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Post by runpeng on May 8, 2022 13:24:02 GMT
Hi guys, I am from China and plan to buy a used Jeanneau's boat as my first one. Recently I've been looking for a model that fits me on related websites, and SO39i, SO42i(DS), and SO43 models have entered my options, but unable to know which one is suitable for me to own. My expectation is the boat will be stable enough and faster as well as be able to support more than 30 days of solo sailing. Please give me some advice:)
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Post by zaphod on May 8, 2022 16:51:54 GMT
Those are all going to be very similar and are more a matter of personal taste and budget. They are all capable of long voyages as long as they are suitibly equipped and provisioned.They will also all be a lot of boat for a beginner to handle.
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Post by Charlie-Bravo on May 8, 2022 20:07:10 GMT
Just adding to what has just been mentioned by Zaphod, of which all is true.
you can buy any yacht (budget being available) , and go afloat for 30 days, and the better it is prepared the more comfortable you will be. However, it is not the choice of boat that is key to your ambition, more how prepared you are for the challenges that can be found at sea. I would suggest that a smaller yacht could be much easier to sail single handed, and still be very capable for longer travel, size doesn’t equate to sea worthiness .
Personally I think 40 foot of boat is too much for single handing, and only those with vast experience of life at sea could cope with it, yes it can be done, but it isn’t all easy.
Hope you find the right boat for you. CB
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Post by NZL50505 on May 8, 2022 21:55:21 GMT
I sail my 50 footer singlehanded but I didn’t jump straight to it. I started with a 27 footer where the loads were far lower (and therefore safer) to learn the principles. Then scaled from there over several boats.
Interestingly, I think the 40-50ft bracket is one of the hardest to manage single-handed because the loads are quite high but most of the gear is still manual ie lots of manual winching for hoisting, reefing and sheeting sails.
In contrast, once you get into the 50ft region many boats will have electric systems meaning much of the muscle work is swapped for push-button. BUT this is not a safe model unless you have the prior experience to understand with confidence exactly what you are doing every time you push one of this big power winch buttons.
Yes of course you can find smaller boats with electric winches and bow thrusters etc but again you need the underlying experience to operate push button boats as safely as manual.
And of course all of my comments above relate to being underway in the open water. Berthing is a whole other subject but again smaller is easier and safer to learn with eg 35ft.
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DarknStormy
Full Member
Posts: 47
Jeanneau Model: 36i
Yacht Name: Dark n Stormy
Home Port: Lagos
Country: Portugal
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Post by DarknStormy on May 9, 2022 6:40:58 GMT
I chose an SO 36i as my first real ocean going boat. I've been sailing for year, inland lake sailing on J24's etc. I like the size of the 36, pretty easy to handle with short crew yet still fully capable. As others have noted, the costs (monetary, physical, mental) all go up with the size of the boat. A lot depends on where you will sail also. Is your marina easy and forgiving, or complicated and hard? Are your home waters and learning territory easy or hard to sail on in terms of hazards to sailing and other complications? In my opinion, smaller boats are generally easier to handle and more forgiving of learning mistakes. You can always sell and move up to a larger yacht when you feel good about it. Good luck with your search!
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Post by runpeng on May 9, 2022 7:34:05 GMT
Just adding to what has just been mentioned by Zaphod, of which all is true. you can buy any yacht (budget being available) , and go afloat for 30 days, and the better it is prepared the more comfortable you will be. However, it is not the choice of boat that is key to your ambition, more how prepared you are for the challenges that can be found at sea. I would suggest that a smaller yacht could be much easier to sail single handed, and still be very capable for longer travel, size doesn’t equate to sea worthiness . Personally I think 40 foot of boat is too much for single handing, and only those with vast experience of life at sea could cope with it, yes it can be done, but it isn’t all easy. Hope you find the right boat for you. CB The reason I was considering boats over 40 feet before was because I always heard people say bigger boats are safer and should buy a big boat as much as possible. I do think that your suggestion is good! As you said, I should consider boats under 40 feet such as SO35 or SO36i, probably, those models are much better for newbies. After buying the boat I want to hire a captain to teach me everything, do you think this is a good idea?
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Post by NZL50505 on May 9, 2022 8:29:01 GMT
That’s a good idea (if he / she is a good captain)!
