Yes I have good news for the ones whom sailing pleasure and fun is more important than cruising comfort on a cozy interior: Finally the much waited replacement of the Figaro II is going to happen this year and that means a lot of very good small racing offshore sailingboats on the market at very interesting prices, since the boat will be no more used on the Figaro circuit after 2017 or 2018?
This boat will make not only an interesting fast spartan cruiser but also an interesting offshore solo or short crew racer, for the ones that are more interested in that or in a dual program, particularly on places were the fleets are not very new. The boat interior is the one of an offshore race boat and has everything you need to live aboard even if in a spartan way, but it would not be difficult neither very expensive to improve that interior.
Regarding seaworthiness, I will remember that on the Figaro circuits duo Transats were on the racing program and that when the previous model was discontinued (Figaro I) an old Canadian sailor pick one and had done a circumnavigation without any problem.
A movie with the boat interior and some others that will remain in our memory regarding this boat great sailing performance ;-)
More movies here: http://interestingsailboats.blogspot.pt/2014/04/video-crazy-sailing-on-33ft-offshore.html
Great post! I have seriously been thinking about this for a while now. It is hard to find second hand boats online though. Have you already heard of people that are actually doing this?
ReplyDeleteCheers, Max
Unfortunately, or fortunately the Figaro 2 has proved to be a competitive boat on IRC racing so the prices did not come down as much as I was expecting.
ReplyDeleteYes, there are several sailors that like to sail fast while cruising and that don't mind to have a very spartan but functional interior that are using as cruising boats racing boats that are not competitive anymore:
I have seen IMOCA 60fters, Multihull 50, class 40, mini-racers, JPK, Archambault and many other old racing boats cruising.
https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/2003/archambault-40-3663034/