40 foot cruising yacht for sale

With plenty of room for a cruising couple to live aboard comfortably, production cruising boats within this size range are understandably very popular with long distance sailors.

However, marina charges worldwide seem to take a bit of a hike at 12m, so be warned...

If you'd like to submit a suitable image of a cruising yacht (yours perhaps?), please click here to send your pic. It doesn't have to be within this boat length category; if it isn't we'll move it to the appropriate one.

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 40

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 409

Slocum 43 

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 44 DS

Beneteau Oceanis 440

Morgan Out Island 41

Beneteau Oceanis 43

Catalina Morgan 43

Moody 41 Classic

Dehler 43 CWS

Hunter Passage 42

Beneteau First 435

Hallberg-Rassy 41

Sweden Yachts 42

Seastream 43

Morgan 41 Out Island Classic

Jeanneau Sun Magic 44 (also known as the Sun Odyssey 44)

Formosa 42 

Feeling 446

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 44i

Hallberg-Rassy 43

Freedom 44 (Cat Ketch)

Catalina Morgan 440

Catalina 445

Catalina 42 MkII

Beneteau 411

Bavaria Match 42

Island Packet 40

Roomy, comfortable and robust, the long-keeled Island Packet 40 could be many sailors ideal cruising yacht. 139 of them were built between 1994 and 2000.

'Zephyr' , an Ovni 395 dried out on a Cornish beach. Many thanks to Colin & Rebecca Campbell for this pic of their versatile cruising yacht.

Pearson 424

The Peason 424 cruising yacht is available as a ketch as the version shown below, or as a cutter. There's no denying that the Pearson 424 is an attractive cruising yacht.

The J/40 is a highly regarded performance cruising yacht. Designed and built to really sail well, passage times will be impressive.

Derived from C&C's Redline 41, the Newport 41 had a long and successful production run. It might lack some of the amenities of 'full-volume' modern cruising yachts below decks, but is a tough, fast and seakindly boat offshore.

Sirius 40 DS

The Sirius 40 DS motorsailer can be built with a number of keel options:  A deep fin keel of 7'6", 6'6" or 5'9"; a swing keel that draws 8'0" and 3'2" up; or twin keels that allow the boat to dry out upright. 

Columbia 43 MkIII

The gentle sheer and flush deck of this Columbia 43 MkIII aft-cockpit cruising yacht make for a very attractive sailboat.

Pacific Seacraft 40

Many thanks to Mike Price for this fine pic of his Contest 44 'Tumbledown Wind' as she crosses the ARC (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers) finishing line.

Mason 43 Cruising Yachts

Many thanks to Sally & Al Pribyl for this pic of their Mason 43 staysail ketch 'Artemis' , at anchor in Prickly Bay, Grenada.

Many thanks to Richard Clement and family for this fine pic of their Moody 425 cruising yacht 'Vega' .

Norseman 447

Many thanks for this pic to Dartanyon Race, co-Captain of this Norseman 447 cruising yacht 'Lutris' .

Hunter 40.5

Caliber 40 LRC

Swan 43 (S & S)

C&C Landfall 42

RH 43 (Also known as the CT 43)

Jeanneau Sun Legende 41

Hinckley Sou'wester 42 MkII

Ovni AluBat 43

Hallberg Rassy 42 (Frers)

She looks like a cutter in this pic, but the inline stays converging at the masthead shows that the Hallberg-Rassy 42 cruising yacht  'Cavatina' is a  solent rigged  sloop.

Beneteau 423

Beneteau Oceanis 42CC

Moody Eclipse 43

Trintella 44

Catalina 400 Mk2

Islander 44

Grand Soleil 39

Westerly Oceanlord 41

CSY 44 (Walk-Through)

Many thanks to Jeff and Carolee, for this pic of their CSY 44 Walk-Thru' staysail ketch  'Contessa' .

CSY 44 (Mid-Cockpit)

Jeanneau 'Sun Odyssey' 40.3

Outbound 44

Island Packet 445

Many thanks to Jim Shanahan for this great pic of his Island Packet cruising yacht 445 'Watermark III'.

Passport 40

More Cruising Yachts Pics Please...

Hallberg-rassy 42 (enderlein), recent articles.

The CSY 44 Mid-Cockpit Sailboat

Sep 15, 24 08:18 AM

Hallberg-Rassy 41 Specs & Key Performance Indicators

Sep 14, 24 03:41 AM

Amel Kirk 36 Sailboat Specs & Key Performance Indicators

Sep 07, 24 03:38 PM

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SEA BIRD 1985 | 40' DeFever 40 Offshore Cruiser Trawler for Sale

1985 defever, 40' (12.19m) 40 offshore cruiser - sea bird, 1985 defever 40 offshore cruiser.

• Beaufort South Carolina United States
• 40 Offshore Cruiser
• Fiberglass Hull

$ 210,000 USD

€ 188,816 euros $ 285,451 cad.

