Looking for a Boat that Fits the Cruising Plan
The real list of yacht design criteria for the boat o’ my dreams stretches longer than the sequined belt on my karate jump suit.
‘Start simple, refine options later,’ said the Can Opener as he alphabetised my Jackie Chan DVDs on the shelf next to my cat cushion.
‘Start simple, refine options later,’ said the Can Opener as he alphabetised my Jackie Chan DVDs on the shelf next to my cat cushion.
Here is the working draft of our needs/wants criteria that survived the Can Opener’s brutal revisions.
Key Criteria
Our yacht should be:
- 30 feet LOA (or somewhere between 27 ~ 32 feet) for lower acquisition costs, lower running costs and good for solo handling
- 6+ feet standing headroom in the cabin
- specifically designed for blue water travel
- with a track record of durability and storm safety
- narrow beam* - for seaworthiness (boats right themselves more easily after a knockdown if they are relatively long and narrow)
- preferred cutter rig
- preferred tiller steering
- small cockpit
- full keel
- heavy displacement
- good tankage included in the original design and build
- a design that remains popular over time that
- has a large active fleet
- holds its value - to maximize costs recouped upon resale
Current Top Contenders
- Bristol Channel Cutter 28
- Contest 31
- Gozzard 31
- Hallberg-Rassy Monsun 31
- Island Packet 32
- Najad 330
- Shannon 32
- Pearson Triton 29
- Valiant 32
- Victoria 30
- Westsail 28 & 32
- Yankee 30
The Long List of Boat Designs to consider
Now that our criteria list does indeed seem to have nailed down what we need/want, we are sticking to it firmly. The bolded ones look particularly interesting and are the current top contenders. This is because the boatyards that built them are still in business, which is helpful to the 'holds its value' criteria.
The revised Long List
- Able 32
- Alajuela 33
- Allied 30
- Bristol 27
- Bristol Channel Cutter 28
- Contessa 32
- Contest 31
- Elizabethan 31
- Gozzard 31
- Hallberg-Rassy 31
- Hallberg-Rassy 29
- Halmatic 30 / Barbican 30
- Island Packet 32
- LM 28, 30 & 32
- Linda 28
- Leigh30
- Luders 33
- Mariah 31
- Morris Annie 29
- Morris 30
- Nicholson 32
- Pearson Triton 29
- Revival 31, 32
- Rustler 31
- Southerly 32
- Southern Cross 31
- Trintella 29
- Twister 28
- Valiant 32
- Vancouver 27
- Vanguard 32
- Vega by Albin Marine 27
- Victoria 30
- Vindo 29
- Westsail 28 & 32
- Yankee 30
Have you ever sailed (or owned) any of these boats?
Would you buy this boat (or buy it again)?
Any other blue water designs we should add to the list?
Any other blue water designs we should add to the list?
Send an email with recommendations to
The Cruising Kitty !
--Captain Cat
(transcribed by the Can Opener)
* Beam requirements revised after reading John Vigor's books: Twenty Small Sailboats to Take You Anywhere and
The Seaworthy Offshore Sailboat
* Beam requirements revised after reading John Vigor's books: Twenty Small Sailboats to Take You Anywhere and
The Seaworthy Offshore Sailboat
I owned a Nic 32 (Jalingo 2)and sailed her from the UK to the Med and back, mostly single-handed. She was a little sluggish in light airs, but eminently seaworthy. I remember she had this ridiculous athwartship sliding door across the heads compartment which would jam exactly when you'd prefer it not to. Best replaced with a curtain...
ReplyDeleteCurrently own a Vancouver 27 (4-berth version). Think it is a great little boat that feels more like a typical 30 footer. Heavy and a bit slow, but not as slow as you'd think and very seaworthy. Can take a slot of stores. Very pleasant for 2 peeps. 3 would be also doable for longer passages. 4 and they should be close friends.
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