Help me decide which boat!

[Island Time O25]

Friends did a RTW 25+ years ago with 3 kids ages 6 to 16 in a 38ft epoxy over wood sloop. But then again they were used to the rustic living being where they were coming from.

Having sailed weeks on on 36-46' boats I don't think it is as much the boat size as the mental state and competence of the skipper/crew which matter most. Unless you got yourself a real dud 40 or 45 ft is not as crucial as the condition, ease of operating, your ability to effect repairs and improvs in the middle of nowhere, etc. Especially with a crawling baby in the way.

My initial recommendation would be to take your whole sailing family on that trial pre-purchase sail and better yet nag the seller to let you just sleep on the boat for just one night at the dock. You will be surprised what issues will come up which you may not have thought of prior, while shlepping to see the boat just by yourself for a few hours during the day.

[john61ct]

If you really can easily slot right into a well-paying job, that definitely changes things.

Keep those skills current!

[maplemale]

Originally Posted by john61ct

If you really can easily slot right into a well-paying job, that definitely changes things.

Keep those skills current!

I have been doing the software gig for 20 years now. Quit almost exactly 1 year ago. It's good advice (keeping up skills). I'm doing the odd side jobs for small businesses now, 1 every month or 2. I honestly still enjoy programming a lot. Would just crush my soul to back to an office at this point. LOL


Like so many people; it's the Corp. America junk we're burnt out on, not the work itself.

[Ndavies]

The answer is very easy -the Boat you can afford without financing. You can dance around the question, but that’s the answer.

[jkindredpdx]

Hey Maplemale... I probably missed an important post, but since you are in Yaquina Bay, why aren't you looking on the west coast? I'd assume you could find something between San Diego and Vancouver BC. You may find temperate climate boats to have better canvas and sails.

[maplemale]

Originally Posted by jkindredpdx

Hey Maplemale... I probably missed an important post, but since you are in Yaquina Bay, why aren't you looking on the west coast? I'd assume you could find something between San Diego and Vancouver BC. You may find temperate climate boats to have better canvas and sails.

It's a good question!


So, we've been looking on the West Coast for almost a year. Originally we planned on starting here and heading down to warmer waters soon after + joining the Coho Hoho Rally etc. But we found ourselves in the reality of not being able to afford the $100k + boats that a family like us of 5 that wants to go offshore is into. Seen a few nice boats around $70-80k that would work. But, in reality it's just too much for us to spend responsibly while leaving emergency fund in tact. This was all a learning process for us. So, the reality of either - we're not doing this right now, or we're going to simply spend less and change plans hit us. Ok - so let's make a max budget of about $40k-45k and see if it's even plausible?


We just can't find the screaming deals on undervalued boats in good shape here in the 40ft size range. Some in MX, BC and sometimes CA. But, the really sweet deals that need very little DIY starting out just seem very rare. We kinda gave up, started settling with the idea of sailing a different ocean starting out or not sailing at all. The other reality we've been faced with is the sheer expense in the PNW. It's night and day. Things are REALLY expensive here. Labor is 200% or more what it is in the Gulf for instance and we've checked lots of yards from Seattle, Puget Sound to Portland, CA. Funny, the quotes we got for things here in Toledo where actually not bad compared to the rest. Haha! Given, I'm not aware of costs in BC or MX. But, I have to assume we'll spend money in the early parts of our experience in Puget Sound area and if something bad happened, it could more easily break us. We'll also likely be in slips more often early on, especially in the first few months. Again, talking huge price differences almost everywhere and less availability for live-aboards. Fuel, food, pretty much everything you can think of is more here and it just starts to add up.


All that aside, I like it here and am drawn to the PNW. Grew up with Dad stationed at Whidbey NAS... and camping as a kid all over Puget Sound. Good memories. I'll sail here eventually I'm sure...