• EMAIL BROKER

Description

Pristine, like new, Bristol and turn key are just a few of the descriptions that come to mind when trying to describe the overall condition of this Defever!

Words nor pictures are capable of doing it justice, you literally will have to step onboard to appreciate not just the incredible condition of the boat, but more importantly the quality of the craftsmanship of the work that has been done!

If your looking for a fixer upper, this is not your boat........

The Vessel is ready to cruise anywhere.

The vessel has a solid fiberglass Hull.

This Vessel has been maintained with an open check book.

Sea Bird is an 8-9 knots cruising vessel with a 3-4 GPH of fuel efficiency.

All detailed records on hand for over 25 years and only a 4-Owner vessel.

LOA: 40' " (12.19 Meters)

Type: Power - Used

Beam: 14' 6"

Bridge Clearance: ' "

Draft Max: 3' 10"

Draft Min: ' "

Maximum Speed: Knots

Cruise Speed: Knots

• Fuel Type: Diesel

Hull Material: Fiberglass

Fuel Tank: 270 Gallons (1022.06 Liters)

Fresh Water: 200 Gallons (757.08 Liters)

Holding Tank: 32 Gallons (121.13 Liters)

Full Details

Recent upgrades.

Below is a list of what has been done recently:

• New Side Shift bow and stern thruster installed 2023
• New anodized aluminum frame and top for aft sun deck - 2021
• New Heavy Bimini top and enclosure on flybridge
• Upgraded freshwater system with new Isothern water heater, water filter system 2021
• New LP locker and fiberglass LP tank and valves for new stove - 2021
• New Graylite 14 tinted, tempered glass windows - 2021
• New Force 10 LP stove/oven - 2021
• New stern 14 - heavy cleats - 2022
• Cut inspection ports to access fuel tanks and cleaned and polished fuel - 2021
• Reinforced fiberglass pulpit and painted inside anchor locker, rebuild windlass - 2021
• New Simrad Sport Transducer / 2,000 ft. depth
• Re-Balanced 16 x 21 bronze propellers - 2021
• Updated all through hull fittings, removed (3) old transducers, removed (5) old through hulls and properly fiber glassed over the areas
• Paint entire Boat awl-grip paint the - 2020
• Installed new forward hatch - 2020
• Replaced (4) bow portlights - 2020
• Re-Upholstered settee, forward V-Berth and new headboard in aft stateroom 2020
• Custom built mahogany table - 2021
• Re-Worked all ceiling and spray foamed closed cell and new Vel-Cro ceiling panels - 2020
• New 2 - 16,000 BTU Dometic HVAC system - raw water circulation pump system - 2020
• New grounding system where needed
• Installed underwater lights - 2020
• New Xantrex charger and electronic pad - 2020
• Installed spray foam and fire shield on underside of engine access hatches 2020
• Refreshed varnish on all the interior Teak - 2020
• Starboard and Port Perkins Engines re-fitted with all new component - 2020
• New interior and exterior, LED Flood lights, All LED lights 2020
• Industrial looking Isothern refrigerator, stainless two compartment ref./freezer - 2021
• New corian countertop with large stainless sink and high-end fixture, 2020
• New upholstery on hull sides in V-Berth - 2020
• New LED running lights and stern and flood lights - 2020
• New Simrad electronics / Radar package / NEMA 2000 prewired for Auto-Pilot - 2021
• Five New bilge pumps and float switches - 2021
• Converted bow washdown from raw water to fresh water washdown - 2021
• New Raycor filters system and Coast Guard Approved fuel hoses - 2021
• Painted all bilges, flybridge, hatches and engine room - 2022
• New Todd helm chair - 2022
• Awl-Grip Hull paint - painted the entire boat with awl-grip, very nice 2021
• Starboard engine rebuilt - 2019 and Port engine head job with 3,300 hours
• ALL New AGM batteries house and engine - 2022
• New AFT sundeck canvas - 2021
• Custom built high end Dinghy davit system built at Thunderbolt Marina - 2015
• New Stainless elbow and Engine exhaust hoses to transom
• New Two 135-Gallon aluminum Fuel tanks replaced with site glasses - 2013
• VDO engine gauges - 2013
• New Quiet Series Cummins Onan generator - 2011
• Rebuilt Windlass - 120' 0f 3/8 gav. chain and new foot switch 2021
• Boat wiring completely re-worked, 50-amp panel new sized breakers - 2022
• Data networking with the NEMA 2000 Backbone
• Simrad with AIS Transponder integrated with NEMA 2000
• Two New VHF Radio Standard Horizon, MMSI, 1850 DSC, AIS with NEMA 2000
• New REDPORT Halo long range WI-FI Extender System, iPhone-Android 7-Mile reach
• New Under water light - under swim platform
• Networking blue tooth JL Audio Stereo system lower and upper flybridge with NEMA 2000
• New Teleflex shifters lower Helm and upper flybridge
• Updated steering system 1250V, Hydraulic Steering Systems
• New rudder removal and shaft packing and output shafts packing
• The bilge areas have never had standing water in it for 25 years
• All new Windlass control voltage wiring and switch, new on flybridge
• New dual Air Horns
• All New Raw water thru-hull filter assembly for engines, Gen. AC etc.
• Custom-Built aluminum Fuel Tanks 135 gal. per tank=270 gallons - 2011
• New site glass with monitor gauge on the 200-gallon water system
• New 32 Gallon holding tank, piping and electrical level indicator gauge
• New extra small Norcold refrigerator 2021
• All improvement performed by an ABYC-certified electrician

