32-45ft sailboats cruise ready(or almost) for caribbean under $30k?

[chowdan]

Hey everyone,

My girlfriend and I recently have come up with the decision that we are in a financial position to allow us to take a year long(or so) sabbatical. We are both young(24 and 27) and want to take this sabbatical prior to having kids and all that jazz.

We are sitting on roughly $70k in cash and we are thinking that we would like a boat that is cruise ready for under $30k, preferably $15-20k. We dont mind boats that need some work, but the price would have to be right as it'd need to fall into our budget with the included repairs needed.

We are not new to sailing, but rather we would be new to passage making and more offshore work, so we would be stepping into new territory on that front.

Does anyone have any recommendations on vessels in this size range in the price point we are looking at?

[hobopacket]

Look in Florida. You want solar, good batteries, and a good rig.

I would start by looking at something like a Watkins 33, Morgan oi 33, or some things of that nature.

No need for offshore exp. take things slow at first with day trips from the anchorage and work your way up. Stay in port when the weather comes up.

[sandy stone]

I would add, good motor. Cruisers do a surprising amount of motoring. And don't get a boat that needs too much work, that year will be gone before the boat is ready to go.

[hobopacket]

Haha very true. Make sure it's a good running yanmar. Good maintenance history and solid decks.

Lots of good watkins out there. Good space below and great draft for Florida and Bahamas. Can be a great extended blue water boat with a good rig.

[Don C L]

If it were ME and I lived in Seattle I'd DEFINITELY consider this one, but to be honest I do not know how it is to sail down from Juneau. I bet it is a beautiful cruise though! I don't know this particular boat personally but I followed its refit on the Columbia owners group and was surprised it came up for sale and the price to me seems a bargain considering the boat, how it is designed, built and how it has been refit. The old Columbias of that vintage are built tough, I have one! Check the website that chronicles the refit. For $30K I just wish I could buy her. I think she probably only needs a dodger, which admittedly is a bit pricey. But if you can find a good ol' boat like this that has been well refit like this one, be ready to jump on it!
Columbia 38
http://www.hjboats.com/columbia38/index.html

Then after you have bought her, get practice bringing her down BC and then make your way down the coast to our area too! (Channel Islands)

OOPS! on edit I see that I missed the part about CARIBBEAN, sorry 'bout that, but I'll leave the post anyway only because I do believe it is a good to look for an older boat that's been refit and has a lot of info on it. This particular model, with its deep keel, would not be as handy for the shallow parts of the Caribbean.

[chowdan]

Originally Posted by hobopacket

Haha very true. Make sure it's a good running yanmar. Good maintenance history and solid decks.

Lots of good watkins out there. Good space below and great draft for Florida and Bahamas. Can be a great extended blue water boat with a good rig.

Really appreciate the comments hobo and sandy. Great recommendations.

I recently saw a Watkins 36 center cockpit that appealed to me.

We are still trying to sort everything out regarding when do we actually quit work and start packing our bags. We are in the process of going through our home to sell everything off that has vallue, the rest will be tossed or donated. I'll also need to finish work up on our current bristol and stick her on the market as she is a bit too small and layout isn't right for us. We are thinking that once the house is cleared out,we'll pack the car up and head down towards the east coast to get up and in person on these boats that we like and then get a surveyor out to inspect before we go and purchase.

Are Hunters and catalina's viable options? It seems like Catalina's are a designed too much for day/coastal sailing

[yalnud]

Just keep in mind marina fees dockage and mooring jump considerably over 35' and if your only 2 onboard i believe you can be super comfy in 32-34. Just my two cents to save ya some money in the long run.

[snort]

I just started reading this book and am enjoying it. I think you'd draw a lot of inspiration from it since it parallels your particular circumstances:
https://www.amazon.com/Box-Wine-Sail...x+wine+sailors

[UNCIVILIZED]

Given your (wise) self imposed, time & fiscal limits. Your boat choice will be based more on the level of cruising gear, & spares, which come with the boat, than by your choosing a specific boat design. Yes, you can have a short list of candidate boat designs. But don't make it so small that you're forever looking. Since cruising gear, & basic boat fit out can & will cost more than a lot of decent small/mid-sized boats. Even newer ones.
So start with figuring out what a (candidate boat that you're considering) will cost when outfitted with basic gear, after purchasing her. And then put the other, nice to have, items into your boat comparitor spread sheet.

