WHAT IS THE IDEAL CRUISING BOAT FOR YOU? Are older sailboats slower and worse than recent designs? (3rd part)

3- WHAT IS THE IDEAL CRUISING BOAT FOR YOU?

The cruising boat that is more adapted for you depends first of all on the importance that you attribute to sailing (pleasure of sailing), as a sport, on your cruising program, and then, it depends not only where you will sail most of the time, but also on your personal sailing, and cruising tastes, as well as in your experience as a sailor. 

Above Portuguese exploration Caravela. below Portuguese Nau, or Galeão

Even if many types of boats can do it, the better boat for a circumnavigation on the trade winds, or to sail extensively on the trade winds, will not have the same design as a boat designed to sail in overall conditions, and the Portuguese, that mapped the trade winds, knew that since the XV century. They used Caravels for exploring purposes and to map the winds, and Naus to sail on the trade winds, and looking at the two ships, the differences are huge.

Regarding cruising amenities, a boat designed to enjoy life and sailing in sunny days and warm nights, will not have the same design of a boat designed to sail all year around, with rain and cold weather.

Most would say that the boat that offers more protection against the elements will be better, but will only be better if it is used mostly fot sailing where protection against the elements is a priority, or at least if it is used for a considerable period of time on those conditions, because otherwise the boat designed to enjoy life, and to enjoy sailing with nice weather, will be much more pleasant and agreeable to sail, and more comfortable to live, inside and outside.

Many ask me what would be the boat I would have, if I would not have any money limitations, and I would say that a decade ago, when I was younger and more fit, I would probably have chosen a XP44.

Above, replica of a Portuguese Caravel, Below, Nau or Galeão.

But the ones that think that this is the boat that I would recommend for most, and it is more adapted to their cruising needs or sailing tastes, are very wrong. 

I have done sports all my life and very much enjoy the sportive side of sailing, I enjoy as much sailing by itself as cruising and I have very particular sailing tastes and cruise on the med, mostly day sailing, from May to October, and I do that because that's what I like to do. I don't like to sail when it is raining, or when it is cold, even if I have aboard the equipment that allows me to stay dry, if needed.

Even if the drawings of the Caravela are not original we can see quite well
the diferences in the hull design and sail rigging between a hull optimized
for an overall good sailing performance, and the design of a hull and rigging
 optimized for downwind sailing. Note that the Galeão is  much bigger, having
 500 tons while the Caravela has typically 50 tons, and that makes the difference
in length to beam appear much less significant than what it is, because in
bigger ships that difference is proportionally smaller than in smaller ships.

Yes I know that the XP44 was designed 14 years ago, but probably among other production performance cruisers, with the same interior quality and comfort, only the all carbon Neo 430 will be faster. 

But even if the NEO has an interior of good quality, it is a bit cold for my taste, and it has too much draft for cruising, even if it can have a lifting keel, that I would not want, due to having considerably more maintenance. 

But make no mistake, I like the NEO 430  very much, much more than the Pogo 44, even if we have to consider that the Pogo 44 is a much less expensive boat, and that my opinion is conditioned by the type of sailing I like to do, that does not involve large ocean passages in the trade winds in autopilot (where the Pogo is one of the best), and quite the contrary, it involves varied sailing conditions, many times with weak winds, lots of upwind sailing, many times hand steering, when the conditions are stronger, and I do have pleasure and fun hand steering, in those conditions.

It would probably be a different type of boat and a different type of sailing, if my wife, that has been a partner in different sport activities, since we met 45 years ago, would not hate to sail non-stop several days in a row. But the days when I sailed solo from Portugal to the Balearic Islands, and she would fly to join me there, are long gone, and now she is most of the time, an active sailing partner, unless things get too tough, and she gets seasick. 

On top XP44, above Neo 430, below J112e
and Saare 41 AC

But life is what it is, either we choose to live it with a partner, or alone, and I have to say that I know more wives from cruisers that are a lot worse than my wife in what regards sailing, and very few that really enjoy sailing extensively non stop. Believe it or not, I found out with surprise that even if she is always pissing me, when I am  taking out reefs, for going as fast as I can go safely, she likes to chase sails over the horizon, and in that case she even likes to help with the boat trim, and with the sails.

The XP44, like my own boat, is not a boat easy to sail. Both boats need a crew to be fully exploited, even if they can be solo sailed, with some care by an experienced sailor, and more easily by a couple. But sailing short handed a XP44 (or my boat) will also be (in most occasions) a sportive experience, that only makes sense if the one that owns the boat likes sailing as a sport. 

I like sportive boats, sportive cars and motorcycles and it fits with my temperament and character. I like demanding and fast sailboats and I like the challenge. A XP44 is even more difficult to sail solo than my boat because it is bigger, with bigger sails and bigger efforts.

Now, with over 70 years of age I would not choose a XP44 anymore, I love my boat but it has huge sails, it is very powerful and my performance as a sailor is a diminishing one and experience and knowledge can only partially substitute a degrading physical performance, and now, if I could choose without limitations the boat I would buy, instead of a more powerful sailboat (XP44), I would appreciate a boat that could prolong my ability to sail and cruise for as long as possible, an easier boat, and I would be undecided between a J112e, a smaller cruiser-racer and therefore easier to sail solo than my 41fter, but a boat not very different from my own boat, in spirit and performance, or a Saare 41AC.

J112e interior. Not big, but comfortable and nice.

The Saare 41 AC is a boat the size of my boat, with about the same storage space, not as fast, but among the fastest MMC, with a very good performance upwind, a good overall performance, much easier to sail, with the same beam as my boat, with 1800kg more displacement (1400kg of them in ballast) on a similar keel with 25cm less draft. Well, to be true, if possible I would probably have it with the same draft as my boat (2,25m) and less ballast, making it about 400kg lighter.

Saare 41.2 interior with a big and very funcional galley and an interior that
without being big is of excellent quality and cozy.

The truth is that if I was only thinking about this season, probably I would chose the J112e, but if I was considering the years to come, as I should, a Saare 41 AC would make much more sense, and if I really had a big budget for cruising, for the next years, that's probably the boat I would choose right now. Actually, our cruising budget comes from two relatively small pensions, mine and my wife's and an  used boat would be the only alternative to change my boat in the present circumstances. The Saare 41 AC is quite expensive while new, but has a big resale value and it is completely out of reach.

