Want To Buy: 26+' sailboat with wheel steering

[JimGo]

The only time I ever had an issue with the tiller was at low speed in "pressure" situations, when it would take a few seonds for the boat to respond and I was trying to keep some unfortunate event from happening (like hitting a piling). Otherwise, I agree with you, the tiller really isn't that bad, once you get used to it. Plus, as others have said, you always know the rudder's orientation with a tiller, even if you aren't exactly sure what that orientation means!

If it didn't take up so much room under way, I'd have no issue with the tiller. We have a 15' Albacore, and the cockpit is large enough on that boat that the tiller isn't a problem. Ironically, I think the cockpit on that boat is about 2x the size (or at least the length) of most of the boats I've been on lately. So, don't worry, I won't be looking to convert that boat to a wheel.

[SkiprJohn]

Willing to go down to the Norfolk area to look? I did a craigs search for the Hampton Roads area and there seems to be some deals down there. The one I really liked was a Morgan 30 but I couldn't tell if it had wheel or tiller by the description and photos.

Here's one with a wheel. 29ft columbia trade for truck (newport news) It would be under 5K if you saw the other ad for the same boat. These boats have 3/4 keel with the rudder hung on the back of the keel. Good sailers.

kind regards,

[JimGo]

John,
Norfolk is tough. That's about a 5 hour hike each way for me. I'm not ruling it out (in fact, I typically include that in my Craigslist searches), but the distance makes it tough. I've already seen and rejected 5 or 6 boats; I'd hate to waste all that time just to have seen a bunch of bad boats.

[SkiprJohn]

I hear ya! Gas isn't getting any cheaper.

kind regards,

[jlechlit]

Hi JimGo! I have a Watkins 27 for sale that would fit your specs. You can see it here: 1980 Watkins 27 sailboat for sale in Maryland. Note: NO motor.

Originally Posted by JimGo

I'm looking for a 26+ foot sailboat with a draft of 5'6" or less (Catalina 30, Hunter 30, O'Day 272LE, Islander 28, S2 9.1/9.2, etc., preferably shoal draft or wing keel), wheel steering, roller furling headsail (jib sail or genoa), double lifelines and preferably an inboard engine (though that isn't exactly a necessity). The boat should have a cockpit that can comfortably seat at least 6 adults, and the cabin should be safe for two young kids. TLC (e.g., woodwork needing refinishing, minor leaks from portlights/windows, etc.) is fine (and even expected) but no soft spots or truly major repairs. Sails should be in decent shape (i.e., usable for at least a year or two), but they need not be perfect condition. Center cockpit would be great, but isn't mandatory. Prefer that the boat be in the Philly/Jersey Shore area, but anywhere between Annapolis and Long Island could work if the boat can be safely sailed to Barnegat Bay. Our budget is $5,000.

[JimGo]

Jlechlit,
I've seen your ad MANY times, and have been tempted to contact you! We had purchased a new Tohatsu outboard for our Catalina, and when I started looking for boats that meet our other needs, I realized that almost all of them had inboards. Since that gave me more money to "play" with, I sold the engine (at a nasty loss), and that's the only reason I haven't gotten in touch. We had bad luck with used outboards last season, and the combination of your asking price, the cost of a new engine, and the cost of adding roller fulring will push me over my budget.

I should ad that otherwise, you are correct, your boat meets just about all of my needs. She looks like she's in decent shape, but could use the cushions recovered (no offense!), woodwork redone, etc. At least in the pictures, she looks like a very nice boat.

I was just down in your kneck-of-the-woods today - there are some very pretty areas!

[jlechlit]

Understood. I bought a 9.9 hp motor on eBay. It worked fine. Only problem was seller lied to me that it was a long shaft. It overheated on first trip out and died. My own fault for not realizing it was a short shaft. I have been away from the water for 30 years. I suggest that you can do OK if you buy a used one from a dealer who has serviced it. You can get one for about $700-$800. I am wondering just how far apart we would be on the cost of the boat. Since I am now in FL it is quite difficult to get to my lady. The furling can be done down the road. She mostly needs a good cleaning (especially the bottom). While the cushions have their original, rather homely fabric, they too are in great shape and could be deferred to a later date. Hope this helps. Cap'n Jerry

[JimGo]

I posted this over on Sailnet, and I thought I'd post it here, too. It looks like I've found my next boat, which is great because it means I don't have to search the Internet obsessively, nor do I have to travel hither and yon every weekend to look at boats. I've seen quite a few over the past few weeks, and I've met a few very nice brokers and sellers. To that end, if anyone is looking for value-priced boats (i.e., boats in the 26-32' range that are under $10,000 and, in most cases, under $7,000) in the northeast, I know of a few, and I'd be happy to point you in the right direction. They don't meet my needs for one reason or another, but, to my amateur and inexperienced eyes, all seemed perfectly nice boats. Most need some TLC, but nothing major - a few coats of varnish or Cetol, bottom paint, some cleaning, etc.. That's been my goal all along - to find a boat with good "bones" that, if necessary, I could restore over time while allowing my family and me to get out on the water in comfort and safety this season. So, with that in mind:

There's a 1977 or 1978 Pearson 30 on the Chesapeake Bay near Annapolis that seems to be in very good shape for her age. Everything worked well, and the bilge was fairly dry (only a little water, and she was kept in the water this winter). For the money, this one seemed the best value of the boats I saw, but she didn't meet my needs due to the way the cabin and cockpit were laid out, but she seemed like a great buy.