[Hoodsail]

As noted earlier, there is always another boat in tomorrow's sailboat listing/yachtworld/craigslist. I saw/walked/crawled over at least 3 boats (and many others) that I thought could never be beat given their price, condition, and equipment. One the owner would not negotiate one bit, one was a salvage auction, and one had a deposit in place. Ultimately, another unique situation presented itself resulting in my current boat which I love and am refitting, not to live-abroad but for coastal and some water sailing">blue water sailing. So if a Cheoy Lee 44 or Endeavor 40 are "your" boats, continue searching boat listings every few days, for each boat record key info from the listings, include date when sold; inspect those boats w/in driving distance, and sooner than you think, another boat will present itself. good luck in your hunt.

[maplemale]

Originally Posted by Hoodsail

As noted earlier, there is always another boat in tomorrow's sailboat listing/yachtworld/craigslist. I saw/walked/crawled over at least 3 boats (and many others) that I thought could never be beat given their price, condition, and equipment. One the owner would not negotiate one bit, one was a salvage auction, and one had a deposit in place. Ultimately, another unique situation presented itself resulting in my current boat which I love and am refitting, not to live-abroad but for coastal and some blue water sailing. So if a Cheoy Lee 44 or Endeavor 40 are "your" boats, continue searching boat listings every few days, for each boat record key info from the listings, include date when sold; inspect those boats w/in driving distance, and sooner than you think, another boat will present itself. good luck in your hunt.

Good advice (though, on the driving distance bit we're kinda sol). Started this thread more as a, if you we're being forced to choose between the 2 right away, which is it? The E40 was at a price / condition that it wasn't going to last a day and it didn't. Fortunately, we have any of several dozen boats that are "our" boats to consider. Lots of older, solid cruisers out there that would work. We're just looking for those really sweet deals that don't don't last long. "Our" boats could be:

Valiant 40s,
Cheoy Lee (41-44)
C&C 40+ (though, we'd consider an LF38 or 39)
Pearson 422/424
Endeavor 40
Farr 40+
Tanaya 40+ (some models)
Morgan Out Island
Gulfstar 40+ (some models)
and... we'd honestly be fine on some of the Beneteau boats and Bavaria 40+ and lots of others.


We have a huge list! Basically... you're completely right and there's no reason we shouldn't end up with something eventually in our budget. I'm not getting stuck on any one thing... that E40 was just a decide now, or go home kinda thing. Decided to offer - which I think was the right choice, we just weren't the highest. Oh well.

[Cheechako]

Not terribly fond of either build. Some Endeavors seem good though. But definitely go for the one you can readily afford. Also, I've seen some very flaky built Cheoy Lee's. Dont know the 44 though, it looks good and is a Bob Perry boat right?. Data says it was built for one year only. That and the fact that it's above your budget and in Texas ...NO.

I think for starting out and with the family, you are on the right track with east coast. The west coast is long hauls in rough ocean. Hard to start out that way.
Some East Coast possibilities in your budget:
Tayana 42
Whitby 42
Hughes 40+
Morgan OI 41 -Tons of them out there on the east coast.
CSY 44 -at least two on the market east coast. Super built, but getting old.
Some of these may not the performer you want though.

[Suijin]

One bit of advice. Don't spend money on boat systems until you have to. For example, a water maker. It's expensive, it eats up space, it's a maintenance pig (depending), and few hundred people have circumnavigated and certainly made their way through the Caribbean without one. Add stuff as you actually need it, not because you *think* you need it. Of course that does not apply to structural/safety items.

So your laundry list of "stuff the boat needs" can be shortened and dealt with along the way. The list of people who loaded their boat up with gear that they didn't need and never ended up using is long. Don't be one of them.

Also, if you end up doing a refit, put off purchasing any technological item like chart plotter, AIS, etc. towards the end of the refit, when the end is actually in sight. I was just talking to a guy yesterday who put all new electronics on his boat 10 years ago and it's still in the shed. Yes that's an unusual example but you get the point.

[maplemale]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Some East Coast possibilities in your budget:
Tayana 42
Whitby 42
Hughes 40+
Morgan OI 41 -Tons of them out there on the east coast.
CSY 44 -at least two on the market east coast. Super built, but getting old.
Some of these may not the performer you want though.

Good stuff! Thanks! Actually... performance would be nice. But, very secondary.

Originally Posted by Suijin

One bit of advice. Don't spend money on boat systems until you have to.

More good advice! I know this... but still tend to get hung up on it at times.