Vessel Details

• Force 10 - 3-Burner gas stove with oven tank is located in a dedicated locker in the cockpit
• Isotherm SS refrigerator over freezer
• Norcold Refrigerator
• Stainless steel sink
• Corian counter top

Master Stateroom:

The master stateroom is full beam and aft, it features an island queen berth, lots of storage and an ensuite head with a separate stall shower.

VIP Stateroom:

VIP stateroom is forward and 2 single berths convert to a large double berth. Hanging locker and additional storage provides ample room for your guest's stuff. Ensuite head is roomy and includes a curtain for showering.

Engines and Genset:

ENGINE: (2) Perkins MODEL: 354HE

HOURS: P ~3628, 227 hrs. SMOH S-228 SMOH

COOLING: Fresh Water NO. CYL: 6 H.P. 240

FUEL: Diesel 

MARINE GEAR: Newage PRM401VR2 SERIAL NO: P- TMI-8582

2.1-1 reduction S- L0125

GENERATOR: Onan 7.5 kw SERIAL NO.: L100173859

YEAR: 2011 HOURS: 444

Electronics and Helm:

• SIMRAD touchscreen radar/GPS/plotter
• SIMRAD has AIS transponder integrated with NEMA 2000
• REDPORT Halo Long range WI-FI extender system
• JL audio stereo system networking Bluetooth w/upper and lower helm with NEMA 2000
• (2) Standard Horizon VHF, MMSI,1850 DSC, AIS with NEMA 2000
• New Teleflex shifter upper and lower stations
• Bow and Stern thruster controls by Side Shift

Broker's Comments

Absolutely the nicest Defever on the market! You really have to see this one to appreciate this one! From the spotless engine room to the new canvas enclosure on the flybridge and the custom aft deck cover, this Defever is a boat that you will be proud to own! Extensive records are available that cover the ownership of all 4 owners. I promise you if you step onboard you will fall in love with this one!

Owners personal items to include tools, kayaks, feather throw in master, decorative items, Teak table and matching chairs with arm rests.

Zodiac Tender with Yamaha Outboard Motor.

Mechanical Disclaimer

Engine and generator hours are as of the date of the original listing and are a representation of what the listing broker is told by the owner and/or actual reading of the engine hour meters. The broker cannot guarantee the true hours. It is the responsibility of the purchaser and/or his agent to verify engine hours, warranties implied or otherwise and major overhauls as well as all other representations noted on the listing brochure.

The company offers the details of this vessel in good faith but cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. A buyer should instruct his agents, or his surveyors, to investigate such details as the buyer desires validated. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change or withdrawal without notice.

Listing MLS by Yachtr.com

• Engine Make: Perkins
• Engine Model: 354HE
• Engine Year:
• Engine Type: Inboard
• Drive Type:
• Power HP: 240.00

Click any image to view enlarged version. Swipe enlarged image to see additional enlarged images.

Contact Broker

For more information about this yacht please contact Curtis Stokes and Associates, Inc. We look forward to working with you!

Want more information about this yacht?

Curtis stokes & associates.

Suite168 --> Fort Lauderdale, FL Phone: 1-954-684-0218 Toll Free: 1-855-266-5676 Fax: 1-954-807-1445 Email: [email protected] Website: https://www.curtisstokes.net

Curtis Stokes and Associates, Inc. is a yacht brokerage firm consisting of nine offices and fifty brokers throughout the United States offering worldwide marketing, buyer brokerage services and yacht charters. We also specialize in marketing and selling Great Loop capable yachts and boats.

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Used Motor Yachts for Sale from 40 to 50 Feet

Listed below are used motor yachts for sale between 40 to 50 feet. Motor yachts vary greatly in their hull design, interior accommodations, engine packages, and performance capabilities. They often feature multiple staterooms for owners and guests as well as bathrooms, showers, full galleys and a wide range of other amenities to make life on board very comfortable and luxurious. SYS Yacht Sales offers new and used motor yachts for sale worldwide, including a range of Flybrige yachts, Aft Cabin Yachts, Pilothouse Yachts, Convertibles, Trawlers, Sportfish, Express Cruisers, Sport Cruisers and much more. Don't see the vessel you're looking for here? Contact our experienced yacht brokers for assistance, we look forward to helping you find the yacht that's right for you.

