raz88 96 Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 I wouldn't say 88s are pencils in the bow. Theyre a beamy boat through their length and a certainly not narrow like say a ross or similar at the front. In terms of them being light and flighty - from what I can find online the carpenter is ~2900kg, and class minimum race weight for an 88 is 2650 (the class min weight boats I've seen have been fairly stripped) so by the time you add the usual cruising gear like ovens etc to the weight, which the carpenter already has there's not too much between them. A lotus or something similar are a different kettle of fish and quite a lot heavier, and with the cockpit being shorter do have a longer cabin too. Sort of feel like if I was the OP I'd be getting more confusion than clarity out of this thread. Perhaps try and view/go for a sail on a few of the mentioned designs and see what you think? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
raz88 96 Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 Just on this... "Although I'm a little sad that people are less favourable of the d28 - certainly this one seems to be very well maintained from what the current owner has told me." It does look to be a nice tidy boat, and I also cruised for years with friends who had one, and have the utmost respect for them. But, compared to the carpenter, when you view it I think you'll find that it's a little smaller in every direction inside, and will probably be a little slower on most points of sail too. They also don't have the resale of some of the others I wouldn't think. All of this is fine if it meets your needs and you get it for the right price though... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John B 106 Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 I don't want to sound critical of the 88, they're fantastic boats and maybe yes , pencil ( in the bow)is a bit tough, but you get my drift. I'm just trying to point out a few things the OP should consider and hull form for the purpose is one. The 9.2 is a completely different kettle of fish ,thats right, much more a cruiser and with a lot of room and although you can read figures on dimensions , Young boats have quite a bit of V to their topsides for a narrower waterline. Cool , quick... but if cruising is more important than racing , if keeping your family a little bit 'squarer' on the water and with the sort of room you might be lucky to get on many older 35 footers, you do a lot worse than a Lotus. I have respect for them and the other types we've been talking about. If the budget is less....D28 no question. I own a bigger Davidson myself , sailed on another one a couple of times to the islands in some nasty stuff, was on another one yesterday afternoon trucking down the harbour to half moon bay , I love em, LD has a eye for a sheerline and is one of NZ's great designers. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John B 106 Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 John B, looks like your message box is full, I couldn't PM you. Thanks for excellent post on Carpenter Davidson thread. It was great for a relative newbie like me. If you're around Okahu Bay it would be good to say hello. 0226710335 I wanted to ask you how would you compare Easterly 30 and Davidson 28 and Nova 28? I'll have a look at that message box Kevin. I don't know much about Easterlys and Novas, but it does strike me that they are just that bit earlier and that the D28 was actually pretty advanced for its time/ purpose. Just in the same way that the 9.2 and the later version with the fractional( 9.5?) were advances on the D28. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Farrari 4 Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 Just to add to the confusion, there are a couple of Lotus 950's listed on Trademe that might be getting close to the stated budget range with the right level of negotiation. While they are not quite as balanced as the Lotus 9.2s to sail but they do have an open transom. An open transom was high on my priority list when I was looking. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin McCready 83 Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 Steve, what were your reasons for wanting an open transom? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John B 106 Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 A lotus 9.2 in Auckland , I mean... look at the interior( for a pleasant sort of a family cruiser) . I'd look at it if I was in the market . 52 K. http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/boats-marine/yachts/keeler/auction-995523902.htm I just went back and had another look. Due diligence and all that but that boat won't last long if its as good as it looks. Buy that! go sailing in the Gulf for summer and ship it down at the end of the season ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chewing Gum 17 Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 Open transom should be the number one criteria (after Motor conditon, Rig condition, Hull and decks condition and performance of course). With our boat we changed it to open transom - it is the best thing we ever did. Raven 31 is quite a good boat as well. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Farrari 4 Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 Steve, what were your reasons for wanting an open transom? Mainly the ease of getting on and off the boat when at anchor or tied up at the marina (we reverse in). It make it so much easier (and safer) for the family to get on and off the dinghy. It's also very nice to be able to get up in the morning and jump off the back of the boat for a swim. Personally I wouldn't go back for a coastal cruiser. Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
