Love seeing this video, Tim - I have been refitting a 74 Pearson 35 for the past few years, preparing to go cruising. They have a few drawbacks (the compression post block was originally made out of glassed-in oak, and needs replacing, the keel can take on water from the centerboard pin penetration, and there is a glass issue where the forward water tank touches the hull, especially in the earlier high-resin layups that came from inexperience in glasswork), but if resolved they’re great boats.
Many of the older boats from the 60s and early 70s that you talk about were designed with the CCA rating rule in mind which favored boats with overhangs and narrow beam. Many centerboard boats were not well designed to use the best attributes of the centerboard concept. My boat is a Hood 40 that has a 4ft draft with the board up and 11ft with it down. The hull has no keel, it is a "whale body" form with the high aspect ratio centerboard that drops down. Very low wetted surface so it performs well in lighter winds, and it points very high with the board down going upwind. Tacking angles in 10kts of true wind and above are about 75 degrees (yes it points about 38 degrees true wind angle). It easily points with the most modern boats of today, except the extreme high performers like TP52s and similar. Another plus of the centerboard is being able to adjust the balance of the boat in different wind conditions- when the breeze is up, we bring the board up a bit to counteract weather helm and the rudder eases up, and we take off. So centerboard boats that are well designed can be truly the best of both worlds. Every boat has their own quirks and pluses...
On a Pearson 35 the keel is not full, but, "cut away" under the bow. This creates two problems. When in reverse, the wind has the most profound effect on the direction of the boat. More than any other effect (walk, rudder, prop wash). The nose of the boat will always blow down wind, no mater what you do. You need to be aware of that. Also, it has difficulty holding still when hov-to. The nose will blow down wind. You need to trim in you jib significantly to balance the boat when hov-to.
Thanks for that. Bill Shaw also designed a 39 ft yawl for Pearson. It seemed to have all the features you described in the Pearson 35. I think he ended up owning one for a number of years and was seen in local races around Narragansett Bay. As you described, it was never considered “beamy” , but certainly beautiful. …it’s hard to walk away from beautiful.
Also love this channel out of all the sailing channels I’ve never missed a single episode. Sometimes going back to older episodes to check information out again. From the uk we don’t have the choice you guys have here and it’s great to see so many options. Thank you 🙏
The narrower beam of classic boats is actually a major element of their seaworthiness. The small cabins on boats like Alberg 30s were actually fairly typical of yachts from the classic era, when designers were not trying to replicate a house, but rather, give sensible and usable space for comfortable cruising. Think Maurice Griffiths. The Alberg 30 was basically intended as a sort of Folkboat in which you could pull your pants on while standing in the cabin! While most modern designs do provide more living space, and are very comfortable at the dock, this comes at a steep price in terms of aesthetics (i.e., bulky, ugly cabin structures), safety (more windage and susceptibility to the effects of large seas) and seakindliness (i.e., lack of comfort where it really matters - when you're out at sea!). But then, as an Alberg 30 owner I may be biased ;). I should state, though, that my previous boat, an Aloha 32 (with the typical Mark Ellis interior of the Nonsuches), was a much larger boat, yet the cabin space far less comfortable and practical than the Alberg (unless you plan on spending a lot of time in the head!).
more beam can carry more sail, and less beam needs less ... it's like the extremities of the design universe become somewhat subjective. what is comfortable ? are we talking side to side, or up and down ? how fast is fast? that depends on what you're used to. how fast is fast enough depends on your ability to plan ahead, until it depends on the weather....but what are we designing for here? both, one way or another.
I'm an old Bahamas cruiser, and have been enjoying your videos ( as I sit through a long winter back ashore ). I think you do an excellent job describing the issues we come up against while cruising, both technical and weather related. And I admire your courage in tackling the real cruising dilemma - relationship issues ! Most crews are couples, learning to deal with months of constant contact ( in confined spaces ), often while in stressful conditions. It's a real challenge. Did you ever stumble upon Eileen Quinn, a folksinger( and fellow Canadian ) who wrote cruiser's music - mostly about those boat relationships ? She's great.
I think another reason that people look for 30ft-34ft boats when they're on a budget might be to stay in the smallest bracket for a Bahamas cruiser permit. If I have choice of paying $150 for a 33ft boat or $300 for a 37ft boat, I'll take the 33ft every time.
There is a Pearson 35 on the mooring next to mine. It is an attractive boat, but I have to say that it looks small compared to my Allied 36. My extra foot of beam makes the interior of my boat feel spacious compared to the P-35. One thing you didn't mention about centerboard boats is that they handle MUCH better with the board even partly down. That is particularly apparent when it comes to docking the boat (if there is enough depth to lower the board). On the negative side, raising and lowering the board can be a pain, particularly if you are short handed (two people). I know quite a few people with centerboard boats (a local builder built almost exclusively centerboard boats and there are lots of their boats here) and those people often simply ignore the board unless they are going to be on a particular point of sail for quite a while (miles).
he should have mentioned the morgan full keels my 1969 41fter has a full keel and centerboard and only draws 4feet 2inches of draft with board up and over 9ft with board down
I have a Pearson 35 in Gloucester Harbor along with 4 others. They are great for going up rivers. The mast is short which makes it great for going under bridges. I call it “stout” or “low aspect”.
The shallow draft and short mast minimize the stress on the rig. This boat likes to sail well healed over, the waterline is extended, you get a little extra speed and the excess wind spills out.
I purchased a rare bird which I had done alot of research on. I have a 2003 Hunter 356 with bilge keels. This boat was manufactured in England and sailed all around Europe, the Mediteranian, across the Atlantic to the BVI's, east coast to the greatl lakes and I bought it and sailed back down to Florida. A great boat which tracks well with 4.5' draft. A little slow 1/2 knot or so than the normal keel.It tracks like a cat and takes high seas and wind very well. The thing that I really like is you can beach the boat in high tide and let the tide go out and it stands on it's own. I am very happy with the build quality and the cabin space. Your thoughts on these?
