How much is this boat worth?

[mccorkle.joel]

Hi,
I am new to larger sailboats... I have an opportunity to purchase an older 21' sailboat for $500. I don't have much information yet, but I do have a picture.

It does not have a motor, which I believe it uses an outboard motor which I have one that would work. It does come with the sails and the trailer. Does this seem like a good deal? How much would it cost to get it going again? Thanks!

[captainKJ]

500 with a trailer, dont think you can go wrong on it. Just depends on how the hull is. Any holes????

[mccorkle.joel]

I'm not sure, I believe the hull is fine. I will definitely check first though! Thanks for your help!

[kmacdonald]

Offer $50.00 if there is a clear title for the boat and trailer.

[Cheechako]

That's a good deal, looks decent and you'll have fun. It does have sails for sure though right? They're expensive.

[mccorkle.joel]

Kmacdonald: It does not have a title... Should I offer less then?

Cheechako: It does come with the sails.

[Cheechako]

It can be an issue without title, depending on your state. The trailer will likely have to be re-inspected to get a plate. In Washington, a boat without title... you have to apply for a lost title. They will give you one after you pay registration on the boat for 3 years....

[mccorkle.joel]

Okay, I live in Texas so I will look into that. Thanks!

[denverd0n]

Mast? Rigging? Rudder? Centerboard?

Most importantly, you need to check over the hull and make sure it is sound. Otherwise it's just going to be a money pit.

[speedoo]

The outboard has to be long shaft to make it work properly on a sailboat.

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by mccorkle.joel

Hi,
I am new to larger sailboats... I have an opportunity to purchase an older 21' sailboat for $500. I don't have much information yet, but I do have a picture.

It does not have a motor, which I believe it uses an outboard motor which I have one that would work. It does come with the sails and the trailer. Does this seem like a good deal? How much would it cost to get it going again? Thanks!

I oresume you have not seen the boat. Depending on the drive I would say its worth a go especially after talking the the owner.

Known issues from photo
Maybe I am blind but I don't see a rudder. Maybe it's removable and stowed
Looks like you will need to throw a coat of bottom paint on it. Couple hundred bucks in materials, paint, brushes, sandpaper, masking and a day or two of labor.

Unknown issues
Boat title & registration - varies by state
Trailer title and registration - varies by state
Sails and rigging - owner shoud agree to head the boat into the wind on the trailer and completely rig the boat including raising all sails. Red flags for no sails and incomplete rigging to raise the mast. This check should include all shrouds and stays - they should look clean and not rusted. Attach fittings (chain plates) should likewise be corrosion free, tight and no sign of water intrusion in the boat. Look inside the cabin where the shrouds attach. Through bolts, backing plates and any carry through members should be intact tight and clean.
Before the mast is raised you should look at the sheeves (pulleys) at top of mast and any other mast hardware. Sheeves should not be overly worn and should rotate freely. If therre is any lighting or windex at the mast top that should be given a look see. Inspect the halyards - the ropes that pull the main sail up and the jib up. If worn excessively you should plan to buy new ones.
After raising the mast, raise the sails and rig the controls. The control lines (sheets) for the main and jib should be relatively unworn. If excessive you may need to replace. Rig the controls through any turning blocks and travellers. Turning blocks and travellers should operate freely. Check all the winches by hand you should be able to turn in both directions and you should hear audbible "ratcheting" noises. No winches should slip. The surface (or drum) of the winch likely had some sort of knurling. Worn out winches will be smooth. There are companies that will restore the knurling, this is not a huge deal but the sheets can slip excessively on the drum if smooth. If a winch does not ratchet, it could be a simple disassemble, clean and lube or the winch ratchet is stuffed. You might find cheap used on the internet.

There is likely a moveable dagger board or keel. The keel mechanism should raise and lower freely. There is likely a rub seal where it penetrates the hull. This seal can be tight, loose or missing. I wouldnt sweat the seal too much unless it is binding the dagger board. This won't sink the boat but a loose or missing may allow water to splash through into the boat and be an annoyance.

It looks like there is an outboard mount. As others have said you need a long shaft motor. The bracket swings up and down and a long shaft motor allows the prop to get below the bottom of the hull. The bracket on the boat should be secure and you probaly don't need more than 5 hp to get you in and out of the marina for day sailing. In fact a trailerable boat can often be sailed on and off the dock after launching. I have been known to sit straddling the bow paddling while someone steered boats up to 21 feet.

The interior is pretty much whatever you can tolerate in terms of condition. Most of this is just cosmetic surgery, except.

If there are any through hulls - there may be a galley sinnk. These should have shut off valves that operate freely, do not look completely corroded and dont look like they will break off. Grab from the inside and give a firm shake. If it doesn't break off great. If it does, glad you found out now...

The other thing inside the boat is to look for cracks, signs of water ingress that is not attributed to rain while stored. Same thing on the outside of the hull.

Take a big (really big) screwdriver with you. Using the handle end only push and tap the hull from the outside and the decks from the outside. Especially where hardware is mounted. You are looking for give, soft spots and when tapping you are listening for a change in sound that goes from a nice click to a dull thud. A dull thud could be an a area containing water.

On a $500 boat that includes trailer there are not many deal killers including water and soft spots. Here are my deal killers

No useable sails - ~$1,000 to fix
No title for boat and or trailer - maybe cant fix depending on your state
Serious corrosion or problems with mast, chain plates and rig - ~$800 to fix
Serus problems with hull cracks, delaminations or serious soft spots - sky's the limit to fix. However, for a $500 practice boat ai ma choose to sail with the defects until a sell on or the boat "scraps" itself.

Finally ask the owner what type of boat. Google it on the internet and see if you can get manuals, opinions or whatever. The more info you get the better and I have found all kinds of stuff online about my boat, including original manuals, sales brochures, specifications etc...

Good luck!