Want To Buy: Family Sailboat

[Dennis.G]

Originally Posted by ctl411

You can buy a 37 c for high 20s low 30s which is the nada price not over inflated prices of most boats. People think they buy a 30 grand boat put 15 in and think it's worth 45. I bought a new main ,staysail and 135 headsail last fall plus a lighter staysail this spring all made by local Doyle loft. This doesn't make the boat worth 9000 more. In the water sailing. You can find a boat in your price range.

If you buy a boat for $30k and then buy $9k of sails, the boat cost's one $39k by my math. Would be above a $30k budget in that case.

[ctl411]

I will be listing mine for 31000 in a few weeks after I get back from vacation. Has the new sails plus two spins in socks and two more head sails plus a drifter. So a 3 cabin boat with a separate shower stall for the op price. He can find a boat.

[shamrock]

I was in your position a couple of years ago and spent a lot of time on yachtworld getting to know boat prices and what I liked.

Don Casey's complete illustrated sailboat maintenance manual is the best $35 you can spend if you are looking at older sailboats. He walks you through how to do 80% of what a survey will tell you before you spend the money. This book was incredibly valuable when I bought my boat and I still use it constantly when figuring out how to approach maintenance and repairs.

You also might consider doing a weekend charter with your family before you pull the trigger on a boat.

If you google "cruising capable sailboat list" you will find some pretty comprehensive lists of boats to consider.

Good luck!

[fluiddynamicist]

St bernard is ... 154 lbs, and can eat of the table while sitting on her ass... and she is small... boys are bigger...?
Hey I need a rescue dog on board... particularly to carry the brandy in the barrel
:-)

[fluiddynamicist]

Originally Posted by shamrock

I was in your position a couple of years ago and spent a lot of time on yachtworld getting to know boat prices and what I liked.

Don Casey's complete illustrated sailboat maintenance manual is the best $35 you can spend if you are looking at older sailboats. He walks you through how to do 80% of what a survey will tell you before you spend the money. This book was incredibly valuable when I bought my boat and I still use it constantly when figuring out how to approach maintenance and repairs.

You also might consider doing a weekend charter with your family before you pull the trigger on a boat.

If you google "cruising capable sailboat list" you will find some pretty comprehensive lists of boats to consider.

Good luck!

Thanks Shamrock...

We sailed in Australia, Adriatic and this coming July we are heading to BVI... so family is pretty much used to the "luxury" side of it... (dog was not privy to it)...

At this point, I am spending hours on yacht world and boat trader...

I will go and buy the maintenance book.
The biggest challenge for me is making a call as to what to buy. I want a sturdy and reasonably fast boat. O'Day so far meets with my requirements. I loved S & S (Sparkman and Stephens) while I was in Australia... very fast and Kiwis in particular love it (together with Duncanson). However I have not had a chance to find a decent version here in USA.
Shall I just go with the budget, buy a boat and go out on the water and later decide which boat will be the boat "forever"? Seems like this will be as agonizing as picking a present for wife's birthday.

[shamrock]

I bought a boat that I could be happy keeping for a long time, and was perfectly capable of doing whatever type of cruising I found myself doing in the future, but that I could also sell in 5 or 6 years if things go well and I'm in a position to buy my "forever" boat.

I went a bit above your budget and am really happy with what I wound up with. The boat was not a project, but I still find myself doing things to the boat to fit how I want to use it.

In hindsite, I'm glad I did not go bigger and glad I did not get a boat that needed much, because all boats are a lot of work.

[speedoo]

Originally Posted by fluiddynamicist

Thanks Shamrock...

We sailed in Australia, Adriatic and this coming July we are heading to BVI... so family is pretty much used to the "luxury" side of it... (dog was not privy to it)...

At this point, I am spending hours on yacht world and boat trader...

I will go and buy the maintenance book.
The biggest challenge for me is making a call as to what to buy. I want a sturdy and reasonably fast boat. O'Day so far meets with my requirements. I loved S & S (Sparkman and Stephens) while I was in Australia... very fast and Kiwis in particular love it (together with Duncanson). However I have not had a chance to find a decent version here in USA.
Shall I just go with the budget, buy a boat and go out on the water and later decide which boat will be the boat "forever"? Seems like this will be as agonizing as picking a present for wife's birthday.

The Casey will be extremely useful.

I would not look for your "forever" boat just yet. Buy a good boat that will meet your current needs without making a mess of things financially. Use that boat for a few years, develop a sense of what's important and what can be sacrificed, because every boat is a compromise, and I don't think you have had a chance to define exactly what kind of cruising you will be doing. Allow the kids to grow and decide for themselves how much cruising they will do with you and your wife. Save some more money because I doubt $30k will get you your "forever" boat.

Seriously, a 154 pound dog and cruising do not mix. Think about getting on and off the boat, up and down the companionway, in and out of the dinghy, etc. I don't see how it can be done unfortunately.

What did you think of that ebay Seafarer 37 I suggested?

[Gelfling]

Originally Posted by speedoo

The Casey will be extremely useful.

I would not look for your "forever" boat just yet. Buy a good boat that will meet your current needs without making a mess of things financially. Use that boat for a few years, develop a sense of what's important and what can be sacrificed, because every boat is a compromise, and I don't think you have had a chance to define exactly what kind of cruising you will be doing. Allow the kids to grow and decide for themselves how much cruising they will do with you and your wife. Save some more money because I doubt $30k will get you your "forever" boat.

Seriously, a 154 pound dog and cruising do not mix. Think about getting on and off the boat, up and down the companionway, in and out of the dinghy, etc. I don't see how it can be done unfortunately.

What did you think of that ebay Seafarer 37 I suggested?

Agreed! When we were looking for boats we looked at about every variable out there. Price vs comfort being the most important, as right now I home school our daughters and the banks don't like the missing income. With that said....having two daughters that still lived at home....we wanted to find something with the interior space for 'sleep overs'. As far as cabin space on a 28'.....I couldn't be happier! The price was right...she was in great shape for the age....we went for it! I can honestly say that ones first boat (I did have a 20' trailer sailor prior...but not really counting that one) is almost never a 'forever boat'. Almost every time I go out I make a note of something else that my 'forever boat' will have....that I am currently missing.

Now, I don't think that I would take the whole family (plus dog) on any extended cruises....but we have enough space to put up with each other for about a week. But right now we really only cruise the Chessy....so it works out great! So if you are looking for something to do weekenders, I would suggest looking for cabin space first....cockpit space second (both if possible). A comfortable crew is a happy crew! Our dog does sail with us....and she does fine even though she started sailing at 10 years old. Having the fold up table to give your pup plenty of room on the floor is important....IMO.

You can see the pics of my cabin lay out on our blog.

KatABRA


Keep the whole family involved in the 'family boat' and it will be hard to go wrong.

Rob

[fluiddynamicist]

speedoo.. liked the boat. would like to go online and find more information about its handling capabilities.

As to cruising... initially I will be doing weekends mostly, long weekends and probably a week or two in summer. mainly costal cruising along the East Coast.