Purchasing advice

Roberts 38s I have been told have a reputation as the worst dog sailer Roberts ever put out.

Steel yachts appeal to many novice sailors because of a perception of strength in steel. Weight for weight, aluminium is much stronger than steel and when aluminium is exposed to air it immediately oxidizes on the surface which protects it from further oxidization unlike steel which just continues to oxidize until it has reached 7 times it's original volume by which time there is no steel left, just ferrous oxide.

If you insist on a metal yacht I highly recommend getting an aluminium yacht. Properly built they will probably out last any material except fibre glass. Nobody knows yet how long a fibre glass yacht will last because to date no properly built fibre glass yacht has fallen apart.

I owned this aluminium yacht for 7 years and never had a problem with the hull or deck. It's real name is ENVY II. The guy who bought it from me insisted he had to rename it after his daughter. It is listed for $89,000 but I think a realistic price is in the $45-50,000 range. It will need some money spent on her as all yachts do. An amazing yacht and she could accommodate 11 people easily.




Listing here. http://yachthub.com/list/yachts-for-sale/used/sail-monohulls/peterson-44-serendipity/189650

However with your criteria listed:-

"I am looking for a good solid cruising yacht around 35 foot to do some coastal cruising in the near future with a view to getting further afield and out into the south Pacific in a year or two. So something ok to live aboard and good on the open water is important, as well as something relatively easy to handle short handed. Performance is probably less important than reliability/ease of use."

Performance AND reliability/ease of use is most important. Do you want to be anchor down and sipping sun downers before dark or still slogging your way in to the anchorage at 2300 hours??

I have something else that, if it does not warm the cockles of your heart should at least tickle your fancy.

"Starlight Express" is an S&S 36 built by Prestige Yachts in W.A. that I have been looking after for a friend (a fellow Seabreezer) for the last year and also showing it to buyers that he sends occasionally.

I went down to her today to check her lines, bilges, batteries and engine. The Kubota engine fired up first kick but the house batteries have gone flat due to something not switched off. The stereo I think. So I rang my mate to keep him up to date and he informed me he has dropped the price from $50,000 to $40,000 as he just wants it sold so he can concentrate on his new yacht charter business.

This is a rock solid yacht and it is a bargain. If you or anybody else is interested send me a private message.

This is her. Notice the brand new Flemming on the back of her.








sparkmanstephens.blogspot.com.au/2011/04/design-2432-prestige-36.html

This is the listing:- www.boatpoint.com.au/boats-for-sale/private/used/SSE-AD-3568466/1985-Sparkman-Stephens-36?

It was originally for sale at $65,000.

sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_id=6511

If this doesn't keep you awake tonight, it should.

Edit:- Re the comment by the lister of the Roberts 38 about whales and containers sinking "plastic" boats.

I was recently on a "plastic" boat doing about 10 knots in the middle of the night when we hit a whale. I and the boat are still here to tell the tale. The boat suffered a minor scratch.

Thanks Cisco, yes I had heard the same thing about the Roberts 38s, and I have to say many of them aren't exactly easy on the eye either.
Although I will be a novice owner I do have a bit of experience with steel boats, and whilst I obviously don't plan on bumping into anything some peace of mind given the areas I plan on spending some time in (lots of coral!) is a factor. That said I would also admit some of this preference is probably based on some older stereotypes and stories about fibreglass boats too so might be open to being persuaded on this point if the right thing comes along.
Your first suggestion is probably not what I am after but the S&S is very nice and I know they have a good reputation. Might message you for some more info.
And Southace that is indeed a nice yacht but unfortunately out of my price range!

Cisco I should sell my Roberts 34 steel boat & invest in that S&S. It looks like a nice boat.
Dont know if I would have the skills to sail it form Vic to lake macquarie NSW though

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twodogs1969 said..
Starlight would be worth looking at as it has already been setup for short handed cruising.
Another type worth looking at are the bounty 35 there are some going cheap.
I would suggest looking at glass boats a lot less maintenance.

What 2 dogs said. Only epoxy saturated wood, fibreglass and stainless steel are forever imho!!
Ive been researching for my next boat for about 2 years.....non stop.
And unless that S&S has a totally buggered motor or needs lots of sails immediately it has to be a bargain. Nobody puts a new Fleming into a boat that they dont envision keeping for another 5 years at least.
The new wind vane speaks volumes.
If the market wasn't terrible the owner would be wanting 60k. Clearly he's cutting his losses.
Fwiw. Brian.

