Starting out in Florida?

[Ellevan]

Thanks again for all your suggestions. This is immensely helpful and raising our confidence about taking on this adventure.
Not sure if I mentioned, I think we would likely aim to be in Florida just after hurricane season, so the end of November?? I'm fairly confident that the winter weather there will pale in comparison to our cold wet winters up here.
Another detail I left out was that we'd be hoping to spend less than 6k on a little boat. Is this realistic for something substantial enough to accommodate and keep two of us safe?
This looks nice
https://tampa.craigslist.org/psc/boa...802816480.html

or
https://tampa.craigslist.org/hil/boa...791693723.html

or
https://tampa.craigslist.org/hil/boa...792318111.html

Just feeling out the market.

[GordMay]

Guide to Anchorages in Southwest Florida ➥ https://goboatingflorida.com/marine-...chorage-sites/

Southwest Florida Anchorage Sites Map ➥ https://goboatingflorida.com/marine-...chorage-sites/

Alternative Anchorage Options in South Florida ➥ https://www.allatsea.net/alternative...orage-options/

[flyingnut40]

Go to YouTube and check out "Sailing Sommer Wind" and see how a couple kids bought a boat sight unseen and flew in from Oregeon and are sailing her up the islands.
On the other hand, you are asking some pretty rookie questions that suggest you need to get experience. Lessons, join a yacht club/ race team, and read read read.....

[flyingnut40]

I hate to say this but that is not much budget for a boat that you want to do ANY ocean work. Do you have another 20k-30k for upgrades? If you do, then buy a better boat that is more ready to go. So many have said, cheap boats are very often the most expensive ones. You are looking for that rare find, a cheap boat in decent condition with some useable accessories and that will take some time to find.

[RayRodriguez]

Originally Posted by Ellevan

Thanks again for all your suggestions. This is immensely helpful and raising our confidence about taking on this adventure.
Not sure if I mentioned, I think we would likely aim to be in Florida just after hurricane season, so the end of November?? I'm fairly confident that the winter weather there will pale in comparison to our cold wet winters up here.
Another detail I left out was that we'd be hoping to spend less than 6k on a little boat. Is this realistic for something substantial enough to accommodate and keep two of us safe?
This looks nice
https://tampa.craigslist.org/psc/boa...802816480.html

or
https://tampa.craigslist.org/hil/boa...791693723.html

or
https://tampa.craigslist.org/hil/boa...792318111.html

Just feeling out the market.

There may be price differences between, for example, Seattle, WA and Tampa, FL due to economic conditions and supply and demand but not huge. A $5,000 boat in Seattle will not be a $20,000 boat in Tampa.

Perhaps, instead of us telling you what we think of a $5,000 boat in Florida, you go and look at all the under $5,000 boats within 100 miles of your location. What do you think of the way they look, smell, and sail? Is that something that you would like to own and live on?

Besides, it will give you experience shopping. Like practice job interviews.

[Scrimshaw4]

At $8K for a 30' sailboat that has sails, a working engine and instruments the chances of getting a boat with problems (wet hull, wet deck, leaking port lights, etc. etc.) are pretty high. The repairs could cost you more than 2x the cost of the boat. Survey is the last thing you do in the purchase process. First decide on the boat you want, second, settle on a price subject to a test sail and a survey. The survey is the cheapest insurance protection you can get against getting a bad (expensive) deal. JMHO

[nightowle]

Originally Posted by Ellevan

We'd be hoping to get something under 30' for less than 8k, preferably closer to 5k... Would you still suggest paying for a survey? I'm pretty mechanically inclined. I've been a carpenter for 15yrs and I've built a couple of houses including plumbing and wiring. I've also rebuilt an engine. Rigging is an area that I'd be less comfortable inspecting though. Just wondering if $500 a shot is worth it when shopping around for such a small starter boat.

With these parameters, I'd say "jump in." I did pretty much the same near you in Seattle about 12 years ago, with little to no real sailing experience. I bought an O'Day 27 with a dinghy for under $8k - no survey. It was an incredible learning experience, but within 18 months I went solo sailing all through the Salish Sea as far north as Nanaimo. For 2 years now, I have a larger 35 foot boat. But I'm glad I started pretty much cold with something 26-29 feet. Over that size then you get into more "systems" and details that take away from the simplicity of learning easily. If you're only spending a small amount, I'd just say look at the sails carefully and the rigging in terms of rust and barbs on the wires. Do a compression test on the engine. There are lots of resources online and in books ( I believe one is by Nigel Caulder) that have pre purchase check lists on what to look for. Use those, for sure. Once I got the O'Day, I became absorbed in learning online through these posts on various sites. Read - read - read! And then try it all with practice. You'll find it's not all that mystifying. If you really want to get to the Bahamas sooner as opposed to later, I'd take the advice given earlier to maybe hire a captain to get you there. You'd learn a ton in the crossing alone! I, too, and interested in FL and the Bahamas so I paying attention to these posts in case I do the same in a few years. Not sure if East Coast or West is better, but from friends there (on the West Coast) I'd say pay particular attention to getting a shallow draft boat. And, I like the comment about using the Okeechobee for getting across FL. Seems like a reasonable option. With a smaller boat your mast height should be doable. Again, just 'jump in!'

