Upgrade quandary, '67 Col 29 to '84 Elite 29

[Cowboy9]

Long Beach area...
I was gifted an 84 Kirie Elite 29 in excellent shape so I now have to give up my '67 Columbia 29. Both are excellent boats, but the columbia has no motor (A4 turns with crank, not frozen, missing parts). Both are sailable. But if, from the columbia, I take off the new sheets and minor tackle, the anchor, chain and new rode, the windlass (may not be compatible...) and the roller furling and jib, I've saved a good 3 grand and a scrap yard will take it for the full keel lead for 2+k... But then I've killed a seaworthy boat that taught me to sail, that is older than I. Will anyone give me 3 grand for it? drop on a motor (bracket is installed, of course..). It has saved my life, but if I give it away free I'm no longer sailing, even in the new boat. Superstition sucks... but we're sailors, goes with the tides..

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Cowboy,

If I were there I'd take your Columbia in a microsecond for that price but would be very disappointed if she were stripped completely especially if the windlass was working.

Good luck in finding someone who needs a nice project.

[roverhi]

Really like the old Columbia 29 but doubt you'd find anyone willing anyone to pay you much for the boat without a headsail/headstay/furler, a bum engine, and a lot of holes from removed hardware. Scrapping it sounds like the best option if you can actually get a couple of grand for a stripped boat from a dealer.

Would really hate to see you do that to the old girl but economics has a way of raising its ugly head. Might try stripping the Columbia and then put an ad in Craig's list and any bulletin boards in the area to see if there is a buyer out there. Worth a try to keep from cutting up a good boat. I advertised an unstripped mid '70s Holland 30 for $2,000 in SF last year. Boat had a brand new, never out of the sausage bag, laminated headsail that the PO had paid $3,000 plus for and 5 other serviceable racing sails, a working A4, spinnaker gear, etc. Cosmetically, the topsides had been painted but deck was a mess with a ton of pukas from no longer installed hardware, etc. and some soft spots. The interior was stripped out race boat with no head, tanks or galley. Had a bunch of responses to the ad in Craig's List but all but one were tire kickers without money and most with no idea what a sailboat was all about. Fortunately, It only takes one guy so did sell it in 3 weeks for my asking price.