An used J112e is less expensive, but it is very difficult to find an used one that has not seen used extensively for racing, and they have also  high resale prices, much higher than the one of my boat, so I guess that I will keep my Comet 41s, till the end of our cruising days, and I have no problem with that, because I was able to choose the right boat for my needs, tastes and sailing program, and all I have to do now is sail the boat more conservatively, more far away from its true potential, on the years to come.

 I remember that some years ago, going up all the the Turkish coast, from Alanya (east of Antalya) till Ayvalik, near the Dardanelles strait (800 nm), I got mostly medium weak winds, and always upwind sailing. I have done that voyage sailing, beating most of the time and enjoying the sailing, stopping in the afternoon in beautiful anchorages, and taking great pleasure with the cruising life. A Pogo would be far worse than my boat to do that, while the XP44 would be faster and as enjoyable.

My boat, somewhere in the Golf of Volos, in the North Aegean

The X J112e would be overall slightly slower but, also a very pleasant boat to sail in those conditions. But would you make 800 nm beating upwind without using the engine? Most would not, and if you motor upwind instead of beating, cruising in  a boat like mine does not make much sense. Most don't see sailing as a sportive experience or even as an end in itself. Even the ones that sail whenever the wind is enough to have a decent speed don't like to mess with fine tuning to get more 0,3 or 0,4 kt of boat speed. These boats are a lot more work to sail, if sailed fast are not so easy on the autopilot, and heel more. 

Going fast upwind 

This type of cruisers only make sense for someone that likes as much sailing performance as cruising, and sail in places where  it is expected to sail as much upwind, as downwind, or even more upwind, that is what is expected when you sail along coasts or between Islands, because fast boats make a lot of wind in weaker winds, and transform beam or slightly downwind winds in upwind winds.

I am sure my wife, would be much happier cruising with other type of sailboat and with other cruising program. 

and very close to the wind.

She complains that most of the time we arrive at the bay or cove where we are going to stay for the afternoon and night, between 4 and 7 PM, to sail away next day between around 10 AM. For me it is plenty time for having a swim, several in fact, to drink some wine,  have a nice dinner and even to read a bit, before having fun sailing again.

Isabel would like us to stay several days in the same place, and that happens sometimesm but mostly in the days when we make 60 to 90 miles, or after several days sailing non stop. 

Allonisos, in the Sporades

She would like that to happen all the time, meaning, to stop in each place for two days, or more, as many cruisers do.

I like to sail everyday, and I do between 2000 and 2500 miles for season. 

And I don't do racing (I have only done two very amateurish races with my previous boat), not because I would not have liked to do that, but because life did not went that way, neither had the budget, or time to do it, when I was younger. 

That's what we like, after a day sailing, a nice meal aboard,
or in a not crowded restaurant, with a view to the boat.

I have done racing for many years, but motorcycle rally racing, that was way less expensive than sail racing, and demanded less time, at least for the kind of offshore sail races I would have been interested in. 

So, long story, just to make you understand that the type of boat it is suited for me, and my cruising and sailing tastes, is directly related with the type of cruising I like to do, with the fun I have sailing, the type of sailing I do, and I am sure that the type of boat that suits me will not be the type of boat that is more suited for most.

The interior of my boat while sailing

I am giving a big importance to this because people keep asking what would be the boat I would buy, if I had the money to buy it,  as if the answer had relevance to the boat more suited to them. 

Even if I know about boat design, the kind of boat I prefer it is not the most indicated for most cruising programs, or sailing programs. However I can probably help in finding the one that is more adapted for you, and for your sailing program.

Because I start by talking about my own tastes regarding cruising and sailing and the type of boats that best suit me, a particular type of performance cruisers, let's continue with performance cruisers.  They are not all the the same, or equally suited to the different type of cruisers that are best served with a performance sailboat. Depending on their sailing program, and also on their sailing tastes. I will subdivide them in 5 different sub-categories: 

The first type  will comprise very fast cruiser-racers more pointed to racing than cruising, with a simplified but funcional cruising interior. The cockpit will allow cruising but it is more adapted to racing, and it can be rigged for crewed racing or solo/duo racing. They have always a point of sail and wind to where they are maximized, but we can say that they are very fast in all sailing points and conditions, and that maximization is not in a way to greatly diminish the performance under any  circumstances, or any points of sail.

On top JPK 11.80, above the XR 41

Recently two new ones arrived to the market, the XR-41 and the Club Swan 43, that joined the JPK line of more racing oriented yachts, the recent First 36, the Sun Fast, the racing line of Jboats, top specs NEO, and several other small production sailboats that are more considered as IRC racers than as cruiser-racers, even if they can be used in a dual mode, for top racing and spartan cruising. I would say that these ones were designed 80% for racing and 20% for cruising, and their design has only to do with sail performance, and eventually to obtain a better performance under ORC or IRC racing.

They are obviously meant for the ones that want to race at high level, with some kind of sponsorship, in top amateur or semi-professional races, and to whom cruising may happen with the family, but as a secondary use, and probably never for long range cruising, or for living for extensive periods aboard.

The new J40

The second type of cruiser-racers, are designed 50% for racing and 50% for cruising, and they are the ones that used to be called cruiser-racers, and that today seem to be an endangered species. My boat belongs to this type. They are boats with good cruising interiors. In what regards hull design, performance is the main drive, and very little was conceded to cruising agreement, that is apparent mostly in the cockpit design, with longer seats, more storage, and less radical rigging, mostly a generic good one, instead of being adapted specifically for crewed racing or solo racing.

Above First 44, below Grand Soleil 40

The new J40, the J112e, the J45, the First 44, Salona yachts, some Elan, some Grand Soleil, most Italia yachts, Luffe Yachts, some Faurby, some NEO yachts, Arcona, top Dehler, and the XP yachts (that recently where retired from the catalogue) belong to this type of yachts. These boats have a hull designed for overall very good sailing performance. Some of them can be equipped more for cruising, or for racing, to suit the boat owner sailing program, while others like the J40 or Neo Yachts come standard better equipped for a 50% dual use.

Above and below, Grand Soleil 40

These boats if well equipped for racing, can have very interesting racing results, and can even win top races under IRC or ORC, but that is not frequent, being  those races much often won in IRC/ORC by the first type of mentioned performance cruiser. However this type of cruiser racer have won many smaller races, club races, and even nation championships. As cruising boats they are very interesting, with some having not only very high quality interiors, but a good storage.

