Blue Water performance.

[Paul Reading]

We have owned a fast cruiser for coastal cruising and have sold it to buy something more appropiate as we intend to go water sailing">blue water sailing.

We have a list of possible boats that we might consider and I was wondering about passage times. I know that if you are blue water sailing the idea is that time does not matter but if you are in a rally you don't want to be the last boat in and miss all the drinks!


The boats we are considering are Oyster 46, Hylas 46/49, Malo 46/47, Island Packet 485, Nordship 430, Southerly 420,Wauquiez 48PS.

It is a long list, I am not sure that the Nordship or Southerley are big enough everyone tell me that you soon accumulate stuff and boats shrink. I woudl be keen to know how you woudl rank the Oyster, Hylas, malo and IP in terms of passage making speeds.

[s/v Moondancer]

It is not how fast but how little you break...We spend a lot of effort slowing the boat.

[Paul Reading]

I get that, but I woudl like to think that the selection are all substantialy built fore the task. Say we join the World Arc, would you want to arrive last at every destination? I know that none of these boat are going to break any speed records we are not looking at that, when we have finished we will probably buy an X or Acrona.

We had friends who went around on a Moody and were last everywhere and missed parties and meals and felt that they had missed out of the social side and were getting less time to recuporste between legs than others.

I have seen a really nice Island Packet 485 but I am prety sure it will be the last boat home but as all the boats are not performace boats I wanted to se what other prople thought.

[bgallinger]

Have you considered a 47 ft. Stevens? Turbocharged engine, sails at 8 kts. and is designed and built for blue water cruising

[Paul Reading]

Too old, not really interested in anything older than 2006.

[s/v Moondancer]

We attended an Oyster Rally party in Fiji. The owners were all pleased with the performance and were surprised at the number of gear failures.

[Paul L]

If you want to get to the bar before the others, then waterline is what counts. We prefer a performance cruiser not because it beats other boats of the same size, but because we want decent performance while on passage. Shaving a few days off a passage can make weather planning much more predictable and easier. You are just out there exposed for shorter periods.

[boatman61]

Methinks the Wauquiez 48PS. will get you to the bar not long after it opens..
Mind you.. the Southerly with the lifting keel won't be far behind with her lifting keel on the long downwind stretches.
But hey.. what do I know.. they're outa my league..

[DDabs]

You're considering buying a 46-48 ft. sailboat that is fast enough to not be "late at parties"

thanks for the laugh!

[Adrian Chen]

Have you looked at the Southerly 47, plenty of room/stowage vs the 42, and very good performance up or downwind with either 10ft or 3ft draught.

[Paul Reading]

A Southerly 47 is too expensive.

[Suijin]

I’d throw the Valiant 50/47 into your mix.

[Pete7]

Don't think you can buy an Oyster just at the moment. Hopefully someone will bale them out.

Oyster Yachts 'looking for opportunities' after failing to secure financial support - YBW

[Polux]

Originally Posted by Paul Reading

We have owned a fast cruiser for coastal cruising and have sold it to buy something more appropiate as we intend to go blue water sailing.
....
The boats we are considering are Oyster 46, Hylas 46/49, Malo 46/47, Island Packet 485, Nordship 430, Southerly 420,Wauquiez 48PS.
....

That is a list with very different types of boats. Since you consider a Malo why not the new Halberg Rassy 44 that is much faster? Not much storage but they will modify the boat on the forward part if you want (I have a friend that is talking to them regarding that).

From those boats the Wauquiez 48PS is the faster but it has in my opinion a low B/D to have optimal characteristics as a bluewater boat.

An interesting option could be the Allures 45.9 or 52 with the new swing keel with all ballast on the keel.

If you real want a fast bluewater cruiser than you can have a look at the Arcona 435 or 465, to the RM 1370, Solaris 50, Saare 46 or even to the XC 45 from X-yachts. Very different sailboats even if all very seaworthy, but as you have also very different sailboats on your list, I guess it is a match LOL.