The REAL Cost of an Older Boat . . .

[sailorboy1]

I don't think the question is the true cost of an Older boat, but the true cost of a Cheaper boat!

Age of the boat doesn't really matter as much as how well maintained it is. Newer and older boats may have the same age of rigging, sails, engines and other major items. Maybe the only difference is condition might be the wiring as things have to get pretty bad before most probably rewire.

On the other hand cheap boat means it has not been mainatined and has problems well beyound what you see and estimate in your refit plan. I would say cheap anything means it is going to cost you a LOT more than you think.

[callmecrazy]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

I don't think the question is the true cost of an Older boat, but the true cost of a Cheaper boat!

Age of the boat doesn't really matter as much as how well maintained it is. Newer and older boats may have the same age of rigging, sails, engines and other major items. Maybe the only difference is condition might be the wiring as things have to get pretty bad before most probably rewire.

On the other hand cheap boat means it has not been mainatined and has problems well beyound what you see and estimate in your refit plan. I would say cheap anything means it is going to cost you a LOT more than you think.

My boat was $4000. Not one soft spot in the decks, No blisters, 6 sails in good to excellent condition, plus an extra roller furling sail on a furler. 2 year old interior cushions and cockpit cushions. Dodger, bimini, and a good running motor. This boat has been well maintained, never raced, andnever sailed past the chesapeake, for it's entire life.

The only real money I need to put into it anytime soon is the standing rigging, which i can DIY and I'll eventually need to re-wire the boat. Of course there was almost nothing else on it, so I have to outfit entirely myself. But the boat itself is not some disaster waiting to happen that people would like to believe just because it was 'cheap'. It's so typical for cruisers to just throw money at their problems and fears.

"you get what you pay for" is a bunch of BS. You get what you go out and look for.

[sailorboy1]

I don't think I said cheap = inexpensive

[IdoraKeeper]

I think it also matters what type of boat you like. I like wood. That means a whole bunch of work that otherwise would not be necessary. It's an ongoing cost, I guess I don't count most of it. I just love the continuing puzzel of upkeep and improvement. Its a lifeststyle. A bit of sailing is good too.

Todd

[callmecrazy]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

I don't think I said cheap = inexpensive

Sorry. I suspect there's a million opinions as to whats considered cheap in that respect as well...

It still holds true though, if you set out to find something, you'll probably find it. A lot of people are under the impression that you should expect dilapidated decks and worn out sails, etc... In order to get an older, less expensive, boat. That was probably true a few years ago, but these days it just takes patience and maybe a little luck to find some exceptional deals.

[JanetGroene]

We lucked out bigtime by finding a boat that was 10 years old but had had only infrequent use in Lake Ontario. Less sun, no salt, little wear and tear, always properly laid up. The best thing was that everything added by the former owner had been done RIGHT. One problem with used boats is that, before putting a boat on the market, people tend to slap on a load of paint and other quick, cheap, cosmetic fixes that have to be undone before the real work begins.

[zeehag]

in this market it is not true to believe that less expensive is less quality.... many GOOOD boats are being sold for nothing. is YOUR job to find the one you WANT and repair what needs fixing and refit with what YOU want on board. is not rocket science--and a lot of folks forget there is a bad market-- for sellers, and a reallly excellent one for buyers---rofl---have fun and happy hunting.

[ssagurit22]

@zee
That's true, eventhough it less cost and it use in a correct purpose, it will be much more efficient in your boat.

[zeehag]

what is the overall advantage of a salt free boat..........

[osirissail]

A wildly general rule of thumb is that you will spend at least the purchase price of a used boat - again, in fixing it up to your desires. Some spend multiples of the purchase price fixing it up. It all depends upon your standards and how much D-I-Y you can and are prepared to do on the boat.
- - But as Khaghan1227 says - you now have things "your way" as opposed to some mass produced boat's designer idea of how it should be done.

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by osirissail

A wildly general rule of thumb is that you will spend at least the purchase price of a used boat - again, in fixing it up to your desires. Some spend multiples of the purchase price fixing it up. It all depends upon your standards and how much D-I-Y you can and are prepared to do on the boat.
- - But as Khaghan1227 says - you now have things "your way" as opposed to some mass produced boat's designer idea of how it should be done.

I cant afford the general rule of thumb..I cant even afford to buy my own aircraft..therefore I have got to build them and then sell them to the more "affluent" in society..I live vicareusly thru others and enjoy the spoils and shed the head aches..some people have the means and will live thru others that have the time,sort of a symbiotic relationship..did I just label myself..?...DVC

[sailorboy1]

All those "thrumb rules" are crap! It all depends on the boat's condition.

I will agree that fixing stuff will almost always cost more than you figure.

[Seahunter]

Originally Posted by callmecrazy

It's so typical for cruisers to just throw money at their problems and fears.
"you get what you pay for" is a bunch of BS. You get what you go out and look for.

Malarkey, that's just crazy. You certainly get what you look for; but in the end you pay for what you get. If you shop the discount aisle, you end up with a discounted item. The bottom line is value; to which has a different meaning to almost everybody. The $4000 you spent for your boat might be too much for somebody else looking for the same boat. Certainly the Waterworld and baling wire crowd might disagree but cheap doesn't extol value just as being gouged for "marine grade" materials does either. Unless most of us have missed the proverbial boat, ownership requires us to "throw" money at our boats once in a while, whether for new PFDs, flares or radios or bottom paint.

[malbert73]

Again and again, I am reminded that folks should buy a boat with plenty of reserve money. If it's a new boat, big ticket items like sails, engine, winches are out, but things like proper anchors, dinghy, davits, electronics, etc can add up. Probably need to budget 10-20% of boat costs on after sale upgrades.

If you buy used like I did, you have to try to spend only 1/2-2/3 of your budget on the boat, and spend the next 5 years spending the rest of your budget on what you would like/need to bring the boat up to your standards.

I bought my extremely sound boat for 16k, and it had a new Yanmar 3YM30 diesel with 65 hours. It was sailaway ready, but cosmetically and systems challenged except for new engine.
Right there, I knew I had a good deal. I painted hull and decks, interior, brightwork to save money, but spent money on new rigging, a new genoa, refrigeration, and a bunch of other small things to make the boat how I want it.

If I add up what I have spent, it is significant, but considering I had budgeted 30K, I am still under budget and could not possibly find a boat that has what mine has for the price.

[anotherT34C]

From what I've gleaned over the years, the cost effective scale generally goes (from best to worst).

Buying old and well maintained, fitted
Buying old and needing refit
Buying new

The second choice may not always be the most cost effective, but it's usually the most fun.