Bluewater Cruiser
Built to cross oceans and keep you safe out there
Heavy, strongly built monohulls with protected rudders, deep bilges, large tanks and sea berths. They put safety and comfort at sea ahead of speed, and they are made for months of passagemaking and living aboard.
Length 11–16 m (36–52 ft)
Typical price €80k–600k used
Strengths
- Proven for ocean passages
- Comfortable motion in big seas
- Carries stores for weeks
Weaknesses
- Expensive to buy and keep
- Complex systems to maintain
- Heavy and slow in light airs
Ratings
7
8
8
4
7
10
0
6
8
2
7
Typical hull materials
Example models (15)
| Model | Length | Built | Hull |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westsail 32Full keel; tops rally data for ocean crossings | 32 ft · 9.8 m | 1971–1980 | Fibreglass (GRP) |
| Contessa 32Small and very seaworthy; famously finished the 1979 Fastnet | 32 ft · 9.8 m | since 1971 | Fibreglass (GRP) |
| Pacific Seacraft 37Bill Crealock's canoe-stern offshore cruiser | 37 ft · 11.3 m | since 1980 | Fibreglass (GRP) |
| Valiant 42Perry design that sails fast for a heavy cruiser | 42 ft · 12.8 m | 1990s– | Fibreglass (GRP) |
| Island Packet 380Full-keel comfort, roomy interior | 38 ft · 11.6 m | 1990s–2000s | Fibreglass (GRP) |
| Tayana 37Bob Perry design; a classic first circumnavigation boat | 37 ft · 11.3 m | since 1976 | Fibreglass (GRP) |
| Hallberg-Rassy 42FCentre-cockpit Swedish ocean cruiser | 42 ft · 12.8 m | 1980s–90s | Fibreglass (GRP) |
| Amel Super MaramuKetch built for a couple to sail the world | 53 ft · 16.2 m | 1989–2005 | Fibreglass (GRP) |
| Ovni 435Centreboard aluminium cruiser that can dry out on its keel | 43 ft · 13.1 m | 2000s– | Aluminium |
| Garcia Exploration 45Designed with Jimmy Cornell for the Northwest Passage | 45 ft · 13.7 m | 2010s– | Aluminium |
| Allures 45.9Aluminium hull with a GRP deck; lifting keel | 46 ft · 14.0 m | 2010s– | Aluminium |
| Boréal 47Hard-chine expedition yacht with daggerboards | 47 ft · 14.3 m | 2010s– | Aluminium |
| Joshua (Meta, Knocker design)Moitessier's famous steel ketch; sisterships built by Meta · class or historic type, built by many yards | 40 ft · 12.1 m | since 1961 | Steel |
| Wauquiez Centurion 32Kim Holman design, about 380 built; still sought after as a small offshore boat | 32 ft · 9.8 m | 1960s–70s | Fibreglass (GRP) |
| North Wind 47Marcelo Penna design from 1985, a strong offshore cruiser | 47 ft · 14.3 m | 1980s–90s | Fibreglass (GRP) |