INTRODUCTION

"Let’s present the good, the bad and the ugly, the informatin we all really crave," she said. "Kretschmer, you’re ideal for this project. Who else has sailed as many different kinds of boats as you and has had as many problems along the way?"

I wasn’t sure if that was a compliment or an insult, but the first column, a review of the Ted Brewer-designed Morgan 38, appeared in March 1996. It may seem odd to those outside the magazine publishing business, but the column was considered something of a risky venture. We were aware of the fact that many of our readers had purchased used boats, but we thought most were more interested in reading about the shiny new ones. After all, the sailing press is the major showplace for the latest in boats and equipment. To a lesser degree, we also worried about alienating Sailing’s new-boat advertisers. Our fears, as it turned out, were ungrounded. There was plenty of room between the magazine’s oversized covers for new and used boat aficionados. In fact, boatbuilders have been generous and helpful in supplying information about their old boats, some of which compete with their new models in the marketplace.

It seems we had the right idea with "Used Boat Notebook," and many other publications have followed our lead. Only Practical Sailor was regularly offering used boat reviews when we began. Now most sailing periodicals offer some type of used boat news and evaluations. Today, six years and more than 50 reviews (and counting) later, the "Used Boat Notebook" has become one of Sailing’s most popular regular features.

The reviews are a combination of my sailing experience aboard a wide variety of boats, in-depth research and invaluable information provided by owners. I work closely with Greta Schanen, Sailing’s managing editor. An experienced sailor, having sailed a variety of boats the world over, she steers me in the right direction, especially when I’m tackling a performance boat. (She actually likes today’s blunt-nosed, flat-bottomed rocket ships.) She is not only responsible for wrestling my words into shape every month but also suggests many of the boats profiled. Added into the mix is my experience conducting several boat buying workshops and working briefly as a yacht broker, which may not have been a noble calling, but it was a terrific way to learn about boats. As a yacht delivery skipper and a reviewer of new and used boats, I have sailed more than 100 different boats.

In general, the column targets affordable, good-quality, fiberglass production boats, steering clear of wood and metal boats. Most sell for less than $100,000 and some even sell for less than $10,000. Naturally, some of the boats larger than 40 feet and some of the higher quality boats sell for more. The bulk of the reviews, however, examine boats in the 30- to 40-foot range, with prices falling from $30,000 to $70,000. For the most part, the column covers boats that are popular and have had long production runs, making them widely available in the North American marketplace.

Each review follows the same basic format, while revealing the unique personality of the boat reviewed. A general overview of the boat, the designer and the builder opens the review, which is followed by "First Impressions." This section is an initial glance as though I have just spotted an intriguing boat lying to a mooring or sitting on the hard in a boatyard and am struck by the profile.

I provide some design parameters and some statistics in this section, but the reviews are not all about numbers. I leave number crunching to yacht designers because practical experience has made me skeptical of the numbers listed on a spec sheet. Over the years I have found glaring inaccuracies between paper and fiberglass for statistics like displacement, draft and sail area. Accepting the design premise for what it is, be it a coastal cruiser, sport boat, casual day sailor or blue water voyager, my objective is to analyze each boat for what it is meant to be and whether it hits the mark. This method is more valuable than simply putting a boat through a litmus test of what I consider to be desirable traits in a boat. We all have our own ideas of what we desire and need in a boat; I help by pointing out what works and what doesn’t.

Under the heading "Construction," the review answers such questions as, Is the hull solid glass or cored? Is the ballast internal or external? How are the hull and deck joined? Are molded liners used or are the bulkheads and furnishings fiberglassed to the hull? At the end of the day, the construction quality determines more about a boat’s value than almost any other feature. Of course, boats can be overbuilt as well as underbuilt, depending upon the design premise. The ultralight Olson 30 has a displacement of just 4,000 pounds and the construction quality is excellent. The double-ended Westsail 32 tips the displacement scales at more than 30,000 pounds but was also built to a high standard. In between these two extremes are plenty of examples of poorly constructed sailboats; some turn up in these pages.

The next facet of the review, "What to look for," may be the most important. What common problems have been documented by current or previous owners and how can they be avoided or repaired? I am always impressed by the candor of most owners. Although they invariably love their boats, they’re not blind to their boats’ faults and are willing to share them with other sailors. It is always enlightening to see what problems turns up in each review. Some problems are common to most boats, yet each one has its own quirks. The water tanks are a source of problems on the Whitby 42 center-cockpit cruiser, while the teak decks on the Swan 38 are problematic and expensive to repair. Certain hull numbers of Valiant 40s were plagued with blisters, and the aluminum toerail on the lovely C&C 39 corrodes around the stainless fasteners. The list goes on and on. Rarely do these problems eliminate a boat from consideration for used boat buyers, but they give you a heads up on what to look for when shopping. One of "The Best Used Boat Notebook" readers wrote that after reading a review he knew more about the boat he was looking at than the marine surveyor he had hired.

