Beginner question

[ElVikingo]

That being said, I sailed my first Catalina’s with a sail club. I was a member for a year and was able to try out multiple boats. Not a bad option either.

[Don C L]

I'd check age/condition of rigging. Check sails' condition/age. See if there are any leaks (my friend with a 27 has been having a hard time tracking down a small leak in his.) But the big one is: how is the engine/shaft/packing gland and prop?? What kind of maintenance do you see recorded and how recently. It is worth spending a few extra bucks getting a good, well-maintained diesel! If you opt for a 27 and outboard you will bypass that step.

[howster]

Originally Posted by ElVikingo

I would check out the 95 MKIII. Buy “Inspecting the Aging Sailboat” by Don Casey. The guy is brilliant. When you find a boat you are serious about I would suggest a good survey as well. My surveyor found things I never would have found. Looking at that boat reminds me of a great time in my life. No matter what boat you buy you are gonna dump money into it. Have fun doing it. It’s doesn’t hurt so bad that way.

Thanks just bought the book “Inspecting the Aging Sailboat” by Don Casey on Amazon. What's a good book on general maintenance and learning the laws of sailing? Say I wanted to go off to Long Island NY (nearby island and different state) is there a book to prepare me for how to arrange things and the customs and access routes to port etc... I'd need to know the rules to get from A to B? Rights of passage...

[Flagman101]

Originally Posted by howster

Thanks just bought the book “Inspecting the Aging Sailboat” by Don Casey on Amazon. What's a good book on general maintenance and learning the laws of sailing? Say I wanted to go off to Long Island NY (nearby island and different state) is there a book to prepare me for how to arrange things and the customs and access routes to port etc... I'd need to know the rules to get from A to B? Rights of passage...

You cast a very wide net with this question.
In order of importance i would say
Learn your ColRegs
Learn basic coastal navigation
Learn how to use cruising guides.
Get your VHF credentials.
Get Small boat seamanship Manual from McGraw Hill editions
Get Boatowners Mechanical and electrical Manual from McGraw Hill editions.
You might seriously consider formal training with ASA sailing school. Makes the process much less painful.
I would also recommend a serious weather analysis course.
Basic marine first aid.
And why not the ISAF Safety and survival at sea course.


Learning and all those trainings and courses are as much part of sailing as being on the boat.

[howster]

Originally Posted by Flagman101

You cast a very wide net with this question.
In order of importance i would say
Learn your ColRegs
Learn basic coastal navigation
Learn how to use cruising guides.
Get your VHF credentials.
Get Small boat seamanship Manual from McGraw Hill editions
Get Boatowners Mechanical and electrical Manual from McGraw Hill editions.
You might seriously consider formal training with ASA sailing school. Makes the process much less painful.
I would also recommend a serious weather analysis course.
Basic marine first aid.
And why not the ISAF Safety and survival at sea course.


Learning and all those trainings and courses are as much part of sailing as being on the boat.

Awesome advice. Thanks Flagman101. I will really enjoy learning about all this. Much appreciated.

[ElVikingo]

Sailing is fun. Learning never stops. Good people too.

[Cheechako]

A Catalina 27 or 30 would be great. The 30 has a lot more accomodation. Catalinas are popular so a bit easier to sell. But many in that size will do you well. If you buy a trailerable boat you wont have to pay moorage all year. But it takes big vehicle to do it right. You dont need that big a budget to get your feet wet!

[howster]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

A Catalina 27 or 30 would be great. The 30 has a lot more accomodation. Catalinas are popular so a bit easier to sell. But many in that size will do you well. If you buy a trailerable boat you wont have to pay moorage all year. But it takes big vehicle to do it right. You dont need that big a budget to get your feet wet!

Thanks, that's good to know. Mooring and storage options are the next things I have to figure out. Living in Ma with cold winters I'm not sure whether the wise thing is to leave the boat moored out on the water. My gut tells me to wrap it up in plastic for the severe winter months. Do the boat yards (storage companies) collect the boat for you or whats the procedure for getting it out of the water and stored up in their yard for the Winter? Is boat kept outside or is there warehousing? What would you all recommend or what do you do with your boats?
Thanks

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by howster

Thanks, that's good to know. Mooring and storage options are the next things I have to figure out. Living in Ma with cold winters I'm not sure whether the wise thing is to leave the boat moored out on the water. My gut tells me to wrap it up in plastic for the severe winter months. Do the boat yards (storage companies) collect the boat for you or whats the procedure for getting it out of the water and stored up in their yard for the Winter? Is boat kept outside or is there warehousing? What would you all recommend or what do you do with your boats?
Thanks

Hello Howster. Maybe I can offer some local knowledge as I've spent the last couple of summers boating around Buzzards Bay and Vineyard Sound. Also my son-in-law has been boating the area for 20 years or so.

