Ok to buy older boats?

[AJ_n_Audrey]

What SailMonkey said. I bought a 35-year-old boat with a recently rebuilt engine, with new sails, new standing rigging, and full electronics package which had had a recent professional blister job. Nonetheless, I discovered the autopilot was incorrectly installed, discovered sheared bolts connecting prop shaft to V-drive, discovered the bronze gudgeon had crystalized, and other things which were less significant. Time, use, and sea water take a toll on boats, period. I ultimately spent 50% of purchase price to make everything right or to simply add things that really should have been on the boat, and I accept that things will continue to break. But the price was low in the first place, so I still paid much less than I would have for a 10-15 year old Beneteau or whatever, similarly equipped. And because of the era in which it was built, my boat is more seaworthy than most newer ones, in my opinion. It's not a simple choice, and everything depends on the actual boat(s) you are considering. A survey by a good surveyor is essential.

[lesterbutch]

Anyone who tells you, you should not buy an older boat
knows little or nothing about hulls! Older hulls are
built substantially, new ones, not so much! If you don't
believe it try to flex the side of a new hull and then try
to flex a thirty year old hull. Believe me, you can't flex
the older hull. Believe me also when I tell you, at sea
strength counts, big time! The down side of old boats is
ancillary equipment might need replacement. I bought
a 1972 Pearson 35 sloop and now the only thing original
is the hull and mast, but that boat is built like a tank in
Comparison to more recent boats. A new 35' sloop might
cost you $400,000, I have $35,000 in my tank and it's a
classic sail boat!

[nauticalnomad]

I bought a 45ft ex ocean racer built in 1968 for the UK admirals cup.
Mahogany cold molded and designed by Angus Primrose and built in Cowes by suiters & sons.
I can tell that it was over built and light along with being fast.
The hull shape is shaped like a fish as opposed to a flat bottom beneteau etc that slaps in rough weather. I have been out in F9s and although soaking wet and cranky ive been in less weather and felt worse on a jeaneau/beneteau.
I have spent 160 plus thousand pounds on the boat and done the work myself. I have no worries about sailing it around the world tomorrow.
New Sails, Mast, Winches, Engine, wiring, seacocks, etc.
I took the hull back to its bare timber and repaired some soft spots i found and took a surveying course along with alot of study on timber boat building.
I then coated the hull in 5 layers of Wests epoxy before the 2 pac paint.
I pulled the keel bolts made of gun metal and they were all fine.
The keel is lead and not encapsulated steel.
The stern tube was completely replaced.
But everything that has been done is top of the range equipment and i know it works. I have seen owners take charge of brand new French boats and seen them fall apart. This boat owes me some money ill probably never get back as the boats coming on 50 years old now but its an as new boat. The internals are dated but comfortable none the less. And ive saved up and paid for this as ive gone.
I could of bought a 45ft Beneteau a couple of years old or new for what ive spent but the quality ive seen of new(ish) boats are not like what i have.

[Symphony]

Fiberglass is forever.
The rest of the boat you constantly replace or refresh. An older boat will not return the costs of refresh if you include technicians at $90 per hour.

The cost of materials makes old boats impossible to replace at their price point. If yih can supply the labor you will get an xlnt value on a good older boat.

[Woodland Hills]

Originally Posted by jsc7

I notice that older boats often sell for 1/3 the price of similar boats that are newer and have the same general condition. For example, the new boat might be $500-600K, the same boat 10 years old might be $400K, and a comparable boat from 1980-1985 might only be $150K or even less. I guess part of this might be hours on the engine and part might be the styling. The boats from the 80s tend to have dated interiors.

I am familiar with aircraft and in that area it is ok and normal to buy older aircraft because other than engine hours the quality of the aircraft tends to remain stable over long periods of time.

Is this the case with boats, too, or are there hidden gotchas?

For example, with aircraft the integrity of the fuselage and structural members stays the same over time, but with a boat I could see there might be the possibility of rot hidden in cores and hidden corrosion that might be difficult or impossible to correct. Is that a worry, or do old boats hold up as well as aircraft?

The integrity of an aircraft fuselage and engines is due to the requirement for an annual airworthiness certificate. This means inspection and repair by a trained and certified Federally licensed Airframe and Powerplant technician working to detailed factory and federal standards using only approved parts and materials. There is noting remotely like this for boats.

The quality of an aircraft does NOT tend to be stable: it is forced into stability by the work of specialists, the expenditure of money annually and the rigid enforcement of documented standards. If you are a pilot, I am surprised you do not know about this.......

[montigre]

Originally Posted by AnglaisInHull

No, monkey, say it isn't so. I'm in the process of buying a 30 year old boat; I sure hope it's okay.

Gasp....me too...I have a survey tomorrow for a 44 year-old sloop/cutter. Now, my reputation is going to be ruined forever....

