Above 38 feet the choices expand, and the aesthetics are more in line with what I like. But we don't have that kind of scratch. So what are the picks for a sailor's powerboat that is under 30', yet has a galley, head, and can sleep 2, with the ability to sleep 4 as a bonus/plus?
Sailors Powerboat
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socalrider
Super Anarchist
Under 30 is tough. Budget? Grand Banks 32 or CHB34 w single engine? GB32 is a real cutie if you like varnishing.
Ranger Tugs would do the trick under 30 if you have the scratch and don’t like varnishing.
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Pertinacious Tom
Importunate Member
There's a part of the Cowmaran tale that isn't emphasized very often.
There are "mistake" hulls. They're 27' long and look just like scaled down models of the actual Cowmaran hulls. Wish I had been there when the builder and cow barn owner met with our other friend, who had to inform them they had misunderstood the drawings.
They don't have much carrying capacity and were just set aside, but they've been drawing ideas like flies.
My idea: a bridgedeck that has two Mirage Drive stations, a really big kite on a pylon, and one of the epropulsion electric outboards that regenerates power when dragged along. Class 6 Everglades Challenge boat.
Max Rockatansky
DILLIGAF?
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Did you say, ‘kite?’ As it happens, I’m selling a Culp Outleader. Was for my F27GS
I know it is, right? That's sorta why I asked, as I haven't necessarily hit on the answer yet. Budget is an "it depends" kinda situation. When the boy (last kid) goes off to college in the not too distant future, we are outta SoCal and most likely headed back to the Chesapeake Bay. We have a small condo at the top of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia (at Wintergreen) that we will live in part of the year, and are talking either a small house (condo/townhouse) somewhere on the coast on the water, and a powerboat for cruising and a smaller daysailer for racing/daysailing. So the the budget depends alot on location/price of the house on the coast. Lets use 100k for both powerboat and daysailer.
I'm the kinda guy that likes making things look good, so I actually don't mind varnishing...and it might help keep me busy whence I'm retired
I like the look of the Nordic Tugs better than the newer Ranger Tugs. Found the Cape Dory 28 ft Cruiser and the Grand Banks...but both of those are a question of finding one that has been well cared for by it's POs...
Of course, I really like the downeast look of the Hinckley Picnic Boats, the MJM's, the Black Cove's, etc. but to get the desired cruising accommodations means a much bigger boat and budget goes thru the roof...
fastyacht
Super Anarchist
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Over 20 years ago I worked with some Nova Scotia builders trying to drum up yacjt biz. The costs were low due to weak CD$. But difficult to make a sale. Workboats jave a very narrow yacht market. Rosborough had some success at it. But I was not invilved.
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slug zitski
Super Anarchist
Nothing wrong with a tug
perhaps contract the sailing club for work herding optimists
Autonomous
Turgid Member
If 2' isn't a deal breaker look at the Nordic Tug 32. Well regarded and hold their value.
Ranger Tugs have lots of styling but aren't in the same league on several fronts, IMO.
See Level
Working to overcome my inner peace
Sundowner 30, Jack Sarin design
A little rare, but we'll built
A little rare, but we'll built
socalrider
Super Anarchist
I agree with the earlier posts - I mixed up Ranger Tugs with Nordic Tugs. Latter is better for sure.
If you're okay with going slow: Willard Vega 30
If you're okay with going slow: Willard Vega 30
Autonomous
Turgid Member
It's a distraction from the leaky teak deck.
Pertinacious Tom
Importunate Member
Yes, that's the kind of thing I had in mind, but you're skipping a few steps ahead, the first one being to convince the owner to pursue my plan. Pretty unlikely.
The dealership where I worked sold them for a while. The 21 footer had an amazing boat show effect. Every year, we brought a Sun Cat to the Fort FatGrifter show, a predominantly powerboat venue. It was a hit every year, attracting lots of attention. Then we put it next to a Ranger Tugs 21 and it was like we had put an invisibility cloak around the Sun Cat.