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DarknStormy
Full Member
Posts: 47
Jeanneau Model: 36i
Yacht Name: Dark n Stormy
Home Port: Lagos
Country: Portugal
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Post by DarknStormy on May 9, 2022 9:23:15 GMT
Just adding to what has just been mentioned by Zaphod, of which all is true. you can buy any yacht (budget being available) , and go afloat for 30 days, and the better it is prepared the more comfortable you will be. However, it is not the choice of boat that is key to your ambition, more how prepared you are for the challenges that can be found at sea. I would suggest that a smaller yacht could be much easier to sail single handed, and still be very capable for longer travel, size doesn’t equate to sea worthiness . Personally I think 40 foot of boat is too much for single handing, and only those with vast experience of life at sea could cope with it, yes it can be done, but it isn’t all easy. Hope you find the right boat for you. CB The reason I was considering boats over 40 feet before was because I always heard people say bigger boats are safer and should buy a big boat as much as possible. I do think that your suggestion is good! As you said, I should consider boats under 40 feet such as SO35 or SO36i, probably, those models are much better for newbies. After buying the boat I want to hire a captain to teach me everything, do you think this is a good idea? I Don't really agree with the generality that bigger is safer. A well maintained and equipped 30' yacht that is well handled will be far safer than a poorly maintained and equipped 50'er with a poor crew. Find a nice boat that has been well tended and get some quality training and you will be in good shape. Be sure to have the boat inspected by a qualified marine surveyor as well. How many people do you have in mind for crew?
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Post by runpeng on May 9, 2022 11:14:55 GMT
The reason I was considering boats over 40 feet before was because I always heard people say bigger boats are safer and should buy a big boat as much as possible. I do think that your suggestion is good! As you said, I should consider boats under 40 feet such as SO35 or SO36i, probably, those models are much better for newbies. After buying the boat I want to hire a captain to teach me everything, do you think this is a good idea? I Don't really agree with the generality that bigger is safer. A well maintained and equipped 30' yacht that is well handled will be far safer than a poorly maintained and equipped 50'er with a poor crew. Find a nice boat that has been well tended and get some quality training and you will be in good shape. Be sure to have the boat inspected by a qualified marine surveyor as well. How many people do you have in mind for crew? Hi Darkn, I agree with you, and thank you for sharing a lot of good information! I am a field engineer and have worked in the game industry for 13 years. Sailing my dream is like a seed buried in my heart which one day it will sprout. To be honest, I haven't had experience going sailing, this means learning everything from scratch, but it's okay I have you guys:)
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Post by Don Reaves on May 9, 2022 13:47:36 GMT
If you haven't done it already, I suggest you read about sailing, how sails work, sail trim, and sailing vocabulary. I found this a useful thing to do during the winter months, when I couldn't put them into practice. It kept me excited about sailing and of course increased my knowledge about it. I did this in a time when books were the only way, but now you should be able to find lots of information on-line.
Learning the vocabulary will be important when you work with your captain/teacher. It will make it easier to communicate with him or her.
Eventually, you will also want to read about engine maintenance and other tasks you will be required to do while alone on your boat.
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Post by Trevor on May 9, 2022 14:02:24 GMT
If you want a way to have a structured approach to learning, the RYA has courses and formalised certifications from your first introduction ( competent crew) to being an ocean sailor ( Yachtmaster Ocean). You may find an instructor near your location as these course are provided internationally. It is a way that a structured approach can be provided and a uniform approach to learning and certification can be adopted if you wish.
It may be worth enquiring about.
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Post by Charlie-Bravo on May 9, 2022 18:20:19 GMT
“The reason I was considering boats over 40 feet before was because I always heard people say bigger boats are safer and should buy a big boat as much as possible. I do think that your suggestion is good! As you said, I should consider boats under 40 feet such as SO35 or SO36i, probably, those models are much better for newbies. After buying the boat I want to hire a captain to teach me everything, do you think this is a good idea?”
As mentioned by many already, RYA courses are a good introduction to sailing, are well structured, and a good foundation on which to build experience, once a course such as RYA Day skipper has been completed you could then go on a flotilla holiday perhaps , to further your experience whilst having the support of the flotilla company crew, and then do more advanced training, or if in more of a hurry to learn, there are what is known as Zero to Hero courses , which take you from beginner to commercial skipper ….. these are intensive, and you would learn a lot in a fairly short space of time, however, there is no shortcut for experience, and that is more valuable than any course certificate. It is similar to learning to drive a car, you train, get qualified with a driving test, but it is only after driving for years that you become accomplished (some never quite make it !), and usually your first car is not a limousine, more like a hatchback.
Take your time and gain experience , learn, read, watch training videos, take courses, and then you will be able to make an informed decision on what is the right boat for you. Just as much fun to be had in smaller boats as on larger models.
CB
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gokhan
New Member
Posts: 1
Jeanneau Model: 2004 SO 37
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Post by gokhan on May 9, 2022 19:02:14 GMT
If you haven't done it already, I suggest you read about sailing, how sails work, sail trim, and sailing vocabulary. I found this a useful thing to do during the winter months, when I couldn't put them into practice. It kept me excited about sailing and of course increased my knowledge about it. I did this in a time when books were the only way, but now you should be able to find lots of information on-line.
Learning the vocabulary will be important when you work with your captain/teacher. It will make it easier to communicate with him or her.
Eventually, you will also want to read about engine maintenance and other tasks you will be required to do while alone on your boat.
