Nantucket 33 ?

[whitsunday_sun]

In the process of selecting new cruising boat, have narrowed down to Martzcraft 35 which I can get good info on however Nantucket 33 has taken my eye but cannot find any info on them re sailing capabilities, where people have been in them etc or known problems. Anyone got any info would be great

thanks

[tdw]

Design by Peter Cole I think and it may also be known under another name. I guess you have had a good look at one but I have to say that I find them top heavy visually and would imagine the windage to be a nightmare. There is a steel one moored quite near us and it is one ugly sucker but the glass versions are better looking. Thing dances all over the place in a stiff breeze. My feeling is still that 33' feet is just too small for a centre cockpit. That said, for a 33'er they have incredible interior space. Mind you I'd take Cole over Roberts as a designer any day of the week. His East Coast 31's and Bounty/Cole 35's are great boats although some are a bit bare bones down below. On the other hand Martz has an excellent reputation as a builder. Other possibilities would be various Duncansons, S&Ss, Swansons and the South Coast 35 which is the same basic boat as the Martz I believe. Depending on your plans the Joe Adams designed Mottle 33 is much loved by those that own them.

[Euro Cruiser]

WS:

My take on the N33 is a little different than tdw's. Yes, it surely looks top-heavy but that doesn't necessarily make it skittish at anchor or a poor sailer. The N33 I'm most familiar with was (and for the last two decades, is) owned by an old Pacific vet of the 50's and 60's; quite a seaman and a picky sailor, too. When he and his wife returned to the States to cruise the Caribbean some years later, he picked a N33 and was quite high about its performance. They used it to live aboard and cruise. When I saw it at anchor, it was not jiggly at all - but I can see how one would be (more below).

I would say its biggest weakness is that, by now, it's an aged, Taiwan-built boat and so all the potential issues that raises would need to be considered: black iron fuel tank? electrical wiring? underwater metals? ballast? WRT cruising the boat 24/7, my biggest gripe is the cockpit: pretty far forward and with quite shallow coamings (to keep the topsides just a bit lower visually), so I don't think it would be as dry or as comfortable as I'd like. If one adds a big foresail rolled around a foil and then puts a sizeable dodger in front of the cockpit - both pretty typical these days - I can imagine that would generate an above-water form that would make it pretty nervous at anchor. But I don't think this is inherent in the design.

tdw's certainly correct in doubting a center cockpit design is the most sensible choice in a hull this short...but it's the best example I've seen of one.

Good luck on the shopping!

Jack

[whitsunday_sun]

Thanks for that all good pints to consider, probably in my first post shouls have mentioned I am particulary wanting an aft cabin, so i think that rules out the mottle and south coast. Anyway all part of finding my next home/cruiser.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Euro Cruiser

WS:

tdw's certainly correct in doubting a center cockpit design is the most sensible choice in a hull this short...

Jack

Hmmmmmmmmm , although I will admit that I have not done any extended cruising on my 30 foot center cockpit, but I have spent extended periods on boats with less room and also those with more room - but more people. For me (and 1 other) she seems ok. Of course my idea of extended crusing (vague, woolly and in the distant future) is to do so by not being "married" to the boat (either maintanence wise or financially). I would like to use her as a base to explore the places I visit (days or weeks?) and not restrict myself to easy day trip distance from only accessable from seaward coastline. (But from my Google on a N33, the cockpit does look somewhat higher up than I would like). But I guess it is all about what works for each.

Of course in my case another couple of feet would be nice (either as LOA or as headroom in the aft cabin!)

[tdw]

Originally Posted by Euro Cruiser

WS:

Yes, it surely looks top-heavy but that doesn't necessarily make it skittish at anchor or a poor sailer.

my biggest gripe is the cockpit: pretty far forward and with quite shallow coamings (to keep the topsides just a bit lower visually), so I don't think it would be as dry or as comfortable as I'd like.

tdw's certainly correct in doubting a center cockpit design is the most sensible choice in a hull this short...but it's the best example I've seen of one.Jack

My comment on dancing while moored referred only to the steel version near us. It could put Fred Astaire to shame, cuts quite a rug, I can tell you.