As cruising boats they are not as limited as the ones on the previous group, and some have even circumnavigated in this type of boat, that however is more used to do a sailing cruising program similar to mine, some using them to cross the Atlantic and sail in the Caribbean too. 

It is pointed to sailors that want to race with good results and also cruise with the family, or to sailors that want to cruise in a sportive way, but not in a spartan way.

Then, there is a third type of high performance sailboats, that is dominated by Pogo. These cruisers, derived from solo transat racers, are very light having a very good sail performance, but they are boats strongly maximized for downwind sailing and while having a good upwind performance for cruising, (not as good as the ones on the previous group), it is not good enough for racing with good results (in real time and compensated), when racing is done with varied winds. 

The performance in light winds is also not as good as the one of the boats of the previous group, while the performance downwind with medium and stronger winds is better, specially with a reduced crew, or solo. For being very light they have a more spartan, even if funcional interior. For having a great performance downwind they should be kept light, and that implies not only a very sportive kind of cruising, but also a spartan kind of living. For what they offer the price is very good and they have the advantage of offering a swing keel. 

On top, Pogo 44, then JPK39FC and above, the Django 12.7

They would be suited for the ones that do not mind to cruise in a spartan way and want to sail on the trade winds or to circumnavigate in a very fast sailboat, for the ones that want to sail fast and solo on autopilot, for the ones that prefer the sensations (and speed) of fast downwind sailing to the sensations (and speed) of fast upwind sailing, and in what regards racing, for the ones that want to make amateur transat races, like the ARC, the OSTAR, or races with little upwind sailing, like the Caribbean 600.

Above, Pogo 44, below Django 12.7

When I am talking about good results on those races, I am referring to be among the fastest boats of the same size, among production cruiser-racers, not in  good results in IRC or ORC, because the rating is too high for that to happen. They are the best compromise between speed and price.

The price performance relation is probably the best in the market, in what regards performance versus costs, and that makes this type of boat very attractive as a cruising boat, for the ones that don't mind the spartan (but functional) interior and the spartan cruising life.

Recently the interiors (with the Pogo 44) where bettered and now they have a door closing the head, and drawers in the galley, instead a plastic curtains and storage trays, and that, I confess, were the thing that I really disliked about Pogo's interiors, that and not having a backstay, that now  is also optional, and it is used by the ones that use the boat for racing.

This type of boat is also made by Django and JPK (JPK 39FC) and other even smaller boatyards. The JPK 39 is less radical than the Pogo, has a more confortable interior and is better upwind, even if the overall performance is inferior, due to more displacement. There are several  Pogos that have circumnavigated and also some Djangos, including a very small 25ft one. I have made a post about it:

https://interestingsailboats.blogspot.com/2020/04/a-never-ending-circumnavigation-on-25ft.html

Above Grand Soleil 42 LC, Below Solaris 40

The fourth type, the one that is called now as performance cruisers (and that would make all the other high-performance cruisers) is the one with the bigger growth and more models available. They are pointed to a bigger group of sailors, the ones that like to cruise and sail fast, but that are not necessarily sportive sailors, and are not interested in exploring boat limits, neither in fine trimming sails, to go just a fraction of a knot faster. What they want is a fast cruiser, easy to sail, comfortable and with a good and spacious interior.

These boats have finer entries and less large bow sections than main market cruisers, tend to be lighter, having  a bigger B/D and are more powerful. They are designed for doing 20% club racing and 80% cruising and the hull design reflects those priorities, with most being beamier than cruiser-racers, and having a simplified (and cheaper) running rigging, not only to make the boat less expensive but also to be simpler and less complicated to handle. 

The X4-3 MKII, an excellent sailboat that  uses a hull  from 2016 that
is not yet very beamy. I bet the  model, that will substitute it in some few
 years ,will be a lot beamier to offer a bigger interior volume. We can see
that tendency already in the newXC 47 (14.4 hull length and 4.6 m beam)
 that replaced the XC 45, that has 13.9 m hull length and 4.3m beam.

Some of these boats are designed to be offered with two different running riggings, different sail hardware, different keel and different mast. One is what they call "cruising" version, the other is what they call "race" version. Other brands, like for instance Solaris have not this possibility.

The cruising version is just a simplified and cheaper sailboat, easier to sail due to the simplified running rigging and less trimming options, the other one  is nothing more than a cruiser-racer, more similar to boats from the second type, even if here hull design has taken not only sail performance into account, but also the need of  a big volume interior, for better cruising amenities. 

Grand Soleil  42LC

The "race" version, that some brands offer, will be more suited for racing and also more suited for the ones that like to sail in a sportive way (both versions are interchangeable and you can have any configuration between the two). A top race version, with all the performance extras can even get relatively good racing results under IRC or ORC, but are not as fast over the water (in real time), as the other types of performance cruisers, that we have already talked about, neither as good while racing in real time.

Solaris 40

These boats have all great cruising interiors, typically high quality ones, and offer spacious interiors due to an increasingly large beam that is considerably wider than type two cruiser-racers. They are excellent cruising boats and they will suit a vast number of cruisers. Most of them will heel less than type two-cruiser racers and because they can offer different rigging options, they will suit all those that want to cruise fast, enjoying more sailing, but don't want to lose much in what regards the cruising amenities that a slower, high quality main market cruiser has to offer.

X4.3

The advantages over a high quality main market sailboat are a bigger speed, more sailing fun, better sail performance and a more elegant sailboat, the disadvantages are a smaller overall stability (due to less displacement), less protection from water projections, more draft and a smaller interior height, as well as a slightly less strong sailboat. Many brands make this type of boats, Grand Soleil, X-yachts, Solaris, RM, are some of them.

Only much more sportive cruisers will chose one of the previous types of cruiser racers, almost all that like to cruise fast and comfortably will choose a yacht of this type, and that is why today most performance cruisers are of this type.

Above JPK45 FC, below Pegasus 50

The fifth type regards fast voyage boats and this is a very small group. Almost all yachts from the previous types, except the first ones, can be used without big inconvenience for voyaging, but boats like the Pegasus 50 the JPK 45, or the Django 12.70 (that I have included also among the type 3 PC) were designed specifically for voyaging on the fast lane, having the Pegasus 50 even won a Transat race. 