The thing about the 21, cute though it may be, is that the whole boat is a water collector that's one bilge pump failure away from sinking. I like self bailing cockpits.
slug zitski
Super Anarchist
If your just looking for a small craft for zipping around after work , a foiled will work
Sail4beer
Usual suspect
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steele
Super Anarchist
A smaller option is the Camano Troll. Not a looker, but well built and efficient
Both Aspen cats and Ranger tugs are going to outboard power for most of their models. I can see lot's of advantages, but a big issue is the loss of the swim step as a great place for the dingy. Ranger has a tilting rack that holds the dink over the motors, it works but looks clunky.
The Aspens have two outboards, with the one on the smaller hull having lower HP. To my mind this kind of defeats the advantage of the asymetrical layout with just one inboard in the big hull.
A friend has an inboard Aspen, it is a nice boat but backing up is a bit of an adventure. It is one of the smaller models which puts the engine partly under the cabin so it is quite loud inside underway.
Both Aspen cats and Ranger tugs are going to outboard power for most of their models. I can see lot's of advantages, but a big issue is the loss of the swim step as a great place for the dingy. Ranger has a tilting rack that holds the dink over the motors, it works but looks clunky.
The Aspens have two outboards, with the one on the smaller hull having lower HP. To my mind this kind of defeats the advantage of the asymetrical layout with just one inboard in the big hull.
A friend has an inboard Aspen, it is a nice boat but backing up is a bit of an adventure. It is one of the smaller models which puts the engine partly under the cabin so it is quite loud inside underway.
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Tanton Y_M
Super Anarchist
Sweet spot: 17 knots with a single 370 HP.
Cheap Beer
Anarchist
I might as well wade into this thread since it's a subject close to my heart.
I'm a sailor and yacht designer and have been considering the sail or powerboat conundrum for as long as I've had to motor my 5kt $hitbox back to port on a windless/blowing stink/cold/rainy/dark/hot/day/night. Still love sailing, but if I want to get somewhere comfortably, it'll be on a powerboat.
In the last few years, I started thinking of a smaller powerboat- a day or weekend boat. A boat that could be trailered and stored for the winter, like our 26' sailboat. So she needed to be relatively lightweight, efficient, max length and beam for trailering, and a reasonable cruise speed in the low 20's. The Tombolo 28 was originally designed for cedar-strip & plywood custom construction. The design was published in a few magazines and now it seems to have a little momentum. https://www.siewertdesign.com/Portfolio/Production_Boat_Designs/tombolo_28.html
Many production boats the size have what I call "feature creep", and try to do too much to appeal to everybody. They have too many and overly complicated systems, which weigh more, which require more horsepower, which weighs more...etc.
The Tombolo 28 is a relatively simple boat, a sailors' boat that I thought you might enjoy.
I'm a sailor and yacht designer and have been considering the sail or powerboat conundrum for as long as I've had to motor my 5kt $hitbox back to port on a windless/blowing stink/cold/rainy/dark/hot/day/night. Still love sailing, but if I want to get somewhere comfortably, it'll be on a powerboat.
In the last few years, I started thinking of a smaller powerboat- a day or weekend boat. A boat that could be trailered and stored for the winter, like our 26' sailboat. So she needed to be relatively lightweight, efficient, max length and beam for trailering, and a reasonable cruise speed in the low 20's. The Tombolo 28 was originally designed for cedar-strip & plywood custom construction. The design was published in a few magazines and now it seems to have a little momentum. https://www.siewertdesign.com/Portfolio/Production_Boat_Designs/tombolo_28.html
Many production boats the size have what I call "feature creep", and try to do too much to appeal to everybody. They have too many and overly complicated systems, which weigh more, which require more horsepower, which weighs more...etc.
The Tombolo 28 is a relatively simple boat, a sailors' boat that I thought you might enjoy.