B00B00 310 Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 Im with Steve, open transom is much better for gulf cruising. In fact my last boat I chainsawed the back end out of it which made it suit my needs much better. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John B 106 Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 Yes I think an open transom would be nice, personally it wouldn't be make or break on a purchase if the boat was the right one. I've never had one myself but the classic I ran for 25 years had its deck level at most cockpit heights , so the whole boat was an open transom. I'm well into my lets not talk about it 50's now and my current boat has about a metre of topsides , I don't wish for an open transom, in fact wouldn't have one on that particular boat even if I could. I always get vaguely annoyed at trying to board most moderns off the stern , either way you need to pull the dinghy sideways so you can hang on while yer crew and then you get out. We just have step at the side gate, pull the dinghy alongside and step up onto the sidedeck. Totally civilised, the dinghy hangs with the boat. Paddleboards are even easier. And I suspect that CG and Booboo have spent a few decades sailing without one eh, and that these are reasonably new additions to the lifestyle. Make or break on the right boat ? not for me it wouldn't. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
B00B00 310 Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 I have spent plenty of time on both having lived on a traditional closed transom ketch for most of my youth. Yes it’s OK jumping over the side into the dinghy but man its easy just stepping off the transom! Especially with young kids and all the gear that goes with it..... And for swimming I think the open transom has really helped get my kids in the water. When I cut the back out of Cordite revolutionised the Marauder for what we needed and made the boat seem so much bigger. In fact with the duckboards and the extra cockpit room there was over 10% more usable boat. You can see it in the pictures. The back of the seats is where the cockpit used to end. Offshore cruising is a different kettle of fish and maybe a closed transom or a way to close it off does have some appeal but for local gulf cruising then its hard to go past walk through transoms. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jon 360 Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 Or you could have the best of both worlds, just not maybe in a 28-30 footer. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
erice 732 Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 ^ U pier westhaven? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jon 360 Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 C Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Battleship 100 Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 We cut the transom out of Berenice and after using it like that for a while would definitely not go back, not only great at anchor (with all extra usable space) but loading up for the weekend at the dock takes half the time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
robinm 2 Posted December 10, 2015 Author Share Posted December 10, 2015 The open transom topic is turning into as big a topic on here as it is at home with my family! It's the reason the Cav32 ended up getting sidelined as an option - there was a real minter on trademe about a month back, but I think it must have sold. The current plan is to look at boats with either an open transom or a swim platform, or a boat that a swim platform can be installed onto. It's not make or break for me personally, but for the other two members of my family it's the first priority, we've chartered boats with and without swim platforms and I have to say the open transom is great for boarding, swimming, fishing, rinsing feet etc etc I'm really interested in how a few of you have cut out the transom yourselves, that's a whole other possibility I hadn't considered.We looked at the 950 in Wellington, which is a modified 9.2, but unfortunately it would be quite a big project to get it up to the standard I'd feel was functional. Thanks everyone for your input, definitely has helped me get my head around the boats I'll be looking at over the coming weekend. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Black Panther 1,586 Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 When you cut the transom out, did you reinforce it beyond what was already there. I have a mental image of it folding in on itself if you cut out too much material??? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Battleship 100 Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 Yes it takes a bit to get your hard around all the different loads involved. We added a lot of structure. The main concern was the support for the rudder. You can see on Booboos post he left a big support for his. We add a large post to the rudder bearers and tied it into a half bulkhead with lots of knees and glass. Also.not in the PIC is the traveller running the full width behind the helmsman position it's actually stiffer than it was before. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Black Panther 1,586 Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 Thank you. I was wondering ever since I first saw Booboo's pics, that explains a lot. Do you thing you added weight or came out about even? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.