Hi Lady K Sailing. I'm really enjoying this channel. Thanks for the uploads. You invited us to make suggestions about covering other boats. I've heard you refer to trailer sailors a few times (San Juan 21, and 22 footers like Catalina, etc.) and, though I haven't viewed the video on MacGregors, I wondered why you stopped there. I own a 94 Hunter 26 (after moving from fixed keels down to a Catalina 22 and a Macgregor 26 classic with the Daggerboard) and I went out specifically looking for the Hunter 26 or newer 260 because of the increased cruising comfort. You don't get that clorax bottle feel like you do with the MacGregors. She is a bit of a tub to sail, but when the anchor is out the complaining stops. We spent the first Covid summer on her in False Creek Vancouver and entertained a lot of people in the quite spacious cockpit and I swear I can get 8 people around the galley table. Just for thoughts.
Hey awesome yes you are absolutely right. I just went sailing on an H26 trailer boat. Amazing space! Light wind performance was mediocre but nice boat. Perhaps we should revisit trailer boats. Also the oday 27!
Have a look at the interne at the Garcia Exploration 45, 52, 60. The exploration is my dream bout. A centre boarder that needs the centreboard only when you are tacking or anyway sailing high to the wind. Centreboard up she can fall dry on a beach staying sprite. I had one trip on an exploration 45, but it is out of my price range. As it is I have an 42 feet aluminium boat, one of three hulls build by S. Etheridge to a Mike Pokock design. It is very stable, good in heavy weather. It has a heavy rather thick fin keel with 600 kg lead ballast and a full skeg protecting the rudder. A very good boat for cruising. Also fast when you have enough wind. My problem with the boat is, that it is not build for shallow waters, my draft is 2.2 m.
Hey Pal, another good one. Thx 4 it. The narrow beam I'm told as likely most everyone has been is for speeeeed.... On the planing hull it is far less of an issue hence; much beamier, in the bows as well, scows for example.
My comment for the video is a bit late but here it goes anyways. Is this not the boat that you should be buing instead of the one that you want? The "high ass" makes a boat perform so much better at sea. If you're going down or against the wind in rough sea the ride is going to be so much smoother. The wide open sterns that are built today for comfort are just plain bad when the going gets rough. They have more floating surface aft than fore and makes the bow dive easier. With a pointy stern a bit above the waterline lets the bow go up when it needs to. And the stern does not lift when a wave hits from aft. Btw thanks for the channel. I've been sailing my whole life since before I walked. I have not owned a boat since I was 16 due to my my work schedule. But I have had the chance to borrow one every now and then. Now at 34 I finally have the time and money to get back in with my own boat. This channel made me go over the barrier to the mother of my children and just annonce that this hole in the sea is where I'm going to sink my money. And she's liked the idea😍. Thank's for the motivation speeches! Hope to see some episodes in water soon.
In 1977 my wife and I purchased a new Tartan 34, a Sparkman-Stevens design for use on the Chesapeake Bay. This boat suited us well sailing with 2 kids and a mother-in-law. The T37 was our dream but we moved to Arizona. Oh well!
I own P35 489. Love it but it is an acquired taste. Very little inside storage, a small cabin, and not the greatest engine access. She sails well and sundowners in that big cockpit are the big pluses. Shallow draft is nice too!
Most days I see you sitting in an office on a sailing channel and for some reason I absolutely love your show. You speak very well and your time spent on research really pays off for me. Recently I have come under the spell of Roger Barnes and dinghy cruising. I would appreciate it if you could share something about this. North America has a lot of shoreline especially if you include the Great Lakes.
How about an episode on the Corbin 39. The Corbin 39 was designed by Robert Dufour and built by Marius Corbin. The design features flush decks and ample freeboard. Production began in 1979 and continued until 1991 with about two hundred hulls produced. The design was available with either aft or centre cockpits; and either ketch or cutter or sloop rigged. The Corbin 39 proved to be an extremely good strong, safe, adaptable long distance family cruising boat and many have circumnavigated. They can be found homeported and cruising worldwide. Some are even raced, primarily for pleasure !
there are sailing vessels that can be thought of as "no compromise" , but really, those are specialized, or more focused to design task. ( thinking like Sail GP ) but i think designers are generally always looking for the best balance of elements, by "what is most likely", and the rest is engineering for foreseeable loads.
Interesting and food for thought as usual, as for you researching and commenting on boats, I've pestered you before a good old English, Camper and Nicholson built boats from the 60s 70s to the present day, would love to see you sailing and exploring brother but life is life.stay safe
"Long and skinny"...1--improved hydrodynamics...they are faster. 2--improved comfort...the rolling motion is slower in proportion, and less violent. See Dave 's book, "The Nature of Boats"".
Quite a few Pearson 35s at my club in the N. Chesapeake. None ever put their centerboard down due to the shallow water. Really pretty boats with a lot more space than my Alberg 30.
I bought this year a Pearson 40 for 13k. Needs some minor TLC, paint job and new rigging.. But for the money, I couldn't say no.. I'm excited, is my first boat..
friend of mine has a freedom 28 with a full keel and centerboard im kind of with you I feel like it is one more thing to worry about - is it up is it down - does it have to be down ect as a new sailer it is just one more thing to worry about but his boat is amazing and was the first boat i have ever sailed
I my self have a 47 ft long keel thick fiberglass built Norwegian Randesund sailboat, draft on her is about 2m, and i have a 47ft steel ketch with a 6 tonn drop keel on, the veight of the boat is about 23 tonn, draft is about 1,2m to 2,8m. i also have a Norwegian built Hero 107(35ft) with a finn keel, but i like the long keel boats the best becaus of the softy way it moves in all kind of weather.
I had my eye on a Pearson 39-2 for a while, and couldn't pull the trigger for this exact reason. I kept telling myself and wife that the interior weirdness is ok. I was relieved to hear someone else ended up buying it so I could stop dwelling over it and move on
The first successful long keel centerboard type originated with the S&S designed Finisterre in the mid 1950's. Finisterre was hugely successful on the race couse and won 3 Bermuda races, 56, 58 and 60. Early C&C's such as the Corvette 31 and Frigate 36 were also long keel / centerboard type cruiser racers however the most famous example of the type has to be the Hinckley Bermuda 40. So, once again a trickle down effect from racers to cruisers.
I've been trying to get back to boating and was looking at 24'er but they are to small for my butt! I put the finally rail to the water lol. Thinking about a Pearson 35 or a bayfield 32.. next year to live 6 months in the Bahamas.