There's a 1980's Cape Dory 28 in Charlestown, MD that was probably in the best condition of the boats that I saw. A door had come off the hinges (or had been removed by the owner), and she needed a few little things, but was a very pretty boat and looked to be good structurally. A few minor leaks, but nothing major.

There's a 1980's vintage Laguna 30 in Charlestown, MD that looked to be well maintained and in good shape. A few small leaks, and lots of condensation, but the bilge was also fairly dry, especially for having been in the water all winter (and it had just snowed the day before I was there).

There's an early 80's Hunter 30 that is in fantastic shape, that I think could be picked up for (barely) under $10,000 in Deltaville, VA. This was probably the second best condition of the boats I saw.

There's a late 1970's or early 1980's Newport 30 in Deltaville that also looked to be in good shape. She was on the hard, and I did see a little water in the bilge, but not much. She needs a lot of brightwork, cushions to be recovered, etc., but structurally seemed to be in good shape.

Those are the boats that I saw in person that I liked. Again, the impressions above are those of an amateur and inexperienced boat buyer/owner, so you'll want to look at them yourself and get a surveyor rather than relying on my opinion, but I'd say they are at least worth a look.

Had I not decided on my boat, my next stop was going to be Long Island to look at a few. I have not seen these boats in person, but I talked extensively with the brokers:

There's an S2 9.2A in Long Island that looks great on paper, but I haven't seen it in person.

There's an 1977 or 78 Pearson 30 on Long Island that I know needs the deck repainted, but otherwise actually appears to be in good shape, though I haven't seen it in person.

I also have a lead on an early 1980's Endeavour 32 on Barnegat Bay. I haven't had a chance to see it in person, but the owner assures me she's in decent shape (not that that means much). I was planning on seeing that one when I was on my way home from Long Island.

Finally, there's an early 1980's S2 9.2C for sale in Charlestown, MD. She needs a lot more work than the others I've seen, but if you're willing to rip out the headliner, fix the diesel (owner assures me he knows the problem, but is moving and doesn't want to deal with it; Honda 9.9 outboard pushed the boat hundreds of miles just fine), and do a few other odds and ends, she looked decent for the money. She's the roughest of the boats that I saw, and was more of a project than I wanted, but she'd be a nice boat for someone willing to invest the time. The owner sailed her up from Miami via the ICW, so she's at least seaworthy!

If you are interested in any of these boats, I'd be happy to share pictures and what I can remember about each of them with you, and to point you to the sellers/brokers. I don't have any affiliation with the owners or brokers, and don't stand to make any money off of any sale. I've already done a lot of legwork, and most of the folks I've dealt with have been very nice, so I'm happy to help them sell their boats.

[wizard1_us]

Just saw a Watkins 27' with wheel steering for 7600.00 in Florida

[WorldWind]

We have copied all your related statements on various sailing forums and are considering legal action with regards to your defamatory statements.

[Nago Suka]

Originally Posted by WorldWind

We have copied all your related statements on various sailing forums and are considering legal action with regards to your defamatory statements.

I'm curious as to what exactly you plan to sue over.

[WorldWind]

Defamatory statements regarding the sale of our boat.
I was going to post her for sale on Cruiser's Forum here,but Thanks to Jim,this will definitely hurt the sale of our boat.
I have inquiries about our vessel to whom have read Jim's statements here on CF.
I said we are "considering"

[Nago Suka]

Originally Posted by WorldWind

Defamatory statements regarding the sale of our boat.
I was going to post her for sale on Cruiser's Forum here,but Thanks to Jim,this will definitely hurt the sale of our boat.
I have inquiries about our vessel to whom have read Jim's statements here on CF.
I said we are "considering"

All used boats need work and how much required to get it to a certain point is up for interpretation. I don't believe he said 'don't buy this boat' to anyone, just that 'it's more of a project than he wants'. Someone else may be fine with a non-working diesel.

I think your threat to sue would hurt your chances more than anything he said. Attempts to stifle op's opinion makes you look like a jerk and get nowhere with most people. With your attitude alone, I wouldn't look at your boat. Sue me for that!!!

[rtbates]

A tiller doen't need to interfere. When sailing our Cape Dory 25D and there is a person or dog in the way I simply raise the tiller about 30 degrees and continue on. With the hinge bolt tightened the tiller will stay at 30 degrees. This may or may not work for all tiller boats, but try it..

[WorldWind]

Good viable points and info,point taken.

How would you feel if someone said that your kid was ugly and posted it all over the intraweb?

He made my wife cry when I read his comments from various sites,not cool man,not cool.

Hey,I wish Jim all the best in finding the right boat for him and his family,but to make statements to facts he knows very little about in a worldwide forum,and potentially hurt the sale of another's boat,is just not right.
We were looking to "Pay it forward",with the sale of our boat,and were looking to gain nothing in profit but what we had into her.

This thread should have been deleted,and my concerns addressed by the moderator.