Single Handing: 'Offshore' or Not ?

[Pblais]

I have kind of ignored the model because of the high cost. I see now on Yachtworld a 37 in my price range $80-90K.

When you purchase a great boat that is much older and at the lower end of the affordable price range you may find it does not age well. A quick run down of the Amazon would make it a great boat - when it was new. It's apparent a fair amount has already been refit. It's not hard to to think it will need much more. whe considering boats of this age you need to understand it is not what it was and to consider it you should also look at one priced higher to understand why it is priced lower.

Based on my own experience looking at 5 similar boats at various ages the higher priced boat was cheaper and it still did costs alot to get it all fixed up. Boats are never what they once were after 25 years so when given a choice you take the boat in better condition not the one that used to be better when new.

So in your place examine the two boats and make an offer on the better one as it is today. If you take a few more boats into the mix you can see it all much better. You can try to figure out what it takes to make them equal. At that point the better boat to begin with is usually the cheaper one in the end. Boats on paper are not what they are in the water after 25 years. Look at the real boats as they are not what they used to be when new.

[Catamount]

I agree with Paul on this. When my Dad was shopping for his boat 20 years ago, he was looking at Cape Dory 36's. He bought the least expensive one on the market at the time, but later told me he regretted that decision as he felt that if he had just spent a few thousand more for the next lowest priced one (which he had also looked at), he would have gotten a much better boat...

[Pblais]

Tim,

I'll go even farther. When we found 5 boats similar to Bright Eyes though from various years from 1987 to 1991 we went on a short raod trip and looked at them all over a long weekend. In the end we bought the most expensive one but after doing the math on the next most expensive one I figured what it would take to equalize the two. It became the point of our own internal negotiation of if we should buy the cheaper boat and spend more later or the better boat and spend less. It was a most logical assessment of the costs.

The newer boat had just a few features the older boats didn't have but it had one layout difference that really made it more desirable. We ignored that issue. So in the end we negotiated the price between the two sellers with a firm cash offer and a quick closing subject to survey.

We got the better boat and still spent a lot more later. It's pretty much how it always goes. The issue we took off the table to make the numbers equal turned out to be the best reason for buying boat. 4 years later we made the correct choices.

Based on just the two boats we purchased I would issue a strong warning. The lowest priced boat can bleed you to death. Many of the older 1970's boats are totally worthless if you consider the cost savings of something newer say from the late 1980's. Your total dollars spent could be less. That even considers doing all the labor yourself and eliminating all the unsatisfactory boats up front.

[Brent Swain]

There is no shortage of used gear in excellent condition which can keep the price of the low cost one reasonable, in the end. I've only once bought a new sail ( in my naive youth) in 40 years of cruising.
With them sometimes being practically given away, you could get a hell of a boat for very little.
Be realistic about what you really need, and what you can do without, for your first cruise. A lot can be added later, after you have got some cruising out of her, and made it off the treadmill. . .

[Uncle Buck]

Agree 100% with Brent. I bought my first keelboat (Coronado 25) for under $1000, spent another $1000, and sailed SF Bay/Delta in her. Sold her for twice what I had into her a couple years later, and even still the new owner got a great boat for the money.......at times I miss the low cost/stress and simplicity. At lot changes when you go to a " big " boat, and I'm slowly pairing removing all the complicated expensive stuff from my current boat so I end up with something large but simple. Sails, engine, hull, ground tackle, handheld GPS, paper charts - done. And I've gone to Cabo and back. Old school - minus the GPS of course!

[Nibiruwayne]

Boils down to individual risk aversion. " The most important thing in life is whatever's in first place at the time". On a boat that changes every hour and every minute. No one's mentioned sickness, injury, boat repairs along the way.

[JC Reefer]

It is about risk and preparation. Not sure I’d compare myself to a solo ocean crossing racer and try to explain how if they can do it blah blah blah. Op kinda did that earlier in the chat.

Racers likely have more gear, support and training that helps them throughout their endeavors.

On a forum, I can’t recommend someone go solo. Not without knowing them.

I’ve done 8 days solo just to see if I could. That’s not much but it was enough to get into a rhythm. I would not do it again if I could avoid it.