There are also some aluminium sailboats, like the Cigale 15, that were designed for that, but this is a small group, and if many desire in their dreams a boat like this, few would give it the use they were designed for, and even less will have the money to buy them, because these sailboats tend to be very expensive. They are suited for the ones that want to sail extensively bluewater, and want to do it on a fast boat. 

These boats are faster than other boats specially designed for long range cruising, have a good cruising interior, but with the exception of Cigale and other aluminum sailboats of the same type, are not as strong as other voyage boats. They are slower than the three first groups of performance cruisers and slower in most cases than the ones of the 4th group because, even if they can be light, they were conceived to sail with a considerable load and the idea is not to cruise in a spartan way (very light), but comfortably and faster than in a more traditional voyage boat, and they surely can do that.

https://interestingsailboats.blogspot.com/2016/11/django-1270.htm

Finally the sixth type is the one of the performance cruising multihulls, also a small one, because, mostly for safety reasons I have explained on the previous post, performance cruising multihulls, that are mostly cats, need to be big, much bigger than the space needed for a couple, meaning that even if you dont need the space offered by a big cat you have to have a big cruising performance cat, for safety reasons. That makes them hugely expensive, one million to several millions, and that makes them affordable for few.

On top Outremer 55, above Catana OC 50

They are great cruising boats, with not as such a good performance upwind or in light wind, as performance monohulls, but with a better downwind performance. They are overall faster than most performance monohulls of the same size (except the ones from the 1st  type), offer sailing without heel, but a jerkier motion, and have to be sailed more carefully than monohulls and this takes away the advantage in speed they have over most performance monohulls, except if they are sailed all the time by an experienced crew, and not in autopilot.

Above, Outremer 55, below, Catana OC 50

Even 50fters and bigger performance cruising cats have been capsized in gusts, and that can happen if there is not always somebody at the sheets, and that is not compatible with short crew bluewater sailing neither with relaxed cruising, unless the boat is under sailed.  While cruising in medium to high winds, the sails are adjusted not to have the better performance for the existing wind, but for hypothetical gusts, while on a performance monohull they can be adjusted without problem for the existing wind, because if a gust comes in, the boat just heels and lets the gust pass over the sails.

They are pointed in first place to the ones that have money to buy them (with the same money it is possible to buy a much bigger performance monohull) and to people that like to cruise and sail fast, that want, or need a big living space and that like to sail without heel, and prefer the motion of a cat to the one of a monohull. But most of all they should only be bought by very experienced sailors because this type of boat demands more experience than a performance monohull, to be sailed fast safely.

Above and below, Catana 471 from 1997/2003, a better sail performance,
with less interior space than contemporary cruising cats, with a lot
 less windage and probably a lower CG.

And what about used boats in all these categories? I would say that in what regards performance cats they make sense if you don't mind to take all the time and money that is necessary to recover an older boat, and if performance is more important to you than interior space. Overall it will be considerably cheaper, but you will never get back the money you have spent recovering the cat when you sell it again, and that is true for a true recovery of all older boats. In this case there is an additional difficulty because older performance cats are quite rare in the used market, because not many were produced.

Regarding the 1st type of monohull performance cruisers there are many good deals that can be made, older boats of this type are much more numerous than performance cats, most are more optimized for upwind sailing than downwind sailing, and on the right conditions they can have surprisingly good results in real time.  Some can even make good results in compensated racing. One of the more famous racing old yacht is the Scarlet Oyster, an Oyster 48 lightwave, a 34-year-old design that continues to win IRC races, and that is still overall a fast boat.

From the type 1 of performance cruisers the 2009 JPK 1010,  is a good
choice as a used boat still able to win races, here sailing for winning the
2022 RORC Transatlantic race. It has a simple but practical cruising interior.

There are many other examples, but what is said regarding to not recovering the money that is invested in the boat recuperation, it is also true, as it is true in any case a old boat is recovered to the seaworthiness and performance that it had when it was new. The same can be said regarding opting for one of other types of performance cruisers, except probably type 4, beamier performance cruisers with a simplified rigging and a big interior, simply because those boats are new to the market and unless you buy them almost new, they do not exist in the used market.

Used performance cruisers can be a preferable option to someone that likes sailing as much as cruising. They have good quality and recovering one will cost substantially less than a new performance cruiser,  specially if it is one of the less known brands, that do not retain as used so much value as a similar high quality MMC, and therefore they can be a good option, not only towards a new performance cruiser, but also in what regards the option of a new lower quality (and cheaper) Main Market Cruiser, or even regarding a much more expensive used similar quality MMC. 

If someone has only the budget for a  new More affordable main market boat and likes to sail, he can discover later that the yacht he bought new will not satisfy him regarding sailing performance, and that will lead him, some years later, to buy another cruising boat. That can be a very expensive mistake, because a new cheaper MMC does not retain much value after some years of use.

One option that does not involve immediate upgrade costs is to buy with the same money it would cost a new cheaper MMC a 5-year-old performance cruiser. That was the option I took for my last boat when I bought a 5-year-old Comet 41s, that had been lightly used (raced 5 or 6 times), for almost half the price it costed new, a good option if you can discover one, but an option that excludes all charter or heavily used sailboats, or even boats raced at high level that will not have a frontal sail furler and will have a very expensive sail hardware, that will not be good for cruising.

On top First 45 Elusive 2 (2008)  a winner of many recent races,
including the Middle Sea race and the Sydney Hobart, a type 2
performance cruiser.

But of course, if a 5-year-old boat in good condition may not need immediate maintenance, the costly maintenance will take less years to take place, but at least when you buy the boat you will not need to spend money in anything. Much more difficult would be to find a boat with more years in excellent maintenance condition. From experience of many years in shipyards during winter I can tell you most cruisers will only change things when they start showing signs of breaking, and do not do preventive maintenance at a regular schedule, as they should.

Comet 41S, from the 2nd type, never won any major races but has
 won many Italian IRC and ORC races. It offers a very good cruising
interior  with a big galley and two heads. It has an unusual storage
 capacity, outside and inside,  having many cabinets, a dedicated sail
locker, a well sized anchor locker and a huge locker aft.

Not impossible to find but really very difficult. Mine is one that has been maintained in very good condition and one of the reasons I know it is rare it is because owners of shipyards comment with me the condition I keep my boat, and the care I have with it, kind of thinking, I wish everybody were like you, because I would make much more money LOL. But of course you may get lucky because there is a day when the few old sailors that keep their boats like that, for health or family reasons, sell their boats, and unfortunately for me, in one or two years, that will happen to me.

