Possible Future owner of a 2003 Jeannea Sun Odyssey 32

[qomomoko]

Hello.

Excited as my search for a LIVEABOARD started February 2023 and look like it may come to a successful purchase of JSO 32.
I have been sailing weekly for 3 years now; sunfish, Flying Scot and friends Hunter Legend 37, Tartan 33, Gulfstar 40, Cal 39 and club boat Ensign Pearson and Winward 24. I greatly enjoy racing though am not a #1 winner  . I also plan on Sailing 2x a year along the EAST Florida Coast, USA for a 1 week each time.

I gravitate towards 38-40 ft sloops but am seeing that If I want the ability to sail SOLO for that 1 week along the Florida Coast, I may need to go towards the under 35 ft; the amount of work it takes me is helping me go to this way.

2003 JSO 32 is being sold by the ex owners son who is not a sailor or knows boats. I will see the boat this Sunday  10/15/23. I see there is no traveller and am thinking of putting one on the top of the companion way; what you guys think of such?
This JSO also has an IN MAST furled main, I have not been on a sailboat with one but have heard the usual "it is stuck" story.
Will I reef the main like a furled JIB is reefed by furling it?
Is 15 knots the sweet wind spot and above 15 knots furling time?
How does the hull/bow shape handle coast water of 3-5 ft waves?
How tight does it point with as is Main sheet set up? Guessing with traveller it will point slightly better.
This one has a wheel and have seen that some came with a tiller; can I purchase a tiller and on race weekends do a Tiller / wheel:pedestal swap?

The JSO looks great, it will be lucky and a privilage if I do end up with such a pretty sailboat with 3 cabins or 2 private berths.
Thanks again and any advice on this purchase is very welcomed.

Luis
Qmk
Qomomoko

[Don Reaves]

I have found that the JSO 35 is very easy to handle solo, since the controls are all led to the cockpit (other than the outhaul). Because of this, my boat is much easier to handle alone than my previous boat, a 30 foot Catalina. You don't need to limit your search to boats 32 feet and less unless there are other issues, like cost or mooring space.

[qomomoko]

Thanks! I would prefer a 35 because I will be a liveaboard and hope my girld friends joins me jajaja.
A local sailor said to me " Luis, buy the smalled boat you are comfortable with", I am not sure what that small size is yet 
There is a local JSO 36 that I hope to meet the owner and crew for him/her soon.

[Charlie-Bravo]

I am not qualified to advise on the perfect ‘solo boat’ , and there probably isn’t one.

A few of my friends live on their boats, some 30 footers, some 40 footers, all agree that the sailing is not the greatest difficulty they face, mooring in a tight marina will though raise anxiety levels, but it is all about arranging things early to be as easy as possible, and perhaps radioing ahead to ask for help, rather than being the boat bumping into others, it’s all about planning ahead ……. very well.
Smaller boats will generally be easier to handle, but not perhaps easier to live on.

My friends greatest challenge is space to put their belongings in, bicycles , tools , toys etc, so on that basis, buying a 35 wouldn’t be a bad choice, at least they are easy to handle in a marina, and have reasonable stowage, two water tanks, and, in the owners version with one (huge) aft cabin, a class leading shower you can stand up in, more valuable than you might first think, priorities of a liveaboard differ considerably to those of a ‘racer’, and everything is a compromise.

Furling sails are easier when single handing, but a good reliable auto helm is a must on a 35 , as you can’t helm and reach all the lines at the same time.
Yes you furl the main a bit to reef.
I find the Genoa provides most of the power on a 35, and they sail quite well with just that sail set, the main sail alone doesn’t do a lot, but used with the Genoa balances the helm and increases pointing ability and speed.

Think long and hard of your priorities 

CB

[qomomoko]

Thanks!

As a friend pointed out, I do not have enough experience on different sailboats; size, layout, sail plan, etc etc.
I remember being on a Catalina 30, moored, and I though it was not big enough for a liveaboard for me.

I am not that picky as far as bed, I currently sleep in a pop up roof top tent about queen size. However, I can see, with shore power and so A/C, I would prefer an queen size aft cabin to a V berth.

I do not own that many things and since have not livedaboard I might not appreciate the importance of storage space.
Another semi worry is when having a guest or my girl friend come over for the weekend and sharing living space for a couple of days.

[qomomoko]

It went horrible!!

The owner now live in NY and left it to his son an adult who moves around and then left his cousin the "keys".

Boat was in a slip and no fenders used so the pilings looked like a bear was living there from the scratched poles.

The boat is very humid so that there was mold every where. The sole wood is coming apart because of wetness. 

The in mast main was torn as it was not furled in all the way and left 3 ft out.



on the plus side I am considering Jeanneau more seriously as I see their beaty now.

[Charlie-Bravo]

Sad that your dream boat wasn’t quite how you hoped she would be, but this I find usual in the great search for a boat, usual to have many disappointing views, many green slime boats obviously unloved, I travelled over 2500 miles, and spent about 8 months searching and viewing, and the best one I found I couldn’t afford ………. but bought it anyway, well, you are only here once!

Keep up the search, bound to be a good boat somewhere, and the people selling are usually optimistic with their prices, and lower their prices considerably when an interested person comes along.

Happy searching

CB

[DarknStormy]

I have a 36i and she is my first seagoing boat. I raced J24's on inland waters before that. It is, as others have indicated, well laid out with the controls running to the cockpit. She is easy to sail and pretty forgiving of errors in handling (unlike my Jboat). Below decks she is well laid out (i have the two cabin version) with plenty of room and a nice head and galley. The systems all seem pretty well laid out and are in general pretty easy to work on. I don't solo much, I prefer to sail with my mates, but she could be handled solo. Keep looking, no need to get rushed, and find a well tended boat, they are out there. You might have to sail it back home from some faraway local, but that could very well be a plus!

[qomomoko]

encouraging replies, thanks.

Will keep looking. 
One of the next boats to look at is a 1998 JSO 36.2.
Looks full ready though the owner does not fully live  near it but might maintain it well.
This size should be great for my liveaboard coming up.