Best 34-50' Single Person Sailboat For Blue Water & Island Hopping!

[PushingThePen]

Originally Posted by Don C L

I will throw in a vote for a Kelly Peterson 44, but I doubt you'll find a good one for $50k. Your budget won't get you far over 37 feet methinks.
Have you perused bluewaterboats.org?

Nice suggestion. Thank you! Definitely adding it to the list. I know one that's listed at $20K. I can do a lot with the other $30K to make it sweet.

They have the space inside and up top. Would have to build out a bigger battery compartment though. Which is probably going to have to be handled in any boat I select. Very few have room for 4 batteries, let alone 8.

Yes, over 40 makes a considerable jump in general, but I still have access to very affordable over that length, but ones person has me considering the extra boat might be a little over the top for a comfortable to sail factor. Comfortable inside is a whole different matter.

[Don C L]

A Peterson 44 for $20K sounds too good to be true.

[Shanachie]

Originally Posted by PushingThePen

You would be very wrong in that statement. The condition of the boat, as long as it's operational, has less to do than the style of the hull, depth of the keel, etc. Even basic sailors know that much.

Instead of randomly posting, you should start reading the actual posts.

My friend, as most people on this list will tell you, you are about to confront a steep learning curve. Condition is the most important issue when buying a boat.



I've owned older sailboats off and on for 40 years. I could bore/entertain you for hours with everything that can and will go wrong with a 25- to 50-year-old sailboat.


A large sailboat in your price range will most likely have a long list of repairs and gear that needs to be replaced/done ASAP. Either do it at the start or do it underway. But you will end up doing it.



Picky any or all: Ancient rigging, bagged-out sails, outdated and faulty electronics, stinky upholstery, nonfunctional fridge, motor mounts, dead fridge, rotten deck core, bad wiring, tired diesel, rotting bulkheads, balky stove, old batteries, etc.


These are the reasons why a 40- or 50-foot sailboat is selling for 20K. You might get lucky and find a beautifully maintained boat in your price range, but that's not the norm.



If you were talking about a small sailboat, I might tend to agree more. You can go bare bones on an Albin Vega or an old Bristol. But big sailboats are complicated and expensive.


Sweat equity doesn't save you that much when you have to replace stuff that costs thousands of dollars.


My current boat is a 1998 that I bought at a bankruptcy sale. The P.O. sailed it a couple of times a month. It looked great. But it had not had regular maintenance.


I spent 25K in a few months making things right. Your mileage may vary, either up or down.


Good luck.

[Muaddib1116]

Originally Posted by PushingThePen

She's a beauty, but I think a Catamaran, which I have considered, would be a bit too much for solo sailing. Even though it would have some very distinct advantages around the islands for my other pastimes.

Thank you for the suggestion.

He's talking about a monohull, not a cat. I think it's a westsail 42 with custom junk rig.

[pjShap]

I have a 45' Adams 45 that I often single hand, including a passage from Down East Maine back to NYC last fall. I personally do not think the particular boat matters as much as how it is setup. For me, reliable robust autopilot is essential, along with a remote control so I can steer while working forward. This wouldn't be necessary everywhere, but is essential in a place like Maine, full of lobster pots everywhere you go. I have an electric winch handle which helps manage the high load situations, on any winch on the boat. My boat has 3 jibs, all on roller-furlers, so I don't have to do sail changes, and I can adjust down easily. Mainsail reefing is at the mast, which I consider more reliable than single line furling in the cockpit. Jackstays control the bulk of the mainsail, especially for dropping sail. Again, the autopilot remote control makes it possible for me to steer if necessary while raising or reefing the main. I have reliable electronics, including both radar and AIS, to help improve situational awareness.

As others have suggested, $50K seems unlikely to me for a larger boat in good condition and already setup for single handing. I happen to have a Tartan 37 for sale at $57K. This is a 1979 boat in excellent, ready-to-go condition. The boat has been back and forth between the Bahamas and Maine, based in the Chesapeake. That's at the lower end of your intended boat, but would be ready to sail. I would strongly suggest you could start with something like that. If you eventually find it too small, sell it and buy something bigger. You'd be sailing instead of looking, and most people have found that size boat perfectly adequate for 2 people, let alone a single hander.

[Bowdrie]

Originally Posted by Muaddib1116

I think it's a westsail 42 with custom junk rig.

Yes, it is a Westsail 42.
I was going to suggest a W42 as, (perhaps somewhat,) of a response to the suggestion of a Peterson 44, but deleted that sentence before posting my responce.
The Peterson is a better sailor, a more nimble boat if you will, but for sheer load carrying capacity, (weight/bulk,) a W42 is truly a cruisers cargo ship.
Reason for originally deleting the W42?
The fuel/water tanks are almost impossible to service/repair/replace without very extensive desecration of the interior combined with voluminous cursing.
But I suppose a young hardy soul whose energy and efforts know no bounds could undertake it.
For those of us more physically challenged and requiring paid workers the cost could be astronomical.