[Nadezhda]

Get a good survey and buy a solid long-lasting boat that is not a plastic pop-out. Keep up with the maintenance and preserve its value. I bought a boat in 2002 for 90,000GBP and had it surveyed this year where it was valued at 95,000GBP. Ok, so I keep on top of maintenance but you still need to do that with a new boay

[Cheechako]

I think after maybe 8 years, it's all about the particular boat. By 8 years or so all the "added on" stuff is near failure mode anyway.
However, I do believe that fiberglass layup does reach a point where it degrades from the sun etc, get's brittle and could be compromised. In thick layups it may not be a problem. I have no way of knowing. I have seen fiberglass dingies which sat in the sun for years you could put your foot right thru. How this applies to large boats I'm not sure, but there are documented cases of old boats coming apart at the hull to deck joint in rough weather.

[fuentes]

We (my Son and I), purchased a 1999 45' Leopard in the BVI over 2 years ago. At one time it had been a charter boat (the usual ruff use and disrespect by some people). Someone had purchased it some time before and had made it a great cruising/liveaboard. It had everything we could want, but few things worked. It must have been left for a long time. The person we purchased it from did not know about repairs nor maintenance. Whatever maintenance the PO had done was terrible. Cut electric wires, missing parts and units, broken parts in the strangest places, filters and strainers plugged up, no safety wire. It was if the person/persons that had done maintenance did not know what they were doing, or knew very well what they were doing. He was being charged $150.00/hr. We believe that is why He sold it.
After going over it and replacing/repairing the essentials (hull, engines and sails in good shape), adding radar and updating electronic charts, we sailed it back from the BVI to San Felipe, Baja California cleaning, repairing, greasing as we went along. We had some work done in Panama. The rates were lower, but the quality/honesty was not much better. It seems to be the same problem with car mechanics, plumbers, lawyers, and doctors,etc. Finding a good honest one is difficult. Do not get me started on politicians! It does not seem to make much difference which country. The only difference I have found is that they speak a different language and over charge you in a different currency.
The point I am trying to make is that purchasing and older, probably stronger built boat can be a good choice, but you better be good at maintenance, willing to learn, have the time and enjoy the "challenge". The big plus is that, after two years, we know our boat quite well. We know where things are, how it is connected, and can probably get it going on the way. We know every nook and cranny and are not apprehensive about taking it out to far off places with no parts nor repair persons around. Have a nice day.

[Mithril Bham]

Anyone who buys a boat, either old or new, is a bit "off". I was told once that if you think it will take a day to fix something on a boat, it will take a week; a week will take you a month and a month a year. I have found that to be true.
Look for a detailed maintenance log. That will tell you a lot about the owner & the care they have taken.
I would match my old boat with any other for strength and build. I just hope I stay alive long enough to sail her again. It is essential that you enjoy the process. If not then forget it because it goes on forever.
I like all things old better than new including people.
Good luck.

[thomm225]

I've spent 3-4 times the purchase price ($2,000) of my 42 year old sailboat but have yet to replace any structural items in 6 years.

New Mainsail
New (old) diesel
New 5 HP 4 Stroke Outboard (58lbs)
Outboard Bracket
2X Bottom paint jobs
1 Topside paint job
2 inverters
2 solar panel
1 Autopilot
1 Stanchion Base (yet to be replaced)
1 Suunto Hand Held Compass

Removed everything having to do with the diesel(s) including prop shaft, mounts, exhaust, controls, stuffing box, and all the sludge in the bilge. The weight reduction was close to 400 lbs.

This was my first monohull sailboat but maybe my 12th boat.....

[Captain Parry]

I have a 1975 Bristol 32. The built in workmanship is far greater than newer boats.
Quality begets quality over the long run or sail.

[Seadoc777]

I have had the one old boat a Coranado 41 and a CT41 Ta Chioa both bought used but in excellent shape. Kept the Coranado for 4 years and still own the CT41 with no significant problems with either.

[Dave22q]

New or old, any boat can have financial surprises. The advantage of old is that there is a track record of things to look for. A 30 year old boat with good reputation is probably better built than a new one although new might have some design advantages. Quality standards and business ethics are far lower today. A 10 year old v. a 30 year old is a more interesting issue but my gut is the lower price of the 30 year old may well more than cover the additional fix up and maintenance costs.
Of course much depends on a thorough survey. Buying without one is like sending legal fees to Nigeria to free up a multi million dollar inheritance, you might luck out but roulette is far safer.

[zstine]

As with any object that has high depreciation, a used model is IMO a better bang for your buck. Everyone has their own comfort level of what they are willing to repair vice buy and not deal with, but as long as you do some diligence and buy a reputable boat that's well maintained, a used boat is a better deal. And don't even think for a minute that a new boat isn't full of serious problems because they often are! I own a 1975 Tartan 41, and sure I have found issues. but structurally, my boat is build stronger than a new Beneteau... Yes, I found rotten bulkheads when I did the rigging. But It was a relatively minor cost (few hundred $$ and a few weekends) to repair myself. so considering I spent under $40k on the boat, which now a new one would cost $400k. I think I made a wise choice. After sailing her 5 years, I can probably sell her for close to what I have into the boat. Try buying a 2015 boat and selling that 5 years later for anything close to your purchase price! BUT, you have to be wiling and able to spend the TIME to do some work on your boat. If you are going to pay someone to do all the work, don't buy a 80's vintage boat. If you enjoy working on things, like do your own oil changes, then for sure, buy the used boat.