wehat are your thoughts on the following yachts currently for sale.. www.boatpoint.com.au/boats-for-sale/boatdetails.aspx?R=12132795 and http://yachthub.com/list/yachts-for-sale/used/sail-monohulls/adams-31/106651
id go the adams myself, but what is it for? cruising? if so the roberts would probably be more comfy and drier, but a bit slower too.
id prefer solid glass adams to steel anything as well. gerry (if hes still there) at burraneer bay is pretty good at selling (or trying) so be sure to do homework yourself.
adams shouldnt have a full keel either so if you are coastal cruising itd be better for manouvering.
adams needs a holding tank though. not sure on the roberts, although being newer and from cairns it might well have one.
any more info on the roberts?
Very hard choice, they both look good.
The Roberts has the underwater shape of a South Coast 36. They ride very soft and are good sea boats. Windward and performance are not usually heard in the same conversation as the name.
The Adams looks very much like an early Mottle 33. Will do everything right. The aft cabin wil be the size of a small postage stamp and youwill probably need to crawl down to it.
The bottom line for these is in the looking at and then what "feels" like your boat.
The Roberts will have more room and a capacity to acrry more weight, the Adams will be a hum dinger to sail.
Can't tell from a photo.
Dusty
PS: I have owned both types.
I would suggest you have your wife investigate the aft cabin in the Adams. Make sure its a warmish day.
I think the Roberts would be a better cruiser but useless for any racing. Having said that I would go the Adams, mainly because I have looked at a few Roberts and their finish has always been terrible.
Ramona is right on the stern cabin. It is tight on a Mottle33, how it works on a 31 ft boat will be interesting.
I have recently assisted with purchases of a couple of S&S34s, all obtained at massive discounts to asking prices. The Adams seems to be a well maintained boat so the discount probably won't be as great, however, boats aren't selling and very good prices are to be had.
Again as Ramona points out, at $40K you have a wide choice in the 30ft range. You can even get a S&S34 in that price range but it won't be as good condition wise as these appear to be from the photos.
You guys give great input into helping us new comers. THANKYOU. It is like asking your older brother what he thinks of a car you want to buy! The adams does look fun and well maintained whilst the roberts looks sure and safe... with less additions. I know what the handling difference would be between the two. I would rather be in the roberts in a force 7 and tinning around the buoys in the adams. Still waiting on a full spec report on the roberts. Will let you know when that comes through. Mainly interested in its engine considering it is not mentioned. Must be looking at the wrong sites for comparably priced S&S's. Can anyone point me in the right direction. Also, this is a much more personal question for people considering dealers may also be on this site, but what is the NORM for end price from asking price. Does it start at what they are asking and then chipping away at the defects? ... Or just fly in the wind and through a price you think she is worth?
Redwitch,
The blurb on the Roberts clearly states it has Yanmar 27hp engine, new in 2003?
With an asking price of $30,000 I would offer $22,500 and take it from there, expecting to sail it away for no more than $25,000-$27,000max.
Tha Adams is overpriced IMO and I would offer a max of $35,000, starting at a cheeky $30,000.
Dusty
i spent 6 months haggling on mine on an already good listed price and got about 15% off. others get a lot more off the listed price.
good to remember 3 things, you can always go up with your offer not down, the broker will always want an offer - any offer, and the things are easy to buy and hard to sell.
imo, doesnt hurt to come down 30% and make offers on several boats at once. plenty of brokers know each other, and if they talk, they will see you are real about each one.
there are some good heads here so im sure some sound advice will and has been put in 
The recent S&S purchases ranged from $25K for a non standard one (flush timber deck) needing an interior gutting (advertised I think around $42K) to low $40ks (advertised about $55-60K) for a sound usable example, still needing work. The one in the middle was I think $32K (advertised about $48K) but needed lots of work to bring it up, however the new owner did take it up the coast to Mooloolaba almost immediately. None were as good a condition/equipment fit as these two boats.
My gut feel is to offer 60% and aim for at least 25% below asking price. There are so many available they are all bargains so you shouldn't pay any more than you can get for it if you were to put it back on the market next week.
Although it was 6 years ago my boat was advertised at $64K and I paid $38K as the engine was at risk of being scrapped so that was the bargaining chip (I rebuilt it and it is going strong). My first offer was $30K, then $34K.
The Adams looks in reasonable nick and is very well equipped but is going to be cramped and hard to sell when the time comes. Roberts have a bad name for being normally amateur built/fitted out. Use these factors as bargaining tools.
I would probably be more comfortable in the Roberts in a blow but it depends on so many factors i.e. rigging, fittings, seakeeping, berth design. It is reassuring to heave to, go below with a bucket and know the boat will still be there when you come back up. The Adams is likely to sail better up to the point you can't sail anymore.
Everything is a compromise. I only look at local boats so I can get onboard and see which one feels right.