[PushingThePen]

Originally Posted by Shanachie

My friend, as most people on this list will tell you, you are about to confront a steep learning curve. Condition is the most important issue when buying a boat.



I've owned older sailboats off and on for 40 years. I could bore/entertain you for hours with everything that can and will go wrong with a 25- to 50-year-old sailboat.


A large sailboat in your price range will most likely have a long list of repairs and gear that needs to be replaced/done ASAP. Either do it at the start or do it underway. But you will end up doing it.



Picky any or all: Ancient rigging, bagged-out sails, outdated and faulty electronics, stinky upholstery, nonfunctional fridge, motor mounts, dead fridge, rotten deck core, bad wiring, tired diesel, rotting bulkheads, balky stove, old batteries, etc.


These are the reasons why a 40- or 50-foot sailboat is selling for 20K. You might get lucky and find a beautifully maintained boat in your price range, but that's not the norm.



If you were talking about a small sailboat, I might tend to agree more. You can go bare bones on an Albin Vega or an old Bristol. But big sailboats are complicated and expensive.


Sweat equity doesn't save you that much when you have to replace stuff that costs thousands of dollars.


My current boat is a 1998 that I bought at a bankruptcy sale. The P.O. sailed it a couple of times a month. It looked great. But it had not had regular maintenance.


I spent 25K in a few months making things right. Your mileage may vary, either up or down.


Good luck.

I'm fully aware that whatever boat I buy will need repairs. If you've read the thread, you'll find that I owned a yacht service. I've done all those repairs in the past. I know the issues with used boats. And if you'd read the thread, I've around the same amount of years on the water that you've got. 40+. So it's not a "learning curve". I've already learned it.

[PushingThePen]

Originally Posted by Don C L

A Peterson 44 for $20K sounds too good to be true.

It has issue, but with me, everything is repairable. The key is of the hull is sound. Everything isl else isn't a big deal.

However, I'm still putting my list together on which boat.

[PushingThePen]

Originally Posted by Muaddib1116

He's talking about a monohull, not a cat. I think it's a westsail 42 with custom junk rig.

Ahh... That's what threw me. Odd angle and setup. Plus low res photo on my phone.

I'll add it to the list.

[PushingThePen]

Originally Posted by Bowdrie

Yes, it is a Westsail 42.
I was going to suggest a W42 as, (perhaps somewhat,) of a response to the suggestion of a Peterson 44, but deleted that sentence before posting my responce.
The Peterson is a better sailor, a more nimble boat if you will, but for sheer load carrying capacity, (weight/bulk,) a W42 is truly a cruisers cargo ship.
Reason for originally deleting the W42?
The fuel/water tanks are almost impossible to service/repair/replace without very extensive desecration of the interior combined with voluminous cursing.
But I suppose a young hardy soul whose energy and efforts know no bounds could undertake it.
For those of us more physically challenged and requiring paid workers the cost could be astronomical.

I think that's a thing a lot of people are thinking, rather than actually reading what I've been posting. I owned a yacht service. Working on a boat isn't an issue, as long as the hull is good. Everything else is easy.

Thanks for the tip on the tank. That was useful.

[PushingThePen]

Originally Posted by pjShap

I have a 45' Adams 45 that I often single hand, including a passage from Down East Maine back to NYC last fall. I personally do not think the particular boat matters as much as how it is setup. For me, reliable robust autopilot is essential, along with a remote control so I can steer while working forward. This wouldn't be necessary everywhere, but is essential in a place like Maine, full of lobster pots everywhere you go. I have an electric winch handle which helps manage the high load situations, on any winch on the boat. My boat has 3 jibs, all on roller-furlers, so I don't have to do sail changes, and I can adjust down easily. Mainsail reefing is at the mast, which I consider more reliable than single line furling in the cockpit. Jackstays control the bulk of the mainsail, especially for dropping sail. Again, the autopilot remote control makes it possible for me to steer if necessary while raising or reefing the main. I have reliable electronics, including both radar and AIS, to help improve situational awareness.

As others have suggested, $50K seems unlikely to me for a larger boat in good condition and already setup for single handing. I happen to have a Tartan 37 for sale at $57K. This is a 1979 boat in excellent, ready-to-go condition. The boat has been back and forth between the Bahamas and Maine, based in the Chesapeake. That's at the lower end of your intended boat, but would be ready to sail. I would strongly suggest you could start with something like that. If you eventually find it too small, sell it and buy something bigger. You'd be sailing instead of looking, and most people have found that size boat perfectly adequate for 2 people, let alone a single hander.

I'm not the average buy and go kind of guy. As I've stated many times in this thread, I owned a yacht service. Fixing boats isn't an issue for me. Nor is it the cost that others get charged for service or parts. I get them at a fraction of the price. Even used.

