When to give up on a good old boat

[Island Time O25]

Originally Posted by weavis

Its all a matter of perspective.
If I came across that boat cheaply, the hull is sound, a minor repair or two, a lick of paint, I would be off sailing. Do I care what others think? nope. Can I sail with a leaky this or that? yep...

Few boats are forever boats.

Can't agree with you more.

[thomm225]

It also helps to start out with a decently built boat.

I got advice online mainly from this site then stumbled across my boat at a small boatyard out in the boonies along the eastern side of the lower Chesapeake Bay in a town of perhaps 50 people.

The boat did not have a for sale sign on it.

Atom Voyages - Good Old Boats List

[Island Time O25]

Thomm225

I think "initially well built" is the key. May not be very famous or popular today but that's even better as the asking price will reflect that fact. Once you have a keeper everything else falls into place. Especially if you go into a purchase with your eyes wide open and have plan B for repairs, maintenance, etc.

Before going up in size from 27' to 36' I was tempted to get a newish 27'. But my marine pro buddies talked me out of it saying that in my price range a newish 27' would have to be Huntebenelina and I would still have to buy a larger boat if I wanted to do any decent cruising other than day sails or short overnights.

[JMK]

I never expected to get this much of a response to my question, but we sincerely appreciate all of the experiences and recommendations that came because of it. I think what we got out of it all is that, as always, different boats, different strategies for different folks. In our situtaion we have decided to step back from trying to get everything just right and right away to getting things working and spend more time just sailing. Since we are currently in a temperate climate (Chesapeake Bay) with about three more years of work in front of us we will use the boat in the warm weather with minimal projects, and save the bigger jobs for the off season. Moderation and some balance will be our watchwords moving forward. Thanks again!!

J.M. & Gail
Gulfstar 44 s/v Adventurous

[oldragbaggers]

Where are you, J.M.? Our good old project is at Maryland Marina in Middle River, if you are close by maybe we could commiserate over a beer some time.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

Thomm225

I think "initially well built" is the key. May not be very famous or popular today but that's even better as the asking price will reflect that fact. Once you have a keeper everything else falls into place. Especially if you go into a purchase with your eyes wide open and have plan B for repairs, maintenance, etc.

Before going up in size from 27' to 36' I was tempted to get a newish 27'. But my marine pro buddies talked me out of it saying that in my price range a newish 27' would have to be Huntebenelina and I would still have to buy a larger boat if I wanted to do any decent cruising other than day sails or short overnights.

I bought my boat as a project boat thinking what else could it be for the $2,000 I paid for it.

But it was an estate sale. The son was on the west coast and not a sailor. The PO had left it at this secluded Chesapeake Bay location just East of Tangier on his way back home to Massachusetts from a two year cruise to Florida and the Bahamas.

All the charts were onboard. The large style paper charts of most everything from Massachusetts to Florida and one on the Bahamas alone.

So, when I had to replace the gear box on the first diesel I began to notice new hoses and whatnot.

When I went to replace the packing in the stuffing box it looked pretty new to my untrained eye

So, I'm thinking this guy went over the entire boat before his cruise then cruised 2 years and I found the boat 5 years later.

I planned to buy it to learn with then get another but have decided to keep it for now because I don't need another larger boat for weekend sailing and vacations plus we had a family medical emergency requiring lots of boat money

There recently was a boat for sale here that I would have bought but I couldn't find enough info on the balsa core that they used to put in these Sabre 34's...new engine, radar, etc, etc. It was for sale at $20,000. Owner had passed. It sold in about a month on the Winter market

Bay Harbor Brokerage, Inc. (Norfolk, VA)

[Ribbit]

Originally Posted by JMK

I never expected to get this much of a response to my question, but we sincerely appreciate all of the experiences and recommendations that came because of it. I think what we got out of it all is that, as always, different boats, different strategies for different folks. In our situtaion we have decided to step back from trying to get everything just right and right away to getting things working and spend more time just sailing. Since we are currently in a temperate climate (Chesapeake Bay) with about three more years of work in front of us we will use the boat in the warm weather with minimal projects, and save the bigger jobs for the off season. Moderation and some balance will be our watchwords moving forward. Thanks again!!

J.M. & Gail
Gulfstar 44 s/v Adventurous

A sound decision, in my honest opinion.

I think ultimately it boils down to what you can both put up with (even if only for a limited period).

If the two of you can work out a maintenance and improvement schedule (not too much at one time), that can be done ok down in the Caribbean, then it will be more like a 'normal running costs' thing, and live on the boat or in a cheap apartment for a month, while you can keep an eye on the work being done, or do some/all yourselves.

Allocate say a month for a specific project, and get stuck in. Then do another month project after the next period of sailing.

