New to this Forum

[Eyeofthewind]

Hello everyone,
It’s been many many years since I sailed. Next year Feb.12, I will retire. I intend to buy a boat and live aboard alone. Lived several years aboard a 30 footer back in the 80's. Have traveled great part of the world.(Not buy boat) Still undecided about weither to buy a traditional sailboat, moter sailor, or powerboat. I would like to cruise down the Gulf to Mexico and maybe on to Panama, Nicaragua, Cuba etc. Will have about 70.000 to spend on boat. Would like to spend 50.000 on boat and 20.000 for refit.Would like something from 36 to 40 feet. If anyone has any sugestion please let me know.

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Eye,
Welcome aboard!! Good to have you here and hope you enjoy the forum. If it were me and I was in pretty good shape I'd get a 32-36 foot fiberglass cutter sailboat with a diesel engine and aft cockpit. Production boats are good and I would buy without a survey.
Good luck in your search.

Kind Regards,
JohnL

[SkiprJohn]

Oops! I meant to say that I would not buy without a survey.

JohnL

[Eyeofthewind]

Thanks JohnL,
I intend to get a survey for what ever I buy. I had been leaning towards a 37 ft. Oday center cockpit Cutter rigged. I have a friend who sails a 40 footer on Lake Superior. Will sail with him this summer to see how I fair. May have to step down to something in the low 30 footers
ADDED NOTE: Does anyone surgesst to have two different surveys. One for boat and one for engine?

[Boracay]

It can't hurt to get a mechanic's opinion, though my experience has been that they are heavily coloured by prejudice and the amount of work they might get.

[Eyeofthewind]

Thanks for the advice Chris

[TaoJones]

. . . and one I've been contemplating myself. I have a survey coming up the end of this month, and the surveyor wants to know if I intend to have an engine oil analysis and transmission oil analysis. They're $90/each, times two engines, so it isn't insignificant.

Still, if $360 extra reveals some serious condition with the engines, it will be money well spent.

And welcome aboard!

TaoJones

[Heron]

Hello Eye of the Wind,

You have a lot of options between 36 & 40 for sail boats. Power boats at that length will be a challenge for meeting your budget, especially if you want a diesel engine which I believe is mandatory for safety and economy.

I own a smaller O'Day (222). It is not my primary cruising boat. O'Days were middle of the road high production units. They are not built very well for live a board cruising, although I'm sure many have.

Take a close look at the Morgan 38. The later models are called 383 & 384. I think they are well made and will give you a lot of bang for your dollar. You should find many of them with asking prices around 60K and I'm sure you will be able to buy in the low to mid 50's.

Other good values are found with the 36' Allied Princess, the infamous Tartan 37, the roomy Pearson 365, the Ericson 38, and there are a few Tayana 37's out there at that price right now, the Islander Freeport 36, and the British built Westerly 36.

Since you are retireing, you will have time to do your homework and make the right choice. Don't be in a hurry, the right boat takes time and the right price takes patience.

HERON

[Pblais]

Will have about 70.000 to spend on boat. Would like to spend 50.000 on boat and 20.000 for refit.Would like something from 36 to 40 feet. If anyone has any sugestion please let me know.

Sometimes the reality does not meet the dream. I don't see how you will get there without throwing a few years of hard labor and a lot more good luck.

Being lucky still counts! That is what it will take.

[GordMay]

Engine/Transmission Oil Analysis is most useful if used in a continuum, but can provide a negative one-time pre-purchase problem diagnosis. I’d recommend a pre-purchase analysis, primarily for it’s negative value.

There’s lots of good information available on-line, including::

A good overview of Oil Analysis is located at < Bob Is The Oil Guy >
specifically:
What is Oil Analysis?

Practicing Oil Analysis magazine < Practicing Oil Analysis > articles, including:

Interpreting Heavy-duty Motor Oil Analysis Reports
Interpreting Heavy-duty Motor Oil Analysis Reports

The Agony of Diesel Engine Oil Particle Counts
The Agony of Diesel Engine Oil Particle Counts

and:

An Eye into Your Engine ~ By Craig Anderson
Part 1: An Eye into Your Engine - Oil Analysis - Power & Motoryacht - 0104oilanalysis
Part 2: An Eye into Your Engine - Oil Analysis - Power & Motoryacht - 0104oilanalysis

[Pblais]

When selling your boat an oil change is never a bad idea. It's too cheap not to.

[Ann Arbor Robert]

Hello,

One of your postings indicated that you sail with a friend on Lake Superior.
I have taught sailing and sailed all the great lakes except Lake Superior. I am looking for some suggestions on who to contact for such a sailing experience.
I would be interested in day sailing Lake Superior or a long weekend charter with a sailboat that has a crew.

Thanks,

RJK

[Ex-Calif]

IMO - If the owner has a monkey to hide he will have changed the oil on the offending engine(s) & transimission(s). A one time analysis will reveal new oil unless it is making metal at an incredible rate. The analysis will catch the owner who doesn't know he has a problem. However, if iron or bronze shows up in any significant quantity what do you do? I would advise an owner to change the oil and check again in 50 hours. Without rate information you don't have much to go on.

If the engines were documented low time (i.e. less than 1,000 hours) I would run the engines hard for 2-3 hours and see how they perform. That's how we handled our purchase. 4 hours of sailing and 3 hours of hard motoring. Our engine had been overhauled 4 years ago.

Regarding the cruising plan I don't think you need lot's and lot's of boat. You have lived aboard a 30 footer and so you probably know your needs pretty well. I don't think I could advise you on what boat to pick but I would advise against the powerboat. Without sails you are guranteed to be burning up retirement bucks everytime you weigh anchor. Also two forms of propulsion is a good idea in my book.

If you like the thought of a powerboat I would consider a big tankage motorsailer. This is the direction I am headed. Big salon/deckhouse up top, a place out of the weather when needed or a place to watch the sunrise while having morning coffee. Lot's of water and fuel tankage so I can act like a powerboat when needed. It won't "sail" well but who cares? What's the rush - you're retired - it's about the journey not the destination. I have never been a racer.

You may need to stretch the budget a little as Paul indicates but with good negotiating, who knows. Something like these strike my fancy...

boats.com - Boats for Sale: Boat Details - Fales Navigator Pilothouse

boats.com - Boats for Sale: Boat Details - Gulfstar Motorsailer

Good Luck!

[Weyalan]

For a single-handed sailor, 36' to 40' is a helluva lot of sail boat to handle by yourself. I mean, if you have heaps of money you can throw it into neat stuff to make your job easier, but if you are working on a budget, you are less likely to have all the luxuries (i'm thinking about battcar system for your main, electric winches, fancy autopilots, self-tacking headsail systems, single point reefing, etc.).

In terms of living space, you certainly don't need 40' or even 36' to live aboard comfortably. The advantage to having a bigger boat is really only that bigger boats tend to be more comfortable in an open sea, particularly in a rough sea. You have to weigh that against the fact that bigger boats cost more to maintain (compare the cost of a new mainsail for a 40' boat against a 30' boat, for example).

Now, if I were in your shoes, I would be looking at something more in the 32' to 36' range. You will get more boat for your budget (that is to say that $50k will get you a 20+ year old 40' boat in moderate to poor condition, but will get you a 10-15 year old 30-34' boat in good condition). I really like the S&S 34' for example, but there are plenty of other good designs out there.

Either way, good luck with pursuing your dreams!