Sub 40' centres tend to have the problem of very wet cockpits for the very reason you stated.

I know of none better. While I have my doubts about the N33 it does what it set out to do very well but I'd still stick with aft cockpit in a sub 35-40'er.

[tdw]

Originally Posted by whitsunday_sun

Thanks for that all good pints to consider, probably in my first post shouls have mentioned I am particulary wanting an aft cabin, so i think that rules out the mottle and south coast. Anyway all part of finding my next home/cruiser.

Eh ? Now you have me totally confused. Last time I checked both the M33 and SC36 were centre cockpit aft cabin.

[tdw]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

Hmmmmmmmmm , although I will admit that I have not done any extended cruising on my 30 foot center cockpit, but I have spent extended periods on boats with less room and also those with more room - but more people. For me (and 1 other) she seems ok. Of course my idea of extended crusing (vague, woolly and in the distant future) is to do so by not being "married" to the boat (either maintanence wise or financially). I would like to use her as a base to explore the places I visit (days or weeks?) and not restrict myself to easy day trip distance from only accessable from seaward coastline. (But from my Google on a N33, the cockpit does look somewhat higher up than I would like). But I guess it is all about what works for each.

Of course in my case another couple of feet would be nice (either as LOA or as headroom in the aft cabin!)

Horses for courses. The N33 was designed I'd guess to suit people who wanted a floating weekender. Note I did NOT say floating caravan, I'm not wishing to be insulting just noting that the N33 seems to place interior space above other considerations. They are also relatively expensive for a 33' 20 year old boat. We considered a couple of small centre cockpits when we were looking but I simply found the aft cabin to be too claustrophobic or if not the main cabin became to cramped. I'm not much impressed with having a berth where I crack my head every time I sit up.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by tdw

We considered a couple of small centre cockpits when we were looking but I simply found the aft cabin to be too claustrophobic or if not the main cabin became to cramped. I'm not much impressed with having a berth where I crack my head every time I sit up.

I do understand where you are coming from. I am not Claustrophobic, but I have an aversion to small 1/4 Berths and also to very small aft cabins. (just too coffin like!). Mine is as small as I would go, helped by being of a small build - I can sit up in bed! (and I have of course made many choices and compromises when choosing my boat which I know many (most?!) other would not be willing to make). WHY CAN'T SOMEONE MAKE A PERFECT BOAT????.........cheaply

I did think about a Westerly Pentland (a 31 footer from the 1970's with a centre cockpit), but when on my mates one the aft cabin was like sleeping in a Suitcase and was anyway usually used for storage. But the older style with no walkthrough might be good if someone had kids........and wanted to keep them further away than a curtain or a thin door, when Mom and Pop are getting "freindly"

[tdw]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

WHY CAN'T SOMEONE MAKE A PERFECT BOAT????.........cheaply

Now there's a thought. Must give Nautor a call and get them started.

[tdw]

Originally Posted by Euro Cruiser

WSr a poor sailer.

Actually the N33 should be a fairly good performer. Cole designs good fast hull shapes , from I can see the N33 is an enlarged version of the East Coast 31 and they were brilliant little boats. Many of them have done the Sydney - Hobart and performed quite creditably.

[Euro Cruiser]

TDW, I don't know where "my" quote came from but my earlier post was favorable re: sailing performance:

"When he and his wife returned to the States to cruise the Caribbean some years later, he picked a N33 and was quite high about its performance."

Concur about Peter Cole's hull shapes...

Jack

[tdw]

Originally Posted by Euro Cruiser

TDW, I don't know where "my" quote came from but my earlier post was favorable re: sailing performance:

"When he and his wife returned to the States to cruise the Caribbean some years later, he picked a N33 and was quite high about its performance."

Concur about Peter Cole's hull shapes...

Jack

You were not suggesting the N33 was a poor performer under sail, quite the opposite. In my own clumsy way I was trying to agree with you. No doubt they'd lose a bit to windward through windage but that's predictable enough with a relatively high sided cruiser.