Let's talk now about Main Market Cruising boats, that, not surprisingly, are the boats more adapted to most cruisers, and that's why they are called that way. Their design goal is to provide a cruising sailboat that suits the biggest possible number of cruisers.

The Bavaria C45/46 is one of the better built more affordable MMC

Price is the major factor in what regards design and engineering, a cruiser suitable for most. Even cheaper cruisers are expensive, and while new, out of reach for many, and therefore the major division  between MMC will be between the ones that are built to be as inexpensive as possible (and that implies not only a big industrial production, but using building methods that bring labor hours to a minimum, and the use of less expensive building materials and techniques) and the ones that put quality over costs in producing a sailboat. That does not mean that they do not try to make them as inexpensive as they can, but they will not go as far in what regards using lesser quality materials or in not to use the best building techniques, just because they are more expensive.

The Linjett 43 is a very good quality yacht with a classic design that I
hesitated to put in the higher quality MMC group, or among the
 performance ones. I have put it in this group but it has a performance
 as good as some yachts from the 4th type of performance cruisers.

Magazines use for the first sub-type the denomination of family yachts and to the others the denomination of luxury yachts, a silly distinction because there is no difference between them in what regards the use, or even design, but only in what regards the quality, so it would make much more sense to call the first lower quality  More affordable MMC and the others Higher quality MMC, because in what regards cruising it is not about luxury we are talking about, and a MMC cruising boat, even if very expensive, is not a luxury item, as a huge daysailer can be.

The new 41 Fountain Pajot is a good example of the contemporary
MMC cat tendency for bigger interiors, beamier hulls and bigger
freeboard. The windage is huge. The Bali 4.2 below is very similar
 but a chine in hull allows the beam at WL to be smaller.

Note that lower quality does not mean low quality, it means only that this type of sailboats are engineered to keep price as low as possible, and that implies some compromises, but they are certainly the ones that offer more for the money, and to make them better, you need to spend much more money, and that's why the difference in price between these boats, and the better quality ones, is not 20 or 30% more, but almost 100%.

To make these lower quality more affordable sailboats it is needed an industrial manufacture and that implies a big production and therefore only big brands that make hundreds of boats can make them.

Everybody knows them, Beneteau, Jeanneau, Bavaria, Dufour, Hanse, an in what regards cats, Lagoon, that belongs to the Beneteau group, Fountain Pajot that belongs to Dufour group (or vice-versa in this case), Nautitech that belongs to Bavaria group, Bali that belongs to Catana Group and Leopard that was an independent brand (built in South Africa) till it was bought in 2023 by a Yacht Charter Group that is partially owned by Beneteau. 

Most yachts are built by these groups and brands and to take away the negative impact of the term lower quality, let's call them More affordable MMC, and they can be sub-divided in two big groups, Monohulls and Catamarans.

Their design criteria (for the same type) is very similar, as well as the quality, even if there are some differences, and different advantages and disadvantages, but we have already talked about that in the two previous posts. Maximizing interior space is the biggest priority and in what regards Monohulls I would say that the one that takes that less in consideration, and therefore has the potential to be a better overall sailboat, is the Jeanneau. 

The Jeanneau if well equipped is the fastest and better sailing boat among
the More Affordable MMC. I like particularly the Jeanneau SO 44, that
 does not look to have so much freeboard as the smaller ones, and seems to
have less beam (the beam is the same as on the Hanse 410, 4.29m) and
 with 27% B/D, it is also one of the MAMMC of this size with a bigger B/D.
  It is the only one that has the shrouds near the cabin, which is worse for the
interior but that allows the use of a big genoa, as you can see on the image
 above. The interior is nice with a big galley, but with a small number of 
cabinets, to save money. I am sure that it will be replaced by a slower
 sailboat, with more beam, and a bigger interior.

If provided with what they call performance options, it is the best sailboat from this group, only penalised (as they all are ) by a small B/D that limits its performance upwind, specially with stronger winds and waves. But that does not mean it is the best overall cruiser, that's for everyone to decide, depending on how each one values different aspects of cruising and living on a boat.

Regarding Multihulls I would say that even more than the monohulls they have become fatter in the last years. That is quite impressive because lately monohulls have become wider and wider and also higher. Cats increase in hull beam has been huge, only comparable to the huge increase in accommodations and interior space. I would say that between them the Nautitech, even if it has become a lot fatter than older models, is the best sailing boat, and again, that does not mean the best cruiser. That is debatable and it all depends on what each cruiser values most. Other cats offer much more interior space and wider cabins.

Above and below, Nautitech 40 open that, like the Bali, has a chine
that allows the WL beam to be smaller.

So, who would be the ones interested in a More affordable MMC? 

Almost all cruisers, because almost all value more cruising than sailing, that is for most just a more inexpensive way to move the boat from one location to another.

Most are not really interested in sailing by itself, but only as a means to an objective: to do miles in a less expensive way, when the conditions are perfect.

These big "windows" that all new cats have left me a bit apprehensive. What
 will happen if a big wave crashes over them ? They will not break, but
they flex and a big flexion, will not make them pop out or in? 

And also because for almost all the cost of a cruiser is the most important factor in the choice, and the only alternative to a cruiser from this sub-group would be a used boat, simply because performance sailing boats, and better quality MMC are much more expensive, and, while new, out of the reach of most. For the ones that just want a boat that can cruise, with a new nice and confortable interior, to do mostly coastal cruising, a new boat is a very attractive proposition, and a good one in what regards less maintenance, and having as a bonus, the unique pleasure of having a brand new sailboat.

While choosing between a monohull and a multihull you have to
consider the price difference between the two types of boats and
what you can buy with the same amount of money. A Nautitech 40
 costs about 20% more than a Dufour 470 and about the same as a
top quality 40/41ft higher quality MMC monohull. Above and
below, Dufour 470.

Valuing a lot more cruising than sailing means that cruising amenities and interior space count much more than any difference in sailing performance, so these sailboats are about offering the better living space in a van that can be moved from one place to another, using sails or, most of the time engine. Curiously this is much more true in the more affordable MMC group, than in the MMC better quality group, where some boats are still designed as very good overall sailing boats, and offer a more fair balance between interior space, amenities, and sail performance.

So, between the More affordable MMC who would be the cruisers that prefer monohulls, and the ones who would prefer multihulls?

