What to Buy ??

[scampo]

Hi everbody
Im new to this . so i'm currently looking at buying my first yacht & i have been looking for a few years now ,but its getting to the serious end of the business now of what to get ?,
What i'm after ,size range 39 - 50 feet built solid and glass , price range to 140k , will want to live aboard for 2 & to accommodate my 3 kids at various stages at stages , capable of sailing the world ,have charm .
for what i am looking at spending i am defiantly not after a production boat ie //beneteau . im looking at something on the lines of a LORD NEILSON or HANS CHRISTIAN 41. i also like the bristle 45.5 . vie looked at a lot of yachts in Australia and i end up confused and theres not as much for sale . some a going to that all that teak works not worth the hassle . but i'm not one for doing nothing ,.i want to be safe and comfortable , and easy to sail with 2 people ,
My plan is to go to the USA in feb/march 2013 and find buy my dream yacht . i 'm planing on doing it once only . not buying 4 yachts till i get what i want
i like to get more information help ideas etc
thanks GREG
should note i have had not a lot of sailing experience but have owned power boats for 20 years i don't hold that against my self. im not scared i've lived out of seakayaks for months on end been a mobile diesel mechanic all my life . in other words i don't limit my self . & will have to learn .

[Coops]

Welcome Greg, one question, have you actually had any experience of sailing at all?

Ah, i see you have added a last paragraph to your post which answers that question.

Coops.

[noelex 77]

Welcome Greg

It sounds like a great plan. Line some boats up on the Internet well before you go. Often boats like this are slow to sell so even looking now is not too early.

Ask for plenty of current photos.

[scampo]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

Welcome Greg

It sounds like a great plan. Line some boats up on the Internet well before you go. Often boats like this are slow to sell so even looking now is not too early.

Ask for plenty of current photos.

im always looking , i'm just waiting till its time to go .
there is so much in the states for sale
as for the plan i have land traveled so much owned houses etc got divorced
lived like a gypsy there is no other option in life than to be on the hi seas

[capta]

I would highly recommend checking out Hawaii on your way.
Many, many folks buy a boat on the west coast and set off on their dream adventure, only to find after a couple of thousand miles of sailing, they (or the wife) hate it.
Boats there can be many thousands of dollars cheaper than normal because they are so far from large markets.
As to what;
I cannot stress enough that it is NOT important if you like the looks of a boat. If you are serious about sailing to far off places, you must have a boat that fits your needs.
Make a list of what you'd like in a boat, what you want in a boat and what you must have in a boat; then find the boat that has the most of all the above, including looks, but really, can you see your boat when you are sailing?
Foe instance for me, it was 5 things;
1) roller everything, main, jibs and mizzen if it had one.
2) electric main winches, remember, I'm 65 & had no sailing partner.
3) a real, centerline queen bed; you are only sailing 5-10% of the time
4) a stand up or at least, walk around engine room; I'm tired of crawling around on my hands & knees
5) a bridge w/ inside steering as well, for inclement weather
I didn't get the bridge or inside steering, so sad.
But, I got 4 out of 5 and in boats, that's pretty good.
Hope this helps.
Good luck.

[westsail374]

Be cautious in examining a boat you are interested in - a good survey is a must of course. In Hawaii, some boats have been sitting for awhile deteriorating. May have been good when they arrived, but lack of use and maintenance can be a problem anywhere. If work is needed, make sure to find out what exactly it is and what parts will cost and what shipping may be. You have good skills so a Hawaii boat may be great for you, but just be careful to look into how long a boat has been there and its current state.

Also, you mentioned that you do not have much sailing experience. You might consider buying at a location where the winds are more gentle than Hawaii and there are many harbors not far apart. You might look at Annapolis MD the sailing capital of the east coast, which is on the Chesapeake Bay, a lovely place to learn to sail. Annapolis has many many brokerage boats as well including Bristol 45.5s. I used to sail a Bristol and can vouch for their quality build and great fast cruising designs.

Good luck!

[Celestialsailor]

Maybe take a sailing course and then do a charter to see if it's not only for you but your family too.

[D Rock]

What a elegant way to go...

You have a good plan and will get much useful input on this site. Nigel Calder wrote a book called The Cruise's Handbook. In this book he describes his idea of what a cruising boat should be. This book is well worth the read. Borrow it or buy it as a wealth of information.

He uses the Pacific Seacraft 40 and the Island Packet 40 as his models for a cruising boat. These are just two options there are many, many good options. Probably both of these are out of the price range you mentioned, but and Island Packet 38 is very similar to the 40 and would certainly be in your price range. The 40 has better sailing characteristics but is generally priced a little higher.

Good luck on your search. If you have any questions about the IPs contact me. The link to the Island Packet website is below. We have just put our 40 for sale after 9 years of blissful ownership...

regards
D

IP Home Port - The Official Website For Island Packet Yacht Owners Since 1998