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Old 17-08-2019, 14:12   #76
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Re: Rank the different boat brands

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Originally Posted by Rigger Bruce View Post
I would put a hunter just above a push bike.
So, you’re saying don’t trust the opinion of someone who drives strangers in his personal car for a living when he’s not the local mall Santa?

Hunter is going towards the bottom of the list.
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Old 17-08-2019, 14:32   #77
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Re: Rank the different boat brands

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Originally Posted by Salt to Sea View Post
So, you’re saying don’t trust the opinion of someone who drives strangers in his personal car for a living when he’s not the local mall Santa?

Hunter is going towards the bottom of the list.
such a silly view and decision making process

what other opinions from totally faceless and unknown strangers do you accept or not accept?

I'm not going to put any addition effort in your thread
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Don't ask a bunch of unknown forum people if it is OK to do something on YOUR boat. It is your boat, do what you want!
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Old 17-08-2019, 14:45   #78
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Re: Rank the different boat brands

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Originally Posted by Salt to Sea View Post
I’m trying to figure it all out and was hoping this would help me narrow my daydreaming searches some.

I’ll probably be looking for a 20-30’ (I know that’s a huge range) used boat for under $10k and maybe even under $5k. I bought a little 12’ boat recently and learned it’s way too small. Gonna upgrade to something bigger next summer but really just at the beginning stages. I didn’t mean for this to turn into a thread to help me decide exactly what I need, as I have too much to learn before getting there.

There are a number of 20-25’ boats in my area for under $10k. I could drive to So Cal for a great deal too (10 hrs to L.A.).

I’m not going to be looking for my dream boat, rather a good learning boat that my family and I can enjoy while beating it up on the lakes around here.
Well, that budget narrows down your options pretty dramatically from the first post. You dont need a comprehensive brand name list, just ask specifically about some of the boats in your price range.
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Old 17-08-2019, 14:47   #79
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Re: Rank the different boat brands

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That's pretty easy. It's the rich and pretty one that doesn't talk much
https://youtu.be/e0yNtwpea44
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Old 17-08-2019, 14:50   #80
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Re: Rank the different boat brands

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Originally Posted by Salt to Sea View Post
So, you’re saying don’t trust the opinion of someone who drives strangers in his personal car for a living when he’s not the local mall Santa?

Hunter is going towards the bottom of the list.

This is the predictable problem with this question.

Because a Hunter might be better for your situation than some other marque that has deficiencies.

Some on this thread have tried to tell you to figure out what it is you need, and then find something that suits your purpose in your price range. Marinas are littered with boats that people fell in love with, but didn't suit their needs. Why? Because some person on the internet who has likely never sailed one poo-pooed it.

There are lots of reasons to select or reject a boat. Someone on the internet with a bias one way or another shouldn't be one of them.
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Old 17-08-2019, 15:08   #81
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Re: Rank the different boat brands

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Originally Posted by KadeyKrogen38 View Post
Catalina is the Chevrolet of boats, good quality construction and rigging easy to find and to sell. Stay away from the bottom of the boat quality rank-Hunter.

Lots of mid range quality boats like Jene’s & Bene’s. There are some quality production boats out there, Tartan, Island Packer, Passport.

But like stated, all depends on past quality of maintenance, equipment list, and most important the findings of surveyor.
This post points out the futility of broad answers to an overly broad question. How many dozen models, going back how many decades, have these manufacturers produced? How could you characterize every model from a particular manufacturer with a single quality rating?

I personally admire the Hunter Cherubini 37, and while I'm not familiar with many of the other models, posters on this forum have described encountering many of them in far-flung anchorages. I think my 33-year old Beneteau is a great boat for my intended use, and I believe you could find just about any combination of price, performance, and build quality in one of Beneteau's or Jenneau's numerous models.

On the other hand, Tartan went through a few years of particularly bad quality control, but that should not condemn the entire line. Island Packet has some questionable construction features, such as glassed-in chainplates and difficult to replace tanks, despite their reputation as a quality builder. Passport is so far out of my league pricewise it's hardly worth commenting, but the ones I've seen at boat shows are gorgeous. So it's almost impossible to make a blanket statement such as the OP requests.

