Boat Dreams - Shopping List

Apex

.
Jun 19, 2013
1,197
C&C 30 Elk Rapids
Are you shopping for the next boat, or simply dreaming, and perhaps two-foot-itis:

I would like to find traditional main, deep fin keel, marginally fast boat (<150phrf???) with easy transom access to the water, be it sugar scoop or the newer fold down transom. All in a fresh-water only boat 31-37ft.

Looking under $75k one layout I really like is the Jenneau 36.2 while I wait for the 36i to get into that price range....a few more years? What I like is the 2-cabin shower and access to the lazarette from that area.

What are your experiences? Perhaps you found one recently?
 
Jan 7, 2011
4,727
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
I keep thinking my “retirement” boat will be a Bene 373.

But more recently, I think, maybe I should just keep my 32-footer, add a few niceties like A/C, and be happy with what I have.

i day sail mostly, and I don’t see that changing in retirement...maybe a few more overnighters a year, but wife is not into sleeping on the boat...so why spend too much on an upgrade. I can A/C and a few other nice to have items for a lot less than a $100k B373.

I have been working on my “if I keep the O’Day 322“ list... and dreaming about that ;-)

Greg
 
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BarryL

.
May 21, 2004
1,000
Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 409 Mt. Sinai, NY
Hey,

Some boats to consider:
C&C 110
Tartan 3500
Saber 362
Benteau 36.7

Barry
 
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Apex

.
Jun 19, 2013
1,197
C&C 30 Elk Rapids
Nice list Barry! I have drooled about several of these. The Tartan and Sabre likely bring a higher resale price. I got advice from a dock neighbor to get something unique just for that same reason...Catalina Hunter, Ben and Jeanneau is everywhere, but with good reason too. I saw a Bianca 111 recently in good shape. Narrower beam so less space, but BEAUTIFUL boat
 
Jan 1, 2006
7,040
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
I don't agree with that advice unless you're getting into the custom arena. People gravitate toward names they know. And a larger pool of boats makes pricing easier to evaluate. When I'm looking at an unusual boat - one which they're aren't that many builds - I'm wondering why the design didn't do better. There could be a lot of reasons but one might be it wasn't that good of a design. I bought a "Cult" boat once. Now I know better.
 

Apex

.
Jun 19, 2013
1,197
C&C 30 Elk Rapids
I keep thinking my “retirement” boat will be a Bene 373.
....
I have been working on my “if I keep the O’Day 322“ list... and dreaming about that ;-)

Greg
322 looks like a nice boat. Did you verify mfr date and/or keel stub fiberglass schedule?
 
Jan 7, 2011
4,727
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
322 looks like a nice boat. Did you verify mfr date and/or keel stub fiberglass schedule?
I am hull 149 out of 280-some.

so, in the middle of the build, and hopefully not when things were really bad and the layup was very poor.

I keep an eye on it, and check my keel bolts annually. No worries at this point.

At some point, I could drop the keel, check the glass and rebed the keel. But I don’t feel the need at present.

She is a sweet boat, and every time I think about something else, I can’t find much I like better.

Greg
 
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Jan 7, 2011
4,727
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
I have been thinking about that...probably the best location. My refrigerator unit is in there too.

But there is a space forward of the starboard settee (under the v berth) that I am dying to open up and see how big it is...maybe a small unit would fit in there. Getting ducting to the rear berth maybe a challenge from there though. And maybe not great to have the unit right under my head when trying to sleep in the V.

Do you have AC in your 322? Any photos of the ducting would be helpful.

Cheers,

Greg
 
Jan 2, 2017
765
O'Day & Islander 322 & 37 Scottsdale, AZ & Owls Head, ME
Greg, I would think getting the water ins and outs would be tricky up there.
Here are some photos of my arrangement:
78F5AD81-866E-4997-B7F2-977384AE3491.jpeg
689CBACD-7BE4-4743-8528-1E6D7BF33C12.jpeg
6DBD48A8-1D80-409A-BB77-95C9F7865DF1.jpeg
33C2D33E-FF09-47C2-A637-2EC5F8AF6542.jpeg
83F6EBA8-4839-4B4E-8014-5D5ECEC01AB7.jpeg
 
Jan 7, 2011
4,727
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
Thanks @AlastairLC .

I didn’t think about the water out thru-hull... not sure how high the water line is.

