30. Now that my wife is involved and really wants to be part of it, I'm thinking more of her comfort and safety; that leads me to consider more seaworthy boats. Also now that it is 'our' project, I can spend a little more.

The Pacific Seacraft and Island Packet designs fit the bill, but are much too expensive.

The Hunters, Catalinas and Beneteaus are affordable, but I want a boat just a little more rugged than those.

My list so far:

Bristol 29.9 (no design has yet knocked this off the top of the heap)
Sabre 30 MkIII (might be too pricey)
Pearson 30/303/31 (are these all the same boat?)

Those designs were chosen in part because they are all built local to me (Northeast USA) so I should be able to find one (or more) easily when I am actually in the market.

Ken
 
#11 ·
The Pearson 30, 303 and 31 are very different boats. The 30 is an older(70s) racer/cruiser design. The 303 is a newer(80s) cruising design and the 31 is a newer(80s) racer/cruiser.

The fastest(uncorrected) of the 3 is probably the 31 with the 30 not far behind. The most comfy and stable is the 303.
 
#12 ·
We'd like:
Above: monohull 29-32 feet; masthead rig; inboard diesel; protected rudder & screw; decent foredeck for anchor handling; wide side decks; roomy cockpit; wheel steering;

Below: traditional interior; full galley w/ oven; nav station; quarterberth; moderate tankage; head w/shower;

The cockpit is more important than the cabin. I'm more of a cruiser than a racer, but no one wants a barge. I prefer sailing ability over shallow draft. I'm willing to lose some roominess to get some sea kindliness.

My brother recently bought a Bristol 32 and it really opened my eyes to these fine boats. If I had the cash right now there are 2 Bristol 29.9 boats in my area and price range that I'd be looking at. In my view, these 29.9s are the boats to beat. I love the modified full/fin keel and the sit down, forward facing nav station (on a 30' boat!). The joinery down below is also very nice.

For the right boat in 'turn key' condition and set up for cruising, we could go close to $20k; We'd be happy to buy a less well equipped boat (no dodger, no roller furling, maybe it needs a new stove) for less and equip it ourselves, but I don't want an $7,500 fixer-upper. I know I'll be looking at 30 year old boats, but I want one that's been cared for.

So, if I can't get one of those Bristol 29.9s, what's the next best thing?

Is there something better?

Thanks in advance!

Ken
The P-31's Tim R. linked to are great values and good sailers. The 303's are a great value for the money and very roomy. I would not get too hung up on a "protected" prop, full keel etc. etc. This is Maine and the NE in the summer. Winds are most often light and fickle. A boat that moves well in light winds can be a huge plus. The idea that a full keel prevents wrapping pots can be a false sense of security. They can and do, catch pots.

We used to own a Cape Dory 27. Since moving to fins we have never looked back.

I would not personally own an encapsulated ballast boat on the rocky Maine coast. Why? Punch a hole and you're on the hard for months trying to properly dry it. Don't take the proper measures to dry it and it freezes and splits in the winter. Sure many unscrupulous yards patch them in a week but they are usually doing a grave disservice. I've seen this numerous times including on one of my customers boats. I once watched a West Sail still draining water from the keel after two months on the hard after hitting a ledge.. Water under pressure finds its way to places that take gravity a long while to dry out. I have no problem with external lead keels, which is the way they have been put on for centuries going back to the earliest wooden cruising yachts..

Most of the boats that ply this coast have external lead keels whether full or fin style. Many of them hit ledges and get repaired and dropped right back into the water. Cape Dory, Morris, Hinckley etc. etc. are all, for the most part, external bolted on lead on both full and fin keel models..

The vast majority of boats on the Maine coast are fin keel or modified fins. Many of these owners are former full keel owners like myself. Please understand that I am not saying "don't buy a full keel boat" I am just saying consider all the options and where and when you will be sailing most and what those actual conditions are 99.8% of the time..

I see lots of people buy "blue water" "full keel" cruisers who never leave the coast and spend a lot of time motoring rather than sailing. I won't kid you you will motor a LOT sailing Maine in the summer, its a reality. However, when the wind picks up, and you are antsy to sail, a boat that moves well in light winds can be a god send....

There are benefits to both types of boats but full keelers in that size range are usually quite small down below and there are boats that are perhaps better suited for coastal NE cruising that offer a lot of amenities...

All the production boats are built perfectly well for cruising the NE including Hunter, Catalina and Beneteau. I would not discount any of them in that price range... Other than a smalish cockpit I really like the Pearson 31's. The 303's are great too..

Above all else buy on CONDITION, not price.......

Here's a couple more:

Tartan 34 (Scott Rocknak usually has some good quality listings)

Catalina 30 Any post 1988 Catalina makes for a great North East coastal cruiser..

Ericson
Sabre
O'day
CS
Catalina
Hunter
Pearson
C&C
Tartan
Beneteau
Cal

All these boats and more make great coastal NE cruisers... Also when searching include boats to 30k in your criteria. Many owners are willing to deal and an asking price of 30k may be a 20k buy in this market.

Keep in mind that many of the good boats are being snapped up quickly after Sandy hit. My buddy Kyle is a broker and said just last week that good clean boats are selling fast and he has a list of clients waiting for the "right boat".... If you do find a good clean boat I would not be a tire kicker or you're likely to lose it..

Just my .02...
 
#13 ·
There is a 29.9 down where i live in FL for sale for $13k. It's not in absolutely perfect shape, but with some elbow grease and scrubbing everything should come out fine. I seriously considered her before we bought our Cape Dory. I believe she has a new Beta diesel, too. I can refer you to a surveyor that did a good job for us looking at a boat from a distance, if you like.

If you are a good negotiator, you might could get her for $10k and have $10k for upgrades/improvements/delivery.

If you PM me, I'll send you the link when I get home.
 
#14 ·
I have owned a Bristol 29.9 for the past 7 years in Casco Bay. It's been a great boat, I lover her. But I wanted to point one of short comings.

The 15hp yanmar is small and under powered for the displacement, cruising in Maine in the summer means motoring a lot. The boat is great in a place like Buzzards Bay were it blows 20 knots all the time.



One of strong points is the skeg hung rudder with the prop in the aperture. It dose not get hung up on lobster pots when sailing. Almost no weather helm even when its blowing, The 29.9 is a very balanced boat
 
#16 ·
#18 ·
Thanks, as always, for the thoughtful replies. I love this place!

I will think more about my desire for a modified full/fin keel. I didn't want a full keel, because I know they are kinda slow, but I picked up a lobster pot on my very first trip out with my C25; it seemed like it was a thing that was going to keep happening. MaineSail is right, there are thousands of fin keeled boats doing what I (desperately) want to do. I would like a small skeg for the rudder.

No time to look at boats today; I have to drive up and see how much snow is on my boat cover and knock it off (somehow).

I was investigating the Irwin 31 last night; it looks like just the ticket (my wife loves the cabin) and quite affordable. The BoatUS review had little good to say about the Irwin 37, however.

I almost named this thread "Should I just buy a Catalina 30?"; it seems that everything about them is 'good enough'.

Ken
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top