Hi, here's an interesting area of sailing rarely covered - and this adjustable centreboard brought it to mind - The French tradition of fast-sailing, canal traversing, beaching capable, single-handed boats. I'm thinking specifically of the Pogo36, which by now is a comfortable (ish) live-aboard, is selling a lot of boats, and it's been clocked at 20 knots. I'm seriously considering moving onto one but I'd value your opinion. Obviously it can sail, but no insulation, barely a piece of wood, normally no bimini, etc, might make it a tough one to deal with day to day.
Tim, Really like this series 🙌. Endeavour 32 might be a good option that fits a lot of the boxes for the mid 30's starter cruiser. Numbers of boats is good and inexpensive, encapsulated modified fin, partial skeg, can get in relative skinny water, good specs on paper, solid support groups , sea kindly, easy to singlehand but best suited for two. It would be cool to see your thoughts.
You made some excellent points I would like to know more about when the beams got wider than like the Genoa or the Beneteau and how why have they gotten. Thanks for making my life better John Sailing instructor in Kansas City
Love your channel Tim. I have posted a few other times. You’re a wealth of knowledge. I would love to see a video on furling main vs traditional main as well as boom furling system. I’m sure you have a opinion.
what is interesting is the golden globe yacht race all use long keels. rustler 36 would be the most capable boat, not mentioned but the best boat used for this challenge.
I have an O'day 25 with a shoal keel centerboard. The keel is heavy and encased in the fiberglass which makes it incredibly durable and stable. I am looking at O'day 30s and 31s. Have you any insight on the 30something foot Odays?
It seems you've found a better place to keep all your fruit! I've scanned the background ever since you moved to see if Cali hid anymore surprises back there 😁
Hi there, this is very much like my boat chinook 34 1958 haul #8 with a swing keel like this one. Please do a short video on them if you can. Mine currently needs the wooden deck rebuilt and some other enjoyable wood projects. Thanks again. FYI I am a lake sailer, is this a manageable boat for that? 9ft wide 34ft long with like a 23ft water line. 😊
Island Packet offered center Boards in most of their modelsbut not many of them were produced it seems. I donot know of how they proformed compared to their non-cneter board models though. The only island packet I would be interested in would be the 35, bit I have yet to find one for sale with a center board.
your info was extremely help full thank you I am about to buy a 40ft 1980 C&C with the 5-7ft draft can you please review this boat for me many i honestly value and would really appreciate it
Larger lifting centerboarders: Alubat, Ovni, Allures, Discovery/Southerly, Garcia . Moving parts? the lifting centerboard and perhaps the bushings on either side of the axel....so maybe 3? This is too many? I could live with it, maintenance may be a PITA.
My dad had a Pearson 39-2. He had it built with a raised cabin roof for his 6'7" height. It had a good sized keel and a daggerboard that could be lowered. It had other interesting modifications also: 1. The floor of the head on the port side (by the companionway stairs was extended into the space normally taken for the chart table. A shower pan covered that entire area so that there was a "wet locker" with a door that opened into the shower for wet suits and foul weather gear. The gear could be rinsed off and hung to dry. It also had a fan to draw air out through a grate on the floor and out through the deck. On our Northern passage it was great for foul weather gear, and otherwise held all the wet suits and such. 2. The chain locker was larger than the original design, and below it was a bow thruster that went through the bow of the boat just above the bob-stay. This was a big design change and cost "the earth" but allowed the boat to be maneuvered for docking entirely from the cockpit. Pearson made the mods to the plans and this did make the forward berth smaller, but it was still big enough for me. 3. The Daggerboard had a friction mount, so that if the boat struck something with it, then the dagger board would just push up (but it took a lot of force). 4. Dad was heavily criticized for his "playpen" stainless railing that was thigh high for him there were two rails all the way around the boat and forming a pulpit. 5. There were hammock mounts in the main salon, that's where we slept on passage, I slept well on passage through 4 Atlantic, 1 Pacific , and 1 Indian Ocean crossing. I don't know why more people don't use hammocks. They're also great if an anchorage is a bit too rolley. It was a great boat. Dad had it for over 30 years and sold it to another tall guy that was glad to get it.
I own a 1970 tartan 30...she's been well kept though the years... I plan to sail the California coast for the next year.. I've read alot of good about this boat and was wondering what thoughts you might have.. the previous owner sailed her to Hawaii and back spending a year in the Hawaiian Islands... Being a coastal cruiser that she Is I'm looking for more opinions on myself doing that same journey... let me know what you think..
When will we be able to sail a normally keeled boat?? A normally keeled boat is keeling from stem to stern. The stem is the deepest point of the boat to keel the headsails and maintain rudder control. The mast is behind the middle of the boat to prevent loss of rudder control. Today we all sail boats keeled to keep Lafitte in New Orleans and build a colony.
Don't know if they are that great , Ask beau and Brandy, hull flex split open, keel full of water center board issues. Uma not center board had its keel moving all over before adding stringers and lots of glass
Bear in mind, these boats were built for coastal cruising. The structural issue in the forward portion of the hull is real - the largest water tank on board touches the hull there, and when partially filled, hammers on a single point. The keel water issue happens because the pivot and pin for the centerboard can leak, if not maintained- which predated Beau and Brandy. And the compression block can be soft, requiring replacement. However, for a $10k boat, these can all be fixed relatively easily. Dan and Kika have a Pearson 36, which is an entirely different design. They also rescued Uma from destruction, and their issues with the keel were likely damage done prior to purchase. They strengthened the boat, but it was damaged again when the yard moved it (9 years ago) while they were in the process of reglassing the floors; they also sail her far beyond what she was designed for, thus the current major refit they’re doing.
Could you do a video on good pocket cruisers 30ft and under my new ti me 28 ft southern cross is a awesome boat cutter rig canoe stern it's almost like a modified full but has a cut out with a skeg hung rudder
Do you have a review of the Wyliecat Cat-Ketch rigged & Cat rigged monohull sail boats? They have the main mast at the bow. The newest reincarnation of the Nonsuch Cat-rig and Freedom Ketch-Cat-rigs all with wishbones.