Your solution looks very clean. Did you add a dedicated thru-hull for the cooling water ? Or T off something else? I have 2 valves behind the engine...engine cooling and head water intake.

Thanks for the photos...very helpful.

Greg
 
Nov 21, 2007
631
Beneteau Oceanis 34 Kingston, WA
Hey,

Some boats to consider:
C&C 110
Tartan 3500
Saber 362
Benteau 36.7

Barry
:plus:
Our first boat was a Beneteau First 285. When we were looking to upsize, we realized that 'two-foot-itis' wouldn't actually get us all that we were looking for, we would just end up with a slightly larger small boat. We looked for other First models, but didn't find many for sale in our region. The one 36.7 that did come up was snatched up by someone else near us before we even saw it.

Ultimately, luck and the right network of contacts aligned, and we ended up with our Oceanis 34, and we think that we have found the perfect match for us. It feels to us like we now have double the livable space (compared to the 285), which makes for much more comfortable cruising time. We used to feel like there was kind of a maximum cruise (time limit) on the 285, we don't feel that way about the 34. In real numbers on capacities and specs, we now have 6.5 more feet of LWL and added 2.25 feet of beam. We nearly doubled the engine HP, tripled the fresh water capacity, and more than doubled the capacity of our holding tank. We also tripled our cruising range under power, and increased our cruising speed under power by about 40%. And it's still a small enough boat the two of us can still handle sailing it.
 
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Jan 2, 2017
765
O'Day & Islander 322 & 37 Scottsdale, AZ & Owls Head, ME
Greg, the instal was done by the PO. He put in a separate thruhull for the inflow. Outflow through the transom. He was planning to run ducts to the V Berth. I simplified it to what you see.
 
Sep 29, 2008
1,928
Catalina 310 #185 Quantico
An AC unit will fit in your port cockpit locker. You can easily run ducts to the companionway steps, afterberth and head.
On our 310 we have a dorm air conditioner that I can store in the port settee when not in use. It only gets used 1-2 weeks and as many weekends throughout the year. The boat came with a Cruiseair that was a PITA as there was nowhere to store it except in the salon floor where it was in the way. At 5K BTU it does a nice job of cooling the boat on a 100 degree day and is more than enough.

You guys are not thinking big enough. Right now out 310 has been perfect for us for the last 14 years and handles everything the Potomac and the Chesapeake Bay has thrown at us, but if I was springing the money it would be for a Catalina 445 or 425. Might as well go big or go home.
 

Apex

.
Jun 19, 2013
1,197
C&C 30 Elk Rapids
On our 310 we have a dorm air conditioner that I can store in the port settee when not in use. It only gets used 1-2 weeks and as many weekends throughout the year. The boat came with a Cruiseair that was a PITA as there was nowhere to store it except in the salon floor where it was in the way. At 5K BTU it does a nice job of cooling the boat on a 100 degree day and is more than enough.

You guys are not thinking big enough. Right now out 310 has been perfect for us for the last 14 years and handles everything the Potomac and the Chesapeake Bay has thrown at us, but if I was springing the money it would be for a Catalina 445 or 425. Might as well go big or go home.
Looking at a Bene first 310, like the vberth may be a bit tight? There is a shoal draft for sale now that looks in nice condition. I am limited to 37ft with my current storage unit, though I think the 32 to 34 foot range really is the sweet spot, stretching to 36-37. Could fit a 31 in my current slip, and January will determine future plans with slip re-assignments. :fingers crossed:
 
Jan 7, 2011
4,727
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
On our 310 we have a dorm air conditioner that I can store in the port settee when not in use. It only gets used 1-2 weeks and as many weekends throughout the year. The boat came with a Cruiseair that was a PITA as there was nowhere to store it except in the salon floor where it was in the way. At 5K BTU it does a nice job of cooling the boat on a 100 degree day and is more than enough.

You guys are not thinking big enough. Right now out 310 has been perfect for us for the last 14 years and handles everything the Potomac and the Chesapeake Bay has thrown at us, but if I was springing the money it would be for a Catalina 445 or 425. Might as well go big or go home.
I tried a window AC in the companionway this summer since I was using the boat as an office a few days a week...got really hot in the cabin. Window AC could really cool the boat. I put some Refexite over the hatches, closed all of the blinds, etc..but it was still pretty warm.

Greg