Help picking our next boat

[Mike H.]

After about three years of being “Boatless”, we are ready to buy our next yacht.
We will be sailing the San Francisco bay and doing some coastal cruising. Our longer term goal is to cruise the Sea of Cortez, maybe further south and north to the pacific northwest. We have no ambitions of circumnavigating. California to Hawaii would be the most ambitious possibility. My wife and I are just now 60. Our budget for buying this new boat, all in, with survey, sales tax, haul out, etc. is 50K. Upgrades and repairs would be over and above that.
Some things we want in this vessel are: Aft Stateroom; V Berth; Refrigeration; Keel, ( I would like to have a modified encapsulated keel without keel bolts); Skeg hung rudder; Very little if any bright work topsides; Standard rig, (no free standing masts); Sloop or cutter rig. We’re not racers or long distance cruisers. Looking for a comfortable, safe cruising boat.
Our last boat was a 1994 Hunter Vision 36. Very comfortable and spacious interior, but way overpowered for the bay with the huge main. Some of the boats we are considering are: Ericson 38; Beneteau 38; Hunter Legend 35.5; Hunter Cherubini 37; Pearson 39; Catalina 36; O’Day 39. I’ve ruled out Islander 36, Catalina 38, C&C, Cals, Columbias (no aft staterooms).
Our budget obviously dictates the year of the boat. So in consideration of all of the above, does the community have any guidance, comments or input?

 

[FastOlson]

There are continuing videos from a couple out cruising on an Ericson 38. Have a look for "two afloat sailing".
Before departing, they wrote about preparing - themselves and their boat - in articles at Ericsonyachts.org.

 

[Franklin]

Of that list I would go with a Pearson 39.

 

[markwbird]

You gotta just keep an eye on what’s out there. For 50k you should have no problem finding a good cruising boat for your needs.

 

[JohnShannon]

some of your list Bene 38 for example are not skeg hung. ingrid 38 ? bit salty. whats wrong with the islander 36 those are excellent boats

 

[Franklin]

some of your list Bene 38 for example are not skeg hung. ingrid 38 ? bit salty. whats wrong with the islander 36 those are excellent boats

He said no aft cabin.

 

[Captmayhem]

the oday 39 has two small twins, not really an aft stateroom either

 

[Mike H.]

There are continuing videos from a couple out cruising on an Ericson 38. Have a look for "two afloat sailing".
Before departing, they wrote about preparing - themselves and their boat - in articles at Ericsonyachts.org.

Yes, I watch that channel. Ericson 38 is my top pick. Not many around here available.

 

[Mike H.]

Of that list I would go with a Pearson 39.

I saw a nice one for sale in Portland or Seattle. I think the engines are under the galley sink. Looked at in Alameda a couple years ago and the sink had been leaking o to the top of the engine and had rusted up the top of the engine. Not good.

 

[Mike H.]

You gotta just keep an eye on what’s out there. For 50k you should have no problem finding a good cruising boat for your needs.

Yes, shes out there somewhere waiting for us.

 

[Mike H.]

some of your list Bene 38 for example are not skeg hung. ingrid 38 ? bit salty. whats wrong with the islander 36 those are excellent boats

Yes, I realize my list and criteria aren't exactly in sync.
I love Islanders. Our friends have them. But there are much roomier choices.

 

[Mike H.]

the oday 39 has two small twins, not really an aft stateroom either

I know. But they doors closing the berths off from the cabin. Need that cause wife says I snore. I've never heard me snore. She could be lying.
They are cool boats. Haven't found any for sale on west coast.

 

[Mike H.]

Nobody commented on Catalina 36. There is a glut of them for sale in California. Anyone know about the Catalina smile?

 

[FastOlson]

Nobody commented on Catalina 36. There is a glut of them for sale in California. Anyone know about the Catalina smile?

The Mk 2 was more solid than the early ones. A friend of mine used to take his 36 Mk1 up the Washington coast every summer, and another buddy that crewed with him finally found excuses not to go. Said the boat was too "flexible" in a seaway. What with the Catalina use of a "coffee can" (i.e. shoe box) hull to deck joint on so many of their designs I would not choose one for continuous ocean use.
Having muttered about all that, there was an article in a sailing mag in the late 70's about a young guy sitting at the dock in Tahiti sipping a beer, bragging that he navigated there using a National Geographic map, with his Catalina 27.

I would, if choosing, shop in the higher-quality end of the market -- Ericson's, C&C, Sabre, Cascade, Tartan, some Cal's.
Do not overlook a Yamaha 36 or 37, if you can find one.
You are looking for high quality engineering and original build-out. Systems will mostly all need to be rebuilt or replaced on whatever you buy, anyway.

 

[SkipR]

Your experience with the Hunter 36 is absolutely typical for Hunter's on SF Bay. I have sailed various Hunter models (35, 38, 39, 41) on the Bay. They were all overpowered and difficult to control in anything more than 15 knots without severely reefing the main. I would consider any of the other models you mentioned. I currently happily sail a Beneteau Oceanis 38 on the Bay but a recent model isn't in your listed price range.