[nightowle]

Originally Posted by Ellevan

Thanks again for all your suggestions. This is immensely helpful and raising our confidence about taking on this adventure.
Not sure if I mentioned, I think we would likely aim to be in Florida just after hurricane season, so the end of November?? I'm fairly confident that the winter weather there will pale in comparison to our cold wet winters up here.
Another detail I left out was that we'd be hoping to spend less than 6k on a little boat. Is this realistic for something substantial enough to accommodate and keep two of us safe?
This looks nice
https://tampa.craigslist.org/psc/boa...802816480.html

or
https://tampa.craigslist.org/hil/boa...791693723.html

or
https://tampa.craigslist.org/hil/boa...792318111.html

Just feeling out the market.

I think the 25 is too small to be a liveaboard for two. The donated boat - uh, not so much. But you may be on the right track with the Almond. Not familiar with that make, but the ad makes it sound like a reasonable possibility to examine further. You're on the right track though. If you become satisfied with the the hull and rigging you could have a mechanic do a survey of the engine alone for less than a full survey. And, keep in mind, marine surveyors will run the engine but do no tests on it and exclude any engine opinions for the most part off of their surveys. I always look at the bilge first.....and stay away from dirty, oily, and/or wet ones. Yes, there can always be some bilge wetness from a regularly working shaft seal fitting in order to cool the shaft, but you can pretty much tell the difference.

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by Ellevan

We'd be hoping to get something under 30' for less than 8k, preferably closer to 5k... Would you still suggest paying for a survey?

You sound far too inexperienced to buy a boat without a survey.
Altho' you may be a competent home electrician, you woiuld now be dealing with one or perhaps two electrical systems floating in water. There are things done in home electrical systems that could kill you if you did them on a boat. There are other things that can cause drastic corrosion.

Take a look at Marine Survey 101 it may help send you in the right direction before you spend any money.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by Scaramanga F25

How rude of you.

You forgot to add the wink like I did which means someone is joking.

[JuliettOscarNov]

Originally Posted by nightowle

I think the 25 is too small to be a liveaboard for two. The donated boat - uh, not so much. But you may be on the right track with the Almond. Not familiar with that make, but the ad makes it sound like a reasonable possibility to examine further. You're on the right track though. If you become satisfied with the the hull and rigging you could have a mechanic do a survey of the engine alone for less than a full survey. And, keep in mind, marine surveyors will run the engine but do no tests on it and exclude any engine opinions for the most part off of their surveys. I always look at the bilge first.....and stay away from dirty, oily, and/or wet ones. Yes, there can always be some bilge wetness from a regularly working shaft seal fitting in order to cool the shaft, but you can pretty much tell the difference.

I would agree that you need something 28ft or larger. That still would be pretty tight for 2 people. Most boats this size are going to have wheel steering which is a plus. Sounds like your going to have some fun either way.

[Scrimshaw4]

Carpentry and fiberglass are two completely different worlds. The cost of peeling and resurfacing a wet hull can run upward of $250/foot and re-coring a wet deck can be even greater per square foot. But as they say a fool and his money are easily parted. You might luck out, but can you afford a $5-8K gamble of money and safety. Dreamers are easily taken advantage of. But then what do I know, I've only been at this for 50+ years. You do what you can afford to loose i$'s and safety. JMHO

[Scrimshaw4]

You don't start with the survey., It's the last thing you do when you've found the right boat, settled on a price and done a test sail. It's a standard part of a sale, the same way you';d do an inspection on a home prior to purchase. On the other hand if money is tight then wait a while till you can save up enough to not have to buy a derelict.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Ellevan

We'd be hoping to get something under 30' for less than 8k, preferably closer to 5k... Would you still suggest paying for a survey? I'm pretty mechanically inclined. I've been a carpenter for 15yrs and I've built a couple of houses including plumbing and wiring. I've also rebuilt an engine. Rigging is an area that I'd be less comfortable inspecting though. Just wondering if $500 a shot is worth it when shopping around for such a small starter boat.

Since you dont know boats I suggest yes, because inexpensive boats are often a bad deal financially. $5K can buy a much more expensive problem.

[Cheechako]

I live near Seattle. Motels are high, Car rentals are high, Restaurants are high, boats tend to be substantially higher. And cruising is limited to 3-4 months a year unless you like the cold and rain. Comparatively Florida is dirt cheap.
Not dissing the PNW, everyone should cruise here once, but.....