I'll put my 2 cents in... I have a 1970 p39. It's very similar to the p35 (Shaw design). As for roominess and beam on boats this size, I think it is more reflective of the tenderness of the boat. Yeah, mine is 11.5, old CCA design, so a bit narrow and tends to heal a bit quicker, however, it then accelerates from 5.5 to 7.5 knts pretty quickly. As for "bluewater" the open interior, like the 35, lends to a bit of concern underway as one can get hurled around a bit inside. Love the cockpit though. Perhaps you should review the P365 which is their world cruiser design. More of a cramped interior but plenty of safety handholds. Like you mentioned, boats are compromise, open interior are superior at anchorage or liveaboard. But too, storage and tankage are important for cruising. And yeah, it's the "feel" of the boat for the owners. Fair winds and keep on keeping on!
Thank you very much for your videos I have seen almost all of them. I am one of those people who is hooked on sailing and my wish is to live on the sailboat. I am lucky enough to telework and I can support myself, but my budget is very low, approximately 10,000 dollars. I would like you to help me. I know you have made videos about this. subject but if you could do more I would greatly appreciate it.
Hey sure yes happy to help. I think you'll want to find one of those unicorn deals. Someone with a great bout worth about 30k that just wants to get out of sailing due to health or age. We have one such boat for sale right now. A 31 full keel for $3k. Easily a 12-15k boat but he wants it gone. I'd ask around sailing clubs. These deals don't get listed anywhere.
I’v got a27ft Albin Vega and I’d like a bigger boat but you try and find a better boat than the Vega and you really need to jump up in size and price . Also the Vega sails 6.5 knots very easily so the formula is hard to find. This brings me to should I just go around the world in my small Vega two of us ? Has anyone here in the comments been across the oceans on a vega in a cruiser couple type of way ? I’d love to get the thoughts
I disagree about the full keel on the wind being not so good. My Glander Cay 23 had a full keel and went upwind like a rocket. That boat also had a 35 foot mast off the deck. Same for the 26 foot Pearson Ariel. In good conditions it would point at 40 degrees off of the true wind. Rig and hull shape are probably the most important factors. At tall mast on a narrow hull will make the boat go the weather even on a full keel.
@Lady K Sailing *_ Just mentioning that I love your vlogs but the sound volume on this one was Crap, you have to consider us "Hearing Impaired" followers too, I use earbuds and that's the only way I'm able to follow you. Please check your previous vlog's volume and compare it with this one.... a vast difference. Cheers _*
Think you forgot to embed a couple of thumbnails/links for other videos you referenced? (I ordinarily wouldn't point it out but I always am willing to stop and watch a short biopic about Carl Alberg.]
How about my 1985 Luger Voyager Adventurer?!? She's 30', options for a 3' drop keel. Mine does not have a drop keel, 3' draft - pilothouse. #DiveGirlDebsSailingAdventures Please check us out, and see if you can do a Luger segment. ~DiveGirl Deb Eugene Oregon
The notion that "there are too many moving parts" in a CB design is really unfounded. If you properly maintain your boat you won't have a problem. There are thousands of CB cruising boats produced and still being sailed. What you need to watch out for in CBs are exactly the same things you watch out for in other areas of your boat - through hull fittings for pennants, corrosion on brackets and bolts esp from dissimilar metals, and hardware and line degradation. You wouldn't discount a boat because it has an engine with lots of moving parts. If shallow draft and relatively good windward performance are important to you then seriously consider a K/CB or one of the whale body designs which seem brilliant to me for a cruising boat for the reasons stated below by RM. It's a shame that consumers have moved decidedly away from proper sailing yachts in favor of floating monstrosities with the hydrodynamic attributes of barge. Similarly, if seakindliness, tracking, and durability are important then definitely consider a full keel boat - maybe even one with a CB.
The Pearsons are pretty, but they have the one feature I utterly hate: The "Ankle breaker" galley design, with (of all things) the KITCHEN COUNTER used as a STEP and the SINK right next to where your feet go! On a lean, that is a recipe to break an ankle and ANY other time it's a recipe for all sorts of bacterial and parasitical diseases as you put your dirty feet on the kitchen counter. Just the worst thought out design feature of all time. A boat can have every other awesome feature, but if it's got an "Ankle Breaker" galley, it goes in the "No" category.
Before i bought my catalina 25 i really wanted a O’Day 25 but didn’t like feet on the counter, even for a boat mostly used as a day sailor. My wife especially didn’t want that.
Love seeing this video, Tim - I have been refitting a 74 Pearson 35 for the past few years, preparing to go cruising. They have a few drawbacks (the compression post block was originally made out of glassed-in oak, and needs replacing, the keel can take on water from the centerboard pin penetration, and there is a glass issue where the forward water tank touches the hull, especially in the earlier high-resin layups that came from inexperience in glasswork), but if resolved they’re great boats.
Thanks for watching!
Many of the older boats from the 60s and early 70s that you talk about were designed with the CCA rating rule in mind which favored boats with overhangs and narrow beam.
Many centerboard boats were not well designed to use the best attributes of the centerboard concept. My boat is a Hood 40 that has a 4ft draft with the board up and 11ft with it down. The hull has no keel, it is a "whale body" form with the high aspect ratio centerboard that drops down. Very low wetted surface so it performs well in lighter winds, and it points very high with the board down going upwind. Tacking angles in 10kts of true wind and above are about 75 degrees (yes it points about 38 degrees true wind angle). It easily points with the most modern boats of today, except the extreme high performers like TP52s and similar.
Another plus of the centerboard is being able to adjust the balance of the boat in different wind conditions- when the breeze is up, we bring the board up a bit to counteract weather helm and the rudder eases up, and we take off.
So centerboard boats that are well designed can be truly the best of both worlds. Every boat has their own quirks and pluses...
The flip side of long overhangs is a short waterline. A short waterline needs a proportionally narrow beam.
On a Pearson 35 the keel is not full, but, "cut away" under the bow. This creates two problems. When in reverse, the wind has the most profound effect on the direction of the boat. More than any other effect (walk, rudder, prop wash). The nose of the boat will always blow down wind, no mater what you do. You need to be aware of that. Also, it has difficulty holding still when hov-to. The nose will blow down wind. You need to trim in you jib significantly to balance the boat when hov-to.
Thanks for that.
Bill Shaw also designed a 39 ft yawl for Pearson.
