What Yacht to Ocean Go for 4 on a Budget?

[mischief]

Oh how I need some advise! I have looked at so many yachts I am starting to go crazy.

Fisrt off I live in Oz but originally from Canada eh! So I am not familar with most of the yachts here and trying to ask a brokers or locals has resulted in zilch for the last year.

My wife and I are determined to move on board and start cruising, we have one 2 yr old and another on the way. We are simple folk and do not require much room to live but with 4 I figure 30' for us is minimum.

As far as yacht requirements, here is where we are at. We now have saved a mere 20k AUD but will be 30kAUD before to long. We could muster another 10AUD if I sell my curent yacht but I wont part with her until I have another, so thats more for coningency and repairs once we have a new yacht. We could still stretch it to 40k AUD but thats sort of the top at the moment.
(Side note we have crunched all the numbers and although we would spend all our savings for the yacht we will be in better shape maintaining and short cruising then if we were to wait and build a kitty up.)

Charachteristics I like are a nice wood interior fitout as I dont mind the upkeep and if we live in a small space it has to look nice and have warmth.
I prefer a cutter rig but a sloop will do. Classic lines greatly apreciated and anything from a full keel down to a long fin withy skeg hung rudder. Just so long as she is good in a seaway and good in heavy weather Sh should also be well in a following sea. I will take a loss of performance for seakeeping and heavy weather abiltiy in a heatbeat (thats just me).

As far as layouts, I would love a double V plus convertable double setee and 2 quarter births. Seems finding 2 quarters are rare but a quarter and a pilot birth would be a good second option.

2 quarters would allow the girls to have thier own rooms at port and could share the V on cruises etc. While mom and dad share the V in port and use the setee on a cruise and the quarters while on passage.

I like medium to heavy displacement. Any salty stern or styles I like. West system yachts or GRP prefered but would look at some steels. I like a higher ballast ratio but that depends on the yacht.

Here is another Idea we have tossed around.....We would be willing to fly to the US or Canada and buy a yacht up to 30K AUD work out the bugs for a month or so (possibly sailing to Mexico and. doing repairs or work there) then provisioning and sailing back. obviously buying locally is easier so we would like to explore this but man yachts here seem overpriced. ( I would budget 20K AUD to Import from US to Australia including all asscociated costs, IM not sure if thats low or not)

Heres the yachts that seem to be closest to what we are after, that I can find around here. Nicholson 32 Have seen some with at least one quarter, H28 2 quarters but very small(might be too small) then there is some one offs now and again I see that might work.

So please help us expand our horizons, what yachts in Australia would be suitable for under $50k AUD asking (or do we need to push this up?) and under $25K US in the states, that would not require more than 10K USD to be ready to sail back to OZ (Am I on crack or what?)?

Sorry if this post is all over the place my mind has gone to mush over all this searching.

Thank you

[Bill Estes]

Hi Mischief, for the money you have to spend on a boat I would recommend a Hughes 38. Many of witch sailed around the world. Check yachtworld or Google for 38 foot hughes for sale. You should find priced between $20000.00 to $25000.00 year between 1967-1972. Good solid boat for bluewater sailing. I know the the 38' hughes is a good boat for I own one. See my Web site for pictures.

LOL Bill

[mischief]

Excellent, I had looked at them on Yacht world and was thinking they would fit the bill. Wish there were some locally but then they would probably want 3-4 X the price. Ill keep the Hughs on th list of yachts to purchase overseas.

Bill may I ask how seaworthy the hughs in that price range typically are and how much I coul expect to pay to prepare one to make the sail acroiss the pond home? I mean if we decided to ever make it back home.....

[Bill Estes]

Mischief, I paid $20000 for my Hughes and it is at present getting a total refit. Price @ $12000 for parts and gear. The labor is free for I will do it my self. When I bought the Hughes it was sailed across the Gulf of Mexico with no problem and that is before I started my refit. But that is just my boat. what you need to do is find the boat and get it survuyed. That should give you a ideal what you are up agents. The Hughes is one of the only 38' blue water cruiesing sailboats I seen for this price.

Hope this helps "Bill"

[GordMay]

The entire line of Hughes sailboats represents some great bargains that tend to sell noticeably less than almost anything else in their size range.
The downside is that all of Hughes 38s (there were several different designs) are getting little old (ended production very early 1970s), often come with a gasoline engine, and are a somewhat dated IOR design. Build quality was, at best, average, but some systems details were below average.
Of course, they were and are budget boats.

[mischief]

I will fully research all suggested yachts.

What are some other options for me to look at? I am especially intersted in available yachts in Aus or NZ?

[Ishmael]

Originally Posted by mischief

I will fully research all suggested yachts.

What are some other options for me to look at? I am especially intersted in available yachts in Aus or NZ?

Just out of curiosity, I went to www.yachtworld.com to see what is listed in Australia in that price range - (not much). There seem to be more listings meeting your criteria in New Zealand, but I've never heard of most of them (Manitou? Cavalier? etc).

So going with your second option: Whenever I think of cruising on a budget, I usually think Alberg, and there's a beautiful Alberg 37 available in Seabrook, TX right now (if only I had the money ) - just a short hop down the coast to Mexico:

1975 Alberg Mark II Yawl Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

[mischief]

The spot to check availabilty of yachts in OZ is Yachthub.com
The Alberg suggested is way out of budget. Also I prefer a single mast sail plan. As far as size goes I think with the right layout 32 would be okay but probably need 34-36 to get a descent size V with double in salon and full length quarters but I am only estimating. I would like to stay as small as possible but will go as large as required. I fear though the bigger I go the harder it would be to find such a yacht in our price.

[S&S]

Originally Posted by mischief

Also I prefer a single mast sail plan.

You have to try one with two sticks- incredible. I'd never go back to a single stick rig.

[mischief]

Well your spot on I have not tried one, I only think of the extra cost and maintenance a bit more complex I would think as far as sailing?

If all else was exactly what I wanted but with 2 sticks I would at least consider it. Suppose I should try and get on one to see if I loved it enough to outweigh the cons, especially in an under 40 footer say closer to mid low 30's......

[S&S]

Ketch might be more work, but the mizzen on a yawl is pretty much self tending under sail. It makes balancing a breeze. In a strong breeze you can drop the main and sail on jib and mizzen with a balanced helm. Great if you're lazy like me.

[hoppy]

You could try looking here for boats Used Boats - New Boats - Search New & Used Boats For Sale - BoatPoint Australia

[Fishman_Tx]

There are a few 34 Bristols around in prime condition within your price range, but you may want something with a little more "girth" and a better layout for 4. The attached pic was one that went for 25k US.

Don't forget to include all the other expenses involved in buying out of country.

Here's a C&C 41 for 19.9k US but not much info. Gotta be something wrong there..
1969 C&C Sail Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

I know of a 41 Gulfstar in a Texas lake for 22K US(25k AU?). I've talked to the broker but said has lots of blisters and probably needs a pro done bottom job. Personally, I wouldn't mind this one myself...
1975 Gulfstar Center Cockpit Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

[Fishman_Tx]

A nice Hughes 38 in Calee-for-nee-uh...
1969 Hughes Hughes 38 Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

[Ishmael]

I checked-out the www.yachthub.com site you referenced, and given your parameters, the Manitou 32 seems like a decent fit. There were a couple of nice ones listed on pages 4 and 5 of the sailboats in that size range. One listing even mentioned an owners web site at manitou32.org. They seem to have a strong following, and have made some epic voyages. It may be worth checking into - it's certainly an interesting design.