Nauticat or Hallberg-Rassy?

[LaughingWarrior]

It's Sunday. I'm browsing boat specs and sales listings, as I often do.

I'll be honest; boats and sailing are all new to me, and while I've decided to find a boat and get on with it, the truth is that I have more of a Catalina (et al) budget.

Still, the various Scandinavian brands really sing to me, in particular Nauticat and HR. And a guy can spend a Sunday dreaming and planning, right?

I love their looks and lines. They seem serious and purposeful. I love the layouts and well thought-out designs. I'm encouraged by the fact that these things seem to change very little from decade to decade across their models, almost as though they got something right. I'm further encouraged by reports of what seems to be very high quality.

If I had a bigger bank account and availability of used examples wasn't so sparse in BC, I'd be buying one or the other, in something around the 36-40' range.

In the Nauticat line, I'm only interested in the sailing-focused PH models - those with a normal cockpit companionway, and without side pilot house doors. As to the Hallberg-Rassys, I much prefer the centre cockpit layout, and with wheel steering at the helm.

My use will be full-time liveaboard, initially cruising the BC/AK/PNW area, then likely a round trip to Hawaii and back, and later some global cruising. That said, given a choice of destinations, I'd probably rather go to Japan, Iceland or Northern Europe than the Marquesas/Fiji/Bahamas etc., if I'm being totally honest. Who wouldn't want to see it all though, really?

What do you folks think of these two brands, generally, or models in particular? Do you think one is much superior to the other? What major drawbacks would you argue exist in boats designs as they are, vs more popular models?

[Macblaze]

Originally Posted by LaughingWarrior

It's Sunday. I'm browsing boat specs and sales listings, as I often do.

I'll be honest; boats and sailing are all new to me, and while I've decided to find a boat and get on with it, the truth is that I have more of a Catalina (et al) budget.

Still, the various Scandinavian brands really sing to me, in particular Nauticat and HR. And a guy can spend a Sunday dreaming and planning, right?

I love their looks and lines. They seem serious and purposeful. I love the layouts and well thought-out designs. I'm encouraged by the fact that these things seem to change very little from decade to decade across their models, almost as though they got something right. I'm further encouraged by reports of what seems to be very high quality.

If I had a bigger bank account and availability of used examples wasn't so sparse in BC, I'd be buying one or the other, in something around the 36-40' range.

In the Nauticat line, I'm only interested in the sailing-focused PH models - those with a normal cockpit companionway, and without side pilot house doors. As to the Hallberg-Rassys, I much prefer the centre cockpit layout, and with wheel steering at the helm.

My use will be full-time liveaboard, initially cruising the BC/AK/PNW area, then likely a round trip to Hawaii and back, and later some global cruising. That said, given a choice of destinations, I'd probably rather go to Japan, Iceland or Northern Europe than the Marquesas/Fiji/Bahamas etc., if I'm being totally honest. Who wouldn't want to see it all though, really?

What do you folks think of these two brands, generally, or models in particular? Do you think one is much superior to the other? What major drawbacks would you argue exist in boats designs as they are, vs more popular models?

I have no opinion but I will point out as a Canadian, if you are buying one of those two makes, you will a) likely be buying in the US so b) you will have to pay tariffs. I had to give up on picking up a sweet Nauticat because duty pushed it over my budget. Although frankly I don't know where we are now on US built boats after the last round of free trade nonsense.

[kmacdonald]

Hallberg-Rassy by a BIG margin.

[Steadman Uhlich]

I like both brands from what I have seen, and while I have not sailed on either yet, I would like to do so.

Earlier this year, after sailing on a Skookum 53 Pilothouse boat for 1,400nm and in a mix of weather (cool spring wind, heavy rain, fog), I really liked being inside the pilothouse and dry while standing at the inside helm on watch while the rain was coming down hard. The pilothouse on the Skookum is similar to the pilothouse on a Nauticat 44 (traditional motorsailer), which is one of my favorites. I like the raised pilot house with raised table and excellent visibility.