There are three big differences, the first one is clearly favorable to monohulls that are much more affordable, meaning that for a two cabin boat there is a big difference in price, because for safety stability reasons it makes sense not to make cats of this type (that are relatively heavy) smaller than 39/40ft while a 34/35 ft monohull has no problem in offering two cabins with a good storage space and an adequate seaworthiness. If the difference in price between two boats of this type with the same length, one monohull, the other multihull, let's say a 40ft, is already very big, it is huge if we compare the price of a 35ft monohull with the price of a 40ft cat. Also in what regards maintenance, winter storage and marina prices, they are much higher for a multihull.

Not being among the beamier 46ft in the market, the Oceanis 46.1
(above)  is clearly fatter than the Jeanneau SO 44 (below). Both
boats have a nice interior even if the 46.1 offers more cabinets.

The second difference is clearly favorable to cats, because  with the same length a cat offers not only much more space, but also space with a view. It offers also a better way to carry a dinghy and an easier way to put it in the water. 

The third difference regarding sail and motoring performance, is a mixed bag. In what regards motoring the two engines give the cat an advantage, in reliability and performance, and if while sailing, the cat can have a better performance in medium high and high winds while beam reaching and downwind, the performance in light winds and upwind is much better on a monohull.

Above Jeanneau SO 440, Below, Beneteau Oceanis 46.1 
interior. Sone photos above you can see the Jeanneau SO
440 interior.

Fot a cat there is also the advantage of sailing without heel, but a monohull has a softer motion. There is a small percentage of sailors that prefer to own a cat for the sailing performance, that can be better beam reaching and downwind, with medium to high winds (if the cat is sailed correctly) but it is also true that I see much more MMC cats motoring than MMC monohulls. Many inexperienced sailors prefer a cat for cruising, because they don't heel, many prefer it for the bigger space, and because cats offer by far the best interface between the interior and exterior living spaces.

Many, or even most that buy a new More affordable MMC do not buy a cat instead because a cat is much more expensive, and it is out of reach, even if a smaller percentage of the ones that buy More affordable MMC genuinely prefer the sailing characteristics of a monohull. That explains the huge growth this type of cats had in sales in the last years, sales that I believe will keep growing, as well as their big and increasing percentage in the Charter business. 

Najad 451 CC, a nice classic boat that suffers from a
badly designed interior. The quality seems obvious but
the interior seems amateurish and I doubt they have hired
a professional designer to do it. What a shame!

And what about  Higher Quality MMC ? Well, they should have the same subdivision between monohull and cat, as in the more affordable MMC type, but in reality Higher quality MMC practically don't exist as a meaningful group, not like they exist as monohulls, with big brands with a long tradition, maybe because a cat like that would be almost two times more expensive than more affordable lower quality MMC cats, much more expensive than monohulls with the same quality, belonging to the same type, and the monohulls of this type are already too expensive for the vast majority to buy them new.

I remember the time Najad was a close match with Hallberg Rassy, 
and I guess Najad lost the fight mostly due to the interior design.
Hallberg Rassy was able to pass from 30 year old classic interiors,
 to modern well designed interiors, with just a bit of conservative taste,
while Najad passed from cozy 30 year old interiors, like the one
 below (Najad 440) to impersonal badly designed interiors like the 
one above, on the Najad 451.

This type of cats with a size between 40 to 46ft exist only as a residual tiny market, and only with 50ft or over, where the huge price is not a problem for the ones that buy them, there is a small market for them, with the yachts costing well over a million euros, many times several millions, so I will choose not to include them here.

Regarding higher quality MMC monohulls the same problem happens regarding price, even if not as accentuated as with the cats, because for the same length monohulls are cheaper to build than catamarans, but even so they tend to be offered only in bigger sizes. 

Above you can see the interior of one of the biggest Najad success,
the Najad 440, that was very similar to the interior of the Hallberg
Rassy of that era. Now Hallberg Rassy changed to light wood bright
interiors while maintaining a classic touch, and if it is not the case on
the photo below, they still can have as a very demanded option the two
big arm chairs that were typical of older Hallberg Rassy or Najad
 interiors, while the Najad interior continues using dark woods and 
become impersonal and cold.

Only Hallberg Rassy, Sirius and Nordship make models smaller than 38 ft. Many others, like X-Yacht, Oyster, Contest, Najad, Wauquiez, Amel, Grand Soleil, Swan, that used to produce smaller yachts only offer now bigger, and in some cases, much bigger yachts, for the same reason that 39 to 46 feet catamarans disappeared from this class.

Due to their smaller number I don't think it would make sense to divide this type in two or three different classes even if we can separate them, between brands that preferred to invest in more luxurious interiors and more interior volume, and brands that have preferred to maintain the long tradition of this group as top quality great bluewater sailboats.

There are several types of cruisers that will choose this type of boats, but all of them have something in common, they have a very high cruising budget, and money to afford them, and that makes this a very small group regarding all other cruisers.

Among those, by far, the bigger group is the one that choose these boats for status and because they have a more luxurious interior and a superior finish, and that has influence on the design development of these boats where most, like the More affordable MMC, have seen their interior volume to be maximized increasing beam and freeboard, at some cost to the sailing performance. This is clearly visible in boats like the Amel, Hallberg Rassy or Contest, and here ir makes sense to call them luxury yachts.

But there is a second group of cruisers that buys this type of boats because they are more seaworthy and stronger than any other type of boats (excluding MM voyage boats) maintaining a good sailing performance, that of course, is inferior to the one of any performance cruiser. 

Due to that they are called sometimes bluewater boats, even if most that buy them seldom use them for that purpose.

The Amel 50 and its luxurious interior, below the  XC 47 that
 looks much bigger than the bigger  Amel 50 due to a huge
 freeboard and big cabin height on the Amel 50 and a much
more moderated one on the X C47.

Because yachts designed for these two different types of owners have conflicting interests in what regards boat design, and because brands don't want to lose costumers from any of the two groups, the design of these boats tends to be a compromise, between luxury and maximized interior space and an interior suited for bluewater sailing and seaworthiness.

More on the luxury side and more far away from bluewater boats we have the new Amel and the new Wauquiez, boats with a huge beam and relatively low B/D, in the middle you have Yachts like the new Hallberg Rassy and Contest, with a huge beam but with a good B/D. 

