Boats to Consider for Offshore Cruising

* Able 32, 42, 48

USA

Superb quality, expensive. Chuck Paine designs.

* Alajuela 33

USA

Good value, well built.

* Alberg 30, 35, 37

USA

Early f /g boats. Well proven, not expensive. Narrow, short waterlines, graceful overhangs.

Alden 38, 43, 44, 46, 48, 54, 58

USA

Classy, well built, beautiful & expensive.

* Allied 30, 32, 33, 35, 36, 39, 42

USA

Good value. Functional, practical.

Amel 36‑53

  www.amel.fr

FRA

Strong, well designed. Excellent passagemaker, great value. Low maintenance.

* Amazon 29, 37, 44

CAN

Steel boats, attractive modern designs.

* Amphitrite 43

FRA

Waquiez built, strong & roomy with good storage. Odd deck design, but great boat and good value.

* Annie 28

USA

Every boat built by Morris is a work of art!

* Bayfield 29, 30‑32, 40

CAN

Good value. A bit “plasticy” interiors but ok.

* Bluewater 60

USA

Modern, top quality Chuck Paine design.

* Bowman 36‑58

ENG

Strong boats. Excellent passagemakers.

* Brewer 42

CAN

Improved version of Whitby 42.

* Bristol 27‑45

USA

Good boats. Later models were better quality.

Bristol Channel Cutter 28

USA

Well built, not my personal choice. Good company.

* Cabot 36

CAN

Ted Brewer design.

* Cal 2‑30, 34, 36, 39, 40, 2‑46, 3‑46, 48

USA

Bill Lapworth designs. Many 2-46's have circumnavigated. Comfortable, reasonably priced but look very carefully at bulkhead attachment.

Caliber 28, 33, 35, 38, 40.

  www.caliberyacht.com

USA

Fairly well‑built. Michael McCreary designs.

The 47 are not an attractive boat.

* Cambria 40, 44, 46

USA

Fast, well‑built, gorgeous and expensive.

* Camper Nicholson 31, 32, 35, 38, 39, 40, 43, 47, 56, 58, 70

ENG

Out of business except for shipbuilding. Watch for serious blister problems on all models.

Cabo Rico 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 45, 47,  www.caborico.com

CRI

Crelock and Paine designs. Expensive, semi custom.

* Cape Dory ‑ all models

USA

All models are well designed & built.

Cape George Cutters 31, 36, 38

USA

Some owner completed. Strong & fast.

Cascade 36, 42

USA

1965‑67 design still being built. Fairly narrow.

*Centurion 41, 42

FRA

Modern attractive boat with limited tankage and storage

* Cherubini 44, 48, 62

USA

Semi‑custom boats. Beautiful, great sailing

& expensive

* Contessa 26 & 32

CAN, ENG

Tania Aebi & B.J. Caldwell both circumnavigated in 26's.

Contest 31, 35, 36, 38, 40, 41, 42, 44, 46, 48, 55, 60

  www.contestyacts.com

HOL

More common in Europe. Well built, new boats are very attractive.

* Countess 44 by Pearson

USA

Ancient John Alden design. Will need to be repowered & rewired.

* Corbin 39

CAN

Roomy and strong, but watch for hull blisters.

Crealock 31, PH 32, 34, 37, 40, 44 by Pacific Seacraft

USA

One of the best US companies building cruising boats. Good value. Graceful overhangs, short waterlines.

* CSY 37, 44

USA

Sturdy, roomy & reasonably priced.

Dana 24 by Pacific Seacraft

USA

An expensive (for the size) pocket cruiser capable of ocean passages.

Deerfoot Yachts

*

VAR

Fast & innovative, aluminum & fiberglass hulls.

* Dickerson 36, 37, 40, 41, 50

*

USA

Nicely proportioned & well‑built boats. Earlier 36's are very reasonably priced.

* Durbeck 46

*

USA

Big and roomy, long overhangs, short waterline.

  Endurance 35, 38, 40

VAR

Peter Ibold design, some owner completed. Built by various yards in ENG, SCT, USA & CAN.

* Esprit 37 by Nordic

*

USA

Perry design. Comfortable, well proven, good value.

* F & C 44

*

ARG

Modem Frers designed cruising ketch.

  Farr Pilot House 50, 56, 60, 63

 www.farr-pilothouseyachts.com

SWE

Sexy, powerful, fast and glamorous. Excellent quality.

First boats were built by Najad.

  Fast Passage 39

USA

Some built in Canada , some by Tollycraft. Now being built in Anacortes, WA. Excellent boat.

  Fisher 30‑46

ENG

Sturdy motorsailers. Great for high latitude cruising.

  Flicka 20

USA

Solidly built Mini‑ocean cruiser, but slow, slow, slow.

* Francis 26

*

USA

Beautiful design from Morris, an excellent yard.

  Fantasi 44 pilothouse

  www.fantasi-yachts.se

SWE

Modern attractive pilothouse.

* Fraser 41, 46, 50

*

CAN

Good modem cruisers.