1. Mooring, ports, etc. Get one of these. https://www.amazon.com/Embassy-Cruis.../dp/0743611640. Gives you detailed information of each port with listings of marinas, fuel docks, where and where not to anchor, docks for short lunch stops (many free) and routes between all the main points. There is another volume that covers south from Block Island including LI Sound. Don't use this as a total replacement for charts or a GPS plotter since the guides may skip areas not close to a harbor.

2. What boat. Buzzards Bay and Vineyard Sound. The SW winds will pick up to a nice breeze about 90% of the afternoons in the summer. Nice for sailing but it can get choppy, especially with the tidal currents that run through the area. For comfort and the room you want for a couple friends and a dog I think the 30' range is good. The Catalina 30 is a very roomy boat, built well enough to take you farther from home when you're ready, even down the coast to the Bahamas. There are plenty of others as well.

In your area an inboard diesel would be nice. When you go beyond Buzzards Bay you will have to pass through the Elizabeth Islands. The main channel out is by Woods Hole where the current can RIP through the cut. You can time your trip through for slack water but still the extra power of an inboard can't hurt.

3. Boat condition. As mentioned, one of the big ones is the engine. Replacing or rebuilding an engine in a small boat will cost several thousand, as much as $10,000 if you buy a new diesel and pay a pro to install it. Get a mechanic to do an inspection before you buy. May cost $100 or so but well worth it.

Make sure the basic structure is good. Look at the hull/deck joint. Also check the deck around any hardware that bolts through the deck. Older boats it is almost 100% there will be leaks and the leaks can cause the deck core to rot. Decks are usually a sandwich construction with fiberglass on the outside and a wood core.

Sails and rig can be replaced without too much trouble but factor that cost in if these will need replacing on the boat you buy.

Don't focus too much on the electronics. They can be replaced for a reasonable cost and probably better than the old ones on the boat.

4. Where to keep the boat and storage. Cheapest is to keep the boat on a mooring (permanent anchor system in case you aren't familiar). You lease these by the month or year and are available all over New England. Expect to spend a couple thousand a year for one. Most boats in New England are hauled out of the water for the winter. Some boat yards have a package deal that lease you a mooring and haul the boat for the winter. Check around. As you may know, it isn't cheap to live in New England and boat expenses are on the high end of the scale.

[valhalla360]

I wouldn't go below 27-28' unless you are planning to tow it and keep it in the back yard. The cost to go bigger is very little but bigger is so much better for just about everything. (I don't recommend trailer-able sail boats never seem to get used because it's too much time and effort to raise and lower the mast).

If you are going to keep it in a slip, 27 or 30 usually doesn't make much difference cost wise. Even 35' isn't much difference in terms of cost but space and comfort are much better as you go bigger.

With $50k, you have a ton of options. Are you hooked on monohulls and the rush of burying the rail? If not, do some searching for older catamarans. For bobbing about at anchor with a group of friends, they are far superior. They aren't as exciting but keep them light and they can typically beat a similar length mono. You will probably be bumping up against that $50k number to get one in decent condition.

Going with a cheap sub $10k boat isn't a bad idea to get an idea of what you really want but it will probably be limited to weekend boat camping.

[howster]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Hello Howster. Maybe I can offer some local knowledge as I've spent the last couple of summers boating around Buzzards Bay and Vineyard Sound. Also my son-in-law has been boating the area for 20 years or so.

1. Mooring, ports, etc. Get one of these. https://www.amazon.com/Embassy-Cruis.../dp/0743611640. Gives you detailed information of each port with listings of marinas, fuel docks, where and where not to anchor, docks for short lunch stops (many free) and routes between all the main points. There is another volume that covers south from Block Island including LI Sound. Don't use this as a total replacement for charts or a GPS plotter since the guides may skip areas not close to a harbor.

