Morgan, CT, Gulfstar . . .

[NeptunesTrident]

My head hurts. I really like the CT. Beautiful leaky boats. I like the center cockpit boats and the queen size beds in the aft cabin. There are so many choices out there is it mind boggling.

So what is the best all around boat for 80 grand or under? Opinions are welcome. Experience is more than welcome. What are you sailing, and why?

[Hannah on 'Rita T']

If you are an offshore sailor, watch out for the aft queens, no way to sue them underway. Our Whitby aft cabin works as an athwartships queen or singles with leeboards. I liup.ke that set

[zeehag]

sail EVERYTHING!!!!
learn what you can tolerate from a boat and what is impossible to deal with. ct/formosa/seawolf hardins are awesome boats. teak decking is easy care unless someone didnt do it right from day one. all it needs is daily douching with sea water. keeps boards healthy not dried out and shrunken and cracked. the boats are heavy, good in seas and big winds.
gulfstar sailmaster is a good made in usa boat. solid and sails well in big winds and seas. has freeboard, as does the leaky teaky.
samwe with morgan--
so -----
SAIL EVERYTHING
see what you like and dislike and see what you can find.
also look at the drive line=-- how easy is it to get into engine, tranny, shaft, packing gland, cutlass, etc. (is easy in a ct/formosa. et alii) larger gulfstars have walk-in engine rooms. am not certain how engine room in morgan is....

[NeptunesTrident]

Originally Posted by Hannah on 'Rita T'

If you are an offshore sailor, watch out for the aft queens, no way to sue them underway. Our Whitby aft cabin works as an athwartships queen or singles with leeboards. I liup.ke that set

Thanks. But why could the bunk not be used under way? I can understand why in heavy seas, but for the day in and day out seems it would be ok. Unless the motion would bother someone. Not real versed in the sea going ways here.

[NeptunesTrident]

I can see this is going to be a long and drawn out process. Heavy, center cockpit boats appeal to me, aestheticaly. Teak decks, for all their detractors, make for a beautiful and functional deck. Even if a little more work. I guess, the main point, that ZeeHag so eloquently puts it, is, find it, fancy it, love it and sail it.

[Cheechako]

What's your size parameters? Ct's are strong built hulls, but will undoubtedly have wet core in the decks by now, unless you find one without teak decks. Even then they often are wet from poorly bedded deck fittings. Gulfstar's dont appear to be built as heavy, but do get the job done. A friend of mine took his 43 to Oz and back a few years ago. He's had the boat about 30 years. I dont know morgans well.

[NCountry]

hahaha.... had the same problem while we were shopping for "the one".....
Aft Queens are GREAT as long as they are not an island berth. Took a Gulfstar 47 from Key West to Galveston last November. 6 days, two storms, big seas it was a tank and we had a great trip. We have a Gulfstar 44 centercockpit. VERY well behaved underway and in big wind. LOVE the after cabin and while they call it a queen the back berth goes all the way across the back of the cabin. Incredibly comfortable anytime.
A good friend talked about his experience in similar seas on a Morgan. Even in big seas they had a fairly good ride and a great experience. Last weekend a guy showed up at the docks talking about their Catalina 40 in the Caribbean. He had a similar great trip. (He obviously loved his boat).
I agree with the hag. Do your homework and get what you love! There's tons of good information out there about every flavor of boat. (and lots of differing opinions) Talk with brokers and delivery captains. They've got great stories about tons of boats. Read everything you can stand on the internet boards. Great discussion about the good and bad of every kind of boat. Then, spend every minute you can sailing so you'll have a good idea of what you think you might need in a boat. Finally, take a deep breath, do lots of shopping and make an offer on what you think you might like to own. Despite some of the crazier stuff we had a blast buying out last boat.

[NeptunesTrident]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

What's your size parameters? Ct's are strong built hulls, but will undoubtedly have wet core in the decks by now, unless you find one without teak decks. Even then they often are wet from poorly bedded deck fittings. Gulfstar's dont appear to be built as heavy, but do get the job done. A friend of mine took his 43 to Oz and back a few years ago. He's had the boat about 30 years. I dont know morgans well.

Want to stay between 40 and 50 foot, incase I am single handing one day. I am no spring chicken any more. I should be able to find one with in the 80 thousand range that dosent need a whole lot of work before setting sail.

