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SkiprJohn · 12-11-2010, 10:53

Aloha,
Just saw your first post. I'm certain by now you've posted the word "bluewater" in a search engine like the one following my signature and gotten lots of information. Much more than what is being discussed in your thread.
I recommend the boats in the links following my signature and also the book title located there as well.
As you've probably already determined each boat has its plus and minus so in the end it will be you that determines which one will meet your needs.
I saw one post here that states that building your own would be cheaper in the long run. Very much not true and especially in today's boat market. If you build your own it will be built by an amateur and sometimes will not be able to be sold when its time.
Don't pick a race winner unless its a cruiser's race.
Hope you can find the right one.
kind regards,

Brent Swain · 12-11-2010, 14:42

i think the bottomline is to have atleast 80K USD for the boat and refitment. I will have to wait.
what's your opinions on Tartan?[/QUOTE]

If we all waited til we have $80K , few of us would ever go cruising. That is an elitist myth.
How in hell do you manage to spend that much?
I have never had anywhere near that amount of money, yet have been singlehanding across oceans since my early 20's on a labourers wages, as have most of my friends. .

NotQuiteLost · 12-11-2010, 15:15

Quote:

If we all waited til we have $80K , few of us would ever go cruising. That is an elitist myth.
How in hell do you manage to spend that much?
I have never had anywhere near that amount of money, yet have been singlehanding across oceans since my early 20's on a labourers wages, as have most of my friends. .

This is truth.

There is some elitism involved in sailing (or should I say, in sailboat ownership?) that causes a small percentage to tell anyone looking in the window that it's just going to cost too much for them, and they'd be better off not taking it up. The real motives are unclear for this, but they're certainly not well-intended.

I love reading about people saying "When you get the hull, that's great, but it's only 10% of the total launch cost of the boat." I'm just stunned when I hear things like that. There's either a true disconnect between some people's brains and reality, or there is an active campaign to keep anyone not currently in 'the club' out of it.

You can do this literally for zero money, if you're willing to put in some time and research. There are piles and piles of world cruising capable boats rotting in drydock, aching for a new owner. It seems like every week there's another wooden boat 32-40' going under the saw if someone doesn't take on the job of restoring it.

Then there are perfect (and I do mean perfect) boats being sold at auction for 20-30% of their market value, let alone their actual cost. You don't have to be rich to ply the waters. Just gutsy, resourceful, tenacious and above all, adventurous.

VirtualVagabond · 12-11-2010, 16:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by NotQuiteLost

...Then there are perfect (and I do mean perfect) boats being sold at auction for 20-30% of their market value, let alone their actual cost....

Hi NQL,
I'm squarely in the 'just about to' category. House is on the market etc.

Any ideas on how to track down appropriate auctions? I've found a couple of sites you have to subscribe $ to, and in browsing them before buying in they're 95% power boats.

I'm haunting Yachtworld, Sailboat listings and Yachtmarket and stalking Craigslist and Ebay...
I'm thinking when the time comes to fly to Florida and belt marinas to see what falls out...

goboatingnow · 12-11-2010, 16:27

Quote:

It seems like every week there's another wooden boat 32-40' going under the saw if someone doesn't take on the job of restoring it.

Its a falacy that you can take a knockdown wooden boat and repair it cheaply, you can bodge it up thats it, but the proper materials can cost a fortune and thats not counting your time.

Equally with a old GRP, take a look at the replacement costs of engines sails, deck gear etc etc etc. sometime you could get the boat for zero and it would still cost a fortune, and that assumes you dont have " hidden " problems like core delamination etc. In my experience for every 1 dirt cheap boat that usuable theres 50 that are just junk.

Dave

**hpeer** · 12-11-2010, 19:38

Here's my 2¢

Read this book:
Singlehanded Sailing: The Experiences and Techniques of the Lone Voyagers by Richard Henderson

Amazon.com: Singlehanded Sailing: The Experiences and Techniques of the Lone Voyagers (9780070281646): Richard Henderson: Books

Even if you sail with crew, there will be times, most like most of the time, when you are alone in charge and the crew is unavailable, unwilling, or unable.