Then as it turns out, he's only looking for a boat to sail on an inland lake, not cruise oceans, so nearly any boat in reasonable condition would do fine. But he still did a great job of stirring the pot. Truthfully, I find the last sentence of the quoted post to be the most informative.
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Old 17-08-2019, 15:09   #82
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Re: Rank the different boat brands

Quote:
Originally Posted by letsgetsailing3 View Post
This is the predictable problem with this question.

Because a Hunter might be better for your situation than some other marque that has deficiencies.

Some on this thread have tried to tell you to figure out what it is you need, and then find something that suits your purpose in your price range. Marinas are littered with boats that people fell in love with, but didn't suit their needs. Why? Because some person on the internet who has likely never sailed one poo-pooed it.

There are lots of reasons to select or reject a boat. Someone on the internet with a bias one way or another shouldn't be one of them.
I appreciate all of the help here. I won’t expect someone to read 6 pages of posts for my dumb question, but I have stated a few times that I plan to do some more research before coming back with better, more specific questions.

My choices will most definitely be limited by budget, goals, experience (or lack of), proximity, size, storage options, spouse’s opinion, and at least 7 other variables.

I, like many others, enjoy looking at boats for sale - even those I can’t afford. I wanted to know which are regarded as well built so that I could pay extra attention to them. Most have been offended that I would try to oversimplify their passion, and that wasn’t my intention. A few have offered links that were very helpful, thank you. Others have seemed to confirm that there are different levels of boat manufacturers, and I can appreciate not wanting to get into it and cause fighting among the brand loyalists.

I’ll be back in a few days or weeks with some more questions. Until then, I’m gonna leave this thread alone so as not to upset anyone else with my complete and utter lack of even an elementary understanding of sailboats.
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Old 17-08-2019, 15:10   #83
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Re: Rank the different boat brands

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Originally Posted by Salt to Sea View Post
So, you’re saying don’t trust the opinion of someone who drives strangers in his personal car for a living when he’s not the local mall Santa?

Hunter is going towards the bottom of the list.
However, there is the problem with such a blanket brand bias...even brands, like Hunter, with a less than stellar past have built some good boats. Problem is only large builders like Beneteau Group even approach anything resembling mass production techniques, thus most "production" boats are effectively one-off builds by a bunch of guys in a warehouse. Not only can quality vary significantly from one model or year to the next, but even from one boat to the next. The boat building industry is decades behind the auto industry in terms of production techniques and QA.

While many older Hunters had quality of build issues, not all did, and in fact Hunter has built some good boats. For an example, just google "Hunter 37 Cutter" and you will find a near cult like following among its owners (past and present).

As another example, google "Valiant Yachts", widley considered a very solid serious offshore boat, but dig a bit deeper and you will find they had a serious QA issue (resin formulation) which sent them into bankruptcy the first, but not the last, time.

Another example google "Gunboat"...undisputedly one of the ultimate high end performance cruising cats, costing 7 figures. Quality of build issues sent them into bankruptcy too.

While you may can find a general consensus about the general quality of build certain brands, or their suitabilty for a given intended purpsose, these broad strokes miss a LOT of detail.
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Old 17-08-2019, 15:15   #84
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Re: Rank the different boat brands

I still stand by my original post: to find the boat you fall in love with. I should have added that once that happens is the time to ask your questions. If it turns out not to be the right boat for whatever reason, you will know what to look for since it will the the same characteristics that attracted you in the first place.


That really didn't answer your question, so if I couldn't have the boat I just bought, I would look hard at Compac, Cape Dory and Island Packet. As far as I know they all have good reputations and great lines. Good luck.
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Old 17-08-2019, 15:26   #85
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Re: Rank the different boat brands

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Originally Posted by sandy stone View Post
...

Then as it turns out, he's only looking for a boat to sail on an inland lake, not cruise oceans, so nearly any boat in reasonable condition would do fine. But he still did a great job of stirring the pot. Truthfully, I find the last sentence of the quoted post to be the most informative.
+1. For casual lake sailing almost any boat in decent condition is fine for this intended use. Hunters, Catalinas, and McGregors should all be on this list. In fact, Ive sailed a lot of miles in protected waters on all the above brands...and a fair number of near coastal miles on one of them. [emoji6]
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Old 17-08-2019, 15:35   #86
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Re: Rank the different boat brands

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Originally Posted by dadster3 View Post
I still stand by my original post: to find the boat you fall in love with. I should have added that once that happens is the time to ask your questions. If it turns out not to be the right boat for whatever reason, you will know what to look for since it will the the same characteristics that attracted you in the first place.