[NeptunesTrident]

Originally Posted by NCountry

hahaha.... had the same problem while we were shopping for "the one".....
Aft Queens are GREAT as long as they are not an island berth. Took a Gulfstar 47 from Key West to Galveston last November. 6 days, two storms, big seas it was a tank and we had a great trip. We have a Gulfstar 44 centercockpit. VERY well behaved underway and in big wind. LOVE the after cabin and while they call it a queen the back berth goes all the way across the back of the cabin. Incredibly comfortable anytime.
A good friend talked about his experience in similar seas on a Morgan. Even in big seas they had a fairly good ride and a great experience. Last weekend a guy showed up at the docks talking about their Catalina 40 in the Caribbean. He had a similar great trip. (He obviously loved his boat).
I agree with the hag. Do your homework and get what you love! There's tons of good information out there about every flavor of boat. (and lots of differing opinions) Talk with brokers and delivery captains. They've got great stories about tons of boats. Read everything you can stand on the internet boards. Great discussion about the good and bad of every kind of boat. Then, spend every minute you can sailing so you'll have a good idea of what you think you might need in a boat. Finally, take a deep breath, do lots of shopping and make an offer on what you think you might like to own. Despite some of the crazier stuff we had a blast buying out last boat.

I have read lots and heard that some folks just dont like a center cockpit. But I have sailed on a center cockpit, and, for me it is the only way to sail. This search is going in alot of different directions so far. I have found that the heavier boats sail better in rough weather. Not that I plan on sailing into storms, but I keep reverting back to the Boy Scouts. Better to be ready for it. The folks on here are most helpful.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by NeptunesTrident

Want to stay between 40 and 50 foot, incase I am single handing one day. I am no spring chicken any more. I should be able to find one with in the 80 thousand range that dosent need a whole lot of work before setting sail.

I love the CT boats, but I think your chances of less work are better with a Gulfstar... or maybe a Morgan. There are 4 Gulfstars in Fl on Yachtworld priced less than 100k. One 43 in So Cal. there are a whole lot of 39 Sailmaster to 44 Morgans on there. You ought to be able to find a good one. A 100k asking price ought to sell for $75k or less.... when you zero in on a prticular one, do some internet reading for issues with that particular boat model.... the things to looks for seem to appear if you read enough!

[zeehag]

"I agree with the hag." @ncountry--YOU may call me ZEE, in fact, you may call me ZEE even after meeting in person, at which time, usually i allow my friends to call me by my real name. the only folks who have called me by the last part of my name have not been respectful. if i wanted to be THE HAG, i would have called meself that.

as far as more or less work-- if you have not worked on a formosa/ct/seawolf, you have no idea what is needed or how easily it is repaired. these garden designs are riotously simple to work on. is merely prejudice against their nick name that makes folks think they are a lot of work, when in reality they are very straight forward, in fact, moreso than many other brand of boat.

[arch]

I owned a Gulfstar 44 for 22 years and loved it.
Fell in love with multihulls and we now own a Bahia 46 for 9 years.
Don't be mislead by ads for Gulfstar 43's calling themselves 44's.
This boat is a stretched out version of the 40 which I believe Ted Hood designed.
Notice the similar lines to a the Bristol's.

[NeptunesTrident]

Originally Posted by zeehag

"I agree with the hag." @ncountry--YOU may call me ZEE, in fact, you may call me ZEE even after meeting in person, at which time, usually i allow my friends to call me by my real name. the only folks who have called me by the last part of my name have not been respectful. if i wanted to be THE HAG, i would have called meself that.

as far as more or less work-- if you have not worked on a formosa/ct/seawolf, you have no idea what is needed or how easily it is repaired. these garden designs are riotously simple to work on. is merely prejudice against their nick name that makes folks think they are a lot of work, when in reality they are very straight forward, in fact, moreso than many other brand of boat.

Me thinks someone has raised the ire of the Zee!

[NeptunesTrident]

Originally Posted by arch

I owned a Gulfstar 44 for 22 years and loved it.
Fell in love with multihulls and we now own a Bahia 46 for 9 years.
Don't be mislead by ads for Gulfstar 43's calling themselves 44's.
This boat is a stretched out version of the 40 which I believe Ted Hood designed.
Notice the similar lines to a the Bristol's.

Thanks. There are a few Gulfstar's on Yahctworld that look good.

[Hannah on 'Rita T']

Originally Posted by NeptunesTrident

Thanks. But why could the bunk not be used under way? I can understand why in heavy seas, but for the day in and day out seems it would be ok. Unless the motion would bother someone. Not real versed in the sea going ways here.

Center line queens rarely if ever have adequate lee cloths and when they do there is still all that distance of the queen to roll across before hitting the opposite side lee cloth. Ever been in a boat in the ocean? (Just had major dental work, so may be a bit tetchy, if so I apologize.)