Help with checking out sailboat to purchase

[Scintillating]

Hi Please help me - I have sailed boats for many years but have never purchased a used one- my dad always had boats- so have no idea how to really assess sailboat- Here are my questions:

1. 19 ft oday daysailor - 1974- seller says its in sailable condition- yet it has a whole in lower right side of transom that is seen straight through- he says its above the water line and no big deal- just need to patch with fiberglass cloth and epoxy- is this true? Is this sailable without the patch- he claimed it was- but I feel it was only 2 or 3 inches from bottom and would only consider if he patched it- but How do I know if it is patched properly?

2. How does one get gurantee for purchasing sailboat contingent on it working properly - sail and float and not sink - there is no engine in it so only assessing the sailboat and its equipment?

Thanks so much
Scintillating

[TaoJones]

If I were you, I'd negotiate a rock-bottom price, subject to a test-sail. Trust me, he'll make his boat "sailable" if he wants it to be "saleable." Even if he has to drive a bung into that hole to get you out onto the water, he'd be foolish not to do so.

Find out what it would cost to have the hole repaired by a competent 'glas repair artiste before you begin haggling over the price. Then, when you return from your test-sail, and if you're satisfied with the boat otherwise, demand that the cost of repair be deducted from the low-ball price you'd previously negotiated.

If he balks, walk away. There will always be another boat. And don't be embarrassed to demand that all of the associated paraphernalia be thrown into the deal. Look at it this way: You're doing him a favor to take the thing off his hands, so it's only right that you relieve him of the trailer, sails, life-jackets, sailing gloves, any loose stainless steel parts, and the bucket and sponge so he can write "Finished" to the whole experience.

Good luck!

TaoJones

[olepedersen]

Walk away or insist on a sea trial,dont pay till after sea trial ,best to walk away Ole

[JiffyLube]

There are so many boats like this one for sale, I wouldn't even bother with it. You want to start off with no problems, so look for a good one.

[Pblais]

2. How does one get guarantee for purchasing sailboat contingent on it working properly - sail and float and not sink - there is no engine in it so only assessing the sailboat and its equipment?

You can do testing before you buy the boat. You can decide if it works or does not. If you buy it your bank account is the guarantee. You can hire folks to help you do that before the purchase. On a 34 year old 19 ft boat if it has a big hole in it run away and don't look back. Small sailboats are out there and almost everywhere. You can't need this boat at any price. You can find boats that you don't need to do much more than clean them up.

Lots of free boats out there too. If you don't really know boats the free ones cost the most. A bit contrary to your logic until you add up what it takes to fix them. This is what equalizes the cost and the price.

[Sailormann]

Is it a clean hole that was drilled through the boat to accomodate a piece of equipment ? If so, it is relatively easily closed up and the boat may well be seaworthy after a little bit of work.

If it is an uneven or jagged hole, that lookks like it could be the result of some kind of hull trauma - don't even think about buying the boat. It is not worth anything more than the value of some of its parts.

As Jiffylube mentioned, there are too many other boats out there with NO problems that can be had cheaply. Fixing a boat can turn out to be a very costly process.

Good Luck !

[Ex-Calif]

Where are you located? Maybe someone could help you out by taking a look with you.

It's hard for us to say buy, walk or run as we really can't see the overall boat or know how little you might be paying.

But unless you want to work on boats and not sail them you don't want to take a boat that you can't sea trial.

[GordMay]

Here’s a “Project” Mariner available for $650.
Needs sails (easy to get from Atlantic Sails) and interior woodwork repair. Fiberglass hull and deck is very good. No apparent holes.
New sails approximately Jib $400 + Mainsail $650 = $1,050
Sailboat O'Day Mariner - Sault Ste. Marie Boats For Sale - Kijiji Sault Ste. Marie

O’Day 19' Daysailor - The US Mariner Class Association
U.S. Mariner Class Association

I Heart O'Days - Model Information - Mariner