Hi everybody I´m new to the forums and I entered because I want to buy a boat to join the club races on Botany Bay where most of the fleet are under 30 feet boats. I have a budget of $10000, but ideally no more than $8,000 and I want to buy the fastest yacht that money can get (in good condition, not a run down barge)
At the moment I am looking at Endeavours 26, J24, folkboat 26, Marauder 24, Cavalier 26, and the like
I welcome any opinions, suggestions on which boat will make the best buy. My preferences are in this order: speed first, best build boat second and offshore capability third.
Thanks for your comments!
Also, let me know if there´s already a similar topic on seabreeze to have a look.
I would wait for a Whiting Half tonner to turn up. See them occasionally for that money. There is one on eBay that has a new motor and is a bit over the money but he might take an offer!
Don't know if Shaggy's old yacht is still available??.
I'd buy that & sail it down. Sonata 8 from memory. Perfect for BB.
I crewed on a Dufour 34 for a few races in and off Pittwater. It was light and fast, except when a 12kt (yes twelve knots) gust hit and she rounded up violently. The skipper tried reefing the main but then it wouldn't go. Worst boat I have ever sailed.
My point is, what might be fast in some conditions is woeful in others. Botany Bay gets a very stiff sea breeze so a light downwind racer will be unmanageable in summer Botany Bay.
I reckon you need something more substantial in BB. Most of the boats you mention might be ok but I have only ever sailed on the Endeavour 26.
I agree with Samsturdy. If you can get a J24 for your budget they are a good all rounder for racing. And theres fleets everywhere.
Sent you an email
i am.at bbyc
there is 2 other j24s racing there but they have a strong endeavour fleet .
i suggested one that is for sale down there with a moring it is the 2015 Australian champ
the endeavour will give you the fleet racing strong boat and capable off shore.
if you want speed buy an older sports boat a young 780 if you can find one in your price range.
If your priority is "Speed First" check out the Windrush Wildfire 23 or Blazer 23.
You should be able to pick up one of either for < $10,000.
Select to expand quoteMorningBird said.. Botany Bay gets a very stiff sea breeze so a light downwind racer will be unmanageable in summer Botany Bay.
The top boats at BBYC last time I looked included a Rocket 7.8 or Melges 24 and a Whiting 32 half tonner. Some of the "downwind rockets" relish a breeze, especially something like a Whiting 32 (a downwind rocket in its day), RL24 DK, some Rocket 7.8s, or Elliott 7.4s. We used to race on the windiest part of BB on a 16 footer that weighed 104kg (fully rigged, with sails) and had a 28' high wing mast and it was quite manageable.
Why would he want a top hat, blazer or something the liike? All maybe good boats but he is wanting to sail at bbyc and there are none of them there so he would be sailing against himself .they have a few sports boats 2 j24s about 6 endeavour's an adams 8 so there is his faster boat a little more expensive though and a few bigger boats racing each week ?
Buy something with no one to compete against that makes sense. Horses for course's
Select to expand quoteChris 249 said...MorningBird said.. Botany Bay gets a very stiff sea breeze so a light downwind racer will be unmanageable in summer Botany Bay.
The top boats at BBYC last time I looked included a Rocket 7.8 or Melges 24 and a Whiting 32 half tonner. Some of the "downwind rockets" relish a breeze, especially something like a Whiting 32 (a downwind rocket in its day), RL24 DK, some Rocket 7.8s, or Elliott 7.4s. We used to race on the windiest part of BB on a 16 footer that weighed 104kg (fully rigged, with sails) and had a 28' high wing mast and it was quite manageable.
They have both a meggels 24 and the rocket plus a j70 and an Elliott racing the whiting 32 and a farr 10.2 also sail every weel plus occasionally a yamaha 33. They also sail a true Olympic course most weeks.
Botany bay offers the best sailing in Sydney by far maybe not the biggest or best fleet and the best cruising but definitely the best sailing no headlands or ferries to worry about and nowhere near the traffic.
Select to expand quotenancho said..
Hi everybody I´m new to the forums and I entered because I want to buy a boat to join the club races on Botany Bay where most of the fleet are under 30 feet boats. I have a budget of $10000, but ideally no more than $8,000 and I want to buy the fastest yacht that money can get (in good condition, not a run down barge)
At the moment I am looking at Endeavours 26, J24, folkboat 26, Marauder 24, Cavalier 26, and the like
I welcome any opinions, suggestions on which boat will make the best buy. My preferences are in this order: speed first, best build boat second and offshore capability third.
Thanks for your comments!
Also, let me know if there´s already a similar topic on seabreeze to have a look.
EDIT - Two Dogs posted while I was finishing this; I'm with him, go for something to fit in with the BB fleet ie E 26 or J/24 (subject to the J/s offshore issues).
Out of the Endeavour/Cav/Marauder bunch the Endeavour at Botany Bay has the advantage that they already have a small pack of them there; it looks like three 26s and a 27 at the moment. That way you get class racing. The Marauder is a lovely little boat but being smaller, not quite as quick as the E26 so you'll spend all day chasing. The Folkboat would be well off the pace. Cav 26? Similar to an E26 in pace IMHO.
The J/24 will need at least four people who don't mind sailing quite actively (hiking, moving quickly across through tacks) in Bay breezes but it is about 5% quicker than a 26. If you compare similar boats of a different length, you get about 1% increase in speed with every foot of extra length so compared to the E26 it is as if the J/24 was five feet longer - quite a bit.
There is a J/24 fleet at Cronulla so you could go around the corner for one-design regattas, which are great fun in J/24s. There would also be a pipeline for cheap sails, good enough for cruising and twilighting at least. On the other hand,the J/ is pretty damn tippy once it gets close to horizontal and is therefore dodgy for long offshore trips.
The early J/24s had high hatches that made fast tacks painful for the crew and would need Vermiculate jobs around the keel, but I assume you can easily pick up a retrofitted J with all that work done for your price. I think such a boat would have sealed cockpit lockers which can help, because they CAN fall over. The other thing about the J is that they are like a Laser in that there is so much knowledge out there about the way to sail them that you can really, really improve your technique and understanding.
There was at least one S80 sold recently in your budget. They are quick (would be able to get seconds and thirds, probably, in the BB fleet) and unlike the J/24 are stable enough to get Cat 3 for overnight offshores. A Whiting 32 or Farr 920 would be great boats but running costs are significantly higher.
