Stuart 37?

Discuss anything to do with safety, technical aspects of yachts and engineering, and anything else to do with yachts and yachting in here.

Moderator: Jeff

Post Reply
Catyans
YF Newbie
Posts: 17
Joined: Thu Apr 25, 2013 2:50 pm

Stuart 37?

Post by Catyans »

Hello again,

So if you've seen or followed some of the posts I've done over the last year or so, I'm looking to live aboard relatively soon, and after potentially doing my Yachtmaster early next year, from there wish to keep gleaning info on potential yachts I think are good and fit for purpose, but also whilst getting the reasons some of the vastly more knowledgeable on here agree or disagree, so I can start to learn what to look for myself.

The current winner is this Stuart 37 I've seen advertised-

http://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/boats/b14614/b14614.htm

Apart from maybe being a little dark inside due to the windows size it perfectly fits the space, (maximum) price range, and facilities I was hoping for, and is a nice nippy little racing cruiser with all creature comforts so can get where I'm going in even better time. The only other potential downer is it's not a very well known make, and unsure if this causes issue. Her age is maybe at the maximum I'd dare to look into, as I understand electrical faults and osmosis are then more prone, to name a couple of worries.

What are your opinions?

The other potentials were this Jeanneau Sun Fizz Ketch-

http://www.boatshed.com/jeanneau_sun_fi ... 73062.html

Nice interior!

Also this Beneteau Oceanis 35-

http://www.boatshed.com/beneteau_oceani ... 31521.html

Lots more light there and great layout.

I wouldn't be adverse to beginning a home improvement effort once settled in, as would like to sell on for at least the same price as I got it, would definitely be looking at an insulation project for when the winters hit, now that I think about it.

Love to hear thoughts and questions and am as always grateful for all wisdom offered.
Discus
RNLI Supporter
RNLI Supporter
Posts: 416
Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2010 4:46 pm
Location: Floating around the SW

Post by Discus »

The Stuart 37 looks very nice. I don't think I could live with the cockpit which looks pretty useless for anything other than racing. Powerful rig so would be ideal for 2 people, maybe a bit lively if you intend to singlehand. Nice fit out down below but not sure if you can take a racing type yacht and turn it into a cruising type yacht without some huge compromises.
Nice to have the lead keel. Would have been a pricey yacht new!!

Rob
Jeff
Site Admin
Posts: 751
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 3:54 pm
Location: North Yorkshire
Contact:

Post by Jeff »

FWIW, my thoughts...

Stuart 37
Big old boat that. No skeg for the rudder which is something a lot of people told me is important. One hit to the rudder by something in the water, on its leading edge, and your rudder shaft is bent and you can't steer. A full length skeg stops that. Two sets of spreaders on the mast = a lot of wire = expensive to re-rig every 10 years (does it need doing now). Very teeny cockpit - not much use for friends + beer + barbecue in the summer. Overall it's not exactly very pretty but of course that's subjective. Windows in the topsides are nice to have. Engine newish with low hours - nice. It's old! Osmosis? Sandwich core deck? If so has it taken in water and is therefore shot? It's very deep draft so not as good for exploring up rivers as some. Definitely not designed for drying out along a wall etc.

The Jeanneau and Beneteau are mass produced, thin hulled vessels aren't they? Cheap and cheerful. Not built to take much hammer. More prone to osmosis? Cheap construction so don't wear too well perhaps. Skegs?

What about a junk:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/yacht-36ft-Ju ... 3cea92cda5

Or
http://www.sunbirdmarine.com/teal_29.htm

I asked for interior shots of this last one and it's remarkably spacious and nice inside.

Having a wheelhouse with seats is a massive boon for a liveaboard.
To join our mailing list and receive notification of blog updates, please send an email to watchblog@yacht-forum.co.uk and we'll keep you posted. You do not need to sign up to the forum to do this, and we absolutely WILL NOT share your contact details, or send you anything but notifications of new blog entries.
Catyans
YF Newbie
Posts: 17
Joined: Thu Apr 25, 2013 2:50 pm

Post by Catyans »

Jeff-

Says the Stuart was re-rigged in 1996, but spent only 30 months in water since....Hmmm.

The cockpit size is indeed dinky, but my friend and I work with wood quite a lot, and wonder if we couldn't fashion some form of furniture additions, chairs or tables etc to fit into the cockpit and give seating/table space to areas that wouldn't normally provide it, perhaps raise things up a little. (remove the wheel?).