* Freya 39

USA

Good value. Many owner-completed, so quality varies. FAST, full-keel design capable of 200 mpd!

  Garcia 46-50+

Gorgeous, semi custom aluminum.

* Gladiateur 33

FRA

Very sturdy, short on tankage, Waquiez built.

* Goderich 35, 37,41

CAN

Attractive Brewer steel boats.

Gozzard 31, 36, 44

CAN

Good design & construction.

   Hallberg-Rassy, 31, 312, 33, 35, 352, 36, 38, 382, 39, 41,42, 42F, 43, 45, 46, 49, 53, 62

  www.hallberg-rassy.com

SWE

Well built, comfortable, with good tankage & storage. Newer Frers designs have better sailing performance than earlier Enderlien boats. Excellent resale value. Excellent systems integration and detail.

Halmatic 30

ENG

Similar to Nicholson 31.

Hinkley 30‑64

USA

Attractive, well built, and expensive. Hold their

value well. Modest tankage & storage.

* Hood 38

FRA

Waquiez built, Hood design. Strong, fast, & attractive. Short on tankage. Centerboard rattles downwind.

Hylas 46,49, 54, 54 raised Saloon

TAI

Frers & S & S designs. Good sailing qualities, tankage & storage. Quality better on later models.

Island Packet 32, 35, 350, 37,38, 40, 420, 44, 45   www.ipy.com

USA

Roomy & comfortable with good tankage & storage but some odd features. Improving every year. Good value.

J/32, J/42; J/44, J/46, J/160

  www.jboats.com

USA

Fast, light. Excellent sailing performance. Minimal tankage and storage.

Jason 35 from Miller Marine

USA

Some owner‑completed. Several have cruised extensively.

Jongert 50, 55, 60, 67, 73

HOL

Heavy, expensive, extremely well‑built steel and aluminum yachts. Not going to win any races, though!

Justine 36

USA

Gorgeous Paine design, Morris built cruiser.

Kaiulani 34, 38

USA

Lovely steel Brewer & Yohe designs.

Kanter 42, 45, 60, 65

  www.kanteryachts.com

CAN

Steel & aluminum boats, semi‑custom. Highest Quality. Chuck Paine & Ted Brewer designs.

LM 27, 28, 290, 30, 315, 32, 380

DEN

Some have inside steering. Well‑built.

Linda 28

USA

Gorgeous design, Morris quality.

Leigh 30

USA

Very well built, attractive Morris.

Little Harbor 42 ‑ 90

TAI & USA

Ted Hood designed, heavy displacement. Semi‑custom. Production returned to U.S. from Taiwan .

Expensive and solid as a rock.

* Luders 33, DOVE

USA

Older, well built by Allied.

Malo 36, 38, 39, 45

  www.maloyachts.se

SWE

Quality offshore boats. Attractive, reasonably priced.

Strong company, good service.

* Mariah 31

USA

At least one circumnavigation. Pacific Seacraft built.

Mason 33, 43, 44, 53, 54, 63

TAI

Some of the very best Taiwan built boats.

Mercator 30

USA

Inexpensive, obscure. One has circumnavigated

Moody 38, 42 , 47, 54, 64

  www.moody.co.uk

ENG

Good designs but some quality-control issues.

Morris 26, 28, 30, 32, 34,36, 42, 44, 45, 454, 46, 48.6, 52

  www.morrisyachts.com

USA

Chuck Paine design. Superb quality, highest quality US yard building cruising boats. Expensive. Semi-custom.

* Mystic 57, 60

ENG

Dubois design, Bowman built, beautiful.

Najad 330, 361, 370, 390, 420, 490, 520  www.najad.com

SWE

Quality, attractive boats. Excellent sailing performance. Good tankage, storage and high level of craftsmanship.

Nauti‑Cat Motorsailers 35,40,43, 53,  www.nauticat.com

FIN

Later S & S designed models are much better performers than earlier tubby models.

* Niagara 31, 35, 42

CAN

Well‑built & roomy. Superb value.

* Nordic 34,40,44,45

USA

Attractive boats, some solvable problems with mast step deflection on the 40 & 45.

* Norseman 400,447

TAI

Strong, fast, and attractive. Have held their value well.

North Wind 43,50, 58

  jawod@northwind.es

SPA

S&S designs, quality construction, good company.

Ocean 60, 71

ENG

Powerful boats, many have had blister problems

* Ocean Cruising 42

USA

Only a few built by Hank Hinkley. Classy.

* Orion 27

USA

Offshore capable. Pacific Seacraft built.

Oyster 42, 45, 485,49,53, 55, 56 61, 62, 63, 66, 70, 82, 100   

  www.oystermarine.com

ENG

NZL

Some have inside steering. Attractive, expensive and first class! Strong resale value.

Pacific Seacraft 34, 37, 40, 44

USA

Well built boats, good resale. Graceful overhangs.

* Pearson 35, 365, 424, 520

USA

Fairly well built, not flashy but reasonably priced.

Passport 41, 415, 435, 44, 456, 470, 50   www.wagnerstevens

TAI

Modem Perry cruising design. Good storage/tankage.