Pershing 50

Sea Ray 510 Fly

Hatteras Motor Yacht

Prestige 500

Disco volante.

Cruisers Yachts 50 Cantius

Dutch American Iconic DA50

Princess Yachts V50 Open

Viking Princess 50' Flybridge MotorYacht

Custom Artisanal Power Catamaran

Azimut Flybridge

Azimut 50 Flybridge

Azimut Atlantis 50

Carver 500 Cockpit Motor Yacht

Monte Carlo MC5

Custom Trawler Biloxi Lugger

Ocean Alexander 50 Mark II

Cruisers 5000 Sport Sedan

Alden Motor Yacht

Sea Ray 500 Sundancer

Monte Carlo Flybridge

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10 Best Used Cruising Sailboats

• By John Kretschmer
• Updated: May 24, 2024

The appeal of offshore voyaging is difficult to explain to land people who can’t imagine life without basic human rights like copious quantities of hot water and unlimited data. It can even be challenging to explain to fellow sailors who think the notion of spending days or weeks at sea is a form of water­boarding, some kind of self-inflicted torture.

But for those of us who understand, who relish intimacy with the untamed wilderness that is the ocean and embrace self-­reliance and individual expression while accepting the ­dispassionate whims of Neptune, this is the good life.

There are two essential truths about this life: One, money does not matter. Cruising budgets and lifestyles reflect bank accounts with variously positioned commas; it’s the passages and landfalls that add up, not your investment portfolio. And two, a good bluewater sailboat — not necessarily an expensive boat, but a well-­designed, solidly built, imminently seaworthy boat that is only limited by your moxie and imagination — is the key to successful bluewater passagemaking.

– LEARN THE NAVIGATION RULES – Know the “Rules of the Road” that govern all boat traffic. Be courteous and never assume other boaters can see you. Safety Tip Provided by the U.S. Coast Guard

So, to that second point, I’ve compiled a list of interesting and affordable cruising sailboats for serious voyaging. A list of 10 sailboats for any purpose, much less world cruising, is sure to evoke outrage from strong-minded sailors, who by nature tend to be a bit opinionated. Stand by before hurling insults my way, and let me explain. I have decided to stay away from the sailboats we know by heart, the iconic old boats that usually populate a list like this: the Westsail 32, Tayana 37, Shannon 38 and Valiant 40 (the last of which, with a bit of searching, can still be found at or just below $100,000).

My list of some of the best liveaboard sailboats is eclectic and includes a mix of well-known and obscure manufacturers, but all the boats are linked in three ways: All are top-quality vessels capable of crossing oceans. They’re affordable, although in a few cases you have to look for older models in less-than-stellar condition to stay below $100,000. Indeed, in some ways, this list of used sailboats is a function of age; most of the boats were priced at more than $100,000 when new but have dipped below our self-imposed threshold in middle age. And finally, they’re all boats that I have encountered in the past few years in far-flung cruising destinations .

Island Packet 35

Love them or loathe them, Island Packets are everywhere. To some, the beamy, full-keel, high-freeboard hull designs seem quaint, to put it charitably. To others, the robust construction standards, roomy interiors and overall user-friendliness make them the ideal cruising boat. More than most, sailing vessels are compromises, and Bob Johnson and his crew at Island Packet were brilliant in prioritizing the needs of sailors. The IP 35 was introduced in 1988 and features a huge cockpit, an easy-to-handle cutter rig with a jib boom, and a clever, comfortable interior with the volume of many 40-footers. It might not be the fastest boat upwind, but the long waterline translates to good performance off the breeze, meaning the IP 35 finds its stride in the trade winds. In all, 188 boats were built before production stopped in 1994.

Don’t confuse the IP 35 with the IP 350, which was launched in 1997 and included a stern swim step. You won’t find a 350 for less than $100,000, but you will have a choice among 35s, especially those built before 1990. With two nice staterooms, the 35 is ideal for family cruising. I know of a couple of 35s that have completed the classic Atlantic Circle passage. It’s perfect for a sabbatical cruise because it holds its value and there’s a ready market when it comes time to sell.

Prout Snowgoose 37

There’s no room for discussion: Catamarans are crossing oceans, and many sailors are choosing cats for world cruising. My last visits to the Azores and Canary Islands, the classic Atlantic waypoints, proved the point. I’m not much of a statistician, but by my count, at least a quarter and maybe a third of the boats I saw were catamarans. There would be more on this list, but they are just too expensive. Finding a quality catamaran for less than $100,000 is tough. One boat to consider is the classic workhorse multihull, the Prout Snowgoose 37.

When the Snowgoose 37 was launched in 1983, English builder Prout & Sons had already been in business for nearly 50 years. The 37 was an updated version of the Snowgoose 35, one of the most successful cruising cats ever. In 1986, the 37 was updated again; the Snowgoose Elite model included more beam and interior upgrades. These models are challenging to find for under $100,000, but it’s possible. A quick glance at yachtworld.com shows several of both models available for less than $100,000. Again, the strong dollar makes European boats an excellent value.

