Racer Cruisers for Tall People

[Evan Fullerton]

I find myself having to evaluate boats with a new consideration for which there isn’t a lot of data, headroom.

My Fiancé is 6ft 2in and she can’t stand up fully anywhere inside my Farr 1104…….. there is also talk of wanting a larger galley, water tank and V birth.

Some of these things can be modified into the 1104 as being an old race boat…… it’s pretty open and spartan down below but more headroom isn’t really one of those. Could gain a couple inches redoing the floor maybe but anything forward of amid ships is always going to be a stoop with the sloping coach roof for her.

I‘m not nearly as tall and grew up sailing so the duck here and don’t bump into that are second nature to me but as we do more sailing together, watching her bang her head into everything is making me think I should consider a different boat if I want her to enjoy sailing as a something we do together.

Going to be a few years before we are seriously in the market for a new boat but what’s out there with a lot of headroom?

Always liked the look of Sydney 38 but maybe I should be looking at X-Yachts or Dehler that were built for a taller Northern European market?

Wanting shaft drive instead of a sail drive and no coring in the hull if possible really restricts the options on performance boats built in the last 25 years.

 

[Will O'Haver]

You just perfectly described a Beneteau First 36.7! I’ve owned one for 10 years and have zero complaints. Cruised extensively with a family of 5, raced extensively in a competitive One Design circuit.

 

[Chris in Santa Cruz CA]

I just checked the pacific seacraft 37 and it’s 6’3”. Not a racer though. I like that boat.

 

[LB 15]

My Fiancé is 6ft 2in and she can’t stand up fully anywhere inside my Farr 1104

If you can’t find a suitable boat then there are many hot shorter chicks around.

 

[El Borracho]

If you can’t find a suitable boat then there are many hot shorter chicks around.

That was my method. Gotta have your priorities straight. The only place I need to stand my 6’5” bones is in the galley cooking something up. Or, more likely, doing the dishes after the 5’0” lass cooks. The galley has a huge hatch overhead which gives the needed height beyond the 6’2” overhead, and even more if open. All other tasks are accomplished while berthed, seated or bent over the engine box.

 

[Snore]

Almost any of the new boats have head room. If looking at older vessels, look at Tartans. I am 6'3" and own a 42 y/o T-33. Barefoot, I can stand in most of the salon.

As I understand it, Bill Crealock was a taller guy. That is why Crealock designs like the PSC, Crealock, Cabo Ricos, etc all have healthy headroom.

 

[Evan Fullerton]

I just checked the pacific seacraft 37 and it’s 6’3”. Not a racer though. I like that boat.

My Dad and I sailed a Crealock 37 Hull number 18 to Sydney Australia. Awesome boat for ocean passages but not a light air So Cal boat. PSC must have lightened them up a bit as ours was over 20,000lbs according to the travel lift. Can’t think of another boat ft for ft I’d rather be on in 40kts and 20ft seas though.

I do miss how well it tracked and wheel steering but being able to get near hull speed in 10kts of wind is worth the tradeoffs for trips to Catalina.

As to shorter women who like sailing and sports cars, my two hobbies……. I struck out finding one in So Cal, importing a gentle giant from Germany.

 

[herzogone]

This maybe too small or slow coming from your current boat, but my dad used to have a San Juan 28 that had 6'4" headroom. Granted, that was just under the closed companionway hatch, but it still had pretty good headroom throughout the rest. My dad is just over 6'3" and had jumped at the opportunity to buy one of very few boats under 30' with standing headroom for him. I'm 6'1" and found it quite comfortable, but I did grow up on smaller boats so ducking was second nature. He sold it to join my brother (6'2") and I in purchasing a Frers 40 with 6'2" headroom. The friend of ours who bought the San Juan is 6'5", but at least he has to duck less

 

[SloopJonB]

A question about cruiser racers draws a bunch of recommendations for Crealock designs.

 

[Zonker]

Also some Bendytoes have decent headroom. The First line is their C/R models.

As you are new you may not know this but there is a tradition to post a photograph of your significant other.

 

[Foredeck Shuffle]

You just perfectly described a Beneteau First 36.7! I’ve owned one for 10 years and have zero complaints. Cruised extensively with a family of 5, raced extensively in a competitive One Design circuit.

Best, and only relevant answer so far.

 

[Chris in Santa Cruz CA]

relevance never stopped anyone before

boredom eats relevance for breakfast!

 

[Evan Fullerton]

Maybe an older Beneteau First is ok but seen too many structural issues on newer production boats to get excited about one. Something nice about semi custom builds with no interior pans and structural fiberglass framing vs plywood. The construction on the Farr is pretty first rate as you would expect from a New Zealand build even one that is now 45 years old.

I inherited a 40ft mooring in Newport Beach so something sub 40ft is the size limit.

Requisite pictures of the Farr and Fiancé.

 

[Bump-n-Grind]

Best, and only relevant answer so far.

and he just beat me to it. lots of cabin headroom, forward bunk might be just a tad cozy but workable if either of ya can do a 20 minute yin yoga session before ya go to bed.

Had a 36.7 for a few years and although I'm not as tall as the subject in the OP I'm not short and found it a very accommodating boat.

 

[Matagi]

Maybe an older Beneteau First is ok but seen too many structural issues on newer production boats to get excited about one. Something nice about semi custom builds with no interior pans and structural fiberglass framing vs plywood. The construction on the Farr is pretty first rate as you would expect from a New Zealand build even one that is now 45 years old.

I inherited a 40ft mooring in Newport Beach so something sub 40ft is the size limit.

Requisite pictures of the Farr and Fiancé.

View attachment 529721 View attachment 529722

Really beautiful.
Your girlfriend looks nice, too.

 

[LB 15]

Maybe an older Beneteau First is ok but seen too many structural issues on newer production boats to get excited about one. Something nice about semi custom builds with no interior pans and structural fiberglass framing vs plywood. The construction on the Farr is pretty first rate as you would expect from a New Zealand build even one that is now 45 years old.

I inherited a 40ft mooring in Newport Beach so something sub 40ft is the size limit.

Requisite pictures of the Farr and Fiancé.

View attachment 529721 View attachment 529722

SA protocols are quite clear on this. The photo needs to be with the boom cover off.

 

[bgytr]

Look for Hood centerboarders. Bristol or Little Harbor. Hood was a tall man and most of his boats had 6 ft 5 in or better headroom and long bunks. I have a Gulfstar Hood Custom 40- I'm 6'5" and have full headroom and fit in all the bunks.

 

[mckenzie.keith]

I recently looked at a beneteau first 44.7. Plenty of headroom for me (I am 6'4" and there was maybe 2" of clearance above my head).

 

[steele]

A Dehler 39 might be worth a look. Older but with good build quality, very nice interior, but still on the performance side of the spectrum for a cruiser. I recall a lot of headroom when I looked at one, but did not measure it. The net says 6'5" but...
They do have a strange foam deck material instead of non-skid which by this point has either been replaced or is disintegrating. Otherwise I found no fault with it and would have considered buying it but it was too much boat for us.

 

[Evan Fullerton]

SA protocols are quite clear on this. The photo needs to be with the boom cover off.

Doing so would solve my headroom issue.

Dehler 39 might work……. looks to have a sail drive though. Maybe I’ll get over hating those.

While on boats with sail drives but still cool boats, J109 looks interesting. Not sure on the headroom though and underwater balsa core………. serious reservations about long term ownership of cored hulls.