The Skeg is concerning, not something you can retrofit cheaply I assume, if at all?

I really think she looks quite slick! But as you say..

Sandwich cores are something I have no familiarity with, which indeed confirms it was a good idea to post my queries up here. I could have a look at those issues now I know to look for them.

Not too worried about going up rivers but 'tis bit of a shame. What do you mean by not being able to dry her out along a wall, you mean for anti-fouling etc?

In regards to the junk rigs, I'm becoming more convinced every time I look, especially due to the attractive prices. But the part of me that wants a slick looking yacht gives me childish gripes at the same time, (I am single currently after all, hah), but that's definitely not too major an issue.

But about the wheel house, a while back I was looking at a Colvic Victor 41, which I believe has a wheel house, though I don't see one in this Ad - http://www.boatshop24.co.uk/advert/colv ... s/42046849
Perhaps that was a Victor 40. But looks like an even deeper draft and another thin fiberglass hull.

Looks great inside and out though, as did the 40, apart from her square aft perhaps...

I do worry the price is only as good as it is due to where she's lying as well. (Greece).


Discus-

I did read it was built set up so you didn't need crew weighting up too much, so may not be as flighty?
Catyans
YF Newbie
Posts: 17
Joined: Thu Apr 25, 2013 2:50 pm

Post by Catyans »

Yep, it's the 40 has an amazing double bed and wheel house.

http://www.boatshop24.co.uk/advert/colv ... s/41968264
Jeff
Site Admin
Posts: 751
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 3:54 pm
Location: North Yorkshire
Contact:

Post by Jeff »

Insurers sometimes require a re-rig every 10 years regardless so you might need to factor that in.

Maybe you could fashion something cunning for the cockpit - maybe in practice it wouldn't be too bad - but you'd not want to have to lug large additional items around with you considering space is going to become very important to you.

I guess it's all about priorities and it's hard for you to know what those are at this stage. Similarly what you'll find 'attractive' will likely change very quickly once you get afloat and learn more and meet more people.

So to some extent you'll have to go with your gut initially. But think hard about realistically what you'll be doing most of the time aboard. Will you be at sea on long voyages mostly - or sat with a cuppa admiring the interior walls (no wheelhouse) somewhere.

What you really really need to do though is start looking at boats in person because the difference from the pictures, every boat I've ever viewed I think, was staggering. And the ones I immediately liked were never the ones I thought I would when I saw them online first.

The Colvic Victor 40/41 is a project boat I think. You buy the hull and then fit it out as you like so I think there's no two the same. Some have wheelhouses some don't - perhaps that's an option with the initial kit you buy. But the ones I've seen have always been a heck of a lot of boat for the money.

Drying out against a wall is handy for cheap hull work but also a necessity if you want to visit some harbours. A shallow draft, and the ability to dry out make many more places possible to visit.

I've never considered buying something I couldn't visit a few times so have avoided looking too hard at boats not in the UK. I didn't want to feel too financially committed to something so that I couldn't walk away. But a heck of a lot of people do buy boats abroad.

Exciting times for you ahead!! :)
To join our mailing list and receive notification of blog updates, please send an email to watchblog@yacht-forum.co.uk and we'll keep you posted. You do not need to sign up to the forum to do this, and we absolutely WILL NOT share your contact details, or send you anything but notifications of new blog entries.
Jeff
Site Admin
Posts: 751
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 3:54 pm
Location: North Yorkshire
Contact:

Post by Jeff »

The aft double cabin on the Victor has a nice big double bed, but the floor is at a heck of an angle I think - you can't wander aimlessly up the sides like it looks in that picture.
To join our mailing list and receive notification of blog updates, please send an email to watchblog@yacht-forum.co.uk and we'll keep you posted. You do not need to sign up to the forum to do this, and we absolutely WILL NOT share your contact details, or send you anything but notifications of new blog entries.
Discus
RNLI Supporter
RNLI Supporter
Posts: 416
Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2010 4:46 pm
Location: Floating around the SW

Post by Discus »

I agree re Colvic Victors. Many were home completed and there are a few shockers out there. If you can find a good one then they offer loads of space. Mind you it's not exactly a 'looker' but that is subjective I suppose.
We have a long keeled boat that is ideal for drying out alongside a wall - although we have never needed to............yet! We also have 'legs' which (in theory) allow us to dry out anywhere with a flat bottom. Again untested by us!