The Snowgoose 37 is not sexy like go-fast cats, and not roomy like modern cruising cats. It is, however, seaworthy. Of the 500 built, many have circumnavigated. Older boats have solid fiberglass hulls, and more recent models are solid glass from the waterline down and cored above. The cockpit is rather compact by catamaran standards, and the bridgedeck is solid (no tramp). Many 37s and all Elites were rigged with staysails, a big plus in heavy weather. The masthead-­rigged Snowgoose 37 can be sailed like a monohull offshore, and it’s quite nice not having a huge, roachy mainsail to wrestle with in a storm. With a 15-foot-3-inch beam for the 37 and a 16-foot-3-inch beam for the Elite, it’s easy to find affordable dockage and yards for haulouts. Most boats have three double cabins, making the Snowgoose 37 an ideal family cruiser.

The Corbin 39 is not as well known as it should be. It’s a capable bluewater sailboat cruiser with many impressive voyages logged. My Quetzal spent several weeks moored alongside a handsome 39 in Corfu that had sailed around the world, and I also spent a winter in Malta in the same boatyard as another 39 that had recently crossed the Atlantic. A canoe-stern, flush-deck pilothouse cutter, the 39 was offered with either an aft or center cockpit. Designed by Michael Dufour and constructed by Corbin les Bateaux in Canada, hull number one was launched in 1977. Built in various locations in Quebec, 129 boats were launched before a fire destroyed the deck tooling in 1982. A new deck with a larger cockpit was designed, and 70 more boats were laid up before production ceased in 1990.

The rub on the Corbin 39 is that the majority of boats were sold as kits with owner-­finished interiors. Kits varied from just hull-and-deck to “sailaway,” with everything fitted except the interior. Only 15 boats were finished at the factory. Not surprisingly, the interior quality is unpredictable, from rough-hewn lumberyard specials to beautifully handcrafted gems finished by marine professionals. The difference is reflected in the price. A nicely finished, well-equipped model from the mid-’80s typically sells for between $60,000 and $80,000.

The hull shape features a long fin keel and skeg-mounted rudder. The hulls are heavily laid up and include Airex coring. Early decks were plywood-cored, but most boats have Airex in the deck as well. Ballast is 9,000 pounds of internal lead, translating to a 40 percent ballast-to-displacement ratio. The wide flush deck is spacious, and the sleek pilothouse usually includes inside steering. Massive double anchor rollers are incorporated into the bowsprit in later models. Most boats include a double-­spreader spar, and almost all were set up as cutters. There’s plenty of freeboard, which becomes obvious below. While interior arrangements vary considerably, there’s a lot of room to work with. I prefer the post-1982 aft-cockpit 39s; they’re generally of a higher quality than earlier boats.

– CARRY A BEACON – Satellite beacons such as EPIRBs or PLBs allow boaters to transmit distress signals and their exact coordinates from anywhere on the planet, no cell service required. It may be the best $400 you ever spend. Safety Tip Provided by the U.S. Coast Guard

Cabo Rico 38

“The Cabo Rico 38 hull shape is the one in which everything came together best,” wrote Bill Crealock in his design notes. He might have changed his mind later in life, considering that the Cabo Rico was introduced in 1977 and he designed many boats after that, but few will dispute that this 38-foot cutter, built in Costa Rica, is flat-out beautiful. From the clipper bow to the sweet sheer to the abundance of honey-colored teak, the Cabo Rico 38 is a boat to inspire the most practical among us to quit their job, buy this vessel, and head for the South Pacific.

Not surprisingly, many people have done just that. Cabo Rico built 200 full-keeled 38s, with most of the production occurring in the 1980s. There’s always a selection of boats for sale for less than $100,000. Cabo Rico was an outlier among manufacturers of the time, building serious cruising boats in Central America instead of Taiwan, but quality control was always excellent. The full keel is slightly cutaway, and the rudder is attached to the trailing edge. The prop is in an aperture and totally protected, but not well suited to backing into a slip. Full-keel boats may make some younger sailors cringe, but the CR 38 has a very soft ride in rough seas and heaves to effectively. It also has a solid fiberglass hull with a layer of balsa for insulation. Sometimes it’s noted that the hull is balsa-cored, but it’s not. After about hull number 40, lead was used instead of iron for internal ballast. The deck is balsa-cored, however, and there’s a substantial bulwark. Items to be wary of are the teak decks (most 38s have them) and the fittings supporting the bobstay.

A true cutter rig, the 38 has just under 1,000 square feet of working sail area and performs better than most people suspect. The staysail was originally set on a boom that cluttered the foredeck and limited sail shape. Many boats have been converted with furling staysails sans the boom — a nice upgrade. When the wind pipes up, the 38 tracks nicely with a reefed main and staysail. I encounter 38s all over the Caribbean. They’re easy to spot; they’re the beautiful boats in the anchorage.

