I'm considering buying a small boat that has good room and comfort for weekends in Broken Bay or Sydney or a bit of careful coastal work. 25 to 30ft, preferably at the shorter end.
I like Tophats because they are tough sailing yachts but they are small (a smaller version of the S&S) and not really what I am thinking. I am leaning towards a more roomy yacht and I know little about what I call cocktail boats.
Any suggestions to get me started?

My old man had and loved a Northshore 27
We had some great times on her
Beautiful little boat, nice looking, sailed well, comfy as, still well priced
You could do a lot worse

The previous owners of my boat bought a Cole 35. They now have down scaled to a Marauder 27 to do exactly as you have in mind.

Folk Boat or Cav 28 for a bit more money.

I'm probably bias but have a look at a Northshore 27, their build quality is very good (built in Brookvale). They are quick, roomy cockpit and inside.
Probably get a good one for just over 20k

au.yachtworld.com/core/listing/cache/searchResults.jsp?man=Freedom+Yachts+28+Ketch
none available in Oz

M26

Yep, Northshore 27. Then turn it into something like this







www.seabreeze.com.au/News/Cruising/Ultimate-270-A-unique-affordable-cruiser-that-is-easy-to-sail_3143647.aspx

Hi, if you will be confy in 27' why not look at Manitou 32'. They have 27th size, main cabin, large central cockpit and after cabin (usualy with double bunk). Benefit of central cockpit is its position, no water spray up or down wind. There is rig option: slop or ketch (beauty in the eye.....).
Hauls were hand layed glass mat just under 1" thick under water.

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FreeRadical said..
Yep, Northshore 27. Then turn it into something like this







www.seabreeze.com.au/News/Cruising/Ultimate-270-A-unique-affordable-cruiser-that-is-easy-to-sail_3143647.aspx

+1

You spruik the vertus of the S&S (they are good sea boats) and how MB is the best so why not just keep her? You say you are looking to 30 ft so 34 is not much more if the boat is sound and reliable its not going to cost you and you have it the way you want it. Will you be happy with anything else?
As for.other types if the top hat is the type of boat you want but to small when then the obvious thing is a compass 29.

Once you have sampled a quality sailing yacht it would be hard to step down to a floating caravan. I'm sure MorningBird is planning to mostly daysail with family members in the harbours and some coastal stuff. This will require a fin keel skeg rudder yacht with a length of about 30 feet. Comfortable deep cockpit with a sensible backrest and long enough seats to sleep on in hot nights. This narrows it down to an SS30 or a Defiance or a Currawong. Pointless not having a yacht that you can just wander down to, jump onboard and sail to Lord Howe. Plenty of other good 30 footers about that are well priced such as Holland 30's and Adams 31 [rear cockpit] and any of the half tonners of the period but they generally have poor cockpits for family sailing.
This boat is so tempting.
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/bli-bli/sail-boats/s-s-yacht-maring/1097153416
Fin keel 30 footer is in the cheap mooring category and one 4 litre tin of antifoul.

unless your going to a trailor sailor nolex 25 - 30 or maybe contemplating buying new ? why change from the S&S 34 ? you have upgraded to your needs already ? any other 2nd hand unit will need the same upgrades and have issues for you to solve ?

making more work for yourself ?

So you've a nice s&s 34 and I have a nice manitou 32 ( some say there is no such thing) seriously I can understand why you would like to go smaller I love sailing on a mates eventide24 and if was just another 4 foot longer I probably wouldn't have mine. Good luck in your search.

What about a Macgregor 26

Regards Don

Thank you for the suggestions. Some there I wouldn't have thought of without a prompt.
Why downsize? The S&S34, and MB in particular, is an offshore yacht and not ideal for pottering around as a floating caravan. They are a bit cramped, head isn't full enclosed and MB is set up for the more serious offshore sailor so things like the Fleming and inner forestay would have to come off to open her up and make access better. If I am not going to use her in such a fashion better to sell her to someone who is after the capability she represents.
A smaller boat is cheaper to buy and run and easier to sail solo.
I have four serious inquiries already from the Seabreeze and S&S34 Association website ads so there are sailors out there with her features in mind.
There appear to be plenty of boats in the sub 30ft size that have the same internal volume as the S&S34. Not much point going from an S&S34, real length just over 33ft, to a Manitou 32.
The Northshore 27 and the Cole designs are definitely worth a look (next time I'm on the south coast I'll have a look at Ramona's boat). As is the S&S30. I'll give the Macgregor a miss but thanks for the thought.

I really like Catalina 28's.

I loved my Top Hat but after 8yrs was finding it a little cramped and made the decision to update. I now do much the same sort of sailing you intend to do. I almost went for a Jarkan 925 (very nice sailer and roomy for a 30 footer) or Currawong(great sailer but a bit cramped) but in the end went for a Phantom 32 with a custom fit out. Not too fast but comfortable, roomy and easy to sail. There are plenty of other good boats out there at present to do what you need. A Catanina 28 or Cav 28 might also be worth a look. Good hunting.