It seemed to have all the features you described in the Pearson 35.
I think he ended up owning one for a number of years and was seen in local races around Narragansett Bay.
As you described, it was never considered “beamy” , but certainly beautiful.
…it’s hard to walk away from beautiful.
Tim agree with poster above, please check your level, the last few videos I have to turn my tv up from the usual 25 to 75. Ads come on blasting.
Also love this channel out of all the sailing channels I’ve never missed a single episode. Sometimes going back to older episodes to check information out again. From the uk we don’t have the choice you guys have here and it’s great to see so many options. Thank you 🙏
The narrower beam of classic boats is actually a major element of their seaworthiness. The small cabins on boats like Alberg 30s were actually fairly typical of yachts from the classic era, when designers were not trying to replicate a house, but rather, give sensible and usable space for comfortable cruising. Think Maurice Griffiths. The Alberg 30 was basically intended as a sort of Folkboat in which you could pull your pants on while standing in the cabin! While most modern designs do provide more living space, and are very comfortable at the dock, this comes at a steep price in terms of aesthetics (i.e., bulky, ugly cabin structures), safety (more windage and susceptibility to the effects of large seas) and seakindliness (i.e., lack of comfort where it really matters - when you're out at sea!). But then, as an Alberg 30 owner I may be biased ;). I should state, though, that my previous boat, an Aloha 32 (with the typical Mark Ellis interior of the Nonsuches), was a much larger boat, yet the cabin space far less comfortable and practical than the Alberg (unless you plan on spending a lot of time in the head!).
more beam can carry more sail, and less beam needs less ... it's like the extremities of the design universe become somewhat subjective.
what is comfortable ? are we talking side to side, or up and down ?
how fast is fast? that depends on what you're used to.
how fast is fast enough depends on your ability to plan ahead, until it depends on the weather....but what are we designing for here? both, one way or another.
Rawson 30 another full keeler blue water boat amazing channel thankyou
Your channel is great as you break it down to the lowest denominator for some of us thinking about diving into a sail boat.
I'm an old Bahamas cruiser, and have been enjoying your videos ( as I sit through a long winter back ashore ). I think you do an excellent job describing the issues we come up against while cruising, both technical and weather related. And I admire your courage in tackling the real cruising dilemma - relationship issues ! Most crews are couples, learning to deal with months of constant contact ( in confined spaces ), often while in stressful conditions. It's a real challenge. Did you ever stumble upon Eileen Quinn, a folksinger( and fellow Canadian ) who wrote cruiser's music - mostly about those boat relationships ? She's great.
I think another reason that people look for 30ft-34ft boats when they're on a budget might be to stay in the smallest bracket for a Bahamas cruiser permit. If I have choice of paying $150 for a 33ft boat or $300 for a 37ft boat, I'll take the 33ft every time.
I second the volume issue. Had to turn my phone up to max to hear and the ads would nearly blow out my speakers when the came on.
There is a Pearson 35 on the mooring next to mine. It is an attractive boat, but I have to say that it looks small compared to my Allied 36. My extra foot of beam makes the interior of my boat feel spacious compared to the P-35.
One thing you didn't mention about centerboard boats is that they handle MUCH better with the board even partly down. That is particularly apparent when it comes to docking the boat (if there is enough depth to lower the board). On the negative side, raising and lowering the board can be a pain, particularly if you are short handed (two people). I know quite a few people with centerboard boats (a local builder built almost exclusively centerboard boats and there are lots of their boats here) and those people often simply ignore the board unless they are going to be on a particular point of sail for quite a while (miles).
That blue boat that was at 8:30 is friggin gorgeous, a guy with a hat was working on her.
he should have mentioned the morgan full keels my 1969 41fter has a full keel and centerboard and only draws 4feet 2inches of draft with board up and over 9ft with board down
I have a Pearson 35 in Gloucester Harbor along with 4 others. They are great for going up rivers. The mast is short which makes it great for going under bridges. I call it “stout” or “low aspect”.
The shallow draft and short mast minimize the stress on the rig. This boat likes to sail well healed over, the waterline is extended, you get a little extra speed and the excess wind spills out.
I purchased a rare bird which I had done alot of research on. I have a 2003 Hunter 356 with bilge keels. This boat was manufactured in England and sailed all around Europe, the Mediteranian, across the Atlantic to the BVI's, east coast to the greatl lakes and I bought it and sailed back down to Florida. A great boat which tracks well with 4.5' draft. A little slow 1/2 knot or so than the normal keel.It tracks like a cat and takes high seas and wind very well. The thing that I really like is you can beach the boat in high tide and let the tide go out and it stands on it's own. I am very happy with the build quality and the cabin space. Your thoughts on these?
Hi Lady K Sailing. I'm really enjoying this channel. Thanks for the uploads.
You invited us to make suggestions about covering other boats. I've heard you refer to trailer sailors a few times (San Juan 21, and 22 footers like Catalina, etc.) and, though I haven't viewed the video on MacGregors, I wondered why you stopped there. I own a 94 Hunter 26 (after moving from fixed keels down to a Catalina 22 and a Macgregor 26 classic with the Daggerboard) and I went out specifically looking for the Hunter 26 or newer 260 because of the increased cruising comfort. You don't get that clorax bottle feel like you do with the MacGregors. She is a bit of a tub to sail, but when the anchor is out the complaining stops. We spent the first Covid summer on her in False Creek Vancouver and entertained a lot of people in the quite spacious cockpit and I swear I can get 8 people around the galley table. Just for thoughts.
Hey awesome yes you are absolutely right. I just went sailing on an H26 trailer boat. Amazing space! Light wind performance was mediocre but nice boat. Perhaps we should revisit trailer boats. Also the oday 27!
@@LadyKSailing Right, and the Catalina 25 classic or the Catalina 250. And if you want to hear do the motorsailors MacGregor and the Hunter Edge
I enjoyed this video. I have a Pearson 35 down here in Costa Rica. It was previously owned by Glenn Henderson, who ran it as a tour business.
Have a look at the interne at the Garcia Exploration 45, 52, 60. The exploration is my dream bout. A centre boarder that needs the centreboard only when you are tacking or anyway sailing high to the wind. Centreboard up she can fall dry on a beach staying sprite. I had one trip on an exploration 45, but it is out of my price range.