Tayana Vancouver 42

Ta Yang, builder of Tayana sailboats, has been building capable cruising boats forever, it seems. The Robert Harris-designed Tayana Vancouver 42 has been a mainstay of the serious cruising fleet since the day it was launched in 1979, and is still in demand today. The company built 200 boats, mostly in the ’80s and early ’90s, although a few V42s were built into the 2000s. With a bit of digging and some haggling, you can find boats for less than $100,000, but they’re likely to be older models. As of this writing, yachtworld.com has eight V42s listed, with three asking less than $100,000.

I’ve encountered the V42 all over the world, and in my yacht-delivery days, I had the pleasure of delivering a couple of 42s up the East Coast and down to the Caribbean. The double-ended hull shape with a fin-skeg underbody is stiff and seaworthy, if not wickedly fast. Considering the rugged construction, with a solid fiberglass hull and balsa-cored deck, nobody has ever accused Ta Yang of going light on its boats. Ballast is internal iron, a massive single casting that weighs in at 11,800 pounds. Ta Yang has evolved as a builder, and later models included upgrades like vinylester resin and larger Yanmar diesels.

A true cutter, the V42 has a double-spreader rig and is heavily stayed. The seagoing deck is cambered to shed water. Teak decks, with all their virtues and vices, were common; I’d look for a boat that’s been de-teaked. Like the Corbin 39, the V42 came with either a center or aft cockpit, although most boats were aft-cockpit models. The aft cockpit is deep and secure, if a bit tight due to volume sacrificed by the canoe stern. The center cockpit is cramped but offers excellent visibility. The interior is lovely, with exquisite Taiwanese joinery. Although interior arrangements vary because Ta Yang encouraged owner input, across the board, this is a friendly boat for living aboard. The aft-cockpit model includes one head and a traditional layout with excellent light and ventilation. The center-­cockpit model features a large owner’s stateroom aft.

Wauquiez Pretorien 35

The Pretorien 35 does not pay homage to tradition. The Euro-style low-slung wedge deck and flattish lines were thoroughly modern when the Pretorien was launched in 1979. Sure, there are IOR influences in this well-proven Holman & Pye design, including a slightly pinched stern, cramped cockpit, and a high-aspect, short-boom mainsail that results in a large fore­triangle. But a small main is easy to handle offshore, especially in squally conditions, and a large poled-out furling genoa provides a low-stress way to cross oceans. The test of a design is revealed long after the launch, and the Pretorien has aged brilliantly. It’s often mistaken for a Swan or Baltic. Famed voyager and author Hal Roth chose a Pretorien for his last boat.

Below the water, which is what really matters at sea, the Pretorien pushes the right buttons for serious sailing. A fine entry provides enough of a forefoot to prevent pounding in lumpy conditions, and as on the Valiant 40, the fin keel incorporates a stub to which the external ballast is fastened. The rudder is mounted well aft for excellent steering control, especially on a deep reach, and is tucked behind a narrow but full-length skeg. The Pretorien displaces 13,000 pounds, of which 6,000 pounds is ballast, translating to a stiff, seakindly boat.

The construction is superb. The solid fiberglass hull includes longitudinal stringers that stiffen the panels and encapsulate the bulkheads. Tabbing and fiberglass work is first-rate throughout. Wauquiez was one of the first builders to use solid laminate beneath high-load deck fittings. The side decks are wide and, with the chainplates well inboard, easy to navigate. The interior arrangement is conventional, but ample beam amidships helps create a surprisingly spacious feel below.

There were 212 Pretoriens built during a seven-year production run, so there’s usually a good selection of boats on the used market. Today’s strong dollar makes European Pretoriens an excellent value.

– SHOW THEM HOW MUCH YOU CARE – Nothing says ‘I love you’ like making sure the kids’ life jackets are snugged up and properly buckled. Safety Tip Provided by the U.S. Coast Guard

Gulfstar 44

Gulfstar had a terrible reputation in the early ’70s: It was infamous for producing wide-body motorsailers with tiny rigs and chintzy Formica interiors. Company founder Vince Lazzara was adept at reading market trends and upped his game in the late ’70s and ’80s. Lazzara, who also founded Columbia Yachts, was a veteran of the production-­sailboat wars and realized that buyers were demanding high-quality boats that sailed well. The Gulfstar 44 was launched in 1978, and 105 were sold before the company started producing the Hirsh 45 in 1985.

Some mistake the G44 for a Bristol, and it has a similar profile, right down to the teak toerail and raked cabin trunk. A sleek center-­cockpit design, the hull shape features a 5-foot-6-inch fin keel, a skeg-hung rudder and moderate proportions. I know the boat well, having delivered one from Bermuda to Annapolis and another from Fort Lauderdale to Boston. It has a nice ride in lumpy seas and powers up when the big genoa is drawing on a reach. The construction is typical of the time, with solid fiberglass hulls and cored decks. Gulfstars were known to blister, and it’s likely that any 44 you find will have had an epoxy bottom job along the way — and if it hasn’t, it will need one. The keel-stepped spar has an air draft of 55 feet. Some owners have modified the sloop rig with a staysail. The cockpit is roomy, especially for a center-cockpit design, although there’s not much of a bridgedeck. All sail controls are led aft. Lazzara was an early proponent of this feature, and the boat is user-friendly overall.