It's the sailing that will tell you what really needs doing next, I think.

Best of luck to you both anyway.

[Island Time O25]

Originally Posted by thomm225

I bought my boat as a project boat thinking what else could it be for the $2,000 I paid for it.

But it was an estate sale. The son was on the west coast and not a sailor. The PO had left it at this secluded Chesapeake Bay location just East of Tangier on his way back home to Massachusetts from a two year cruise to Florida and the Bahamas.

All the charts were onboard. The large style paper charts of most everything from Massachusetts to Florida and one on the Bahamas alone.

So, when I had to replace the gear box on the first diesel I began to notice new hoses and whatnot.

When I went to replace the packing in the stuffing box it looked pretty new to my untrained eye

So, I'm thinking this guy went over the entire boat before his cruise then cruised 2 years and I found the boat 5 years later.

I planned to buy it to learn with then get another but have decided to keep it for now because I don't need another larger boat for weekend sailing and vacations plus we had a family medical emergency requiring lots of boat money

There recently was a boat for sale here that I would have bought but I couldn't find enough info on the balsa core that they used to put in these Sabre 34's...new engine, radar, etc, etc. It was for sale at $20,000. Owner had passed. It sold in about a month on the Winter market

Bay Harbor Brokerage, Inc. (Norfolk, VA)

Of the 5 boats I owned 3 were freebies. And only one of the 3 turned out to be a dud. But even that one was due to miscalculating my available time to take care of some mainly cosmetic but still time consuming issues. And these 3 were no better or worse than similar boats on the market for $5K-15K, just that their owners had to rid of them quickly for one reason or another.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

Of the 5 boats I owned 3 were freebies. And only one of the 3 turned out to be a dud. But even that one was due to miscalculating my available time to take care of some mainly cosmetic but still time consuming issues. And these 3 were no better or worse than similar boats on the market for $5K-15K, just that their owners had to rid of them quickly for one reason or another.

Nice.

I 've had quite a few duds of the 8 power boats I've owned and the 6 sailboats.

My first boat was a 16' Chincoteague Scow that I bought on the "seaside" of the Eastern Shore for $300.00 (boat, motor, and trailer). I was 17 at the time.

One of the wheels on the trailer disintegrated on the way to the boat ramp on the "bayside" and it went from there.

When I finally did get it in the water and moving, the plywood bottom near the bow would flex every time you hit a wave.

[JMK]

We're located at the bottom of the bay (Norfolk/VAB).

[zeehag]

cruising while rebuilding and restoring is not a bad thing--you are able to learn what you want in a boat. the boat should be already most of that, with the few modifications you are willing to perform

choosing the repair locale is also a fine art. there are places and there are places. sailing and observing are best done together--- find where the awesome places are to be stuck a while and fix there. you will find help at a very small fraction of any price found elsewhere.....
i have been able to add 300 miles to the hull and i enjoyed it all.
and now i know what i WANT and what i can have and what i will change for the better, without fornication of the design or intent of the boat.

definitely not gonna give this one up until i am dead.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by JMK

We're located at the bottom of the bay (Norfolk/VAB).

You could always have Chesapeake Yacht Sales sell it for you if you seriously think it's time to get yourself another boat..

The storage fee is only $110.00/month while it's in their yard for sale and you can even get some of that back if they sell it in a certain amount of time.

Chesapeake Yacht Sales (Deltaville, VA)

[The Garbone]

Originally Posted by thomm225

You could always have Chesapeake Yacht Sales sell it for you if you seriously think it's time to get yourself another boat..

The storage fee is only $110.00/month while it's in their yard for sale and you can even get some of that back if they sell it in a certain amount of time.

Chesapeake Yacht Sales (Deltaville, VA)

Oh, look at the 315 on there webpage..... Must. Not. Look.....


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by thomm225

It also helps to start out with a decently built boat.

I got advice online mainly from this site then stumbled across my boat at a small boatyard out in the boonies along the eastern side of the lower Chesapeake Bay in a town of perhaps 50 people.

The boat did not have a for sale sign on it.

Atom Voyages - Good Old Boats List

Is there still anyone making Dead rises there?

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Cadence

Is there still anyone making Dead rises there?

No, it's all changed now.

My Bother-in-law though who is going on 80 actually has a dead rise 16' he had made by Jester on Chincoteague back in the 70's.

He uses it for duck hunting.

I actually bought my sailboat where we used to purchase peeler crabs for fishing back in the day directly from the watermen at their Crab House. The crabs were in those floating wooden cages in the water.

That's all gone also. Just the buildings remain without the docks leading to them

There's a small boatyard there now. It used to be the town of Deep Creek, but it's all considered Onancock now even though it's 6-7 miles from there.