[Stanmyers5]

I am looking for a boat to replace my recently sold CS 36. We cruise the Keys and the Bahamas and plan to extend that to include the Caribbean and the NE U.S. The N/M cc Morgan 43 has been recommended to us as a cruising sailboat that performs relatively well and is well built. I am interested in any comments from those who have knowledge about this boat.

 

[Jeff_H]

Although you sometimes see the CC cockpit Morgan 43 listed as a Nelson Merek (N/M) design, these boats were not actually designed by Nelson Merek. They were originally constructed by Morgan and for Hirsh Yacht Charters. A lot of these boats went into the charter fleets and I would avoid one of those. They were later constructed by Catalina/Morgan.

These boats offer a lot of value for what they are. They are roomy and reasonably well constructed with a nicely modeled hull shape for a boat of this type. I would not call them fast by any stretch of the imagination but they do seem to sail reasonably well.

If I were looking for a boat of this general type, I would also take a look at the Helly (also listed as Kelly Peterson or just Peterson)Peterson 44 which is a similar concept but which has always struck me as being a better sea boat. After seeing a Peterson 44, you may find the Catalina/Morgan 43 more to your liking but at least you would have a point of comparason.

Good luck
Jeff

 

[TSOJOURNER]

Go to the Sailnet, Morgan list and ask away. You will learn more about Morgans than you ever wanted to know. Also look into the Morgan List archives, your question has been asked of that board before.

good luck
John_/)_/)_/)

 

[TSOJOURNER]

Lord, I hate to be snippy or judgemental, but really now Jeff, you really do need to get over your unbelievable predjudice against Morgans.

Interestingly, for all the criticisms I hear about Morgans....most are unwarranted or at best menial. If one wants a narrow cramped boat to race....hey, great....but me I prefer my 33 Morgan Out Islander. Its full beam is usable, its comfortable, and it cruises well.
Prettiest boat in the world? Probably not, but I am happy with her. And while she wasn''t the most expensive boat in the marina, she has proven to be stable, reliable, and well found.

My neighbor lives on an M-43, and frankly its a pretty nice boat. A body could do far worse than a nice M-43, or any Morgan for that matter.

Happy New Year, Jeff.

 

[Jeff_H]

I do not have predudice against Morgans. I like the early Morgans that were built in the 1960''s and early 1970''s and I like the 43 for what it is as well. I also liked the Morgan 27 and Nelson Marek designed 36 in their day. I also think that if someone is looking for a cheap liveaboard and doesn''t care much about sailing ability or build quality, then the OI series is fine. But I have worked on and sailed on enough of these boats to have come to that opinion from my own direct experience.

Jeff

 

[BigRed56]

Ahoy, gentleman, Hey Rob your boats twice as pretty as mine and three times as expensive, and your absolutley right. Keep in mind Jeff_ is getting paid by the word and our market is not on his list. And Jeff_ you ruffle more sails with your keyboard than a stiff nor''easter. Drop anchor and have a drink with the rest of us will you?. Big Red 56.

 

[Jeff_H]

Jeez, Guys, you must be awfully tender if my keyboard''s vertual zephers ruffles your sails more than a stiff nor''easter.

You folks have me very wrong. I have nothing against people buying inexpensive boats and enjoying them for what they are. I am not an advocate of going out and buying the latest and greatest.

Pretty much all of my adult life I have purchased comparatively inexpensive boats. (with the exception of my Laser 28 which was nearly new when I bought her), every boat that I have ever bought has needed some degree of restoration. This has allowed me to own a bunch of interesting boats.

I come to this, as with any of the Bulletin Boards that I participate in to learn from the discussions that take and to help others. When someone asks about a particular boat that I actually know something about, I try to descibe what I know as acurately as I can. I try not to hype a boat up, but neither do I sugar coat my comments. To do otherwise is a disservice to the person asking the question of to others who read this discussion to learn.

While there are people who are very defensive about one manufacturer or another (go back and read my comments on the Morgan 43 that occur earlier in this thread and tell on which line "my unbelieveable predjudice against Morgan occurs.) and they may get defensive when they fell I have gored their sacred cow, in general my comments seem to be well recieved.

Not everyone has to buy the same boats that any of us would buy for ourselves. Chill Dudes. Most of us like or can justify the boats that we own, warts, pimples, and all. And while each of our current boat may be the exact right boat for each of us in our current situation, in describing our experience with a particular make and model to someone who has posted a question looking for objective opinions, we should each try to be fair in our assessment and let the chips fall where they may.