The interior sells the boat. It’s nicely finished in teak, and the layout is made for living aboard. The aft cabin includes an enormous double berth with an en suite head and stall shower. The main saloon is spacious and well ventilated, although beware of the plastic opening portlights. If you are looking for a comfortable, well-built center-cockpit cruiser but can’t find one that you can afford, track down a Gulfstar 44; you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Any list of bluewater cruising sailboats must include a Robert Perry design. I could have easily put together nine Perry boats for this list. The Nordic 40 may surprise some, especially because 40 feet is an iconic length, bringing to mind such boats as the Valiant 40, Hinckley Bermuda 40, Bristol 40, Pacific Seacraft 40, Passport 40 and others. The trick is finding a 40-footer for less than $100,000. Nonetheless, the Nordic 40 and its larger sister ship, the 44, are among my favorite boats.

Based in Bellingham, Washington, Nordic produced world-class yachts during its brief production run in the 1980s. Only 40 Nordic 40s were launched between 1982 and 1987, but they’re worth seeking out on the used-boat market. The 40 features the classic double-ended Perry hull shape, with a fine entry, a deep and powerful fin keel, a skeg-mounted rudder positioned well aft, and a reverse transom. Freeboard is moderate and the sheer line is subtle, but to my eye, with its double-spreader rig and gently sloping deck line, the boat is poetry in the water.

The hull is solid fiberglass and the deck is balsa-cored, with solid laminates below loaded-up deck fittings. Original boats came with Navtec rod rigging and a hydraulic backstay, but many have been upgraded by now. Sail-control lines are led aft to the compact but functional T-shaped cockpit. The traveler is forward of the companionway, allowing for a cockpit dodger. The Nordic 40 is nimble in light to moderate breeze but can also stand up in a blow and heave to decently.

The interior is well suited to a cruising couple. It’s really a two-person boat, with a V-berth forward and large C-shaped galley aft, with plenty of counter space and a huge fridge. It includes the normal deft Perry touches — excellent sea berths, a separate stall shower and generous tankage. If you do find a Nordic 40 on the used market, be sure to take a hard look at the Westerbeke diesel and the V-drive transmission.

Pacific Seacraft 34

A handsome, nimble and capable double-ender by legendary designer Bill Crealock, the Pacific Seacraft 34 is well proven, with scores of ocean crossings in its wake.

After the boat was first launched as the Crealock 34 in 1979, Pacific Seacraft introduced a fifth model years later, a scaled-down version of the popular PS 37. Though expensive at the time, the 34 was another success story for one of America’s premier builders, and hundreds of boats were built in the company’s yard in Santa Ana, California. There is always a good selection of used boats available for less than $100,000. Another nice perk for used-boat buyers is that the 34 is back in production at the reincarnated Pacific Seacraft yard in Washington, North Carolina, providing an outlet for parts and advice. The company is now owned and operated by marine archaeologist Stephen Brodie and his father, Reid.

The 34 blends traditional values above the waterline with what was then a more modern underbody, with a long fin keel and skeg-hung rudder. A bit hefty at 13,500 pounds of displacement, the design otherwise is a study in moderation, and drawn with a keen eye toward providing a soft ride in a seaway and staying on good terms with Neptune in a blow.

The hull is solid fiberglass, and early decks were plywood-­cored before Pacific switched to end-grain balsa. The hull-to-deck joint incorporates a molded bulwark that offers added security when you’re moving about on deck, and a vertical surface for mounting stanchions.

Most 34s are cutter-rigged for versatility but carry moderate-­size genoas instead of high-cut yankees for more horsepower off the wind. Down below, the layout is traditional, but the 6-foot-4-inch headroom is a pleasant surprise. The Pacific Seacraft 34 is perfect for a cruising couple.

John Kretschmer is a delivery captain, adventurer and writer, whose own boat Quetzal , a 1987 Kaufman 47, has seen a refit or two over the years. His latest book is Sailing a Serious Ocean: Sailboats, Storms, Stories and Lessons Learned from 30 Years at Sea , also available on his website .

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‘If someone had offered me a third of the asking price to buy the boat back, I would have bitten their hand off’ – Monty Halls

• September 17, 2024

New owner Monty Halls tests his sailing skills with his family aboard their Colvic 34 ketch Sobek. A recently qualified Day Skipper, Monty faces a few unexpected challenges

I sat back on the saloon roof, leaned against the mast, sipped my beer, and revelled in the moment. Here I was, at long last, perched on my very own vessel – a 34ft ketch named Sobek.

