Is $15,000 Cheap for a 30ft Yacht?

[one and only]

I saw this boat for sale but I dont know much about boats and just wanted to buy a cheap one to 'play' around with.
Home - Bargain Yacht For Sale

[Anzo]

If the people on board convey with the boat, I'd have to say no.

[neilsailingrn]

The only way to really find out is go see it for yourself. A trip to Fiji...that would suck! Plan the tirp as a holiday and "maybe I'll look at a boat while I'm there." If she looks good, find a surveyor and go from there. Worst case is you will have a nice trip to Fiji. Better case is you get a trip to Fiji, an awesome boat, and an adventure of a life time! Seems you can't go wrong either way with the right attitude.

[sailcruiser]

I personally would be extremely cautious. Call it a gut feeling. SC

[nautical62]

At that age, it all depends on upkeep, outfitting and any issues. I hope to net 22K on 1989 30 footer I'm about to put on the market. Is 15K for one 20 year older a good deal in comparison? - I guess that depends on many factors.

[2nd Dog Watch]

Look in yachtworld.com and click on the price you want, $5,000 to infinity. You will be surprised how many desperate people there are lately needing to sell their boats for quick cash!

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by one and only

I saw this boat for sale but I dont know much about boats and just wanted to buy a cheap one to 'play' around with.
Home - Bargain Yacht For Sale

Look, mate, you say that you don't know much about boats... and you are considering a rather old boat that lies in FIJI. May I respectfully say that this is a bad idea.

I expect that nearly every single experienced person here on CF would tell you that buying an older boat, no matter how glowingly described by the owner, will then require a lot of fixing/upgrading/saving from self destruction. Fiji is a lovely place, and a great cruising ground for an experienced cruiser. But fixing/upgrading etc are difficult there for there are no West Marine outlets handy, and precious few knowledgeable boat people to help you through your learning curve.

Then, supposing that you get the boat into usable shape, you will find that the lovely cruising grounds are poorly charted, strewn with unmarked reefs, subject to seasonal cyclones, lacking in really secure storm anchorages and are really not ideal for a beginning cruiser.

All in all, one of our favorite cruising grounds, but not a place for a newbie to "play around" with a boat.

Do yourself a favor and buy a boat nearer to home, and then if you find that you adapt to the life, sail to Fiji (and all the other wonderful islands in our part of the world) and actually enjoy yourself!

Good luck,

Jim

[Doodles]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Look, mate, you say that you don't know much about boats... and you are considering a rather old boat that lies in FIJI. May I respectfully say that this is a bad idea.

I expect that nearly every single experienced person here on CF would tell you that buying an older boat, no matter how glowingly described by the owner, will then require a lot of fixing/upgrading/saving from self destruction. Fiji is a lovely place, and a great cruising ground for an experienced cruiser. But fixing/upgrading etc are difficult there for there are no West Marine outlets handy, and precious few knowledgeable boat people to help you through your learning curve.

Then, supposing that you get the boat into usable shape, you will find that the lovely cruising grounds are poorly charted, strewn with unmarked reefs, subject to seasonal cyclones, lacking in really secure storm anchorages and are really not ideal for a beginning cruiser.

All in all, one of our favorite cruising grounds, but not a place for a newbie to "play around" with a boat.

Do yourself a favor and buy a boat nearer to home, and then if you find that you adapt to the life, sail to Fiji (and all the other wonderful islands in our part of the world) and actually enjoy yourself!

Good luck,

Jim

Wise words. Take them to heart.

[one and only]

Wow, lots of different thoughts there, I am in New Zealand so a flight up isn't out of the question, and I was thinking of offering a bit less than the asking price. I will think about it over the new year.

[neilsailingrn]

Too funny. That boat is definitely worth more there than the USA. Expat Kiwi.

[atoll]

looks great go for it!!!

[sww914]

Either it's the best deal ever
Or
It's a fair price
Or
It's the worst imaginable deal

It all depends on the condition of the boat. Either way you can probably find something comparable closer to home and you won't have an expensive trip behind you after you've decided not to buy it.

[callmecrazy]

Looks like a good deal for $15k, it's ready to cruise according to the ad. I wouldn't offer them anything until I saw it, but if it's as good as it looks, it's probably worth it.

the big IF is, if the location is worth it... Are you gonna keep in Fiji for a while? sail it home right away? can you get a $15k boat at home in similar condition?

[Jim Cate]

Does it strike anyone else oddly that there is no mention of what design she is, who built her, or any of the other things that would normally be of interest to a prospective buyer?

It lists a few goodies (and they sound fine), but fails to mention sails, ground tackle or other expensive and essential gear. May all be there and be in good shape, but if so, why not let us know about it?

And for the OP -- your being in NZed makes it a bit more attractive overall, but teh trip from Fiji to NZed is a reasonably difficult one for a novice sailor in an unfamiliar boat.

The ad triggers my BS alarm, but that could be simply a poor choice of words and subjects by the owners... or it could be craftily worded around all the defects that are causing the sale of a decaying vessel.

So, if you have some frequent flyer miles to burn, and perhaps a friend with a bit of knowledge as a companion, then a nice trip to Fiji could be a good investment.

Cheers,

Jim

[zeta]

Probably an okay deal if you live in Fiji, but even a free boat may not be a good deal.