So chill Dudes. Grab a beer and celebrate the beginning of a new year and that the amount of sunlight getting longer with each passing day. I''d be delighted to raft up with you and I''ll bring the beer. (If you want to discuss this further off the board feel free to email me at <[email protected]>) For me, I''m going back to discussing boats.

Respectfully,
Jeff

 

[TSOJOURNER]

HEY!

Jeff does not need anyone to defend him but I personally feel that this board benefits most when comments are not personal or directed at any individual. Many of us have benefitted from Jeff''s comments and the comments of other folks that have a clear point of view. I think some of the best information I have garnered from this board has been when there have been two diametrically opposed advocates discussing an issue or a boat. Like in a courtroom argument, one comes to one''s own conclusion after hearing the debate. A good debate benefits us all.

Jeff has a well known preference for the type of modern, light displacement boats he advocates. He makes this perfectly clear. Many others favor more traditional heavy offshore cruisers. I personally value the discourse between the two camps. It has helped focus my own thoughts and firm up my personal preferences.

I have also seen other boards deteriorate when individual posters are personally attacked. I think Sailnet is about the last board I regularly participate in because of this.

So, as a member here, I request that we keep the discussion above a personal level. Lets stick to what we are most interested in. If someone has an argument for the Morgan 43, let them make it on a technical basis and lets argue that, not with each other.

Respectfully,

 

[BigRed56]

Ahoy John Drake , of course in a perfect world we would all love each other and never be human. The differences of opinion and personal style are just as interesting as what is not always said. If you think that even worse behavior dosen''t come out on a race course you need to recheck the old mirrors in you sextant. Personally I love all of the folks here at sailnet and I would not be here long if I thought that blowing smoke up each others exhaust pipes was good for business. That said mabye we need SAILNET to make a new dicussion heading on the mental and personal side of sailors and relationships with each other.On the other hand I will be the first to admit that A dry , un-funny, unprovocative,site is boring. We are a family and the amount of information (True) that we share with each other and the rest of the world about ourselves is why this site is so great. I am who I am and its refreshing to have this forum. So Jeff_ Will you marry me? Big Red56

 

[Jeff_H]

Marry you? If I wanted to be married to someone who nitpicked every thing that I had to say, then, I''d remarry my first wife. *^) Thanks John for you call for civility.

Regards
Jeff

 

[rogerleslie]

JEFF_H: Personally, I''m partial to red heads, but that sure doesn''t mean I don''t like blondes! We appreciate your insight and objectivity. I agree with JohnDrake, lets stick to discussing boats..

Happy New Year
el

 

[TSOJOURNER]

Golly Jeepers.....wow....I gotta sit down and open another beer!! Like BigRed...I like everyone here....even though I''m already married....and my comments to Jeff weren''t meant "nastily"! It was just a "fun hot across the bow" for New Years.

Actually I thought his comments about the Morgan 43 were pretty good, not to mention "fair...and pretty much unbiased". I hadn''t been around these parts for awhile...and saw an opportunity to have alittle fun...thats all. This goes back a ways...when we bandied about about Morgans.....probably so deep in the archives they can''t be dug up........

Jeff, like many of the other people on this board are virtual libraries of information and knowledge.....and understanding that I may not be the brightest candle on the cake, I look to others for information that I need and I am most grateful for the fact that I can tap these wellsprings freely.

If I offended anyone....I apologize. It was not my intention to do so.

Happy New Year to ALL!!

 

[TSOJOURNER]

jeff,
i understand you are in annapolis.
what is your line of work down there?
eric

 

[TSOJOURNER]

jeff H,
i understand you are in annapolis.
what is your line of work down there?
eric

 

[Jeff_H]

I am an architect with my own firm. My office does a wide range of building types. These days I do nothing commercial with boats or sailing. Boats are strictly a hobby and although I help people find suitable boats, I do nothing for money in the maritime world (except write articles).

That was not always the case. When I first came to this area I worked as a yacht designer in Charlie Whitholz''s office and I have worked as a yacht designer at various times in my life. When I had a practice in Savannah, part of my practice included designing repairs and alterations to boats for local boat yards, so I got to see a lot of damaged boats. I also worked on and off in boat yards from the time I was 14 until I graduated from college. I''ve had my hands in a lot of resin over the years.

I also get to sail on a lot of boats. Mostly this comes from racing. I have raced boats since I was 14. I still do but I also get invited aboard boats, to help people ''sort'' them out. People who see me on the net or know me around town will email and ask me about something that they are trying to figure out on their boat. Sometimes it is a sail trim or rigging question that, if I have time, I very often will end up sailing with them to help analyze what I have been asked to help with.

Regards
Jeff