PS Another option might by to share a boat and costs with a friend. Most boats IMHO spend too much time on their moorings and having two owners (sharing week about) is a way to combat this waste of resources.

East coast 31?

So , preferably closer to 25 .
some of the questions I have gone through in last 12 months .
much be easy to sail by one person Mainly day tripping with odd weekend.
fin keel
inboard/ outboard
fractional with swept back spreaders or masthead.
keel stepped or coach roof ok
lightly rigged or like a SS34
wide transom type or traditional.
Head
HOW MUCH , Some of the newer designs like the Beneteau.

friend has a an east coast 31 as suggested by Steve above and they are very ,very roomy ,safe with a fairly high freeboard and lots of room on top ,great boat but I am biased toward Cole designs.

Another nice boat I forgot mention is the S and S Yankee 30. Much prettier to my traditional eye than the Defiance 30. But you know what they say about beauty....

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Bananabender said..
So , preferably closer to 25 .
some of the questions I have gone through in last 12 months .
much be easy to sail by one person Mainly day tripping with odd weekend.
fin keel
inboard/ outboard
fractional with swept back spreaders or masthead.
keel stepped or coach roof ok
lightly rigged or like a SS34
wide transom type or traditional.
Head
HOW MUCH , Some of the newer designs like the Beneteau.

friend has a an east coast 31 as suggested by Steve above and they are very ,very roomy ,safe with a fairly high freeboard and lots of room on top ,great boat but I am biased toward Cole designs.

Ever wondered where "Peacock" got to. Way to big for what's required and plenty of maintenance. Morningbird is looking for something that's a bit handy in something like a grown up Folkboat or what a Folkboat would be if the design progressed to a moderate fin keel and skeg and of course headroom.

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/port-pirie/sail-boats/cole-32-peacock/1097003208

Can't go past my Santana 28 MB. Maybe you should have jumped aboard the other day. Six berth. Enclosed head. Single handed sailing.
Six of us spent Christmas day on the Pittwater sailing and feasting. If you want to take a look at her we'll make arrangements.
They are built very solidly, no osmosis.

Given your usage would be occasional .....buy into syndicate yacht?

I'm biased but I really like the boats around 28 feet. The gear is still light and cheap but they have significantly more room and/or speed than the 23-25 footers. Cav 28 at the top end of the price range, Santana 28, Marauder 27 etc - they'd all be lively enough to sail for someone coming down from an S&S 34, but noticeably easier to handle. The Compasses (Compi?), Folkboat, Top Hat etc are a significant drop down in speed.

The Endeavour 26 could be worth looking at too, although IMHO they are a bit narrow down below. There's a few Cavalier 26s around at the moment too.

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Chris 249 said..
I'm biased but I really like the boats around 28 feet. The gear is still light and cheap but they have significantly more room and/or speed than the 23-25 footers. Cav 28 at the top end of the price range, Santana 28, Marauder 27 etc - they'd all be lively enough to sail for someone coming down from an S&S 34, but noticeably easier to handle. The Compasses (Compi?), Folkboat, Top Hat etc are a significant drop down in speed.

The Endeavour 26 could be worth looking at too, although IMHO they are a bit narrow down below. There's a few Cavalier 26s around at the moment too.

That Marauder 27 on eBay a couple of weeks ago was an absolute gift. Unfortunately they only built about a dozen.

"The Maurauder 823 was designed by Kevin Shepherd who has produced some outstanding boats such as the Marauder 24 and the Investigator trailer-sailer, and this is no exception to the rule. Shepherd planned her as a comfortable cruising/racing yacht to give the owner maximum luxury in a boat of this size without sacrificing performance. And performance she certainly has – in club racing or JOG events. She has berths for six, a most spacious saloon, and sells at a price acceptable for a family cruiser racer. She handles her sizable rig with ease and is comfortable in a seaway.”

The Endeavour 27 is a foot longer and a foot beamier than the '26. Lots more room inside due to a shorter cockpit combined with improved length and beam. Has an identical sail plan to the 26 but is a faster boat. Fin keel and spade rudder makes it very maneuverable.

A friend had one for a few years and it was a delight to sail.

Not a lot of them about but well priced with diesel inboard.

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MorningBird said..

SandS said..
sounds like your wanting something like this mb www.boatpoint.com.au/content/reviews/2011/racing-yacht/beneteau/first-30/benete

Sorry, I can't open it. I expect a newer Benny is not going to fill the 'cheaper' than the S&S criterion.

Try this
http://www.boatpoint.com.au/content/reviews/2011/racing-yacht/beneteau/first-30/beneteau-first-30-25138

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FreeRadical said..
Yep, Northshore 27. Then turn it into something like this







www.seabreeze.com.au/News/Cruising/Ultimate-270-A-unique-affordable-cruiser-that-is-easy-to-sail_3143647.aspx

That looks very sexy down below - and very spacious for a 27 footer.

And check out what Jerry did with a folkboat

That is so well done it could tempt me to keep MB and do some of those things to her.

But, it is still a little Folkboat with no headroom even for a short bloke like me.