I'd suggest thinking a little more about your
purchase before jumping in.
First, a warning: At least one
member of this Forum has complained that open discussion of a
boat he was about to
purchase has led to another buyer
buying the boat. Do not disclose details if you love this boat and really want it.
Boats are easy to buy and hard to sell. If price is not a serious concern then this may not matter, but if you want to minimize the cost then taking a long and careful look at what's available and being careful to make initial offers under the
current market may be advisable.
Have a careful think about what you want to use this boat for. How many people will be on board and where do you want it to go? Is it for cruising or
racing, daysailing, overnighters or
extended cruising? Will this boat suit?
Next, the condition of the boat. Do you have experience of mechanical and fibreglass
repairs? If not (and even if you do have) have you enough
money in reserve to (for instance) replace the
engine or
rigging. With a boat this old, unless it has been recently repowered, it may be necessary to fit a new
engine. An older engine may not be a good candidate for
overhaul.
Have you done a
budget including
mooring, slipping,
maintenance, upgrades,
insurance and the 1001 other costs that continually beset the boat owner?
With your
surveyor I'd recommend asking his opinion if it is suitable for your intended purpose. Don't use a surveyor connected with yours or any other
broker or marina. If you ask on this Forum some of our members may be able to suggest a surveyor that they have had a good experience with.
Don Casey's book: "Inspecting the Aging Sailboat" has received good
reviews, though I have not read it myself. For less than 20 bucks it must be
cheap insurance.
Speaking of insurance, have you spoken to any insurance companies. There have been reports of older boats being difficult to insure. There has been discussion in this Forum on this topic.