Help Selecting My Boat

[Bergovoy]

1969 Internatiional Folkboat 26

I see several boats that seem to be inline with the prices and condition that I would expect, but since i know SQUAT, I am hoping for some feedback...

I guess I am looking for two things... quality of boat, in how it handles and how it lasts... and second roomy interior...as much as can be hoped for???

I will post other boats, and if someone has another suggestion I will be glad to look at and consider...

thanks in advance for your help

[bljones]

The Folkboat is the VW Beetle of sailboats- affordable, fun, basic. Really basic. Weekendable if you are college age and borderline masochistic, but not livable full time, especially if you are over 30 and wish to entertain.

[atoll]

anne grant?/granny somthing sailed a folkboat from uk to new zealand in the 70's

[boatman61]

Excellent sea boat... handles weather very well... long legged but can be a 'Wet Ride' so need good dodgers...
Headrooms around 5ft in the saloon and barely sitting head room in the fore cabin..
I knew an Aussie guy who kept one in Agua Dulce... he'd work the OZ summers then fly to Spain and spend our summer cruising the Med... 6mths of sailing all over then back to the marina and home to work...
He was a bit hard core... very nice guy...
Funny enough his name was Mark as well.... lol
(A CF Circumnavigator 'for the 'Newbies')

[simonmd]

One of those just sold on eBay here in Spain for LESS THAN £2000!!!

1954 Nordic Folkboat with mooring in Barcelona Spain on eBay (end time 20-Dec-10 11:59:08 GMT)

Very pretty boat too, someone got a bargain there.

[boatman61]

Oh forgot to say... the Marieholms were a modified GRP version (slightly larger interior)of the Scandanavian Folkboats which were often pitchpine on oak frames if memory serves me well... but don't take my word as gospel

[roverhi]

The Contessa 26 is also another Folkboat derived design. There is no way you can call them spacious, however. Good sailors, capable of making long ocean passages in most any conditions but quite small inside and no standing headroom for a normal person. There was a couple cruising on one when we were in FP. You could tell whether Grant was cooking breakfast or taking a piss whether he was facing port or stbd standing in the forehatch. The only way he had standing headroom was standing in the hatch. Thought about buying one as a boat to sail the Islands solo, however.

[Bergovoy]

hows about all the NEW items and conditon?

and with regards to salon room/area/head room, what boat would be better / bigger for about the same price?

I am hopeful/confident that i wont be spending a lot of time inside in this climate???

I also dont plan on much 'entertaining'... I am a perpetual loner... It will be a room to allow me to spend the time floating on the cool waters of hawaii...

no honolulu no city, no cross pacific journeys...

just life on the water in hawaii...

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by Bergovoy

hows about all the NEW items and conditon?

and with regards to salon room/area/head room, what boat would be better / bigger for about the same price?

I am hopeful/confident that i wont be spending a lot of time inside in this climate???

I also dont plan on much 'entertaining'... I am a perpetual loner... It will be a room to allow me to spend the time floating on the cool waters of hawaii...

no honolulu no city, no cross pacific journeys...

just life on the water in hawaii...

how tall are you>>

[Bergovoy]

im a tall person... never thought it would be a disadvantage though... I am 6ft...

and what does LONG LEGGED and DODGERS mean???


thanks

I will be posting some others. as I do want the most interior possible, but not sure 1-3 inches is worth thousands of dollars?

If they are all going to b 6ft or less, I am guessing it will be something I will have to deal with as this is going to happen... just gotta find the best boat for the buck...

thats all I want... I want all the toys and gizmos and things that go with a boat, that someone might have put in already, and is willing to lose out on for whatever their reason is, so that i dont have to ...

thanks

b

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Bergovoy

im a tall person... never thought it would be a disadvantage though... I am 6ft...

and what does LONG LEGGED and DODGERS mean???
If they are all going to b 6ft or less, I am guessing it will be something I will have to deal with as this is going to happen... just gotta find the best boat for the buck...
thanks

b

I'm 6'2"s and 60% of my boats have had less than 5'6" headroom... you adapt and funnily enough the need to reduce possesions is strangely liberating...

Dodgers... what we in Europe call Sprayhoods are the pramlike hoods over the hatchway... dodgers are the canvasses at the side of the cockpit to stop/limit wave splash...

[Bergovoy]

i am having little to no issues with giving up on possessions.. I was refferring to boat upgrades and equipment...

I still have a 'need' to want / have the latest and greatest toys. radar, auto-pilot etc... I would rather get a boat that already has that and everything else, rather then buy them new myself...

I have and am losing a house and have put way more into it then what i am getting out of it.. whomever gets this house will get a bargain...

I want a bargain... if it happens to be because someone has to get out of boating for whatever reason and their loss is my gain kinda thing, then great...

I want the boat to be safe and last a long time, and i want the DEAL...

As for getting used to the lack of headroom.. I know i will get used to it.. but just want as much as i can afford for now...

btw: what kind of boat do you have and how often are you onboard her?

thanks

b

[Bergovoy]

Cal 2-29

hows this one?

The people sound real nice.. a mature couple, farily laid back and not pushy... buy it or dont... they use it still, just went out recently...

the boat is 'ready' to sail... includes cooking and eating stuff, and everything is operational...

I will be getting the survey that was just completed in June/july...

it has a mooring ball that i can have, and there is a slip available for 'going rate'...

I am ready... I am ready. I am ready...

just want the right boat... and not sure I can handle the logistics... guessing I will have to rent a place for a month or more while looking at boats...and or finalizing the deals...

[bljones]

That's a better choice for your needs.

I was reading on your aquariaum forum about your adventure in hawaii this summer- it seems like you have some serious back issues. Something you will want to consider is that boat upholstery is usually pretty thin- 3-5" of simple foam, and v-berths can be narrow and shortish. in other words, if you are sued to a queen size bed with a pillow top mattress, you're gonna have to adjust, or set aside some funds for a decent custom mattress.

I agree that renting a motel room for a month while boat shopping in your locale of choice is a wise move. So instead of finding the right boat, find the right location, and then go from there. I know you are from Hawaii, but if you really want to sail and explore and enjoy, the keys and the Bahamas are a great cheaper alternative.

[roverhi]

The Cals are among the best of the plastic production boats of that era. Nothing fancy, just good boats for the money. The asking price seems fair if the boat is in decent condition. What's kind of engine and condition?? a diesel would be be a big plus. An Atomic four gas isn't a deal killer but you'll have to learn to live with gasoline and the A4s eccentricities. See something hanging on the stern, what's that?? If you are going cruising will need a self steering vane. What condition and what kind of sails are on board. See it has a jib furler which is a plus. Is it just a mooring ball or are you getting the Mooring anchor and chain. Living on a mooring is no big thing but no water or electricity. Things that can be lived with but will take some adjustment.

Sounds like a reasonable boat and big enough to cruise in reasonable comfort.