Here are some books I can suggest. Besides the Cunliffe, Vigor, Pardeys, Calder, Casey and Sleight books, I would add the following (some are rather "old" but still useful): Illustrated Sail & Rig TuningIllustrated Seamanship: Ropes & Ropework, Boat Handling & AnchoringThe Yachtsman's Emergency Handbook: The Complete Survival ManualSeamanship 2.0: Everything you need to know to get yourself out of trouble at seaHow Boat Things Work: An Illustrated GuideSimple Boat MaintenanceMaintenance and Repair Manual for Diesel Engines
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nigelhopkins
Full Member
Posts: 27
Jeanneau Model: Sun Odyssey 42i
Yacht Name: Skiron
Home Port: Preveza
Country: Greece
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Post by nigelhopkins on May 10, 2022 8:40:00 GMT
Good luck in your search for a boat.
My personal opinion and I agree with Charlie-Bravo and DarknStormy, is that you should aim for something smaller. A Jeanneau 36i would be more manageable as a solo sailor. It's a very capable and safe boat, but will be much easier to moor and control in marina's, anchorages, etc.
I started out with a 28' Moody and then progressed to a Jeanneau 36i and now a Jeanneau 42i. Whilst the 42i is much more roomy and comfortable I wouldn't be rushing to sail it solo. Mine is equipped with a bow thruster, but even then, handling in a marina with wind on the beam is challenging enough with 2 or 3 crew.
Additionally, the ongoing costs for a smaller boat should be lower.
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Post by rene460 on May 10, 2022 11:07:37 GMT
Lots of very sound advice from very experienced sailors in the replies already posted. Another vote for doing all you can to learn about sailing, and preferably try chartering with some more experienced friends so you have a feel for different boats. And I would add another consideration to the list.
Have a think about where you will store the boat. For most of us the boat lies in storage while we go about our work and other household and family duties and for most of us the 30 day cruise is more like a once per year experience. The rest of the year we aim for as much day sailing and perhaps weekend trips as we can manage.
Are there marinas in your area, or are most boats on moorings? Remember your boat will be there most of the year, through all weathers, and it may not always be possible to visit and check everything when bad weather approaches. It’s good to be able to get to the boat for day trips or little maintenance jobs. Have a look around at where boats in your area are stored, and what facilities are available for maintenance, particularly lifting out for hull cleaning.
Joining a sailing club will also help you meet other sailors in your area, and there are often boats that need an extra crew member, that might be an opportunity to add to your experience. Joining a club with good facilities will help solve many problems.
Best wishes as you begin your sailing,
rene460
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Post by fimacca on May 10, 2022 19:15:53 GMT
Depends on your budget,
experience at sea, or at sailing
- and where you plan to go.
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Post by so40gtb on May 22, 2022 23:23:58 GMT
We started with a SO34.2, after leaning on a Catalina 30, Newport 30, and Rainbow 24 over several years. It was a good "starter" boat for us, stable in most conditions and in seas up to 2m. After 5 years, we sold her and acquired our SO40, which is our "forever" boat. The years on the 34.2 helped us learn what we liked and didn't like about cabin layout, winch count and placement, and many more factors that go into the boat decision. This is our 11th season on our SO40 and we will continue until age necessitates a smaller vessel or an end to sailing. All that said, I think 40+ is a bit much for a "first boat" unless you have many seasons of experience on someone else's boat.
--Karl
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Post by rxc on Jun 7, 2022 15:27:05 GMT
I just happened across this thread, and agree with most of the comments. My first suggestion would be to find a friend who already owns a boat, in the 30-35 ft range, and see what it is like to sail. Talk to that friend about all the issues regarding storage and maintenance, and spend some time on board a smaller boat before you buy anything. Try to spend at least a weekend on their boat - 1-2 weeks would be even better, or a whole season of weekends, to get an idea about what it is like.
If you have time, and are young enough, buy a really small boat at first, like a sailing dinghy or even a wind-surfer, to learn about sails and how to trim them. You buy the larger boat for the conveniences. You also need to take a course on the legal aspects of boat ownership, including rules-of-the-road and basic navigation, reading a chart, handling lines, etc. Get that stuff down before you buy anything. Depending on where you live, you may even be required to take tests and pay for a license before you can buy a boat, or get it insured.
Realize that the larger boats have much larger, more complex systems, and if you are not mechanically/electrically minded, you will have to have a large bank account to pay for the maintenance and repair of those systems. Boat berthing costs, insurance, and licensing also increase as the size increases, often at an alarming rate.
Larger can be more comfortable, but it is not automatically safer. It is a lot easier to deal with a grounding on a sailing dinghy than on an ocean liner or a battleship.
Get the experience using someone else's boat, and then figure out what you like and dislike. Nothing worse than spending major dollars/euros/yen on a large item that you decide is not right for you, and is difficult to sell.
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