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13-10-2011, 12:05
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 6
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Bluewater Sailboat Shopping
I am getting ready for retirement, and I would like to buy a used sailboat in the 45 to 50ish range that has a good reputation for durability and comfort. I would like to sail to Belize, Panama, Costa Rica, and possibly up the west coast. My brother is continously pushing the Gulfstar(this is due to him living on one for 10 years). Admittedly, I loved his 37' Gulfstar myself. I talked him in to buying the boat in the first place, and I sailed her almost as much as my Bro. And I was impressed how well it fared through Katrina. A 36' or 38' Hunter broke loose in the marina which scraped up his port side, and was found sunk. A bit of damage to his bow sprit due to some old lines that gave way and that was it.
Just looking over all the boats on line, I keep falling in love with The Fomosa, and the Vagabond. I realize the wood decks require extra up keep, but they are sooo beautiful.
I welcome anyone with experence with these or other makes to share their wisdom to guide me toward my dream boat. Prose, and cons?
Thanks.
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Life is too short to own an ugly boat!
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13-10-2011, 12:29
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#2
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Florida
Boat: Matlack, Trawler, 48 ft
Posts: 810
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Re: Blue water sailboat shopping
I had a Tayana 37 for years and loved it. She had beautiful classic lines and was blue water seaworthy. I did remove the teak decks though as they were very hot.
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The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.
—Jacques Yves Costeau
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13-10-2011, 12:38
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: South Louisiana
Boat: Morgan 382 - 38' 4"
Posts: 50
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Re: Blue water sailboat shopping
Are you in Louisiana? If so, this boat may interest you. A bit smaller than you are looking for but they certainly are nice boats.
Whelton Marine Brokerage (Mandeville, LA)&
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13-10-2011, 12:48
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#4
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA
Posts: 317
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Re: Blue water sailboat shopping
Welcome aboard IaSailer. I like the Gulfstar 37.
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Professional Yacht Broker per FTC 16 CFR Part 255
President of Cruisers Forum Sponsoring Vendor Jordan Yacht & Ship Co.
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13-10-2011, 12:54
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 6
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Re: Blue water sailboat shopping
Just a little smaller than I need. Looks great for some coastal sailing. I'm new to this forum. I thought I had in my signiture my location. la=Lower Alabama, sailer=sailor with a southern accent
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Life is too short to own an ugly boat!
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13-10-2011, 15:03
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA
Posts: 317
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Quote:
Originally Posted by laSailer
Just a little smaller than I need. Looks great for some coastal sailing. I'm new to this forum. I thought I had in my signiture my location. la=Lower Alabama, sailer=sailor with a southern accent
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Well ya ain't got to look too far. How 'bout other Gulfstars like the 39 SM, 40 Hood, 44 CC, 45 Hirsh? Yeehaw 'n welcome to the forum 'bama sailer.
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Professional Yacht Broker per FTC 16 CFR Part 255
President of Cruisers Forum Sponsoring Vendor Jordan Yacht & Ship Co.
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13-10-2011, 16:22
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Nyack, NY
Boat: Westsail 32
Posts: 1,570
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Re: Blue Water Sailboat Shopping
Quote:
Originally Posted by laSailer
I welcome anyone with experence with these or other makes to share their wisdom to guide me toward my dream boat. Prose, and cons?
Thanks.
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CHRYSALIS - W43
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13-10-2011, 23:15
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#8
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Registered User

Join Date: May 2008
Location: Yemen & Lebanon... the sailboat is in Lebenon, the dhow is in Yemen
Boat: 1978 CT48 & 65ft Cargo Dhow
Posts: 5,816
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Re: Blue Water Sailboat Shopping
Welcome to the forum LaSailer.
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James
S/V Arctic Lady
I love my boat, I can't afford not to!