As it is I have an 42 feet aluminium boat, one of three hulls build by S. Etheridge to a Mike Pokock design. It is very stable, good in heavy weather. It has a heavy rather thick fin keel with 600 kg lead ballast and a full skeg protecting the rudder. A very good boat for cruising. Also fast when you have enough wind. My problem with the boat is, that it is not build for shallow waters, my draft is 2.2 m.
Hey Pal, another good one. Thx 4 it.
The narrow beam I'm told as likely most everyone has been is for speeeeed.... On the planing hull it is far less of an issue hence; much beamier, in the bows as well, scows for example.
I was ready to trade some land for a Pearson in MD, and covid broke out. I'm glad I got stopped. Thanks, Tim! Oldie, but it's a goodie!
Very informative and helpful.
You are very good at explaining things. Thank you for all the fine information
Finally a biased researcher with the ability to form and convey an unbiased opinion. Brilliant
I was about to leave a comment expressing the same idea but yours does this very well.😎
My comment for the video is a bit late but here it goes anyways.
Is this not the boat that you should be buing instead of the one that you want? The "high ass" makes a boat perform so much better at sea. If you're going down or against the wind in rough sea the ride is going to be so much smoother. The wide open sterns that are built today for comfort are just plain bad when the going gets rough. They have more floating surface aft than fore and makes the bow dive easier. With a pointy stern a bit above the waterline lets the bow go up when it needs to. And the stern does not lift when a wave hits from aft.
Btw thanks for the channel. I've been sailing my whole life since before I walked. I have not owned a boat since I was 16 due to my my work schedule. But I have had the chance to borrow one every now and then. Now at 34 I finally have the time and money to get back in with my own boat. This channel made me go over the barrier to the mother of my children and just annonce that this hole in the sea is where I'm going to sink my money. And she's liked the idea😍.
Thank's for the motivation speeches!
Hope to see some episodes in water soon.
Just brought P36 from Rhode Island to Toronto, love it!
In 1977 my wife and I purchased a new Tartan 34, a Sparkman-Stevens design for use on the Chesapeake Bay. This boat suited us well sailing with 2 kids and a mother-in-law. The T37 was our dream but we moved to Arizona. Oh well!
If I had to sail with my mother-in-law, she would be towed in a dinghy, a long way behind.
I own P35 489. Love it but it is an acquired taste. Very little inside storage, a small cabin, and not the greatest engine access. She sails well and sundowners in that big cockpit are the big pluses. Shallow draft is nice too!
Great 👍 info
Most days I see you sitting in an office on a sailing channel and for some reason I absolutely love your show. You speak very well and your time spent on research really pays off for me. Recently I have come under the spell of Roger Barnes and dinghy cruising. I would appreciate it if you could share something about this. North America has a lot of shoreline especially if you include the Great Lakes.
How about an episode on the Corbin 39.
The Corbin 39 was designed by Robert Dufour and built by Marius Corbin. The design features flush decks and ample freeboard. Production began in 1979 and continued until 1991 with about two hundred hulls produced. The design was available with either aft or centre cockpits; and either ketch or cutter or sloop rigged. The Corbin 39 proved to be an extremely good strong, safe, adaptable long distance family cruising boat and many have circumnavigated. They can be found homeported and cruising worldwide. Some are even raced, primarily for pleasure !
there are sailing vessels that can be thought of as "no compromise" , but really, those are specialized, or more focused to design task. ( thinking like Sail GP )
but i think designers are generally always looking for the best balance of elements, by "what is most likely", and the rest is engineering for foreseeable loads.
Love it Tim. I hope that you get to cruising soon!
Interesting and food for thought as usual, as for you researching and commenting on boats, I've pestered you before a good old English, Camper and Nicholson built boats from the 60s 70s to the present day,
would love to see you sailing and exploring brother but life is life.stay safe
"Long and skinny"...1--improved hydrodynamics...they are faster. 2--improved comfort...the rolling motion is slower in proportion, and less violent. See Dave 's book, "The Nature of Boats"".
another great video mate
Quite a few Pearson 35s at my club in the N. Chesapeake. None ever put their centerboard down due to the shallow water. Really pretty boats with a lot more space than my Alberg 30.
I bought this year a Pearson 40 for 13k. Needs some minor TLC, paint job and new rigging.. But for the money, I couldn't say no.. I'm excited, is my first boat..
Right on
Tim can you get your volume turned up on your episodes
I agree there so many videos I would like to watch but can't hear them.
friend of mine has a freedom 28 with a full keel and centerboard
im kind of with you I feel like it is one more thing to worry about - is it up is it down - does it have to be down ect
as a new sailer it is just one more thing to worry about
but his boat is amazing and was the first boat i have ever sailed
I my self have a 47 ft long keel thick fiberglass built Norwegian Randesund sailboat, draft on her is about 2m, and i have a 47ft steel ketch with a 6 tonn drop keel on, the veight of the boat is about 23 tonn, draft is about 1,2m to 2,8m. i also have a Norwegian built Hero 107(35ft) with a finn keel, but i like the long keel boats the best becaus of the softy way it moves in all kind of weather.
I had my eye on a Pearson 39-2 for a while, and couldn't pull the trigger for this exact reason. I kept telling myself and wife that the interior weirdness is ok. I was relieved to hear someone else ended up buying it so I could stop dwelling over it and move on
The first successful long keel centerboard type originated with the S&S designed Finisterre in the mid 1950's. Finisterre was hugely successful on the race couse and won 3 Bermuda races, 56, 58 and 60. Early C&C's such as the Corvette 31 and Frigate 36 were also long keel / centerboard type cruiser racers however the most famous example of the type has to be the Hinckley Bermuda 40. So, once again a trickle down effect from racers to cruisers.
Allied Seabreeze?????????
GOOD STUFF
Don't forget the Allied Seabreeze that preceded the Pearson by 5 years.
I've been trying to get back to boating and was looking at 24'er but they are to small for my butt! I put the finally rail to the water lol.
Thinking about a Pearson 35 or a bayfield 32.. next year to live 6 months in the Bahamas.