That really didn't answer your question, so if I couldn't have the boat I just bought, I would look hard at Compac, Cape Dory and Island Packet. As far as I know they all have good reputations and great lines. Good luck.
Case in point regarding intended use. The OP's intended use is inland lake sailing. While an IP is a well regarded cruising design it is not a great choice for day sails on a lake, light wind performance is not exactly their strong suit...and of course its way outside the OP's budget.

I used to captain a pair of Crealock 37's on an inland lake, deservedly renowned cruising/offshore boats, but what the hell they were doing on an inland lake, I never found out...certainly not the best intended use for these great boats either.
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Old 17-08-2019, 15:36   #87
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Re: Rank the different boat brands

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Originally Posted by robyn-bob View Post
To me there are no Kia's, Toyota's or Lexus's, just sailboats and each one has a story.
Actually there are but there's no need to start a war over it.

Most folks that sail know.

just go to sailboatdata.com and check.
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Old 17-08-2019, 17:04   #88
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Re: Rank the different boat brands

I'd like to put some closure to this topic....

I was introduced to sailing on a friend's 505 racing dinghy.....not made anymore...but like a typical sailing dinghy of it's era...I had to hoist myself out on the trapeze to keep us upright.
That thing could fly....I was hooked. That 505 was blast, and you could keep it in your garage.
From there I progressed to the " Flying Dutchman", another racing dinghy. Once again I was the trapeze monkey. As with the 505, the Flying Dutchman was a hoot to sail and likewise could be kept in your garage.

Next came a wide variety of fiberglass boats from 21' to 26'. all were a blast. Hunters, Pearsons, Catalina's and a wide variety of others. Each one had it's own peculiar faults and foibles, but all were a hoot to sail and some of them had berths on which to sleep off the hangover.

From there, I went catamarans and trimarans....a complete novelty at the time, but in there own way, a hoot to sail.

Following that, were a host of " modern "fiberglass sailboats, too many to list here. At the time, I did not have the wherewithal to own my own boat, so anyone needing crew could find me at the front of the row.

Finally, the writing was on the wall, If I wanted my own sailboat, I had to build it.
myself.

With little money, but grand aspirations to see the world, I built a Roberts 38 out of steel. It was not the fastest steed in town to be sure, but it was a trustworthy steed and a safe boat and was my home for many, many years and together we logged 1,000's of sea miles.

Eventually, I sold that boat, and landed on a C&C Landfall 42, more by accident than choice, than anything else, but the price was right, and....it had a/c!
That C&C had rod rigging, a hydraulic backstay adjuster, etc, and for it's time it was " high tech"

Finally, from there it was the Beneteau, a typical French planing hull, and an aft open cockpit, something I had always thought impractical, but now love.

Out of the dozens of boats I have sailed on, I can't pick one over the other. At the time, each boat was the " right" boat at the time.

And so it will be for you. If the sailing bug grabs you, you will likely progress from one sailboat to the next. Your sailing skills will improve, your navigational skills will improve, etc.

Each boat you sail on will feel " right" for it's time
Whatever boat you own or sail on will be the " right" boat for the time.

Most importantly, you sailing and navigational skills will improve. The day will come when you will try your hand at " singlehandling" which will open an entire new perspective of sailing for you.

Finding the " right" boat is a " progression"...a " learning curve" if you wish. No two people will view the same boat in the same light. You can read all the threads you want, but at the end of the day it will be your " own" experience which will determine which boat is " right" for you.
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Old 17-08-2019, 17:24   #89
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Re: Rank the different boat brands

Another thing to think about is that at this extreme end of the budget range, you would be better off with one of the "cheaper" brands (for example, from the list photographed above even if it is outdated). Your budget will buy one of these in better condition than a more expensive branded boat, which is likely to have very serious problems if you can get it for that kind of price.

If your budget for a car were $1000, you'd be way better off with $1000 worth of Hyundai or Honda or Toyota than with $1000 worth of Mercedes or Rolls Royce.
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Old 17-08-2019, 18:23   #90
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Re: Rank the different boat brands

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Follow up question: how do I delete an entire thread and/or create a new account on this site?
Funniest post on the worst thread ever.
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