More towards bluewater sailing the new X47C (the older models from the cruising line were a lot less beamy even if they continue to have a very good B/D), and on the sailing and bluewater side yachts like the Saare, the Kraken, the Linjett (that can also be considered a performance cruiser), the Outbound or the Najad 451, less beamier yachts, most with a better overall sailing performance and with as much ballast or more than the middle group.  

The  interior of the XC 47 is modern and with a huge interior
height that is very well disguised by the boat design.

I would say that the boats in the middle group are much closer in seaworthiness to the ones on the last group, than from boats like Amel or Wauquiez, and they can make sense for bluewater use, if the objective is sailing in the trade winds, or to circumnavigate, where the huge beam has advantages, in the medium to strong winds while sailing bean reaching or downwind, sailing with less heel, even if the space in the saloon is less adapted for bluewater sailing, where big open spaces with less holding possibilities are disadvantageous. But in what regards overall sailing and motion, confort upwind, and an interior more adapted to bluewater cruising, the ones on the last group will be preferable for most sailors, in what regards bluewater use, even if they can be less good if used in coastally, depending on how much you value a more voluminous interior versus a better and more confortable upwind performance.

Saare 38, a beautiful classical design

Of course, all is relative and we know that almost any boat can cross the Atlantic or circumnavigate, in the right season. Being a bluewater boat has to do with security margins and I would say that, regarding a More affordable MMC, generally it is considered that a 35/36ft boat can do it with some security margin, that will increase as the boat becomes bigger and heavier, with a bigger overall stability. 

I do really love the Saare 38 and I believe it has enough space for a
couple ro cruise anywhere. You have to see one to understand how
the storage space is amazing and the interior quality awesome. That
black thing at the middle of the table is a second refrigerator that is
just in the right place to have the cold bottles of white wine, or the cans
of beer to drink with the meal as well as mustard or other condiments.

A 44/45ft More affordable MMC is considered as having an overall stability big enough to sail bluewater (in the right season) with a very considerable safety margin.

Regarding Higher quality MMC, because they have more displacement, a bigger B/D, offering, size by size, a bigger overall stability, and a better safety stability and AVS, and also, because they are better built and therefore stronger, they have the same seaworthiness of a considerably bigger More affordable MMC, meaning that with a smaller boat you can have the same bluewater safety margin, as with a bigger one, if the smaller one is a Higher quality MMC, and the bigger one is a More affordable MMC.

The Hallberg Rassy 400, is another go anywhere small cruiser that I like
a lot. If there is something I don't like is excessive beam, for my taste.
 4.18m beam, that compares with the Saare 38 3.7m. The HR displaces,
11T, the Saare 8.1T, the HR has a 18.5 SA/D, the Saare has a 18.7 SA/D,
the Saare has the advantage of having inside shrouds and being able to
carry a much bigger genoa, the HR has a 33% B/D, the Saare 38% B/D,
both boats have similar keels with about the same draft. The Hallberg 
Rassy will have a better overall stability, due to the bigger displacement,
the Saare 38 a better safety stability and AVS, the downwind and beam
reaching performance with medium to high winds should be similar,
but with lighter winds and upwind the Saare 38 should be faster.

I would say, that, for instance, a Hallberg Rassy 340 or a XC35 will have the same seaworthiness as a 40/42ft More affordable MMC (or more) and that a XC38, a Saare 38, or an Hallberg Rassy 40, will have about the same seaworthiness of a More affordable MMC 44/46ft (or more). Probably the bigger boat will be faster in most conditions, but I doubt it will be more pleasant to sail, or to live in, unless you really need the extra cabins.

So, what about Used MMC? For whom would they be a good option? In what regards Used Higher Quality MMC I would say that the majority is interested in this type of cruiser, more than in any other type of yacht, and it is because these boats are so expensive that very few can buy them new, so, a less expensive used yacht of this type will be a good option for many that desire them but cannot afford them new.

Above, Hallberg Rassy 400 interior

Among the ones that buy them for status and luxury purposes, they still can make sense, but that implies a used boat with not many years. They are less expensive, but not much, because these boats hold value very well. But they can also be very interesting for the ones that want a bluewater boat, a boat with a better seaworthiness and stability than a More affordable MMC. 

Those that have no money for a new cruiser of this type can buy an older sailboat, and bring it to its initial seaworthiness, replacing the many parts that on a 30-year-old sailboat need to be replaced to achieve this goal: from the rigging to the shrouds and keel bolts, through the hull passages, and rudder system and parts, not to mention interior systems and electronics, and  probably a new engine.

XC 42, an excellent sailboat (2009). Above and below.

As I have referred in one of the previous posts of this series an example with a Contest 44. It will be much less expensive than a new Contest, but you will have to spend more money than what the used boat would cost you, to bring it to its former glory and seaworthiness, money that you will not recover if you sell the boat. 

It will be especially interesting for the ones that can do the work themselves.

However the vast majority that buy these boats have the strange idea that a 30-year-old Higher Quality MMC is as good and seaworthy as when it was new, and most spend all the money they have buying the boat and just sail the yacht in the condition they bought it. And if for coastal cruising that can be doable, because if something starts to break or malfunction, help will not be far away, and the boat can be brought to a shipyard (with some luck) and repaired, the same cannot be said if the boat is used as a bluewater cruiser.

The Hallberg Rassy 40 is a very good cruiser (2002), if  you don't mind to
have a small cockpit that is only good for four at the table, 5 sailing.

It will not make sense to buy a 30-year-old Higher quality MMC to do bluewater sailing without making an extensive refit. In that case a much newer More affordable MMC, bought for the same price, can make more sense and be more seaworthy. Seaworthiness is far from being only related with stability, and lack of stability is not the problem that is on the origin of most yachts that have sunk. The older the boats, the more weak points they would have, assuming yachts of the same type. 

A much newer More affordable MMC can also make more sense for coastal cruising, being probably faster and more enjoyable to sail in most conditions.

And used More Affordable MMC? The question that many ask me is if new boats of this type are less strong than older boats of the same type? And I would say yes, even if this does not mean that contemporary boats of this type are not well built for the price, but in fact it would be impossible to produce a 20-year-old More Affordable MMC for the price they are produced now. I believe also that new boats of this type will last less than older sailboats.

The Hanse 400 (2006) it is a good boat with an unusually high 32% B/D
 for a  boat of this type, and if you can find a Hanse 400e (made in epoxy)
 then it would even be a better buy. The boat is fast and seaworthy, but 
it will heel more upwind than one of the new hugely beamy boats,
 while being much faster upwind.