Hi, here's an interesting area of sailing rarely covered - and this adjustable centreboard brought it to mind - The French tradition of fast-sailing, canal traversing, beaching capable, single-handed boats. I'm thinking specifically of the Pogo36, which by now is a comfortable (ish) live-aboard, is selling a lot of boats, and it's been clocked at 20 knots. I'm seriously considering moving onto one but I'd value your opinion. Obviously it can sail, but no insulation, barely a piece of wood, normally no bimini, etc, might make it a tough one to deal with day to day.
Tim, Really like this series 🙌. Endeavour 32 might be a good option that fits a lot of the boxes for the mid 30's starter cruiser. Numbers of boats is good and inexpensive, encapsulated modified fin, partial skeg, can get in relative skinny water, good specs on paper, solid support groups , sea kindly, easy to singlehand but best suited for two. It would be cool to see your thoughts.
You made some excellent points I would like to know more about when the beams got wider than like the Genoa or the Beneteau and how why have they gotten. Thanks for making my life better John Sailing instructor in Kansas City
Beau and Brandy Sailing on TH-cam have one of these.
Love your channel Tim. I have posted a few other times. You’re a wealth of knowledge. I would love to see a video on furling main vs traditional main as well as boom furling system. I’m sure you have a opinion.
what is interesting is the golden globe yacht race all use long keels. rustler 36 would be the most capable boat, not mentioned but the best boat used for this challenge.
I have an O'day 25 with a shoal keel centerboard. The keel is heavy and encased in the fiberglass which makes it incredibly durable and stable. I am looking at O'day 30s and 31s. Have you any insight on the 30something foot Odays?
It seems you've found a better place to keep all your fruit! I've scanned the background ever since you moved to see if Cali hid anymore surprises back there 😁
Hi there, this is very much like my boat chinook 34 1958 haul #8 with a swing keel like this one. Please do a short video on them if you can. Mine currently needs the wooden deck rebuilt and some other enjoyable wood projects.
Thanks again. FYI I am a lake sailer, is this a manageable boat for that?
9ft wide 34ft long with like a 23ft water line. 😊
Island Packet offered center Boards in most of their modelsbut not many of them were produced it seems. I donot know of how they proformed compared to their non-cneter board models though. The only island packet I would be interested in would be the 35, bit I have yet to find one for sale with a center board.
shark bay in western australia with lots of sandbars is ideal swing keel and swing rudder rig - come on over
more great content
your info was extremely help full thank you I am about to buy a 40ft 1980 C&C with the 5-7ft draft can you please review this boat for me many i honestly value and would really appreciate it
Larger lifting centerboarders: Alubat, Ovni, Allures, Discovery/Southerly, Garcia .
Moving parts? the lifting centerboard and perhaps the bushings on either side of the axel....so maybe 3? This is too many? I could live with it, maintenance may be a PITA.
My dad had a Pearson 39-2. He had it built with a raised cabin roof for his 6'7" height. It had a good sized keel and a daggerboard that could be lowered.
It had other interesting modifications also:
1. The floor of the head on the port side (by the companionway stairs was extended into the space normally taken for the chart table. A shower pan covered that entire area so that there was a "wet locker" with a door that opened into the shower for wet suits and foul weather gear. The gear could be rinsed off and hung to dry. It also had a fan to draw air out through a grate on the floor and out through the deck. On our Northern passage it was great for foul weather gear, and otherwise held all the wet suits and such.
2. The chain locker was larger than the original design, and below it was a bow thruster that went through the bow of the boat just above the bob-stay. This was a big design change and cost "the earth" but allowed the boat to be maneuvered for docking entirely from the cockpit. Pearson made the mods to the plans and this did make the forward berth smaller, but it was still big enough for me.
3. The Daggerboard had a friction mount, so that if the boat struck something with it, then the dagger board would just push up (but it took a lot of force).
4. Dad was heavily criticized for his "playpen" stainless railing that was thigh high for him there were two rails all the way around the boat and forming a pulpit.
5. There were hammock mounts in the main salon, that's where we slept on passage, I slept well on passage through 4 Atlantic, 1 Pacific , and 1 Indian Ocean crossing. I don't know why more people don't use hammocks. They're also great if an anchorage is a bit too rolley.
It was a great boat. Dad had it for over 30 years and sold it to another tall guy that was glad to get it.
While a wider beam creates more stability it also means bigger roll.
Initial tenderness is legit a draw back from the full keel and 10ft beam. That is not the formula for the marriage saver!!
How about a review of another centerboard cruiser - the Bristol 38.8 with a 12.08' beam, which I happen to own.
Really enjoying the centerboard episodes, I came very close to buying a Bristol 35.5C once. Would love your opinions on Niagra 35!
Have you addressed the problem of blistered hulls and even decks on some of these older boats?
I own a 1970 tartan 30...she's been well kept though the years... I plan to sail the California coast for the next year.. I've read alot of good about this boat and was wondering what thoughts you might have.. the previous owner sailed her to Hawaii and back spending a year in the Hawaiian Islands... Being a coastal cruiser that she Is I'm looking for more opinions on myself doing that same journey... let me know what you think..
When will we be able to sail a normally keeled boat?? A normally keeled boat is keeling from stem to stern. The stem is the deepest point of the boat to keel the headsails and maintain rudder control. The mast is behind the middle of the boat to prevent loss of rudder control. Today we all sail boats keeled to keep Lafitte in New Orleans and build a colony.
Don't know if they are that great , Ask beau and Brandy, hull flex split open, keel full of water center board issues. Uma not center board had its keel moving all over before adding stringers and lots of glass
Bear in mind, these boats were built for coastal cruising. The structural issue in the forward portion of the hull is real - the largest water tank on board touches the hull there, and when partially filled, hammers on a single point. The keel water issue happens because the pivot and pin for the centerboard can leak, if not maintained- which predated Beau and Brandy. And the compression block can be soft, requiring replacement.
However, for a $10k boat, these can all be fixed relatively easily.
Dan and Kika have a Pearson 36, which is an entirely different design. They also rescued Uma from destruction, and their issues with the keel were likely damage done prior to purchase. They strengthened the boat, but it was damaged again when the yard moved it (9 years ago) while they were in the process of reglassing the floors; they also sail her far beyond what she was designed for, thus the current major refit they’re doing.