It marked the end of a long aspirational journey, the culmination of a dearly held dream, and I couldn’t believe that it had come to fruition. Monty Halls, yachtsman. Monty Halls, skipper. Monty Halls, flinty eyed explorer who will ride the wind towards a curved blue horizon. In short, this was going to be great.

Fast forward 24 hours, and I’m trying to manoeuvre the same yacht out of the marina so I can get it home. Problem was, Sobek seemed rather reluctant to leave, and for some reason that my (up to that point) powerboat experience couldn’t fathom, kept pointing her bow in the wrong direction. ‘Wrong’ in this case being towards lots of other yachts in the marina, to whom she had plainly become very attached and wanted to kiss goodbye.

This being a Sunday afternoon, said yachts had people on board, who were popping up in their cockpits like meerkats, occasionally offering a few words of advice but mainly just looking at me. And, unequivocally, judging me. They were all, in my eyes, rime-encrusted veterans of numerous circumnavigations, and they knew I was an imposter in their midst.

Sobek anchored off Valley Beach in South Devon. Note rubber rings on saloon roof, detracting from Monty’s attempts to appear like a rugged mariner. Photo: Monty Halls

There was a certain amount of frantic see-sawing of the throttle, with me bellowing ‘Sorry!’ as my bowsprit scythed inches away from their ashen- faced loved ones. Fortunately I had a mate on board (now bitterly regretting it), who, as a former commando, was running around offering himself as a large, fleshy fender to avoid scratching gleaming gel coats and collecting guardrails.

And then – miraculously – we were out of the entrance and into the open sea. One of the folks in the marina even called after me to wish me luck on my travels. I didn’t catch all of what he said, but the last word was definitely ‘….off’.

If someone had, at that precise moment, offered me a third of the asking price to buy the boat back, I would have bitten their hand off. And that brings me to the subject of this, my first column for YM. I’m a new skipper, albeit one who now has a bit more experience than the pinball wizard who terrorised Plymouth Yacht Haven last year, and I think there’s an uncomfortable truth that needs to be acknowledged about buying a boat for the first time. Or truths, to be more accurate.

Article continues below…

Monty Halls on the trials and tribulations of sailing

Now, before you horny-palmed ocean conquerors give a rum-laden snort of derision, I’ve just emerged triumphant from my Day Skipper…

Imposter syndrome

First, they’re large, controlled by an engine that’d just about run a sewing machine, are subject to some interesting laws of physics, and operate on a big, wobbly, slippery, moveable conveyor belt that also does its own thing. That’s quite a lot to take in.

Second, there’s several bits of string that all have weird names. And most other things on board have weird names as well. It is, without doubt, a discombobulating, alien world. Third, literally everyone else on earth who owns a yacht is better than you, knows more than you, has drunk their own urine whilst becalmed in the doldrums, and can tell on sight that you’re a muppet. In short, the psychology of new boat ownership is one of mild neurosis and skewed perceptions.

Owning a boat has been a baptism of fire for Monty and his family. Photo: Monty Halls

Eighteen months of experience has actually shown me the reality is, of course, that everyone has been where you are, and will leap to your assistance given half a chance. Just last week a septuagenarian lady sprinted 50 metres to take one of my lines, digging her heels in as Sobek threatened to break free and head back to Plymouth from our mooring in Dartmouth. She took a turn round a cleat, gripped the line with corded forearms, and smiled at me reassuringly in a kind of ‘Take it easy big fella, I’ve got this’ manner. How lovely.

It’s also turned out to be one of the most rewarding physical and mental challenges of my life. It’s ironic that something so simply powered by the elements involves so many moving parts – the tide, the angle of the wind, planning, the direction of the swell, and the competence of the crew. And on that very subject, it’s been the ultimate team-building experience for my family. In fact, I’d get my wife Tam to write something on the subject, but she’s in town right now and has been gone for ages. Something about seeing a lawyer…

The other, final point, is that this is a never-ending journey. I’m better than I was, but a very long way from being the sailor and skipper I hope to become. And that will be the subject of the columns to come.

I do hope you’ll join me on the journey.

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Center Console With Style & Substance: Formula 457 Center Console Fish

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Formula builds on its revived center console line with a model for the anglers. All photos courtesy, Formula

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Rich Armstrong

Senior Editor, BoatUS Magazine

A journalist by training, BoatUS Magazine Senior Editor Rich Armstrong has worked in TV news, and at several newspapers, then spent 18 years as a top editor at other boating publications. He’s built a stellar reputation in the marine industry as one of the most thorough reporters in our business. At BoatUS Magazine, Rich handles everything from boat and product innovation and late-breaking news, to compelling feature stories, boat reviews, and features on people and places. The New Jersey shore and lakes of lower New York defined Rich's childhood. But when he bought a 21-foot Four Winns deck boat and introduced his young family to the Connecticut River, his love for the world of boats flourished from there.

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