And in what regards performance we have seen, on the first post of these three, that new cruisers are not overall faster, but instead they are more optimized for downwind sailing, have more interior volume (more beam) and higher freeboard (bigger interior height), so choosing to recover an older boat, instead of buying a new one, has not only to do with being less expensive, but with the boat's sailing and living characteristics. For many the decision to buy a used boat, instead of a new boat  is easy because they have only money for a used boat, even considering the less expensive on the market, for others it will be a decision between buying a new More affordable MMC instead of a used Performance boat, or a used older Higher quality MMC, and for those it will be a personal choice, depending also on what they can find in the used market. 

Below 2006 Dufour 425 GL, a very nice cruiser that looks today
classic. With a moderate beam (4.16m) and a 28% B/D, that is
higher than what this type of boats have today.

I have already done the three things, meaning to buy a used boat, because I could not buy a new one, bought many years later a new one, and 13 years ago I bought an used one, not because at the time the budget was not enough for a More affordable MMC, but because I had not the money for the type of boat I really wanted. I had a lot of fun with the three boats. But the truth is that on the last time, I had to buy a used boat to have the type of boat I knew that would suit me (and that's to find out that I took an interest in boat design). 

But if I would have a bigger budget, I would have bought it new, not necessarily the same boat, but the same type of boat.

Sure, it is a worse business in what regards money spent, but if you don't spend money with the things you love what sense does life make? Love has nothing to do with logic, and nothing compares to the pleasure of having a brand new boat, the one you always desired.

There is however something that is clear for me: a 38 to 42 ft Higher quality MMC is more than an enough boat for a couple, and an ocasional couple as guests, and it is in many ways a more suitable boat for a couple to cruise than a 44 to 50ft More affordable MMC, specially if you like to sail and intend to sail the boat most of the time. If you can opt between the two, chose the smaller higher quality sailboat, and I bet you will not have regrets, and you will spend also much less money in maintenance, dry storage, and marinas.

The  2010 Solaris 37 is a boat that looks as contemporary as when it was
launched, 15 years ago, and I mean the interior and the hull design. It is
a performance cruiser type four, before these boats became very beamy
and I believe it will also interest the ones looking fora a fast high quality
MMC. It has 7.1T, 3.85m beam, a 38%B/D and a 22.6 SA/D.

Even in what regards the WOW factor, non sailors can get very impressed with your big brand new More affordable MMC, but sailors will be much more impressed with your smaller Higher quality MMC. The bigger boat will be probably faster but the smaller boat will be easier to sail and probably safer, and I bet the sailing pleasure will be bigger in the smaller boat, than in the big one. 

Regarding speed, you can use much more easily a big genaker or Code 0 in the smaller boat (being the sails much smaller) and that would contribute to diminish the difference in speed, because you will use this type of sails much more on a smaller boat.

And I will finish with last a word about  Voyage boats, the ones that are intended to sail extensively bluewater and in all kinds of weather, even if what happens is that they are used mostly to sail in the Med, or to cross the Atlantic and sail also in the Caribbean, in the right season. Using them to do this makes little sense because a Main Market Cruising boat is much more adapted to do that.

Most voyage boats come standard without the equipment that allows them to be autonomous for a considerable period of time. They have them in their option list, the same as with MMC, especially Higher quality MMC, and if they are not on the option list, a good dealer will have no problem in sorting them out, and will install them for you.

Above, Garcia Exploration 45, below, Boreal 44.2

Many don't know this, but a considerable part of the equipment is mounted by the dealer and it is also the dealer that has the local contacts for putting more equipment on the boat, and if we talk about extra equipment (not options) the price varies considerably with the the country's labor costs. The choice of a good dealer is very important, much more than what most think. If someone is going to sail the next years on the MED, what sense makes to buy a boat trough a central European dealer, that will be far away from the boat, and will have problems sorting out warranty issues? 

Higher quality MMC have not a seaworthiness or a stability inferior to the one of voyage boats (with the aluminium center-boarders it is the opposite), so I would say that if we except aluminium boats, thar are more resistant, the difference is very small, and in what regards aluminium boats some of them are more designed like MMC than like voyage boats, even if some, like Garcia or Boreal have features that make them specially adapted to sail in places where normal amenities for yachts are not available, places uninhabited or out of where most people chose to live, or to cruise. Some call them exploration boats, and it makes a bit of sense to call them that.

An Allures 44 (2005) is a good choice as a used voyage boat, with a
 better safety stability than OVNIs

So, to whom are they designed for? For the ones that want to look like the ones that sail in remote high latitude places (most of them) and for the few ones that really have the desire to sail in those places, many situated in high latitudes, cold and deserted places.

If that's what you want to do, that's the type of boat that will suit you, but if not, if you want to cruise where most choose to cruise, there are better sailboats, faster and with a more confortable interior, for the same price, or less, because aluminium is expensive.

Above, the OVNI 395 (2004), probably the voyage boat
with the better relation between money and functionality.


Below, the Boreal 44 (2010), the best used voyage
 boat. It is very similar to the current model, the Boreal
 44.2, that substituted the Boreal 44 in 2020.

There is a small market of used voyage boats, so, it is an option to buy an used aluminum boat, but you should be very careful about that, and you should pay a special survey by someone that can make a complete hull check determining the hull thickness at many hull points, hundreds of them, to see if there is no electric corrosion in any point of the hull. And believe me, you cannot see it just by looking, specially if the boat is painted. Not cheap, neither easy to find somebody specialized for doing that.

Like with new boats, not much sense in having one of those used boats to make coastal cruising, or even to sail bluewater on the right seasons, and out of high latitudes, but if you really want to sail in cold, deserted, and many times beautiful places, and have not the money for a new one, an used voyage aluminium boat can be a good option. 

But in this case it is very important to make a complete (and expensive) boat refit, because on those places help is not near, neither the places to make repairs, if something breaks.

That's the end of a long article with three posts, being this the third and the last, and if I knew how long it would take me, probably I would not even have started it. Bottom point is that there is not an ideal boat for everybody and buying new or used, is no better or worse, it depends on many factors being the amount of money one has the single most important factor. I hope these three posts have helped to give to the ones that are in the process to choose a more adequate cruiser a better insight regarding what the market has to offer, and what are the different types of cruising boats available, for different types of cruisers. For you to choose what type of cruiser you are, and the way you like to cruise.