Pretorien 35

FRA

Strong, fast & attractive. Built by Waquiez. Best value for a boat under $85,000. Modest tankage.

* Rhodes Bounty II

USA

Ancient Pearson fiberglass design, classic but very old, so will need tons of upgrading. Is it worth it?

Regina of Vindo, 38, 43, 49

www.reginayachts.se

SWE

Attractive, well-built, quality deck saloon.

* Rival 36‑41

ENG

Strong, good-looking and sailing boats.

Sabre 34, 362,38, 402, 42, 402, 425, 452, www.sabreyachts.com

USA

Built in Maine, great quality, but limited tankage.

* Sadler 34

ENG

Unsinkable, fast, great performance. Good choice.

Saga 35, 43

  www.sagayachts.com

CAN

Modern Perry design. Fast innovate and narrow.

Santa Cruz 52

USA

Strong, fast and fun!

* Saturna 33

CAN

Attractive, Bill Garden designed pilothouse cutter.

* Scanmar 35

SWE

Limited production but good design.

Sceptre 41, 43

CAN

Modem pilothouse with good performance.

* Seawind 30, Seawind II 32'

USA

Excellent boats. Good value. First f /g boat to circumnavigate the world. Built by Allied Yachts.

Seguin 44, 51

USA

S & S design. Excellent boats. Semi‑Custom.

Shannon 32, 36, 39, 43,43 II, 47, 53.   www.shannonyachts.com

USA

Good reliable boats. Hold their value well.

Skye 51

TAI

Similar in appearance to Swans. Deck problems.

Southern Cross 28, 31, 35, 39

USA

Good boats. Attractive designs. Fairly well built.

Spencer 35, 42, 44, 54

CAN

Older, solid boats, built in Vancouver, B.C.

Stellar 52

TAI

Total quality S&S design, well built, great detail work.

Sundeer 56, 64

USA

Excellent & expensive. Innovative design & incredible performance. Good systems layout. Built by TPI.

Swan

FIN

Newest designs aren't well suited for ocean cruising.

Shearwater 39, 45

RSA

Strong, traditional and attractive.

Sweden Yachts,   

  www.swedenyachts.se

SWE

Expensive & well built. Racer‑cruiser designs, short on tankage and storage.

Tartan 3500, 37, 3700, 41, 4100, 4600,   www.tartanyachts.com

USA

Well proven several 37's have circumnavigated. Some designs have centerboards.

Taswell 43, 49, 56, 58, 60, 72,

  www.yachtworld.com/taswell

TAI

Quality, attractive, good sailing performance. Excellent tankage, storage and design.

Tashiba 31, 36, 40

TAI

Perry designs. From the best yard in Taiwan .

Topper Hermanson 40+

USA

Semi custom steel or aluminum Van de Stadt designs.

Trintella

HOL

Roomy and well built. Newer designs are aluminum.

Triton 29 by Pearson

USA

Good value, sturdy. Earliest F/g production boat.

Valiant 32, 37, 39, 40, 42, 47, 50.

  www.sailnet.com/valiant

USA

Major blister problems on Valient 40 hull numbers 116‑250. No problems with any of the excellent Texas built boats. Proven designs, strong company.

Vancouver 27

CAN

Also built in Taiwan & England .

Vangard 32

USA

Good value. Alberg design, built by Pearson.

Vega 27, by Albin Marine

SWE

At least six have circumnavigated. Inexpensive, fast.

Victoria 30, 34

ENG

Chuck Paine design, Morris built.

Vindo 29, 34, 38, 39

SWE

Attractive, well built, but high maintenance.

Vineyard Vixen 30, 34

USA

Attractive design.

Westerly 26 ‑ 36

ENG

Not flashy, but fairly well‑built boats.

Westsail 28, 32, 39, 42, 43

USA

Sturdy boats. 39's are rare & attractive. Perry designs.

Whitby 42, 44

CAN

Brewer designs that sell for $85‑120k. Good value. Roomy and fairly well built.

Windship

USA

Expensive custom boats.

Yankee 26, 30

USA

S & S designed. Inexpensive and capable. Great value.

Atlantic 42, 55

  www.chriswhitedesigns.com

RSA

Chris White design

Catana 401, 431, 471, 521

FRA

Good design, but customer service lacks on delivery

Foutntaine Pajot 38, 43, 46, 56, 60, 75

  www.fountaine-pajot.com

FRA

Attractive designs.

Gemini 105Mc

Long successful production run.

Kronos 45

USA

Lagoon 38, 41, 47, 57, 67

  www.cta-lagoon.com

FRA

Leopard 38,42,47, 62

RSA

Good design, Possibly best built production cat.

Manta 42 www.mantausa.com

USA

Well designed and built.

PDQ 32, 36, 42

CAN

Long successful production run.

Prout 38, 45

ENG

Reasonably priced, well proven, long production run.

Voyage 380, 440, 500, 580 

  www.yoyageyachts.com

RSA

Lightweight, good value