looking for cruising boat.......information overload

[r. gallagher]

The wife and I just had our youngest graduate college and he has been hired so all of our prayers have been answered. Now we are starting to look for our cruising sailboat to take us into our next phase of life. We spent a couple of weeks last summer on a Tayana 37 in the San Blas. We talked with a lot of others out there cruising along with the couple that were kind enough to allow us to stay with them on their Tayana. We started looking months ago and did a lot of research on the net, asking a lot of questions, and reading a lot of other posts about which boat for cruising.

We were in Kemah, TX, this last weekend and visited with a broker to look at a couple of boats. One was a Union 36 (wife hated it), a Catalina 36, a Beneteau 39 (?), and an Endeavour 38 (aft cockpit). The wife fell in love with the Endeavour 38.

Here is where I have a melt down. The broker did everything he could to let me know that all I have read on the net is not so true. He was talking about Catalina and Beneteau sailboats being fine to take us around the ICW, the Keys, and even to San Blas if we wanted, without worry, as long as we bought one made after 1984 in good shape. The whole issue of full keel, heavy displacement, double ender, made early when fiberglass was over used, was being thrown out the window. Now I sit and wander if I need to rethink our choices. The good news is we both loved the Endeavour and everything I can find on the net soeaks highly about the boat.

Maybe I ask too many questions. Maybe I listen to too many people. I know a lot of what is posted is the age old arguement Chevy versus Ford.

Can anyone tell me anything, good and bad, about Endeavour..............................................I hate to ask!!!

 

[Ross]

Remember the saleman is working on commission. He is going to push the product that pays him the best.

 

[JoeWhite]

rgallagher - I have spent 2 years learning what my next boat would be. The final decision was 1999 Catalina 36 MKII, 35HP 4 cylinder diesel and 5' 10" keel. I sail mostley in San Francisco Bay with 20 -25knots wind. I am so very pleased with the construction and the features that it has. I think Catalina 36 from about 1995 to 1999 is well made. I have seen the later models and they are not made as well. I guess as the economy fell they tried to cut costs to remain competative. Catalina 36 is no longer manufactured. Its replacement is 37.5'. I am not familliar with Endeavour, but I have looked at all the others that you have listed. - Good luck with your decision.
You can contact me baysailor2000@att.net if you need more info.

 

[Shooter II]

http://www.endeavourowners.com/dscsn/reviews/388401.html
http://www.endeavourowners.com/info.html
http://www.endeavourowners.com/dscsn/reviews/388801.html
part of review of '88 Endeavor 38 (see link)
"...Previous Owner History:
Bought in 1988 at a boat show. Used it to sail to Newport, RI., and then used it as a dockominium.
Your Sailing Experience:
Took her across the Atlantic to Spain, Belgium, Spain, Israel.
Boat Review:
Fast sailor, nice and heavy. No stowage or very little, no lockers. Kind of cut off at the stern by the architect. Head room everywhere and nice long bunks and beds."

 

[CalebD]

Did you like the Tayana 37' you were on? Was that a double ender?
Go for a test sail on the Endeavor 38' if you can and check it out.
A friend of mine has an Endeavor 32' that he keeps on the Chesapeake (shoal draft) that is IMHO a nice boat. It is not an overbuilt boat like an Allied Seawind but you need to decide is all.
Have fun shopping around!

 

[Paul Mermelstein]

You may have done this, but if you haven't clearly spelled out what kind of sailing you expect to do, for how long, and if it will be just the two of you or more, then you need to do so. If you are going to cross the Atlantic, you need a different kind of boat than if you will do the keys, ICW, Chesapeake, etc. If the latter, there is nothing wrong with a 10 year old production boat like Catalina or Beneteau in the 36+ ft range. For example, a Beneteau 393 (39 ft made from 2001 to 2007 -- maybe the one you mention in your post) is a fine boat. Some owners in Calif take them a long way off shore and the East Coasters often take them throughout the Carribean. I am sure that Catalina boats are just as good. Hunter ... well maybe but I don't know. My point is that in the last 10+ years the production boats have gotten quite good and have alot of comfort as well as sailability. Depends what you want to do with your boat.

 

[captainpat]

Paul is correct. The most important decision is to realistically determine how you are going to use your boat. If you are talking about crossing oceans that immediately eliminates many production boats in my humble opinion. However, cruising along the coast, or LI Sound, the Chesapeake, the ICW, the Keys, even the Bahamas (if you choose your weather carefully) is a whole other story. Production boats are fine for this type of cruising, in fact, may even be preferable because of the airy and roomy interior, storage, and ease of handling. (By production boats I am speaking primarily about the big three - Beneteau, Catalina, and Hunter; they have spent a lot to research the market and have done their homework to provide very practical, functional and good looking boats). And there is nothing wrong with the Endeavor, especially since you both really like it. Just be sure to get a good survey no matter what you buy. Good Luck

 

[zeehag]

endeavors of that size oilcan a lot due to minimalization of bulkheads in the interior---isnt fun to sail. is great at the dock and for canvas business lol....knew someone who had one.....the ful keel and attached rudder is a lot easier to sail, despite being slower and heavier--takes the seas much beter than fin/spade ever will. the broker is fulla bs as he must sell the undesired boats at price desired--and isnt able to so do---he is on commission. i have a lovely ericson 35mII and a formosa 41--the formosa is a ketch rig and full keel with attached rudder. the ericson is fin/spade. i will NOT cruise the ericson. i cruised in a seidelman 37 with fin/spade--we effectively broke the rudder on a spoil bank in surf line conditions. i would rather pound a formosa on the same bank than have to repeat with another fin/spade. not that with would be happy on the bank lol....for long range cruising you will be much happier in a heavy displacement boat with a full keel and attached rudder. yes they take miles to turn but are so much more comfortable while underway..they donot pound as much they donot need to be heavy handed on the helm. they are not as flighty as the lighter boats are....and they sail almost upright. keep looking at older cruisers and see what you decide on--you might just like a 1975 ct or hardin 41 lol......look at everything from formosa to swan...go to all th open houses and shows you can find before you spend your money on something you hate sailing. bdo no tbe afreaid of pre 1980 boats--many ar epwrfectly good...heavy and solid--moreso than many of the post 1980 boats. the compounds were changed in 1973 so 1980 is a ridiculous date to measure by. go for the dock walk and enjoy....i love my formosa---baba is a good one and downeaster and islander freeport and panda.....keep looking and good luck--one will make your heart flutter then you know what it is you want to have..LOL

 

[larryw]

Serious blue water? Full keel or at least a modified fin, with an attached rudder and cutter or ketch rig, closed transom, small cockpit, sturdy dodger, large fuel tanks, smallish water tanks.

Coastal cruising? Fin keel, spade rudder, sloop rig, large open cockpit, dodger and bimini, large water tanks, small fuel tank, walk-thru transom.

that's basically my take in a nutshell.

 

[Charlie L]

A friend of mine has an Endeavour. He spent 4 years on the hard ripping the boat apart because the fuel tank in the keel corroded thru because there was no way to get the water out and the tank sat in the water. He told me the Surveyor never checked the Endeavour web site.
All boats have design problems because all boats are a compromise. Just learn what the design flaws are in the particular boat that you like and then adjust your price proposal to reflect correcting them.
Best regards,
Charlie