Could you do a video on good pocket cruisers 30ft and under my new ti me 28 ft southern cross is a awesome boat cutter rig canoe stern it's almost like a modified full but has a cut out with a skeg hung rudder
Do you have a review of the Wyliecat Cat-Ketch rigged & Cat rigged monohull sail boats?
They have the main mast at the bow. The newest reincarnation of the Nonsuch Cat-rig and Freedom Ketch-Cat-rigs all with wishbones.
I'll put my 2 cents in... I have a 1970 p39. It's very similar to the p35 (Shaw design). As for roominess and beam on boats this size, I think it is more reflective of the tenderness of the boat. Yeah, mine is 11.5, old CCA design, so a bit narrow and tends to heal a bit quicker, however, it then accelerates from 5.5 to 7.5 knts pretty quickly. As for "bluewater" the open interior, like the 35, lends to a bit of concern underway as one can get hurled around a bit inside. Love the cockpit though. Perhaps you should review the P365 which is their world cruiser design. More of a cramped interior but plenty of safety handholds. Like you mentioned, boats are compromise, open interior are superior at anchorage or liveaboard. But too, storage and tankage are important for cruising. And yeah, it's the "feel" of the boat for the owners. Fair winds and keep on keeping on!
Hey Tim what do you think of a Tartan 4400 as a cruising sailboat Gerry
Lady k, what's the boat at 1:09?
Bristol 38.8!
Very similar to my boat, Hood Gulfstar 40!
Thank you very much for your videos I have seen almost all of them. I am one of those people who is hooked on sailing and my wish is to live on the sailboat. I am lucky enough to telework and I can support myself, but my budget is very low, approximately 10,000 dollars. I would like you to help me. I know you have made videos about this. subject but if you could do more I would greatly appreciate it.
Hey sure yes happy to help. I think you'll want to find one of those unicorn deals. Someone with a great bout worth about 30k that just wants to get out of sailing due to health or age. We have one such boat for sale right now. A 31 full keel for $3k. Easily a 12-15k boat but he wants it gone. I'd ask around sailing clubs. These deals don't get listed anywhere.
I’m looking at a Tartan t3000 with center board what do you think?
I’v got a27ft Albin Vega and I’d like a bigger boat but you try and find a better boat than the Vega and you really need to jump up in size and price . Also the Vega sails 6.5 knots very easily so the formula is hard to find. This brings me to should I just go around the world in my small Vega two of us ?
Has anyone here in the comments been across the oceans on a vega in a cruiser couple type of way ?
I’d love to get the thoughts
What about a Hallberg Rassey sailboat.
How about some catamarans, all a bit of a mono hull fest.
What the opinions on the 77 morgan 34 cb
Narrow, lots of overhang etc were all for the CCA rating optimization
i'm six feet, drive a Miata, and live in a small house - maybe a Pearson will work. Thank you
I know you are not a big fan of Hunters, however I would like to see an episode on the Hunter Vision 36.
I disagree about the full keel on the wind being not so good. My Glander Cay 23 had a full keel and went upwind like a rocket. That boat also had a 35 foot mast off the deck. Same for the 26 foot Pearson Ariel. In good conditions it would point at 40 degrees off of the true wind. Rig and hull shape are probably the most important factors. At tall mast on a narrow hull will make the boat go the weather even on a full keel.
PLEASE DO A RUN DOWN ON THE BOATS OF THE GOLDEN GLOBE RACE ( GGR° ) maybe even Crowhursts tri 🤷🏻
how about an episode on the morgan classics? not the out islands
@Lady K Sailing *_ Just mentioning that I love your vlogs but the sound volume on this one was Crap, you have to consider us "Hearing Impaired" followers too, I use earbuds and that's the only way I'm able to follow you. Please check your previous vlog's volume and compare it with this one.... a vast difference. Cheers _*
😉✌️
What about the aloha 34
Nice info, Butt why a centerboard and a keel? If you choose a centerboard choose one flat botom so you can beatch the boat. Like ovni!😁
1970' Morgan 38 ???
Think you forgot to embed a couple of thumbnails/links for other videos you referenced? (I ordinarily wouldn't point it out but I always am willing to stop and watch a short biopic about Carl Alberg.]
How about my
1985 Luger Voyager Adventurer?!? She's 30', options for a 3' drop keel.
Mine does not have a drop keel, 3' draft - pilothouse.
#DiveGirlDebsSailingAdventures
Please check us out, and see if you can do a Luger segment.
~DiveGirl Deb
Eugene Oregon
Great video ! Awesome to have someone sharing in-depth knowledge with us Wannabes
Cabo Rico 38?
Love your Chanel. But… you’re killing me with the volume level. I have you on a small blue tooth speaker and I can’t turn it up enough.
Thanks
The notion that "there are too many moving parts" in a CB design is really unfounded. If you properly maintain your boat you won't have a problem. There are thousands of CB cruising boats produced and still being sailed. What you need to watch out for in CBs are exactly the same things you watch out for in other areas of your boat - through hull fittings for pennants, corrosion on brackets and bolts esp from dissimilar metals, and hardware and line degradation. You wouldn't discount a boat because it has an engine with lots of moving parts. If shallow draft and relatively good windward performance are important to you then seriously consider a K/CB or one of the whale body designs which seem brilliant to me for a cruising boat for the reasons stated below by RM. It's a shame that consumers have moved decidedly away from proper sailing yachts in favor of floating monstrosities with the hydrodynamic attributes of barge. Similarly, if seakindliness, tracking, and durability are important then definitely consider a full keel boat - maybe even one with a CB.
The Pearsons are pretty, but they have the one feature I utterly hate: The "Ankle breaker" galley design, with (of all things) the KITCHEN COUNTER used as a STEP and the SINK right next to where your feet go!
On a lean, that is a recipe to break an ankle and ANY other time it's a recipe for all sorts of bacterial and parasitical diseases as you put your dirty feet on the kitchen counter.
Just the worst thought out design feature of all time.
A boat can have every other awesome feature, but if it's got an "Ankle Breaker" galley, it goes in the "No" category.
Before i bought my catalina 25 i really wanted a O’Day 25 but didn’t like feet on the counter, even for a boat mostly used as a day sailor. My wife especially didn’t want that.
man the audio is a bit low...