Jim, I grew up sailing on a C&C 30 and 39, and I currently own a 1976 38 MkII. I sail most of the time with my wife and two young daughters (so it's close to single handing) and often take the boat out alone. The biggest challenge for me is hoisting the main, it's a tall mast! But at least it is a short boom and small main. I purchased a 125% jib this season and love it. One of the nicest things about this boat is that it doesn't take a lot of power to drive and the 125 does a great job in all but the lightest conditions. As an example, this past weekend we upwind in 8 knots apparent with the gps showing over 6. I would suggest having a good autopilot (I don't have one, Yet!) and a stack pack or similar system for the main. Make sure the main halyard is led aft with a good two speed ST winch (I recently added a Barient 21ST). I like the Barient because the high speed is geared 1:1 which is great for 95% of the hoist. All the new winches have the high speed geared down to 2:1 and you have to crank twice the revolutions. The boat is plenty stiff, I've had it out in 25+ with the old 155 (off the wind) and always been comfortable and confident. She seems to sail better if you keep her relatively flat, heeling beyond 20 degrees adds no speed, just steering effort. Down below the boat works very well. With the family on board, I don't miss the aft cabins of the newer boats at all.The wife and I use the V-berth and the kids get the rest. We have done weekends with 7 people and day sailed with as many as 12 and been very happy. The large ice box, being located outboard away from the engine works well. We don't have refrigeration but don't feel we need it for weekend cruising. A double sink would be nice, but we don't cook in the galley very much. I did install an A/C system in the forward hanging locker and that is a must have for us down here in the Southeast. Lots of storage! Head is nicely sized, big enough to be usable without wasting a lot of space. As you can probably tell, we are very happy with our choice of boats. I did a lot of shopping and tire kicking and had a pretty good idea of what I was after. The 35MkIII was my first choice but I never found one that was in good shape. Our boat was in great condition and we all fell in love with it on first sight! My best advice is to not get in a hurry and look at lots of boats. And if you want a boat that you will keep for a long time, make sure that you buy one that you can look back at and think that you have the best looking boat in the area!
James Taylor S/V Delaney C&C38 MkII Oriental, NC ----- Original Message ----- From: Jim Lynch To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com Sent: Thursday, October 10, 2013 6:18 PM Subject: Stus-List Advice for sailing shorthanded on C&C 38 or 35 Hi gang, I'm determined to buy an old C&C 38 or 35 primarily as a cruiser. I'm considering a 1977 C&C 38 Mark II in great shape. My biggest concern is whether the boat is too large and too tender for my wife and I to handle it cruising through inland waters of Washington state. It feels doable, especially with a smallish jib on the furler, the traveler/main sheet in the companionway and the main halyard routed to the cockpit. But would the 35 be considerably easier to handle shorthanded? (Their cabintop tavelers seem awkward when shorthanded.) Or should I consider other old and affordable C&Cs like the 33, 34 or 36? I've cruised in heavy boats and raced in light boats. I'm looking for a fun affordable C&C compromise. I'd appreciate any input, especially from 38 owners or people who've had to make similar decisions. Thanks a lot, Jim ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ _______________________________________________ This List is provided by the C&C Photo Album http://www.cncphotoalbum.com CnC-List@cnc-list.com
_______________________________________________ This List is provided by the C&C Photo Album http://www.cncphotoalbum.com CnC-List@cnc-list.com