Image
Jeff
Site Admin
Posts: 751
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 3:54 pm
Location: North Yorkshire
Contact:

Post by Jeff »

Now _that_ is a nice looking boat!
To join our mailing list and receive notification of blog updates, please send an email to watchblog@yacht-forum.co.uk and we'll keep you posted. You do not need to sign up to the forum to do this, and we absolutely WILL NOT share your contact details, or send you anything but notifications of new blog entries.
Discus
RNLI Supporter
RNLI Supporter
Posts: 416
Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2010 4:46 pm
Location: Floating around the SW

Post by Discus »

Jeff wrote:Now _that_ is a nice looking boat!
You are too kind! :oops:

We will have to build up to using the legs I think. The one thing we both say is every time either of us mention using the legs, one of us will say 'bet Jeff would have used them by now!' :lol:
Jeff
Site Admin
Posts: 751
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 3:54 pm
Location: North Yorkshire
Contact:

Post by Jeff »

That cheered me up that did! :)

As is my homebrew cider (made with asda's best (cheapest) apple juice from concentrate) which has somehow ended up being about 10% ABV instead of the intended 5% (discovered in a hilarious way I won't recount because I can't entirely remember) and of which I have slightly less than 5 gallons.

Also cheering me up are my jars of fermenting cabbage, carrots, chilli, garlic and onions (kimchi ish sauerkraut).

I love fermenting things and I didn't really get chance on the boat so I'm making up for lost time.


Legs - there's (I hear) a bit of a black art around pre-surveying with depth sounder to ensure the ground you're about to ground on is free from spiky nasties. If I had bilge keels or legs that'd be what I was getting a serious face on about I think. But if I had them I would definitely have to use them. If I had them now I'd chop them up and use them on the open fire :)
To join our mailing list and receive notification of blog updates, please send an email to watchblog@yacht-forum.co.uk and we'll keep you posted. You do not need to sign up to the forum to do this, and we absolutely WILL NOT share your contact details, or send you anything but notifications of new blog entries.
Discus
RNLI Supporter
RNLI Supporter
Posts: 416
Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2010 4:46 pm
Location: Floating around the SW

Post by Discus »

Home brew cider - now you're talking. 10% eh! Well, I've always said eyesight is over rated! Are you secretly a frustrated scientist/inventor/magician/hippy?





.......... Off now to buy some scrumpy! Suddenly have the urge for some strange reason!


BTW, the legs spent this season in the garage, there's never a Jeff around when you need one. Apparently, the legs are good enough not to need the extra wood props in the yard but wouldn't want the boat to fall over! Who would clear up the mess? :P
Jeff
Site Admin
Posts: 751
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 3:54 pm
Location: North Yorkshire
Contact:

Post by Jeff »

Discus wrote:Are you secretly a frustrated scientist/inventor/magician/hippy?
Nail on head! :)
To join our mailing list and receive notification of blog updates, please send an email to watchblog@yacht-forum.co.uk and we'll keep you posted. You do not need to sign up to the forum to do this, and we absolutely WILL NOT share your contact details, or send you anything but notifications of new blog entries.
Catyans
YF Newbie
Posts: 17
Joined: Thu Apr 25, 2013 2:50 pm

Post by Catyans »

May start looking more at Victors, I really like what some people have done with them for the price, as you say a lot of boat for the price.

A lot are being sold in Greece and these sorts of places, how much on average would you say it is to hire a skeleton crew to sail it to the UK from the Med. Price per day is it?
Jeff
Site Admin
Posts: 751
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 3:54 pm
Location: North Yorkshire
Contact:

Post by Jeff »

I guess it varies massively. But the thought of buying something so far away would never appeal to me. Chances of being ripped off increase exponentially I suspect., before you even begin to consider the cost of relocation of the boat after purchase.

But then again, that very reasoning from a lot of potential buyers could lead to a very good deal.
To join our mailing list and receive notification of blog updates, please send an email to watchblog@yacht-forum.co.uk and we'll keep you posted. You do not need to sign up to the forum to do this, and we absolutely WILL NOT share your contact details, or send you anything but notifications of new blog entries.
Post Reply