Sleek Blue Water Boats

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Feb 26, 2008
603
Catalina 30 Marathon, FL
Passport 40, good looking, seaworthy, under 200k. Older versions just over 100k.
 
May 28, 2009
764
Hunter 376 Pensacola, FL
I live in a world where "affordable" does not equate to a six figure price.

Captain "Fatty" Goodlander, the columnist for Cruising World (among other things) has cruised the world for something like 20 years on a Sparkman and Stephens designed Hughes 38 like this one:
http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1979/Hughes-38-2382401/Nanaimo/Canada
Fully equipped and ready to go for under $30,000 , and there are usually several for sale in that range. And although a bit dated inside, you have to admit they are pretty boats. Something you wouldn't mind seeing as you looked down on the island anchorage from the nearby hilltop and thinking "That's my boat!"
 

zeehag

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Mar 26, 2009
3,198
1976 formosa 41 yankee clipper santa barbara. ca.(not there)
morgan had a nelson marek design that is fast and ocean friendly--there was one just jumped off from here(la cruz de huanacaxtle, nayarit, mexico) for the south pacific with a family on board--might want to consider them.
i prefer the brick i have--formosa 41--has a traditional clipper bow that spreads seas away from hull instead of bringing them over the top. sails well in high winds and is split rig, so easily handled in seas and winds.
smooth sailing and post pix of your choice.
 
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Dec 30, 2009
680
jeanneau 38 gin fizz sloop Summer- Keyport Yacht Club, Raritan Bay, NJ, Winter Viking Marina Verplanck, NY
If I had my druthers, for any kind of cruising including bluwater, I think the Cabo Rico 38-42' range have it all. My 2 cents...Red
 

higgs

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Aug 24, 2005
3,710
Nassau 34 Olcott, NY
A cou[ple of comments:

J boats are great boats but are no designed as blue water cruisers.

Many IOR boats proved to be unable to stand up to the conditions in the Fastnet race in 1989.
 
Jun 6, 2006
6,990
currently boatless wishing Harrington Harbor North, MD
Well Higgs
There were not many boats that could stand up to that race, it was a nightmare and no cruiser in his right mind would have gone out into that mess. The fact that a boat survived at all is testament to both boat design and construction and the crew.
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Well Higgs
There were not many boats that could stand up to that race, it was a nightmare and no cruiser in his right mind would have gone out into that mess. The fact that a boat survived at all is testament to both boat design and construction and the crew.
+1

And LUCK
 
Jan 27, 2008
3,086
ODay 35 Beaufort, NC
Here's one to consider

Allied Princess or Seawind. Built like tanks and are very nice to look at. Price should be just right in today's market.
 

PaulK

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Dec 1, 2009
1,408
Sabre 402 Southport, CT
We sailed transatlantic in an Ohlson 38. Pretty sleek if you can find one - Ohlson liked to design 6-meters. It took us 22 days from Connecticut to Cork, Ireland. Practical Sailor also went so far as to suggest that the J/35 was one of the few production boats that they would want to take on a transatlantic trip without major structural reinforcements beforehand.
 
Jun 5, 2004
241
Catalina 30 MkII Foss Harbor Marina, Tacoma, WA
...doesnt quite meet your size requirements, but I'd be quite happy with a Pacific Seacraft 37...blue water but not as heavy as the traditional boats.
 

zeehag

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Mar 26, 2009
3,198
1976 formosa 41 yankee clipper santa barbara. ca.(not there)
draft isnt a problem if you are using a depth sounder as you travel.....just sayin...
 
Apr 8, 2010
2,118
Ericson Yachts Olson 34 28400 Portland OR
Check out the Cascade 36 or Cascade 42. They have been known for decades as "the affordable circumnavigators".

LB
 

Ducati

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Nov 19, 2008
380
Boatless Boatless Annapolis
J-44 and Beneteau 44.7

Thanks for all your replies.

Unfortunately both are out of my budget range but my favorite 40'+ blue water picks that look sleek are the J-44 or Beneteau 44.7.

They both look sweet...
 
Mar 13, 2012
34
Sabre 28 MKII Georgetown Yacht Basin, MD
The Avance 40 is an S&S design, looks like a Swan, and is a typical Finnish performance cruiser. She was available as either a masthead or fractional rig and a fixed or centerboard keel. She's very well made with attractive lines and a beautiful teak interior.
 

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RichH

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Feb 14, 2005
4,773
Tayana 37 cutter; I20/M20 SCOWS Worton Creek, MD
Looking sleek doesnt guarantee 'sea kindliness'.
Seakindliness is the opposite end of the spectrum of being totally beaten up, totally exhausted and 'vomited-out' to the point of extreme dehydration and metabolic 'shock'.

Waterline length determines hull speed.

The Sail Area to displacement ratio determines 'acceleration'.

True "blue water" capability depends on the inbuilt 'extra' strength, not the ability of the helmsman, ..... being able to take a hard grounding in totally remote areas without breaking apart, etc.; or getting rolled without 'disintegrating'; Hitting an uncharted coral head or rock without ripping the rudder or keel clean off, etc.
 
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Jun 8, 2004
853
Pearson 26W Marblehead
You didnt tell us much

40 to 45' boats in any reasonable condition are not inexpensive and the up keep is expensive
 
Jun 9, 2008
1,801
- -- -Bayfield
J/Boats are good for offshore sailing

Would J-Boats qualify?

I've always like their looks but am not that familiar with their capabilities in the big stuff.
J/Boats today are considered to be one of the best built boats around and they sail better than most other boats out there. They have one design racing boats and they have cruising designs as well. The racing boats are do not accommodate the cruiser so well, because they are made for go fast, but the cruising design has some lovely interiors and they will make feasible modifications to fit the owner's desires, if the boat out of the box needs fine tuning. Some of the more serious J/Boats that people have loved for cruising all around the world are: The J/42 (first offered with a couple design options as in the "L" version for liv-a-board, but later incorporated that into all their 42's), the J/46 (super nice boat), the J/133, which is a sprit boat (which means you can fly an asymmetrical spinnaker with only a few people from the cockpit), the J/65 (win the lottery?). There are more examples (like the J/32) and of course they made a ton of older models like the J/28 and the J 37c, but the more recent designs are nicer and sail faster and easier. But, they are made for offshore, so check them out.
 
Jun 9, 2008
1,801
- -- -Bayfield
Some other brands out there that are not full keel with a barn door rudder (traditional looking), but more modern with offshore classifications would be Bavaria (a lot of boat for the money, but built very well), Sabre and Tartan (more money) and in this buyer's market, you can pick up some very nice used boats for less money than you think.
 
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