Nicholson 31 or Westsail 32?

[double u]

...maybe NOT a priori rule ALL short-keeled -spade-ruddered boats out? You might NOT go around Cape Horn after all...

[secrabtree]

Originally Posted by kmacdonald

Be careful of who surveys the boat. A local surveyor is hesitant to disclose serious flaws because he won't get broker referrals and will be labeled as a deal breaker. An out of area surveyor is best. If the boat is in the water, be there when it is hauled out for the survey. If it is blistered you will see them easily. After the boat is out of the water for a little while, the blisters shrink and you may not see them without close inspection.

A few years ago I wasan instructor of celestial navigation. and I had done some cruising and deliveries in the triangle boundd by Cabo San Lucas, Hawaii, and Seattle. A couple times I was asked how to pick a surveyor. a recommendation from a person well known by you and with much boat buying, selling and surveying eperience is good. But most do not have acess to such a person. So I suggested that they get a list of surveyors accepted by rhe bank (or whever getting a loan),a list accepted by the insurance company, and a list suggested by the broker. Then choose one that is on both the bank list and the insurance list, but NOT on the broker's list. Surveyors are honest, but even honest people do have a tendency to have un-intentional bias. Brokers are even more.

[Wolfhound]

If there's an Allied Seabreeze 35 nearby, it's worth taking a look.

Essentially, they're a fiberglass Finisterre -- roomy for their configuration, and with an excellent seakindly motion.

The earlier "bronze" Seabreezes are the best. Well-maintained, they are bullet-proof. Don't be afraid of the age of a used boat -- condition matters more than age. Our Seabreeze had been repowered by the PO with a Beta Marine 35 (a marinized Kubota). These are strong, reliable, and parts are widely available and reasonably-priced. Their design makes maintenance access much easier.

Original ballast was 4,000 pounds, but Thor (Allied's owner, and an able & experienced sailor) recommended adding another 1,000 pounds of lead pigs, well-secured. This had been done in our boat, and was widely viewed as beneficial.

Looking is good, but sea trials are better.

Fair winds to you,

Alan

https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/seabreeze-35-allied

[malbert73]

Originally Posted by Wolfhound

If there's an Allied Seabreeze 35 nearby, it's worth taking a look.



Essentially, they're a fiberglass Finisterre -- roomy for their configuration, and with an excellent seakindly motion.



The earlier "bronze" Seabreezes are the best. Well-maintained, they are bullet-proof. Don't be afraid of the age of a used boat -- condition matters more than age. Our Seabreeze had been repowered by the PO with a Beta Marine 35 (a marinized Kubota). These are strong, reliable, and parts are widely available and reasonably-priced. Their design makes maintenance access much easier.



Original ballast was 4,000 pounds, but Thor (Allied's owner, and an able & experienced sailor) recommended adding another 1,000 pounds of lead pigs, well-secured. This had been done in our boat, and was widely viewed as beneficial.



Looking is good, but sea trials are better.



Fair winds to you,



Alan



https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/seabreeze-35-allied

Biased as was my prior boat, but if blue water is in your future go one step further and look at a Allied Luders 33. Looks nearly identical to Seabreeze due to same deck mold. Deeper full keel makes it maybe better blue water capable than shoal draft K/CB Seabreeze

[SKG56]

Looks like that W32 in Thailand, that I mentioned earlier, is still for sale. The owner contacted me yesterday and said the other guys flagged out on him. Not surprised really. She is a fine one and loaded. Owner sailed her from Florida to Thailand. Going to go over her on this R&R. If we can agree on a price I'm buying her. If I do I'll start another thread and post some pics

[sgwright]

Originally Posted by Wolfhound

If there's an Allied Seabreeze 35 nearby, it's worth taking a look.

Essentially, they're a fiberglass Finisterre -- roomy for their configuration, and with an excellent seakindly motion.

The earlier "bronze" Seabreezes are the best. Well-maintained, they are bullet-proof. Don't be afraid of the age of a used boat -- condition matters more than age. Our Seabreeze had been repowered by the PO with a Beta Marine 35 (a marinized Kubota). These are strong, reliable, and parts are widely available and reasonably-priced. Their design makes maintenance access much easier.

Original ballast was 4,000 pounds, but Thor (Allied's owner, and an able & experienced sailor) recommended adding another 1,000 pounds of lead pigs, well-secured. This had been done in our boat, and was widely viewed as beneficial.

Looking is good, but sea trials are better.

Fair winds to you,

Alan

https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/seabreeze-35-allied

Thanks for the tip. I have read about the Allied Seabreeze and Seawind, but have yet to see any. There is a listing near Seattle for a Seawind, but turns out it is a Trumbly (made in Seattle area), not an Allied, and known to have some issues.

[sgwright]

I came across a Grampian Classic 31 locally for $18 with a "custom teak interior", which looks nice in photos, and appears to be a standard interior with some nicely done additions. The ad says "launched in 1988". Sailboatdata.com suggests that Grampian closed in 1977 and sold the molds. But I've seen two other Classic 31s listed that state they were made in the 80s, but finished by another company.

https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/grampian-classic-31
States fin keel, cutter rig, but it appears to be more of a long/full keep with cutaway forefoot from photos I've found.

