British built yachts

[Higherfield26]

Hi there, I was wondering if anyone can tell me some of the better makes of British yachts that are bluewater set up? I love the look of Amel Super Maramu but was wondering if we had similar close to home? I'm looking for a boat to get us across the Atlantic, maybe further - my husband and I and our two kids (11 & 9) & little dog. I like the solid stanchions of the Amel, and the extra bed to make essentially 3 cabins. We can't go above £150K absolute max, so perhaps we are priced out??

Also, obvs the older the boat the more potential problems to fix, depending on her upkeep. I've read to avoid older than 20 years, but perhaps this matters less than her maintenance? Again, views very welcome, thank you!

[AiniA]

I would not have a problem with an older boat of good quality that has been properly maintained and updated. Some people just need to spend money on their boats, it is a disease. You just got to keep looking. Not an expert of British boats but Oyster and some Moodys come to mind. Also look at some of the Scandinavian boats. Your budget should be adequate.

[hidrotherapy]

Oyster, Discovery, Southerly, Gunfleet

[boatman61]

Swan, Oyster, pre 2000 Moody, Westerly to name a few..
But if I had the funds this would be on my list to view.. Dutch build..
https://www.apolloduck.co.uk/boat/ko...or-sale/617616

[TrentePieds]

Quote: "I love the look of Amel Super Maramu but was wondering if we had similar close to home?"

Why would it matter whether a boat is built in the UK, on the Continent, in the New World or in the Antipodes? Should the overriding consideration not be fitness for purpose and quality of construction? England has had some exceptionally fine yacht designers such as Arthur Robb. See for example his "Radiant":

https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/radiant-48-robb

Not everybody's cuppa, and probably too much boat for a novice to handle. But so IMO would the Super Maramu be.

Tell us something about your actual sailing experience and whether you have any formal sailing instruction behind you, then we'll be far better able to suggest particular boats that in your context have "fitness for purpose". This is so because a boat's "fitness" depends very much on the crew's experience and competence.

TrentePieds

[Higherfield26]

Why would it matter whether a boat is built in the UK, on the Continent, in the New World or in the Antipodes?

It absolutely doesn't matter, except just thinking of which boats might more available where we are based..

we are a couple in 40s, with 2 kids. My husband has extensive sailing experience, including long passages across Pacific & Atlantic. I have messed around in boats since my teens but no longer passages, just coastal with our current boat share. Perhaps this is where my inexperience is showing. Certainly didn't mean to indicate I was biased in anyway!

[boatman61]

For boats with 3 cabins your more likely to find them made by Beneteau or similar..
Most UK boats come with V berth forward and aft stateroom.. like this..
https://www.apolloduck.co.uk/boat/sw...or-sale/642156

While Beneteau offers boats like this..

https://www.apolloduck.co.uk/boat/be...or-sale/624081

[TrentePieds]

Quote: "It absolutely doesn't matter, except just thinking of which boats might more available where we are based.."

Hm... I would think that the locations where large cruising boats are taken, and then discarded because the reality of cruising differs from the dream of it, would not really include the UK. The Caribbean and the Med would be more like it :-).

Another consideration is that boats being sold out of the charter trade are likely to be more plentiful than are boats that have been in knowledgeable, caring hands for many years, and charter boats are more likely to be home ported in the Med or the Caribbean.

I thought of Radiant because in addition to being a handsome little ship, she seems particularly well suited to a small family on passage. Each of your two kids, still a little young to ship out as “snotties”, can have a private space to "grow into", and a space, no less, that is not only MIDSHIPS, but also SMALL enough to be secure while on passage. You might need a "doggie hoist" at the main companionway, but the main boom is there to help you with that :-)

Skipper and Jimmie would also have sea berths midships to use while on passage, while, for use when alongside or on the hook, the forward cabin could be easily modified to accommodate “grown up” activities.

And to top it all off, the “Great Cabin” aft would obviously be a lovely space for general family activities, and indeed for such things as “home schooling” which, presumably, your kids would have to undertake :-)

As Radiant is ketch rigged, her main is small enough that a woman's physical strength will suffice to handle it in a blow, and Radiant's “quarter deck” with its gear for handling the mizzen seems to me to be a perfect place for teaching kids “the ropes”.

Oh, my — I'm getting carried away :-0)!

Cheers

TP

[DMF Sailing]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Swan, Oyster, pre 2000 Moody, Westerly to name a few..
But if I had the funds this would be on my list to view.. Dutch build..
https://www.apolloduck.co.uk/boat/ko...or-sale/617616

Ooh, this one is nice. Good find, Boatster

[AiniA]

Originally Posted by TrentePieds

As Radiant is ketch rigged, her main is small enough that a woman's physical strength will suffice to handle it in a blow,
TP

Good thing my wife isn't reading this. She is not very big (5'3") but she could handle our Bristol 45.5 sloop by herself just fine. I came down with a staph infection in my leg and she single-handed much of the way from Pitcairn to Mangareva in FP. Sail area (100% jib) was just under 1000 sq ft and we had a 130 so it was much more. It is all about having the right equipment onboard. Our primary winches were Lewmar 65s (list price about US$5000). The problem is that big winches are expensive so builders (and buyers) cheap out on them. The original owner of our boat when shown the option list said, 'Yes' which was great for us.

[Hesti]

Contessa 32 if not to small.

[Compass790]

I like the look of Boaties pick too.
The fact they had it for 30 years means they must have liked it.
Gotta know about cathodic protection if you have an ali boat so bone up on that..
Dont know about Brit boats but like Swans as well.
Sounds like between you, you have plenty of experience to find something to suit.

[Pete7]

I just wonder if you really need to spend all that budget. The view is the same regardless of how much you paid for the yacht. So how about something cheaper and solid.

https://www.yachtworld.co.uk/boats/1...dy-42-3692923/

The You Tube channel Sailing Bora Bora have just done an Atlantic circuit in an older yacht:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY8...8PwA1B-KUA_Djg

[TrentePieds]

Yes, indeed :-). Winches worth 5 grand a pop no doubt make a lot of things much easier. But then, the 20 grand (or even just 10) buried in winches goes a long way towards other things if you are set up physically and mentally to handle 400 SqFt without mechanical advantage.

The MAIN on a Bristol 45.5 is about 400 SqFt out of the scant 1,000 total, and it was the main I was talking about. Headsls are a kettle of fish of a different colour, I think you will agree :-)

My personal rule of thumb is that 400 is about the upper limit of what it is COMFORTABLE for anybody to handle, and our OP (let alone the kiddies) sez she is of scant experience.

TP

[DMF Sailing]

Originally Posted by Pete7

I just wonder if you really need to spend all that budget. The view is the same regardless of how much you paid for the yacht. So how about something cheaper and solid.

https://www.yachtworld.co.uk/boats/1...dy-42-3692923/

The You Tube channel Sailing Bora Bora have just done an Atlantic circuit in an older yacht:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY8...8PwA1B-KUA_Djg

That's also a very nice boat, with a lot of seaworthy-looking touches. Also a top-class staging job for a 44-year-old vessel (note to sellers: Engine!). I'm going to save this link for next time someone can't sell their boat.