Given your location, and desired cruising in the PNW, I would value the ability to have a nice, warm, dry pilothouse design.

Optionally, you could put a full enclosure (soft) on a center cockpit boat or an aft cockpit boat. I recently visited a Jeanneau 54 (aft cockpit) that had a full enclosure (aft cockpit) and it was roomy, dry, warm, and very comfortable. It was so large, it provided a real, usable, "extra room" on the boat. I will post a few photos to show what I mean. These photos are not of the same boat, but give a good view of the size and features. The boat I was on had a large center table and the cockpit was a nice gathering place.

Good luck on your boat hunt.

[LaughingWarrior]

Originally Posted by Macblaze

I have no opinion but I will point out as a Canadian, if you are buying one of those two makes, you will a) likely be buying in the US so b) you will have to pay tariffs. I had to give up on picking up a sweet Nauticat because duty pushed it over my budget. Although frankly I don't know where we are now on US built boats after the last round of free trade nonsense.

You're not wrong about the import duty. And I won't start about how preposterous it is.

Ironically, I believe that a new production Swedish or Finnish boat would be free of duty under our new trade agreement with the EEC.

[LaughingWarrior]

Originally Posted by kmacdonald

Hallberg-Rassy by a BIG margin.

Thanks for your comment; would you care to elaborate?

[LaughingWarrior]

Originally Posted by Steadman Uhlich

I like both brands from what I have seen, and while I have not sailed on either yet, I would like to do so.

Earlier this year, after sailing on a Skookum 53 Pilothouse boat for 1,400nm and in a mix of weather (cool spring wind, heavy rain, fog), I really liked being inside the pilothouse and dry while standing at the inside helm on watch while the rain was coming down hard. The pilothouse on the Skookum is similar to the pilothouse on a Nauticat 44 (traditional motorsailer), which is one of my favorites. I like the raised pilot house with raised table and excellent visibility.

Given your location, and desired cruising in the PNW, I would value the ability to have a nice, warm, dry pilothouse design.

Optionally, you could put a full enclosure (soft) on a center cockpit boat or an aft cockpit boat. I recently visited a Jeanneau 54 (aft cockpit) that had a full enclosure (aft cockpit) and it was roomy, dry, warm, and very comfortable. It was so large, it provided a real, usable, "extra room" on the boat. I will post a few photos to show what I mean. These photos are not of the same boat, but give a good view of the size and features. The boat I was on had a large center table and the cockpit was a nice gathering place.

Good luck on your boat hunt.

Thanks for your reply. I agree that the notion of sailing or even motoring in a warm dry PH in the winter or during foul weather is extremely appealing. Also, having grown up RV'ing, and having spent a couple of years living in an RV, the time spent sitting at the dinette table enjoying the view is priceless.

Otherwise, a full cockpit enclosure is a certainty. I've looked at a couple of boats that even had an outlet for their Espar heaters run into the cockpit.

That piece is one that troubles me about the CC boats; I haven't seen an example of a well-executed full enclosure.

This one is alright:

[Steini-nor]

For me, living in Norway, it was a simple choice. Because of our winters the choice was a Nauticat. It could be some cold days sailing in the winter, with an open cockpit. So we are looking forward to taking the nauticat to the colder climate, and live aboard. But we bought it in the canaries, so I guess we will have it some time there, before sailing into the colder climate again. The pilot house is really nice. But HR have very nice boats aswell. But living onboard in cold climate, the Nauticats are just perfect for us. After all, the reason it was created in the first place, was because of the cold climate in Finland.

[Chris777]

Originally Posted by LaughingWarrior

Thanks for your comment; would you care to elaborate?

HR's is sailboats. Nauticats are motorsailors. Nauticats no cockpit..... except for a few later year models. Mostly piloyhouse models.... and they went bankrupt this year. HR is going strong.

Am I biased.... Of course I am. Import duties is not that much in the US.

Good luck.

[SweetSerenity]

HR all the way---