FIND ME A…
Golden Globe long-keeled cruiser for £60K. Duncan Kent finds four boats you could take round the world
After owning a Folkboat, a SCOD and a Vertue over the past 30 years, Mike is a firm believer in traditional heavydisplacement yachts with long keels. Now 56, he says, ‘I have decided to complete an Atlantic circuit before I lose the enthusiasm and fitness for ocean sailing.’ He’s looking for a long-keeled cruiser with ‘an aft cockpit and with the rudder attached to its trailing edge of her keel, similar to those chosen by many for the 2018 Golden Globe Race.’
Along with his wife Maggie, Mike’s old sailing pal Geoff will be joining them for the two Atlantic crossings. Maggie’s only request is that the boat is ‘steady enough at sea to enable us to sleep, cook, and eat safely.’
Geoff is happy Mike is choosing a heavy boat with full keel but thinks he’d be sensible to make sure the boat has modern instrumentation, including some form of communications whereby they can receive bespoke weather data – either satphone, or SSB.
‘Ideally, the boat would have tiller steering too,’ says Mike, ‘as that’s all we’ve ever had and both Maggie and I are used to it.’ Geoff has pointed out, however, that they’ll probably be on autopilot or wind-vane steering most of the way across anyway, so he’s not concerned about a tiller.
Either way, there is plenty of choice still around, albeit rather ageing by now. Luckily, boats of this style are generally solidly built but finding one that has been well looked after is the key.
Mounting the drop-leaf table off centre leaves clear access forward to the roomy Grp-moulded heads/shower and the comfortable forecabin with two 2.0m/6ft 7in-long berths or a 1.83m/6ft-wide vee berth with the infill in place.
On deck, a deep cockpit provides a safe working environment. Though a tiller was standard, many owners ordered the wheelsteering option. Either way, her helm is positive, though she has a tendency for weather helm when over-canvassed. Forward is a tough twin stemhead roller for double anchoring and an electric windlass feeds the rode into a locker below decks.
Her Sélden masthead rig is rugged with wide, straight spreaders, forward and aft lowers, caps and single backstay. A second forestay is optional, as is a cutter rig. Her sail plan is conservatively proportioned at 64m²/693ft² and none had in-mast furling.
With her short waterline, she’s not exactly sprightly but her underwater lines and 45% ballast ratio means she scythes her way through a sea producing little spray and minimum heeling, and averaging around 5 knots to windward in a stiff breeze. Off the wind, the large wetted surface of her long keel slows her down but the reward is she tracks in a dead straight line with little input from the helmsman. Most important is her seakindly hull design which enables her to eat up the miles effortlessly whilst still allowing the off-watch crew a good sleep.
Under power, like all long keelers she doesn’t much like reversing and takes a while to react to the helm. Not a problem though, if you’re not regularly using marinas.