2. What boat. Buzzards Bay and Vineyard Sound. The SW winds will pick up to a nice breeze about 90% of the afternoons in the summer. Nice for sailing but it can get choppy, especially with the tidal currents that run through the area. For comfort and the room you want for a couple friends and a dog I think the 30' range is good. The Catalina 30 is a very roomy boat, built well enough to take you farther from home when you're ready, even down the coast to the Bahamas. There are plenty of others as well.

In your area an inboard diesel would be nice. When you go beyond Buzzards Bay you will have to pass through the Elizabeth Islands. The main channel out is by Woods Hole where the current can RIP through the cut. You can time your trip through for slack water but still the extra power of an inboard can't hurt.

3. Boat condition. As mentioned, one of the big ones is the engine. Replacing or rebuilding an engine in a small boat will cost several thousand, as much as $10,000 if you buy a new diesel and pay a pro to install it. Get a mechanic to do an inspection before you buy. May cost $100 or so but well worth it.

Make sure the basic structure is good. Look at the hull/deck joint. Also check the deck around any hardware that bolts through the deck. Older boats it is almost 100% there will be leaks and the leaks can cause the deck core to rot. Decks are usually a sandwich construction with fiberglass on the outside and a wood core.

Sails and rig can be replaced without too much trouble but factor that cost in if these will need replacing on the boat you buy.

Don't focus too much on the electronics. They can be replaced for a reasonable cost and probably better than the old ones on the boat.

4. Where to keep the boat and storage. Cheapest is to keep the boat on a mooring (permanent anchor system in case you aren't familiar). You lease these by the month or year and are available all over New England. Expect to spend a couple thousand a year for one. Most boats in New England are hauled out of the water for the winter. Some boat yards have a package deal that lease you a mooring and haul the boat for the winter. Check around. As you may know, it isn't cheap to live in New England and boat expenses are on the high end of the scale.

Hi Skipmac,
That information is fantastic. Really, really helpful. I will definitely get that book and take all that advice onboard. I greatly appreciate you taking the time to inform me and share your experience. I sense sailing is a lifelong learning curve and worth it.
Have a great day!

[howster]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

I wouldn't go below 27-28' unless you are planning to tow it and keep it in the back yard. The cost to go bigger is very little but bigger is so much better for just about everything. (I don't recommend trailer-able sail boats never seem to get used because it's too much time and effort to raise and lower the mast).

If you are going to keep it in a slip, 27 or 30 usually doesn't make much difference cost wise. Even 35' isn't much difference in terms of cost but space and comfort are much better as you go bigger.

With $50k, you have a ton of options. Are you hooked on monohulls and the rush of burying the rail? If not, do some searching for older catamarans. For bobbing about at anchor with a group of friends, they are far superior. They aren't as exciting but keep them light and they can typically beat a similar length mono. You will probably be bumping up against that $50k number to get one in decent condition.

Going with a cheap sub $10k boat isn't a bad idea to get an idea of what you really want but it will probably be limited to weekend boat camping.

Thanks ! Much appreciated. I will look into Catamarans too. Good to hear costs are somewhat similar 27-35. I will have to track down a Catalina and do some sniffing around.

[Chuck34]

Originally Posted by howster

Thanks guys. How much $ would you set aside for routine maintenance and storage every year for a Catalina 30 and do you buy a trailer or get transport services? Where is your preferred place to buy one ...any favorite adverising website or assoc?

You're not going to put a C-30 on a trailer and it's not the type of boat you want to transport from here to there on a regular basis. Buy it in one location and move it to where you want to use it maybe, but that's it. Cost to move ain't cheap.

If you want something you can trailer, a Catalina 22 is the way to go.

[Stu Jackson]

Good to hear you're buying books. Do a search here on the word books and find some more.

Try this, too, doesn't replace a survey, but begins to explain what to look for:

https://forums.sailboatowners.com/in...p-tips.102541/

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by howster

Thanks ! Much appreciated. I will look into Catamarans too. Good to hear costs are somewhat similar 27-35. I will have to track down a Catalina and do some sniffing around.

I wouldn't say they are similar but $50k can easily get something up to 35' if you shop around and there are some sub 35' catamarans around but mostly at the upper end of the $50k range.

One thing I don't recall seeing is get a survey done. As a newbie, you will miss a lot of stuff. A survey is far from a guarantee but it's easy to double the price getting a problem boat up to running condition.