Thanks for the info on the Adams 45 and Tartan 37. I'll take a look at them.

[Retirement home]

Originally Posted by PushingThePen

You would be very wrong in that statement. The condition of the boat, as long as it's operational, has less to do than the style of the hull, depth of the keel, etc. Even basic sailors know that much.

Instead of randomly posting, you should start reading the actual posts.

I agree with condition of boat.
We only read halve truth.

Growing up my mates would go on and on about mono performance dinghies and their ability to point.
Yet dad had revolutionary foam sandwich hulls made and fitted out Paper Tiger catamaran 'Shere khan' with titanium plus naturally tensioned tramp via diagonal cutting thus eliminating drop keys edges and also tensioning uniform hull rigidity.
An Australian champion saw that vessel at Beach and waited having gifted his phone number. When we went yacht, cat went to a champion. That could point.. really well.

I look at sails bro..
Typical sloops are better if wanting higher point sailing but we loose sail prior and through dead eye. They won't sail a run.
Gaff rigs run lower and stronger yet don't quite point as high. Modern racing gaffs such as square headed main .... obviously do. Just a broad view.
I prefer square sails. Gaffs, etc. Separate luff, leach, head, foot. They make sense and form control differently.
Square rigs are the best.. might knot point so high yet they work all the way around from point to point inclusive of dead eye. Not for me too.
Lug sails are detuned squares. Same as junk with batten strengthening. They work from point to dead eye. From dead eye to point. Soft gibbing naturally.
Marvellous thing is their pointing abilities. When wind strength grows they point higher. So if used to sailing around and wind picks up you don't need worry about point if holding same.
I like because they reach every point of their sail compass. It is an easier management of reactions.

Just an opinion.

Underneath.. some like long keels, some like short deep weighted tapered edges.
Long keels normally associate with large heel angles.
Tapered edge centreboard bulbed named keel normally shallower planing angles.

Single handed.. systems like lazy Jack's and furlers would help a lot. Or junk sail rig if that of interest.

Long keels tend to momentum better in rough stuff if caught out.
Basic principles of physics.
When a vessel is travelling faster than displacement waves ability to return to fill gap, vessel sinks. Thus bow nose dives. This creates a longer displacement and thus water returns faster, vessel lifts.
Not as jerky as a shallow plane.
But initially needs time to accelerate.. just like a lifting sail needs to be accelerated whereas a headsail sloop has a better initial effect. That'd help racers but needs more care for once underway.

[Retirement home]

Originally Posted by PushingThePen

I'm looking for recommendations based on what people have sailed. I can go anywhere to get the boat I end up picking. I'm just looking for recommendations from people that have actually sailed blue water and islands.

I like the look of this sir.

I can't figure it out.

I dislike the exposed rudders because to get traction she would need flow but being 44' with a hard chine and generous rocker she could be okay comfort in not so pleasant moments having such a thick plane.

At 70000 aus which is just under 50000 usd I intend to venture a look next season unless sold or found something else.

Metal, flat sheet, world repair ease. Bilge keels for large tides and shallow entries.
Corten Steel is an alloy with painting difficulties, I believe she real Steel.
Only thing I'd do is relatively easy due to material and that would be to replace ketch with a shorter unstayed ketch rig that would take solo squares such as a junk sail rig.
Entertainment for kids could include leading edge formation with removable bracing to play and learn with on fore sail heads and tacks.
Such rig would encourage thrust at minimal ease.
Lightning storm, no problems. A Faraday cage.

Just an idea.

Another boat I prefer is of a much larger heel angle but fibreglass. Pro built by shipwright, really nice but doesn't afford Lightning strike acceptance. We get very steep chop in our neck of the woods. A much cleaner hull for such.
Yet on open ocean, waves are smoother and wouldn't worry such a shallow plane as much.
Trade winds? She'd hum along really nicely with ever reaching sails and tacking angles sufficient (and reaching)

I'm following your thread. I'm out of ideas.
Seaworthiness key

Best luck sir

[dlj]

Whitby 42

https://www.yachtworld.com/yacht/197...by-42-7955327/

fits everything you've posted...

dj

[Retirement home]

You're correct.
I think too much..

Here's 2 boats in Aus.
Cartell 44 @25k aud
30k aud because needs a replacement engine .
Open deck though. If sailing southern Australia, new Zealand, be aware that Southern Ocean is earths only endless fetch ocean. Like a thought on the wind, halo of a planet. If thought was held she can produce some big waves that drop..
Friends were in Sydney Hobart around 1990s and they couldn't move having been forced against aft railing.
Open decks I wouldn't recommend for passage making and I am ignorant of such.

Lots of Swanson 42s, a Swanson 40 at moment too.
I've read they dance lumpy stuff well. I don't know but look on

www.yachthub.com.au if interested. That's all I do.. find something that clicks someday bro. All good