Old and maintained vs Older and retrofitted..

[Dr. Sea]

Originally Posted by zeehag

. which one makes your heart beat faster?????
THAT is the one you want.....

Zee is right. Never buy a boat that you don't love. Jwing's coin flip method would probably confirm it. If you have to rebuild or replace the older engine in a couple of years, you can do that. If you buy the boat that is the "sensible" choice, it will never look any better or excite you any more than it does today.

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by Dr. Sea

Zee is right. Never buy a boat that you don't love. Jwing's coin flip method would probably confirm it. If you have to rebuild or replace the older engine in a couple of years, you can do that. If you buy the boat that is the "sensible" choice, it will never look any better or excite you any more than it does today.

Although true, what Dr.Sea describes is an expensive luxury. If you can afford to "go with your heart", sure, go for it. But for those of us scraping the bottom of the budget, the condition of the boat is paramount. Some of us don't have or don't want to spend the big bucks and time on repairs.

I think Douglas Adams said it best in the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy..."if your're so clever, you tell us what colour it should be!"

[Dr. Sea]

[QUOTE=hamburking;2056685]Although true, what Dr.Sea describes is an expensive luxury. If you can afford to "go with your heart", sure, go for it. But for those of us scraping the bottom of the budget, the condition of the boat is paramount. Some of us don't have or don't want to spend the big bucks and time on repairs. /QUOTE]

Yes, it can be very expensive. Obviously you have to put some reasonable parameters on the decision process. Bu if you have considered the pros and cons of the two options, as the OP apparently has, and it is still a toss-up, then it's time to "go with your heart."

[CheoyLee39]

Nice Thread

I suppose it comes down to a few things, budget, personal choice, intended usage etc. I purchased my 1974 CheoyLee39 Offshore approximately 18 months ago, she is my live aboard and therefore my home. I am currently fully refurbishing the interior, not specifically refitting. I am however using plenty of lamipanel, as this is an attractive update, and very, very practical. I am finding it to be more a time than cost issue, anyone paying someone to do any work on a yacht will find costs hugely exorbitant. Spending more time doing most everything ones self will reduce cost immensely, and you learn about your boat along the way. Largest cost to date $2300.00 for a Lowrance HDS plotter. Costs for quality electronics updates are somewhat unavoidable, as is a possible requirement for a new engine somewhere down the track. Although a good updated new engine as some mention will add re-sale, also increase safety.
If you put the time and effort in to an older purchase, it will bring much satisfaction, safe and comfortable coastal and blue water cruising. And for me personally, the modern production yachts are lacking character and often sacrifice strength, durability and safety for weight and too much technology. And lets face it, they are not pretty. An older solid hand laid fiberglass gem wins hands down. Just be prepared to put in a little more work and $ to bring it up to standard. Living aboard whilst updating, refurbishing, refitting etc is preferable. This assures getting work done, and not like so many, eventually neglecting the purchase.

A wise older purchase can actually become a solid investment depending on how you approach it.

[crankysailor]

Originally Posted by boatman61

You might get more 'Hardcore' information if you named the Marque.. there were some great boats built.. and some seriously ***** boats.. doubt you'll give the game away if you said something like Hunter.. Grampian.. whatever..
Each Marque has its own specific problems..
Feed the Hive...



or did I miss it somewhere.. Oppppsss

Mk.. we are talking about a 73' Nicholson 32 MK-X with a brand new engine and 5 yr old rig vs a 76' Nicholson 31 with original engine and rig (!) but lots of cosmetic enhancements and seems to have been very well maintained and loved...

both can be had for about the same price... the 32 is actually a bit cheaper even..
The newer model is pulling the heart strings and the older model appealing to the brains. I was just curious how more seasoned dogs than me would approach this one...

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by crankysailor

Mk.. we are talking about a 73' Nicholson 32 MK-X with a brand new engine and 5 yr old rig vs a 76' Nicholson 31 with original engine and rig (!) but lots of cosmetic enhancements and seems to have been very well maintained and loved...

both can be had for about the same price... the 32 is actually a bit cheaper even..
The newer model is pulling the heart strings and the older model appealing to the brains. I was just curious how more seasoned dogs than me would approach this one...

You don't need a surveyor to tell you the original rig on the 31 has exceeded its safe usable life, commonly 25 years max, even here on the salt free great lakes. So add to the cost of the 31 all new standing rigging.

I recommend you go with your brain on this one. And if you really don't like the looks of the 32, just keep looking. Have you seen this:

1973 Pearson 36 Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

[rbyham]

Lots of good advice in this thread. I would lean towards one with new stuff on it assuming the work was done right. But only if I loved the boat and it loved me back. I would be concerned about liveaboard size on a 32' boat. Can't recall beam on that boat but some of the older boats were a bit narrow and so smaller even at 32'. Lastly I am glad you will work with a surveyor but don't trust blindly. You are still responsible for the buy decision and should spend much more time going all over the boat than any surveyor would.

[Liam Wald]

Originally Posted by Dr. Sea

Zee is right. Never buy a boat that you don't love. Jwing's coin flip method would probably confirm it. If you have to rebuild or replace the older engine in a couple of years, you can do that. If you buy the boat that is the "sensible" choice, it will never look any better or excite you any more than it does today.

Yes,I agree. Zee is right. Very few people are ever sorry that they spent a little more and got something that they really like.

[CascoME]

I currently own a Nic 32 (she's been in my care since 1997) and have a friend with a Nic 31, and so am very familiar with that boat, though I've never sailed it with him. Perhaps I have some gravitas to weigh in here...

The 31 is a bit beamer for her length, and her design protocol benefited from a real change in the understanding of the benefits of ergonomics and comfort, esp. when long-distance voyaging/ living aboard. In many (small) ways, she will be a more comfortable boat to live with than truly what can only be said to be an antique...
That said, I love the sailing performance of the Nic 32, as she regularly outsails more modern and larger boats, often to the consternation of their skippers. At 6'2, I find I am plenty comfortable while aboard her (and I have cruised her for as long as a month, and lived aboard for a couple of winters here in Maine during that time...). However, my 5'4 wife complains that she is not all that comfortable, particularly in the cockpit, though that might be just her perspective, having not adopted the 'stoic old sea-dog persona' that I seemed to have acquired (it may be the only personality flaw she has...). That said, the Mark X version of the 32 did have a new deck mold that my Mark VI doesn't have, and so is more comfortable than mine is, particularly in the way the cockpit coaming is shaped.


With either boat, built to Lloyd's standards, their ability to withstand all but extreme stupidity is legendary, and either would make a good choice for any long-distance work you might be dreaming of. The one real difference, from my perspective, is the transom -hung rudder on the 31, which does have some benefits for its simplicity and it's ability to be repaired in some very-distant port. But, even if you want to set up a windvane, there is no real-world difference between the two, other than the 32, being deeper in the water will be (a tad) less likely to cavitate when running off the wind, esp. if you are flying a spinnaker...

MHO is that, were I in your shoes, I would probable go with the older boat, as it has the newer systems, and in 10 years time, that will count for something, esp. if you were to put her on the market after you were done with it. All the things that have been replaced are expensive, and anyone who might be considering purchasing her will be more apt to consider newer systems in an older boat than original systems in a slightly-less older boat, just as you are now...

Scott