The best blue water cruiser under 45ft

[donradcliffe]

While much of the ARC fleet is over 45 ft, it was interesting to rank the entries by manufacturer (I skipped over a few):

Beneteau 24
Jeanneau 12
Oyster 11
Dufour 11
Bavaria 10
Hanse 8
Swan 8
Moody 5
Halberg R 4
Amel 3
Pogo 2
Nauticat 1
Hylas 1
Island P 1

In the mulihull fleet:

Lagoon 18
F-P 5
Catana 2
Outremer 2

[leveramikes]

Is the Tartan 4400 considered a bluewater boat. That is to say sail the entire Caribbean East & West, then onwards through the canal.

[malbert73]

Originally Posted by leveramikes

Is the Tartan 4400 considered a bluewater boat. That is to say sail the entire Caribbean East & West, then onwards through the canal.

Absolutely. Tartans are superb. I am not unbiased. They are usually really good in light/moderate air also.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by leveramikes

Is the Tartan 4400 considered a bluewater boat. That is to say sail the entire Caribbean East & West, then onwards through the canal.

This is an ideal "Blue Water" boat. It is a good performer though not high performance, moderate in every respect, roomy and enough weight to be strongly built.

[Ceeman]

Can you explain it more in detail please?

[thomm225]

There is no best because everyone is different and has different requirements.

You can sail Round the World on a $250,000 forty four foot sailboat or a $1,000 27' sailboat.

So the exact answer is a bit hard to pin down

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by Ceeman

Can you explain it more in detail please?

Ceeman, If you're asking me (wingssail) about my comment that the Tartan 4400 is an excellent blue water vessel, wanting more detail, here goes.

• Tartan is a respected name in boat building, not so much a high volume, mass produced boat, (although I don't have bad things to say about many of those either.)
• It is moderately heavy at 24000lbs, which implies strong enough construction
• The fin keel spade rudder is a fine choice for many reasons, and is by far the predominant choice of designers and builder the world over.
• It has moderate sail-area/displacement and displ/length so it, with the keel rudder combination, will have very good performance and will be a delight to sail (capable and fun)
• It has good fuel and water tankage, there will never be a need to strap jerry jugs on the deck
• It is a sloop rig so the number of sails and lines to deal with is limited, and the sloop rig is simple to sail. With a smallish headsail on the furler it will be capable in a wide range of winds and sea states.
• There is a good location for a bow roller and the cockpit looks roomy
• the shallow draft is a compromise that limits performance somewhat but opens more cruising areas
• am not so thrilled with the two cabin two head layout but at least you have space for guests who might visit when you are cruising.
• I don't care for the lack of sea-berths, you might have to improvise about where to sleep when under way and off watch.

Much of people's choices about what constitutes a "blue water" boat is little more than opinion. This is mine.

[KP44]

Originally Posted by Ceeman

Can you explain it more in detail please?

You can not beat our Doug Peterson designed 45' cutter. Just installing new chainplates this week. Everything else is already new and ready for blue water. Peterson only did one design for a fast, comfortable cruising boat. Mostly he designs for Americas' Cup boats.

The Kelly Peterson 44 Sailboat : Bluewaterboats.org

We are in our 70s and not likely to travel outside the Sea of Cortez where we spend winter and springtime. Our boat will soon be available.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by KP44

You can not beat our Doug Peterson designed 45' cutter. Just installing new chainplates this week. Everything else is already new and ready for blue water. Peterson only did one design for a fast, comfortable cruising boat. Mostly he designs for Americas' Cup boats.

The Kelly Peterson 44 Sailboat : Bluewaterboats.org

We are in our 70s and not likely to travel outside the Sea of Cortez where we spend winter and springtime. Our boat will soon be available.

Of course Doug Peterson was a genius yacht designer. His KP 44 and 46 are astonishingly good. But he did design several other fast and comfortable cruising boats such as (but not limited to) Liberty 458, Delta 46, Hans Christian "Christina" 48 and 42. He designed several cruising boats for Jeanneau and other companies which are also fast and comfortable.

But mostly Doug designed moderate racing yachts, dozens and dozens, starting with Ganbare in 1973. His racing designs dominated international racing for at least a decade. Many have since been turned into excellent, fast and comfortable cruising boats.

He is also known to have designed or played a key role in designing, four America's cup boats, America3, Kiwi Magic (NZL 32) and Black Magic (NZL 62) and Luna Rosa, for team Prada, but it is not fair to say he has mostly designed AC Boats.

After his role in the America's Cup Doug spent much time in Europe campaigning and tuning classic racing boats, including, I believe, designing modifications and rebuilds of meter yachts.

Doug died in June 2017, but his many designs, both racing and cruising, live on successfully.

I have one, the excellent cruising and racing (and livaboard) Serendipity 43. I once mentioned to Doug that the Serendipity 43 made an excellent cruising yacht, he was surprised, he said, "It does?" And then when I told him that I have frequently claimed (jokingly) that he took much from the Serendipity 43 when he drew Black Magic, he said, "Yes that is true."

So there is a huge crossover between his racing, cruising and America's Cup designs. I'm glad you like your KP44, we are members of the same club.

[kmacdonald]

KM Yachts Bestevaer 45.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by KP44

You can not beat our Doug Peterson designed 45' cutter. Just installing new chainplates this week. Everything else is already new and ready for blue water. Peterson only did one design for a fast, comfortable cruising boat. Mostly he designs for Americas' Cup boats.

The Kelly Peterson 44 Sailboat : Bluewaterboats.org

We are in our 70s and not likely to travel outside the Sea of Cortez where we spend winter and springtime. Our boat will soon be available.

That one would be my choice too... and all ready to go, in the Sea of Cortez? AH! temptation!

[Renegde_Sailor]

Originally Posted by billburr

Spencer 1330. Will go anywhere in any weather.

I have a Spencer 42, absolutely bomb proof sailboat!

[goboatingnow]

The best bluewater boat is the one you own , stop analysing , go sailing

[Don C L]

What? My sabot?

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by Don C L

What? My sabot?

Have ye ever read the "Voyage of Jack de Crow?" by Mclennan? It was a Mirror, if I remember rightly, but nonetheless, pretty amazing.

Ann