Cavalier vs SS vs Swanson vs....

Hi Sailors

I am sure this type of question is one of those that has been done to death, but I am a first time poster and not that experienced with sailing, so please bear with me...

Am looking at buying my first keeler yacht with the idea being to take the family, (wife and three daughters 12, 10 & 7) coastal cruising along the Queensland coast as I am now based in Rocky with work. I have a limited budget of around 40k but could spend another 10-15 on it over 12 months. Now I am not planning any passages but my way of thinking is to get a design that is able to just in case you do hit any nasty weather that the family is safe.

In my quest so far I have identified a few that on the surface seems to fit the bill from design and dollar point and was hoping I could ask you more experienced yachtsmen to steer me in the right direction.

S&S 34
Cavalier 32
Swanson 32
East Coast 31
Cole Bounty 35
Van de Stadt 34

All similiar priced but not sure if I should eliminate any particular design or medium (the VDS 34 is steel) One of the criteria I would like is for it to be able to be saved singled handed as my wife and kids are not based in Rocky so when I have a day off here and there I would like to take for a short sail when possible.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

PS I have been reading the forum for about a month and really enjoy it and has been a wealth of knowledge.

Many thanks

Novaoz

Welcome to the forum Novaoz.

i am in no way an expert in these matters and there are others on here with a much boarder depth of knowledge than I but here's my 2 cents worth.

of those yachts that you have mentioned the S&S, Cavalier and Swanson would probably be my pick. Probably because these are the ones I have been more familiar with. Being slightly larger the S&S 34 would give you a bit more room which would be welcome if you are out with the family.

They are all good solid boats, which is just what you need for your purpose. A Cavalier took Kay Cottee around the world on her single handed voyage so they can withstand the heavy stuff provided they are sailed competently. That would be the case for all three of these options.

Really it will come down to a question of budget and what is available on the market, how long are you prepared to wait for the right boat to come along and how much time / resources you have available to do any work on the boat post purchase (it will need work - they all do). Some things to look out for (other will add more I am sure): when was the standing rigging last replaced, what is the condition of the engine (re powering is a costly and significant undertaking), any osmosis issues in the hull, is she water tight or is standing in the cabin in a big sea like standing in the rain?

Don't rush into a purchase, take your time. If you buy a yacht that later turns out is going to need extensive work to make her seaworthy then your dream will turn into a nightmare very quickly and the yacht will become a burden rather than a pleasure.

I spent a year or so with a Cav 32, easy, simple nice enough yacht to sail but funnily felt it didn't have much 'soul' for want of a better word, never really felt connected with it and actually found it a bit boring not really sure why, maybe as it was a stock standard production yacht with no surprises. Sold it on for 70,000, which was top dollar for a Cav 32, it was very well maintained with all the right gear, not sure what condition one would be in if you got it for 40,000 or less.
VanDeStat34, good solid steel boat, usually sail pretty well, usually owner built so can be a bit backyard, not as well finished as a production boat, yeah rust but then yeah osmosis/delamination if you go core or fibreglass, rust you can grind, cut out etc, osmosis, cut out, dry etc etc. similar problems just in different media. You can usually tell if a yachts got or been prone to rust, if everything looks recently touched up maybe be wary, with osmosis get them tested for moisture in the hull. look for bubbles, blisters, dimples in the hull.
The S&S34 have a great reputation as a tried and tested round the world yacht, Jesse Martin, Jessica Watson...not quite as roomy as a VDS34.
Not sure about the rest.

I would buy morning bird If it is for sale. It's well sorted and I doubt if you will get any nasty surprises.
The only problem with an s and s 34 in the tropics is they are hot inside for a family, no opening portholes
Good luck

Gday,Novaoz,
I raced a Bounty out of Melb. For a few years and with kids in mind mention the following pluses.
Very dry boat ,high freeboard.
Sit in deep cockpit with lots of room ,although I had a tiller not wheel.
Almost flat topsides makes it easy to move around on ( lay around on).
Very roomy below with high headroom
Typical solid Cole design. We raced in some pretty heavy weather over the years and had no issues
Access to engine good.
Main downside was it was a long way to climb from water without stern ladder.
Fitout below critical .

If I were to look for a boat to cruise with family I would also look for a boat with an unobtrusive mainsheet track . Eg. On coachroof good place .

There is a nice one for sale in Manly Bris. For $39 neg. Listed in yachthub site but I cannot upload for some reason .

Kay Cottee's boat was a 38. The steel yacht is worth about $80 a ton. The SS34's are nice but not necessarily family friendly, the layouts are mainly for male crews. My pick is the Cole 35 but remember it is a big boat. There are a few about now at great prices. The Cole 31's are good husband and wife boats. Living in Nth Queensland ventilation is going to be a priority. 3 daughters are going to be hard to manage on a small vessel. Find one with good bathroom/heads and some privacy. And remember those daughters will soon be bringing scruffy, low life boyfriends along!

Hi Novaoz
A lot was mention about above water preferences.
When I was choosing my boat, I was also considering underwater shape.
This is my ex Swanson 32, from the pics you can guess, all day on course withou autopilot.
Easilly reach hull speed just with full Genoa, didn't use main often.
Exellent boat, mine is short cabin, the most have long cabin / past mast / .
That model is perfect, The only thing, dislike limited eccess to the engine.

Consider mooring cost, Rosslyn Bay, private marina & insurance & maintenance 10k annually .
My current boat is in CCYC Roslyn Bay, good knowledge of local area.
When you get your boat, can show obstacles and beauty of local saling grounds.

Belive one of seabreeze member living on Cavalier in Rosslyn Bay.

Many thanks to all the replies, will get and have a look at all of the eventually, if anyone hears of boats that come up they think would be suitable, I would really appreciate you letting me know.

Let the hunt begin... but I am impatient :)

Yes your right DrRog

I shouldn't discount anything at this stage, I will have a closer look at some CC, I know why wife would prefer a CC model