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14-10-2011, 00:02
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: from Houston, TX; currently berthed in Barcelona, headed west
Boat: Amel SM 53 - BeBe
Posts: 946
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Re: Blue Water Sailboat Shopping
We own the ugly boat -- an Amel, a 2003 model Super Maramu 2000. But we wouldn't have any other boat for living aboard full-time in comfort and for safety and proven record of crossing oceans. We shopped for years and always came back to the Amel. There are too many features to list; the engine room alone is the primary selling point. All that wood on traditional boats is pretty when newly varnished but such a constant maintenance nightmare. Our beautiful wood is the interior of our boat. Have not seen any other boat with such beautiful interior joinery
Enjoy shopping. FWIW, there is no perfect boat. Each is a compromise in some way.
Judy
S/V BeBe
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15-10-2011, 04:25
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 6
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Re: Blue Water Sailboat Shopping
Thank you all for your in put. I have started changing my priorities, and adding to my want list. I have found myself lost in time reading the post here in CF. Great group! I guess it is one of the reason I love being on the water-the people I have met on the water are always the best!(I haven't met any pirates yet).
And, if you haven't read the tread-Where's MarkJ, it is a must read in CF. Funny!
Thank's again. I hope to meet some of you on the water soon.
Gary
__________________
Life is too short to own an ugly boat!
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15-10-2011, 11:21
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Guam heading for Japan and Alaska
Boat: Tayana 55
Posts: 1,339
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Re: Blue Water Sailboat Shopping
Any old boat (over 10 yrs old) with a teak deck is a financial disaster waiting to happen.
Some like my Tayana can be re-laid but some have screws into the balsa core and the damage from the leaks can be very expensive to fix.
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Phil
"Remember, experience only means that you screw-up less often."
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15-10-2011, 11:28
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#12
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Senior Cruiser

Join Date: May 2006
Location: Kea'au, Big Island, Hawaii
Boat: Cascade, Sloop, 42 - "Casual"
Posts: 14,192
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Re: Blue Water Sailboat Shopping
Aloha,
Having had boats larger and sailed on all sizes I prefer nothing more than 36 for cost, for maintenance, for mooring and ease of handling.
No teak decks for me.
Good luck in your search. Now is a buyers market.
kind regards,
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John
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23-10-2011, 03:39
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: South Pacific
Boat: Oyster 53
Posts: 359
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Re: Bluewater Sailboat Shopping
laSailer,
If you haven't found it already, spend some serious time on Boats for Sale, New and Used Boats and Yachts - YachtWorld.com This is a great resource for boat shopping all around the globe. You can set your own parameters and discover where the boats are that you like - and more importantly what the asking prices are. I would spend 6 months looking at the site everyday (it's easy to do and I have no affiliation to YW whatsoever) until you can guess within 10% what the asking prices are for the boats you are interested in. Then you will know with confidence what the market is.
Boat shopping is great fun. Enjoy.
Dhillen
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01-11-2011, 05:38
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Boston, MA
Boat: Bristol 38.8
Posts: 1,625
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Re: Bluewater Sailboat Shopping
You haven't told us how much money you want to spend. If you have 500K you have a far wider range of choices than if your budget is 75K. For example, if your budget is under 300K you can probably forget about an Amel Maramu.
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02-11-2011, 16:32
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2007
Boat: Morgan 462
Posts: 76
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I am with you on beautiful boats, Bama Sailer! Hey I even spent a summer sailing around Pensacola/ Mobile Bay. Great place to sail!
Fall in love with the Vagabond and Formosa, if you like, but you do have to enjoy wood work. I know everybody slams having wood on deck but it is beautiful and once it is sanded and revarnished, (not a job for the faint hearted), twice yearly maintenance is all it needs. I spend about 4 days a year now on upkeep. Upkeep is the key.
Now for teak decks, I don't have them. Where you are they would be hard to keep up. I am in the Med and lots of boats have teak decks. But these days they no longer screw them into the deck (which creates a huge leaking problem) rather they are glued down and there is a new great looking fake teak out there that is the rage for decks. You might go broke installing it.
So there is hope for your beautiful boat. On the other hand, you may be just as happy with a beautifully crafted teak interior and a few teak hand rails on deck.
Best of luck on your boat search.
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