Hey Cisco, was ENVY II a sister ship to Inch By Winch? Loved racing on that boat and the owner spent quite a bit getting her back to racing condition.

I think it's worth keeping in mind that a boat that is said to sail like a dog may be a good cruising/ live aboard boat.
A boat that sails well may not be a good cruising boat as I have found out,,, the hard way. I wish I had gone with the cruising instead of the sailing ability .
I once heard Jon Sanders talking of the Ideal cruising boat and In his opinion it was to have a steel hull.

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FreeRadical said..
Hey Cisco, was ENVY II a sister ship to Inch By Winch? Loved racing on that boat and the owner spent quite a bit getting her back to racing condition.

The same era, ilk and designer but not a sister ship. I went on board inch by Winch at Mooloolaba some years ago. Her topsides and deck are higher than Envy II and she is 44 ft and Envy is 42 ft. Fatter in the belly too I believe.

There were many Peterson IOR 2 tonners around at the time. One of them, "Big Schott", I think was the closest to Envy. Someone told me that of all the 2 tonners Peterson designed at the time none of them were exactly the same. He would add a bump here or take a scallop out there trying to get a bit more out of the boats within the IOR rule.

I just love the Peterson yachts and was hot to buy a Santana (Peterson) 30 before I found my Lotus 9.2. I am well and truly sold on her now as I think she has everything one could want in a 30 footer though if someone wanted to trade me a Pogo 30 for her I would shed a little tear for the Lotus and jump on the Pogo.

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cisco said..


Steel yachts can be great and I think the best steel yacht design is the Van De Stadt 34. At 5.4 tonne it is one of the lightest. They are roomy and sail very well. For me to buy one though it would have to be spotless.

Anyway the bargain of the day is Starlight Express. She needs a slipping and antifoul, oil change and a check of the electrics and she is ready to go.

A bargain.. but maybe not a bargain for every one, Realistic price maybe getting close.

They are really nice boats. The VDS 34 "Ruby Tuesday" that was for sale over here in the west, disappeared off the market when the price fell to $30k.

That is an exceptionally nice VDS 34 down there in Vic.

Check out the jarkan and amends good boats

Two good cruise designs oldies but goodies The Arends was a sort after cruise boat years ago
http://www.boatsonline.com.au/boats-for-sale/used/sailing-boats/arends-33/185863



Jarken center cockpit usually well finished inside there's a few owners on Seabreeze

www.boatpoint.com.au/boats-for-sale/dealer/used/OAG-AD-13578968/1982-JARKAN-105?cr=1&psq=%28%28Make%3DJARKAN%26%28%28%28SiloType%3DDealer%20used%20boats%7CSiloType%3DDealer%20new%20boats%29%7CSiloType%3DPrivate%20used%20boats%29%7CSiloType%3DDemo%20and%20near%20new%20boats%29%29%26Service%3DBoatsales%29&pso=0&pss=Premium

Theres a S and S 36 up in Bundaberg also looks ok Cisco would know it
I see up above Cisco know it well
Boy oh boy prices have come down a lot over the last few years that's for sure
Mast heads finished on mine old girl so it wont be long before the stick up in the air
I think Im in love
http://www.boatsales.com.au/boats-for-sale/dealer/used/OAG-AD-862254/1971-SPARKMAN-STEPHENS-39?cr=2&psq=%28%28%28%28%28BoatType%3D%5BSail%5D%26%28%28%28SiloType%3D%5BDealer%20used%20boats%5D%7CSiloType%3D%5BDealer%20new%20boats%5D%29%7CSiloType%3D%5BPrivate%20used%20boats%5D%29%7CSiloType%3D%5BDemo%20and%20near%20new%20boats%5D%29%29%26Service%3D%5BBoatsales%5D%29%26HullType%3D%5BMono%5D%29%26Usage%3D%5BCruising%5D%29%26Make%3D%5BSPARKMAN%20%26%20STEPHENS%5D%29&pso=0&pss=Premium

Those Swanson 36 are really nice. There was a similar one for sale in Freo a few years back "Lady Jane",,, needed work,,, I looked at it twice, went back to buy it and it had sold for around $20k. Still regretting it.

I think the best thing I can do is not look at boats while sailing up the Eest coast next year.I could see my self stuck some where in the lollie shop; so to speak