Ok so here's the deal, I've sailed lots of fast boats in the Gulf, I just recently listed my First 435 which is in my opinion the prettiest and most perfect boat but it has a 7.5 foot draft and a 65ft mast. Perfect for winning offshore races but just plain unworkable for moving to northern Alabama. I was looking for a smaller boat and was seriously considering the 35.5 when I came across a great deal on this 37.5. The boat offers more of everything good about the 35.5 and what I think will be a quite enjoyable interior. Frankly I don't like the newer boats just as I didn't like the newer First Beneteaus. I like wood, teak in particular. I also like the racer cruiser lines and look. Other than a bigger more comfortable cabin the 37.5 draws 3 inches more draft which I can live with. It also has a mast height 3' taller than the 35.5 which I cant handle with the 56 bridge height along the Tennessee River. I have sailed all my life and you will have a hard time convincing me that removing 3-4 ft of this fractional rigged mast will appreciable effect the top end speed. Lets be honest most of you reef your sails in anything that would approach a top boat speed anyway which is going to put you right where I'll be with a slightly shorter mast. Actually I'll have a larger main because when you reef you also shorten along the boom whereas I will recut the sail to fit the new triangle. My J30 would sail equally well on either the main or jib with its fractional rig, I suspect the 37.5 would handle similar. Hope that answers the question of why anyone would think of doing this. I may not be competitive if I were to class race it against other 37.5's, but from all the reviews I've read on this forum and others and the boats I've actually observed I would be willing to bet you can still beat half the boats you might encounter during the informal race back to the harbor at the end of the day. And I increase my range and utility along the way. I'm not interested in resale, I;m interested in comfort and style, although I suspect there would be a lot of folks who would still be interested in the boat for the same reasons if I later decide to sell. So am I missing something? Does someone know that this creates a catastrophic situation that I haven't considered for some reason? I really do appreciate all the inputs and knowledge of others, that's why I asked the question, particularly of this audience.
Thanks, Doug
ps you can see my Beneteau currently on Yachtworld if you're interested, its a wonderful boat and I truly hate to sell her. Now I need to start a new thread here because I'm looking for inputs on adding A/C to the 37.5...I know it will add weight and slow her down even more...but I'll be much more comfortable! Oh and wait until I come up with a folding mast that's practical as I toy with the idea of taking the 37.5 on the Great Loop down the road...