Hull, rudder, rig, sails, ground tackle, engine, self steering, power generation, & nav. Keep even those simple, but of quality, & solid. And most other things are extra after that. Except probably, a decent galley, & good bunks. Also, on the power generation thing, don't fall prey to "needing" to have lots of power ($) hungry gear & systems onboard. Refrigeration included. Plenty of people don't have it/them, & don't much miss them. And $ = freedom, so...

Also, when you're looking at various boats, & considering designs. Think about what the boat will be like when you're on her for a week solid, both at anchor, & under sail. In terms of traffic flow, general daily activities, where you'll lounge onboard; at anchor, & under sail... When it's raining for that whole week, or if the weather's ideal. Hot, or cold. Rough or calm, etc.
Since so many designs are at best, designed for day sails & a few days on the hook, with the rest of the time spent at a dock. So the accomodations & handling are laid out with this in mind. Not for folks who are living onboard, & who actually sail & anchor out a lot. Since that entails a different set of compromises in design, & layout, ones which don't appeal as much to the weekend crowd. AKA the folks who buy the majority of boats. And thus that the boats are targeted towards.

[hobopacket]

Very well said uncivilized!

As to you question with Catalina and hunter. These are mass production boats. I had a Catalina 22. Awesome boat for a weekend. Not so awesome for big water or length of stay. Plenty of people do coastal sailing and Bahamas in older Catalina's and hunters, he'll a modified Catalina 27 has circumnavigated. But not the right choice for comfort and live ability.

You could look at a hunter cheronbi 37 cutter. That in my humble opinion is just about the only smaller older hunter/Catalina I would trust.

[TTranscendence]

It's a great idea to take the time out early.
Waiting until "the right time" means it will probably be too late.
I'm selling my Cascade 36, currently in the BVIs for $30K.
You might like to have a look at the links below.
"Transcendence" Cascade 36 for sale $30,000


https://goo.gl/photos/gHDVFuz4zjay7vpT7

Go do it anyway.

[Steadman Uhlich]

There are several very nice looking boats for under $30K listed in the following thread:
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ml#post2271642

This link should take you to one of the last I posted (Kadey Krogen 38) but you should look back several pages (10+) to see earlier postings.

Of course as with any boat CAVEAT EMPTOR.

Also, in that thread, I would go back several pages and look at the boats I posted from about post #150 onward. There were several that were less than $30K that looked very nice (condition) and some were in Florida or Texas or East Coast and even Caribbean (already). Endeavour 37s, Watkins 36, Morgan, Kalik 40, etc. Some were remarkably well equipped or appeared well cared for and could be good buys (always have a survey).

Good Luck and Bon Voyage!

[shantycrew]

Why not start in the Caribbean and save time and energy. Our boat, a 1978 Hardin Sea Wolf, is for sale and presently anchored in Salinas, Puerto Rico which is a safe, sheltered and free harbor. We have been cruising the islands for the last three years aboard Picaroon. She is a sturdy long keeled blue water sailboat well suited for the conditions found in these areas. Although we had never sailed a ketch rigged sailboat prior to owning Picaroon we found the variety of sail plans we could employ to be of great advantage. She’s a 40ft boat, so the smaller sails were easy to handle making Picaroon the ideal boat for her crew of two oldies. She is a great liveaboard and a beautiful boat with everything you need on board. Picaroon is a British registered vessel so with the abysmal value of the pound these days you may get a great deal. To view photos and info visit Sailboat listings. See link below

http://www.sailboatlistings.com/view/50215

[Macblaze]

Sail Loot recently did a podcast with the Monday Never people. They were roughly in the same financial situation. They actually came out of their year with money left over. Worth a listen...

Sail Loot Podcast 040: Setting Sail with Monday Never

[Scout 30]

[QUOTE=Steady Hand;2274739]There are several very nice looking boats for under $30K listed in the following thread:
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ml#post2271642

I agree, this is the thread you need to check out. A lot of good boats but the main thing you need to focus on is condition. If the add says project, needs tlc or some work just move on. If you only have a 12 month window you don't want to spend half of it working on the boat. With your budget you can find a turn key vessel, it'll just take some leg work. I'm just not sure how you do it without being in Florida & actually looking at the boats in person. The last thing you want to do is trust pictures & buy something sight unseen. I can't tell you how many times I've found a boat that looks great in pics only to be let down when I get there.