Offer Accepted...Gulp

[ErBrown]

Howdy Folks,

Just a brief update for the folks who have been providing me some guidance as my wife and I search for our next boat. We went through a ton of boats, over a large range of prices, along the Texas coast and then took a roadtrip across the gulf coast (Texas, Alabama, Florida) to narrow the field. During the trip we fell in love with the Island Packet 40 and have since found what we believe to be an exceptionally well maintained boat for what appears to be a below average price. This week we finally made an offer and where able to agree on a price.

Our next step will be a trip to Maryland. Two weeks from today we should be crawling around with the surveyor and putting her through her paces during the sea trial.

We're both really looking forward to it and if everything goes well during the survey things are going to get really exciting (and utterly terrifying) pretty quick. If we end up buying this boat we'll have to get her back home to Texas, which should prove to be exciting and educational experience.

More than any other purchase in my life, this is proving to be equal parts exhilaration and nervousness....but I guess that's bound to happen when spending (for us) big bucks on what amounts to the worst financial decision an otherwise sane person could possible make with their money.

At least life's not boring...

[DoubleWhisky]

It is a little early to congratulate You, but very proper time to wish You all the best with survey, finishing a deal and bringing Your new baby home

[jangann]

Great! Good luck. Have a drink and enjoy the moment!


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[RTB]

Originally Posted by ErBrown

At least life's not boring...

It certainly won't be if you do bring the boat back to Texas. I thought our trip back was a long one.....

Best wishes. Hopefully it happens for you. Let the adventure begin!

Ralph
Back in Texas | sailing away with R & B

[Ex-Calif]

Good luck - Hope it all goes well!

Spend some time drilling into things you wanna know about. Make a checklist.

Stuff like -

- Systems documentation - Do you have the manual for that watermaker, atutopilot etc?
- Schematics - IS the charging system modified? If so do you have schematics?
- Unidentified boating objects - Weird looking handles, items on the boat where the use is not clear?

- Surveryor - Trust your surveyor but get some ground rules in place. Separation of items from "nice to do," "important to do," and safety related. This may help in getting insurance cover and not having the insurance company demand everything get fixed.

[SkiprJohn]

Congratulations! Just finding out what you want and then finding one is a good step in the right direction.

[deluxe68]

Aluminum tanks?

[ErBrown]

Originally Posted by deluxe68

Aluminum tanks?

Yep and glassed in chain plates...oh and a full keel. Actually I'm good with the full keel thing. While I agree that aluminum tanks wouldn't be my first choice the regular "pickling" of the boat we're looking at each year before she was hauled out of the water for the winter, where water and holding tanks where flushed with fresh water and drained, seems to have kept everything in great shape, but I guess we'll see during the survey. We're well past letting the FUD around a boat having aluminum tanks drive our purchase decision. If they're in as good a shape as they appear to be then we should get many good years out of them. Sure when it comes time to replace them it won't be cheap, but I'm not aware of a boat that doesn't have a few potential warts down the road. We love the solid build quality and (for us) the layout was much improved over the comparably priced cruising focused boats out there.

Is she perfect? Probably not but for what we need/want....so far she appears to be pretty close. Of course the goal of the survey is to ensure we're not missing anything, so we'll see.

Here's a pic of the accessible tanks.

[ErBrown]

Originally Posted by RTB

It certainly won't be if you do bring the boat back to Texas. I thought our trip back was a long one.....

Thanks RTB and agreed it's a longer trip than we where originally hoping for but now that we're a step closer to it being reality, I find it an exciting option. If the survey goes well then the trip back (with a good delivery skipper) should give my wife and I a chance to really get comfortable with the boat in the process.

If you don't mind me asking, how do you like the harborwalk marina and how do there prices compare to places like Waterford and Seabrook in the Kemah/Clearlake area? I like that it's so close to the gulf, do y'all get out in the Gulf much?

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

Good luck - Hope it all goes well!
- Surveryor - Trust your surveyor but get some ground rules in place. Separation of items from "nice to do," "important to do," and safety related. This may help in getting insurance cover and not having the insurance company demand everything get fixed.

Great idea Ex-Calif, I'll definitely work with the surveyor on this. Thanks and we'll definitely be picking the owners brains on as many of the other items as possible.

[cheoah]

If you have the time it will be a great adventure getting it home, and an essential first step to getting to know your boat. Ideal really, starting out in Chesapeake, with opportunities to jump offshore as you head south. Have fun-

[RTB]

Originally Posted by ErBrown

If you don't mind me asking, how do you like the harborwalk marina and how do there prices compare to places like Waterford and Seabrook in the Kemah/Clearlake area? I like that it's so close to the gulf, do y'all get out in the Gulf much?

This is one of the nicest marinas we've ever stayed in. Very clean. Floating docks in excellent condition. Convenient showers/restrooms/laundry, on floating docks at the end of the walkway near shore.

We are paying $342.00/month, so probably close to the price of other nicer marinas in the Kemah/Clearlake area. There is no liveaboard fee, so the price is good.

If you want to be closer to the "action", it's not here. Very quiet, which is what we like the best. If you want to go to Kemah, it's a short drive. Maybe 20-30 minutes.

I suppose that you will commute from Austin to the boat every chance you get? We did that from San Antonio for nearly 4 years. The drive is a drag, especially since you must deal with Houston traffic. You should consider this, when looking for a home for your new boat. Maybe Port Aransas/Corpus would be an easier, shorter drive? I'd have to look at mileage. I've been to Island Moorings a couple of times (South Padre Island). It's a nice marina, and I think priced about the same, unless you are a liveaboard ($70-80.00 fee added to the slip fee).

We did plenty of sailing on the Gulf from Pensacola to the Keys. We haven't gone out here yet. There is plenty of barge traffic getting to the Galveston Inlet. Not to mention the ship traffic once you get there. Also, going south, plenty of rigs. Some unlit, so night travel is out for us with no radar. We'll do the ditch when we head south. Also, the inlets south of here can be a challenge.

So, just some thoughts for you to ponder.

Again....I hope things work out for you on this boat. Any IP would be on my wish list.

Ralph
Adult pool | sailing away with R & B

[Hudson Force]

'sounds like this IP 40 could be a great find. I hope your survey goes well. On your way from Marylnd to Texas you'll be cruising by many of us here, ourselves included. Keep us posted of your adventures!

[Cheechako]

Good choice on the boat. Good luck on the survey. Did the broker provide the surveyors contact?

[captain58sailin]

Welcome to the insanity ErBrown, I hope she turns out to be everything you hoped for, good luck. A little advice from someone who has made this mistake repeatedly. Don't fall in love with the boat until after she is yours. Go into your inspection looking for reasons not to buy this boat. I have always made the mistake of falling in love first and then expending far more effort and money bringing my vessels up to snuff. I hope she is a good buy for you.

[maxingout]

Good luck on the survey. Scary to take the leap. But it is worth it.