It took me a long time since my first article to give you news. It also took me a long time to find a boat. To stay within my budget, I chose a used boat. Here is an overview of my approach.
The boat market
With the health crisis, the shipyards produced far fewer boats. At the same time, the demand for pleasure boats has risen sharply, no doubt as a result of the containment. As a result, the second-hand boat market has been very tight in recent months.
For IRC racing boats, which are those used on the Transquadra, the phenomenon has been amplified by the regattas that have been postponed. The Transquadra, for example, has been delayed by a year, which has put fewer boats on the second-hand market.
The choice of the boat
Performance is of course essential for a racing boat. But also :
- The ability to sail it alone or with two people in a double-handed project. The Transquadra allows boats up to 36 feet, which I find a bit big for single-handed sailing.
- The ability to resell the boat at the end of the project, and the potential resale price. A new boat will depreciate quickly during the first years. A very specific prototype can be difficult to resell.
- And the price, including everything that needs to be added. For example, electronics and autopilot are cost items, but also sails, safety equipment, and... On this subject, it's the same file as for all boats, and there is no shortage of articles on this subject as on Bateaux.com. For example, the budget for a pilot + power plant on a racing boat is significant.
My choice of boats :
- SunFast 3200, preferably R2
- JPK 1010, a little lower in preference
- the A35 that I find a bit big
- the A31 and the JPK 960 which I find a bit small.
Even further down my preferences, the JPK 10.80 and Sunfast 3600 anyway too expensive. The boats of the year like the JPK 1030, Sunfast 3300 and J99 are generally out of my budget.
In terms of budget, the Sunfast 3200 range from 70 000 to 100 000 euros. The R2 are more expensive, because they are rarer and more recent. They are close to the JPK 1010, whose first prices start at 140,000 euros. The A35s are worth between 80,000 and 110,000 euros. The A31 and JPK 960 are less expensive (between 60,000 and 80,000 euros). For a boat of the year, the order of magnitude is 240,000 euros.
Search for a boat
Going through a broker can be interesting, especially if he knows the field. He knows the market, the different boats, the procedures and the financing... Jean Baptiste Lemaire, at Antipode Yachts, was very valuable to me. He did a mini-transat and the Transquadra in 2017, so he knows the subject well. He visits each of the boats he sells and organizes the boat transports.
Another source is the race forums (Transquadra or other), as well as the classified ads. In particular, I have followed :
- The Transquadra forum
- LeBonCoin
- The yacht market
- Band of boats
- Youboat
And then you have to be on it almost every day, not get discouraged and be quick to decide. But maybe the market will relax and it will be easier.
Financing
Unless you have the money immediately available, you have to go through a financing scheme. For a used boat, there are few other solutions than borrowing or taking over a leased boat.
A LOA can only be taken out with a professional (new boat or special case of a boat owned by a shipyard or distributor). It can also be transferred from a private individual to another in case of a boat repurchase. The interest of the LOA is that it allows to pay only 10% of VAT (Editor's note: before the change of regulation in November 2020).
So where does that leave us?
After more than 6 months of intensive research, I found a Sunfast 3200 R2.
The Sunfast is one of the first boats designed for the Transquadra and more generally for solo or double-handed ocean racing. The boat was a big commercial success with more than 250 sold.
With a fairly large hull, double rudders, the boat is cut out for the open sea, it has a competitive IRC rating and is in category A which allows it to cross the Atlantic.
Compared to the initial Sunfast 3200, the R2 version has 3 evolutions:
- an open cockpit that is lighter and allows easier access to the rudders when there is seaweed inside.
- a carbon mast, lighter, a little higher and which carries a little more sail in light weather
- a straight lead keel, more hydrodynamic and with a more favorable IRC handicap.
With the release of the SunFast 3300, this R2 version was produced in a small number of copies. It is quite sought after. It is a boat which will have a second life in cruising thanks to its 2 comfortable back cabins. Compared to the last generation like the SunFast 3300 or JPK 1030, we will have to see. Some say that the new ones are faster, others that it depends on the points of sail and the conditions, others that the old ones are more versatile... To take the last regattas, the CAP 45-11 was won by a SunFast 3200 in solo. We'll see, but it seems that there is a match..
The boat is from 2017. During 2 years, it sailed in regattas in Cap d'Agde and in the Mediterranean, with good results. Then it was bought by David who took care of it very well. All the equipment is a good base.
The purchase is concluded after a thorough visit of the boat from top to bottom, a trip out of the water to see the hull, a small trip at sea to see how everything works. The boat is in Port Camargue. Fortunately, I was in Martigues on vacation, a little less than 2 hours away to make the various round trips.
First "edges
As is often the case, the first hurdles are administrative and logistical:
- Closing the sale
- Transfer the LOA to me. In my case, the LOA is more advantageous than taking out a loan.
- Insure the boat. My insurance covers the boat in regattas up to 1000 miles. I'll have to see about the transatlantic race, but I have time until then!
- And finally, to organize the transport from Port Camargue to Le Havre. I'll tell you about that later.