Here is one:
https://ca.boats.com/sailing-boats/1...ic-31-6625207/

Here is the one close to me:
https://nanaimo.craigslist.org/boa/6753315819.html

I'm thinking of taking a look at it, but am trying to get a bit more information first. There are some photos on this thread which show an unusual recessed deck on the bow, but I am not sure if this is common to all of them:

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...oat-90334.html

Any word on sailing qualities and other things of note?

[sgwright]

My quest for a first boat continues...

We looked at a Newport 28 II, which my wife liked, but the overall build quality and lightweight rigging made me nervous. The chain plates were perhaps the smallest and lightest I've seen on a boat this size. Due to the C&C design, it apparently sails well, but I want a bit more safety margin for when things get rough.

Also looked at several Alberg 30s, but none for sale in my area. I love the lines, but not sure the cabin space and overall age would satisfy. Very similar is the Vancouver built Gulf Island 29, and I may look at one for sale for $8K, albeit with an Atomic 4. Looks nice though.

I was surprised today to comes across not one, but three CS36Ts clustered together, alas, not for sale, but there are two locally that are, just a bit out of my price range. But there is a CS30 which is in my range, and I am just waiting to here if it is available. In the reading I have done, the CS boats seem to have the performance of a C&C, the build quality of a Nicholson (albeit lighter displacement), and the advantage, to me, of virtually no exterior teak.

I do prefer the lines of the CS 36T over the 30, perhaps because it is also a Ray Wall design like the Nicholson 31 & 35, but the CS 30 is still a very nice looking boat, and the exterior fit and finish appear first rate.

Would love to hear from other CS owners about their experiences, good or bad.

[Cloroxbottle]

Although it's been a while, I'm curious what you ended up picking and what your thoughts are on your choice after several years of ownership. The conclusion of such threads are as informative as the search and are rarely shared.


I've always been an admirer of the Nicholsons favoring them in the order of the 35-2, 35-1, 31, and 32. However as English boats designed for northern waters they have a plethora of fixed portlights and you may find that the comfort they provide on the way to the Caribbean is offset by the lack of ventilation once there.


The Westsail 32 is a popular choice for singlehanders on bluewater voyages.


https://www.youtube.com/@SailingIntoOblivion


contains video from someone who did such a circumnavigation with some excellent footage showing how the boat behaves in gales.


The other designs you've mentioned are fine daysailing boats but not things I would consider for extended trips to the destinations you've mentioned.


Finally for you and your wife, the space in a 34 foot boat +/- 1 foot will provide significantly more space and storage/provisioning room for longer trips. It will also have certain creature comforts like a shower which are helpful if you're living aboard.


Resist the urge to buy too big a boat for your first one.

[sgwright]

Originally Posted by Cloroxbottle

Although it's been a while, I'm curious what you ended up picking and what your thoughts are on your choice after several years of ownership. The conclusion of such threads are as informative as the search and are rarely shared.


I've always been an admirer of the Nicholsons favoring them in the order of the 35-2, 35-1, 31, and 32. However as English boats designed for northern waters they have a plethora of fixed portlights and you may find that the comfort they provide on the way to the Caribbean is offset by the lack of ventilation once there.


The Westsail 32 is a popular choice for singlehanders on bluewater voyages.


https://www.youtube.com/@SailingIntoOblivion


contains video from someone who did such a circumnavigation with some excellent footage showing how the boat behaves in gales.


The other designs you've mentioned are fine daysailing boats but not things I would consider for extended trips to the destinations you've mentioned.


Finally for you and your wife, the space in a 34 foot boat +/- 1 foot will provide significantly more space and storage/provisioning room for longer trips. It will also have certain creature comforts like a shower which are helpful if you're living aboard.


Resist the urge to buy too big a boat for your first one.

Wow, this is going back a few years now. After not finding our starter boat, we decided to go up a bit in size to the 32-36' range, realising that we would quickly outgrow a 30-32' boat and not wishing to repeat the length search again too soon.
So in May 2019 we bought a 1974 C&C 35, which has served us well now for 4 seasons. She is a very solid boat, with a longish waterline (30.5') and tall rig, moves along well in light air, but can also handle heavy conditions. In our first month, we encountered 35-40kts and she did fine despite only having one reefing line rigged in the main. Needless to say, I added the second reefing line straight after that. We've sailed over 1000NM on the coast of BC each year since then, but are now searching for a ~40' boat to head south in.
We debated equipping her for offshore (she has done the VicMaui race so can certainly handle it), but soon realised that we want a bit more space for crew, and the costs to prepare her for offshore would be better spent on another boat.
We completed a 21 day/2800NM passage from Maui to Victoria last year for some experience on another boat, so now have a better idea of the things we want (and don't want) on a boat for offshore.
I started a recent thread on that here.