I agree with the waterline length as being very important…both to speed and comfort. On a limited budget does either a Hunter 54 or a Columbia 50 make sense as a safe and reliable cruising sailboat? Their main sailing areas will be the Caribbean and, hopefully, the Mediterranean. Other options are a Lubbe Voss 42 and a Valiant 40. Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Ian
Hi Ian–that’s an interesting grouping. There is no easy answer to your question–much depends on cost, and more on the skills of the crew. The Col 50 is a typical CCA design, inefficient hull, unbalanced lines which generate weather helm, but hey, if the price is right…we pushed one around the world. The Hunter 54 would be much quicker, easier to handle boat, but of course much smaller inside and perhaps a bit more bouncy as it is much lighter. Valiant 40’s are nice–but costly. I guess of the three, I’d go for the H54, assuming I got a good price and the boat was sound structurally–but you could do well with any of them… Good Luck–Steve
Posted by Steve Dashew (November 30, 1999)