The reviews next take the reader "On deck," examining the sail controls, spars and standing rigging, fittings and safety features. The layout of the cockpit receives scrutiny, both from a sailing and comfort point of view. Even a one-design rocket ship has to accommodate the crew with some measure of civility. Next we drop "Down below" and explore the interior. From layouts to storage, from joinerwork to engineering details, I point out various features of the cabin. Are the bunks actually long enough to sleep in? Will the sinks drain on both tacks? Are there fiddles, do the lockers latch securely, are the handholds accessible for short people?

Finally we move into propulsion and examine the "Engine." I list the types of engines put into the boat during its production run and describe what kind of access there is for both routine maintenance and major repairs, including just how big a job it is to repower. "Underway" looks at a boat’s sailing characteristics through a range of conditions. I have sailed many of the boats reviewed, but I also rely heavily on owner feedback. How high can the boat point? Does it make much leeway? At what wind range would you need to reef and shorten the headsail? How does the boat handle heavy weather and light air? These and more questions are answered.

After a brief "Conclusion," which invariably includes a discussion about the boat’s value on the market, I provide a quick reference "Value Guide." This feature rates the boat in 10 categories, giving it from one to five sailboats in each category, with a five-boat rating being the best and extremely rare. The "Value Guide" also provides useful, updated resources for support and refits. The "Value Guide" lists the overall rating for the boat, with most of the boats reviewed falling between 2 and 3 1/2 sailboats. The "Boats for Sale" guide is a list of current prices, both from the BUC Book (an industry standard guide to pricing used frequently by brokers) and from an analysis of boats listed on the open market.

"The Best Used Boat Notebook" reviews are the next best thing to actually sailing the boat and are designed to help readers zero in on a specific boat before committing funds to sea trials, haul outs and surveys.
The 10 Best

The second part of the book, "Ten Great and Affordable Used Boats to Sail Around the World," features reviews of quality boats that prospective world cruisers should seriously consider. These reviews are a bit longer and more in-depth. In addition to my observations and research, there are comments from owners, many of them circumnavigators and all bluewater sailors. They openly explain what they like and don’t like about their boats, changes they made for offshore sailing and what they would look for if they were buying a boat all over again. These 10 boats merely scratch the surface of all the great bluewater boats afloat. Indeed, some of the boats that have been profiled in the "Best Used Boat Notebook" — like the Valiant 40, Tayana 37 and Whitby 42 — would have certainly made the 10 Best list if not for the fact that they have already been reviewed. Some choices on the 10 Best list seem predictable. The Camper Nicholson 35 is a classic small cruiser with a proud pedigree, and the Peterson 44 and Mason 43 are well-respected passagemakers. However, some of the boats on the list may raise some eyebrows. The Beneteau First 38 may surprise a few readers, as will the Gulfstar 50 ketch. Don’t be too quick to judge. The boats were chosen for a combination of their seaworthiness and value in the marketplace.

The list is anything but definitive. I omitted the Contessa 32, one of my all-time favorite boats, for instance. The diminutive Contessa has carried me across the Atlantic, from south to north in the Pacific and to the bottom of the world and back. It is a terrific oceangoing boat, sure-footed in a blow. With its lovely lines and affordability, it meets all the criteria except for one thing — it is miserably uncomfortable. For every day at sea during a typical circumnavigation, 10 or more are spent in port, at the dock or at anchor. The interior of the 32 is just too small for two normal-sized people to live with any style.

The choices for the 10 Best reflect the changing nature of cruising. Boats are getting bigger. Recent surveys show that the average bluewater cruiser is more than 40 feet long. It is easy to conjure up the dream to sail around the world, and rather straightforward to put together a plan to accumulate the funds for the voyage. Choosing the right boat to head off into the blue unknown, however, can be most confusing. The task is easier if you have twenty years of hard-won experience and an unlimited budget. While this book won’t offer any investment advice to enhance your budget, it can hasten your exodus if you are willing to consider an affordable boat instead of waiting for that perfect yet more expensive boat.

The key to "Ten Great and Affordable Boats," and the "Used Boat Notebook" in general, is that this book is about specific boats. You won’t find a laundry list of what makes for a perfect boat and how to choose the one right for you. This book is for sailors farther along the learning curve. It is for those sailors who are ready to take the plunge and need information about specific boats. Used Boat Notebook is a collection of honest and informed reviews covering a wide range of boats. "Ten Great and Affordable Boats" offers invaluable details and insights on boats that can carry you safely around the world.

I have spent the past two decades sailing all over the world in an assortment of sailboats. Ironically, I haven’t actually sailed around the world — there is a little chunk in the East Indian Ocean that I’ve missed. I have crossed the Atlantic 14 times, the Pacific three times and sailed most of the way across the Indian Ocean. I have sailed to near 60 degrees both north and south, from Stockholm to Cape Horn, and spent years plying the Mediterranean and Caribbean Seas. As a professional delivery captain I have logged 200,000 miles and spent more than 1,600 days and nights at sea. I recently compiled a list of the different boats I have sailed 1,000 miles or more in a single stretch. It’s 35 and counting.

During all this sailing I have learned that boats come in all shapes and sizes, with individual personalities to match. Somewhere between these pages there is a boat that will not only fit your cruising budget, but more importantly, will fit your dreams.

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