This book discusses many of the problems and how to handle them and makes some very specific recommendations about what kind of boat to have.

Luckily for me, my boat is very, very close to his recommendations, so of course I think he is brilliant.

storyinframes · 12-11-2010, 23:24

If we all waited til we have $80K , few of us would ever go cruising. That is an elitist myth.
How in hell do you manage to spend that much?
I have never had anywhere near that amount of money, yet have been singlehanding across oceans since my early 20's on a labourers wages, as have most of my friends. .[/QUOTE]

I am so glad I wrote about my intention to sail in this forum and I have got some brilliant feedbacks. I always wanted to come back to sailing but thought that this is an outright exorbitant hobby/sports. But the same has been demystified

. I can now muster courage to think of buying a used boat (not very old though) and preparing it for ocean passage.

Yes everyone thinks out here (my town) that yachting/cruising is an elitist thing.
From all these 40 odd posts i have learned that there is no perfect boat as such. I will have to find one that suits most closely to my requirements.

thanks everyone who have chipped in with their experience.

regards

silverp40 · 15-11-2010, 17:48

The Tartan 34 is a Sparkman and Stevens design, very good sailing boats and most have centerboards that have a rather complicated mechanism and hard to repair if something goes wrong. They do sail well with the board up also. Well built and in the 20k price range mid 1970s.

Bristol
Cabo Rico
CSY
Hallberg Rassy
Island Packet
Pacific Seacraft
Sparkman & Stephens
Tartan
Tayana

The above list has good and great boats that are expensive, except if you get a 30' or less version (a new 30 or so foot Pacific Seacraft is still about $200k and it's very impressive).

Try Pearson boats. They are very well built, hardly any have blistering problems, very respectable sailing boats and offshore capable. The 365 for exampple has crossed many oceans and they are very affordable. Over 800 were built and there are always some for sale here in the US and in other parts of the world too. The 35 is mainly a coastal cruiser while the 34 has completed some long offshore passages.

You can do it for much under 80k....

storyinframes · 17-11-2010, 07:44

What are the possible enhancements/structural additions and alterations one can do for modern light displacement boats to make them passageworthy?

Khagan1227 · 17-11-2010, 08:26

I doubt any manufacture wants their multi-thousand dollar boat to be known as not blue water capable and most, if not all build the large boats to be used off shore.

There was a Catalina 27 that made a circumnavigation single-handed a few years back. Thusly, I would think the skipper an his upkeep of the boat would be more important than the manufacture.

**boatman61** · 17-11-2010, 08:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Khagan1227

I doubt any manufacture wants their multi-thousand dollar boat to be known as not blue water capable and most, if not all build the large boats to be used off shore.

There was a Catalina 27 that made a circumnavigation single-handed a few years back. Thusly, I would think the skipper an his upkeep of the boat would be more important than the manufacture.

To true blue.....

Anthony Steward - Around alone in an open boat

storyinframes · 17-11-2010, 08:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Khagan1227

I doubt any manufacture wants their multi-thousand dollar boat to be known as not blue water capable and most, if not all build the large boats to be used off shore.

There was a Catalina 27 that made a circumnavigation single-handed a few years back. Thusly, I would think the skipper an his upkeep of the boat would be more important than the manufacture.

When you say large boats to be used offshore, how large you mean the boat to be?

Khagan1227 · 17-11-2010, 10:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by storyinframes

When you say large boats to be used offshore, how large you mean the boat to be?

I direct you attention to the following website:

JC 2010 Entry List

In this case, it isn't the size of the boat that matters; it is the ability of the captain. I have seen more than a few boat owners with a lot bigger boats that would have trouble leaving the marina on a calm day.

I would also point out that more boats retired than finished during the crossing. Personally, if for nothing other than comfort of the crew, 30 ft (10 M) is pushing the lower end of the scale FOR ME.