Boats Less Than $30K Recent Noteworthy Finds

[Steadman Uhlich]

Howdy Folks,

I am starting this thread because over the last year I have seen a lot of interest here on the forum for "good cruising boats that cost less than $30,000."

Why start it then?
My sincere hope is that this thread will help someone become a new happy boat owner so they can begin to experience the joys of sailing and cruising. I am starting the thread to help others here on the forum, and this is not driven by my own search for a boat (I have a different goal), it is not limited by my location, nor is it restricted to my own taste in boats or any particular brand or type of boat.

This thread is intended to be an open thread with any member contributing what they see related to the topic. Think of it like it is conversation among members who are presenting some lower priced boats that they have seen on the market, with the hope that it might help another member learn something about those boats.

There are 10 Points or guidelines to make this thread most helpful and to fall within the rules of this forum/site so the thread continues to add value for everyone.

Who do I hope it will help?
There are some forum members (and some are new to sailing) who want to spend less than $30,000 and some members are looking at boats that are even less, with some less than $10,000. While we all recognize that the low priced boats are likely to be old, or in need of repair, there are many people who do want to buy a sailboat for cruising and they have limited budgets that will not allow them to purchase a more expensive or new boat.

Obviously, $10K or $20K or even $30K is not a big budget for buying a big keel boat on which you intend to cruise or live aboard. Any boat at that "asking" price point is likely going to need lots of work or more money spent on upgrading and fixing things.

However, the requests for tips and information about such lower budget boats keep coming up on the forum. For some members the $30K maximum (or less) will be what they can afford. I see nothing wrong with that, and would like to help those members find a boat that can get them sailing.

This thread can be a place where anyone who finds a noteworthy boat that fits that description or price level can post it here as it may help another forum member who is looking for something in that price level.

Since many members keep their eyes open for "deals" (watching Ebay, Craig's List, Yachtworld and many other listing sites and local notices) and they enjoy the boat "hunt" as a pastime, this can be a way of sharing those boats you find, that you don't buy for yourself (you pass on it), but those same boats could be a real deal/find for someone else, when you pass it on. Pay it forward!

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You are encouraged to post in this thread. When posting in this thread, please follow these 10 Points or Guidelines for Posting:

1. The boat should be available now. This thread is about what is available today.
The intention of this thread is to post a photo and some info on the currently available boat (or a link if you have one) with the boat priced no higher than $30,000 USD.

Don't post photos of boats that sold years or months ago. Likewise, anecdotes about a boat you bought for little money 10 years ago is not the goal of this thread.

2. Post the location (what country or state). A low cost boat in the wrong location could prove very costly to transport or move.

3. Don't just post a link! Don't just post a name. Post a photo if you can. Do post a link (if you have one) but only with your own notes on what you saw in the boat or why YOU think it is noteworthy in this category (<$30K).

4. Do post something about what you saw in that boat, or why you like it or why it caught your attention. Write a little description of what you like about the boat, or if you know of things that make it noteworthy. If you have prior experience on this type of boat, mention that. If you owned or own a similar boat, mention that.

5. If you know of potential problems this model of boat has, mention what to look for when viewing it. Those could be very simple things like "not much headroom" or "tight head" or "potential leaks on teak deck" or "difficult to access the engine on this model."

6. The important thing here is that YOU as a member add something to the post, more than just a link. From my view, anyone just posting links (and nothing more than that) is possibly spamming boats that are for sale, and I will ask the Moderators to delete those "blind links" so this thread continues to have real value. This is important because one of the forum rules is there to keep sellers of boats from "spamming" the forum with links. Instead, we will focus on discussion of what we see on the market today within this price range.

Why is that important?
7. Let's keep this a "discussion" among members of what we see and like and emphasis should be on sharing what we see and know about boats like these.

8. Don't just post the names of your favorite brands, as there are many threads where that is done. Instead, post a photo, link, and YOUR NOTES on this kind of boat and make sure this is for a boat that is currently for sale. That is the point of this thread.

9. This is not intended to replace or compete with the CF Classifieds forum either. If you have a boat for sale, you should post it there. This is intended to simply bring to light or attention some boats that fit the description (< $30K) and are available on the market now, along with forum member discussion of that kind of boat.

10. If you are actively searching for a boat to buy today, or if you just purchased a boat today (recently), then consider posting some information (as described above) about the top two or three boats you almost bought (your "runner ups"). That may be very helpful to another sailor.
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Caveat Emptor! Buyer Beware!
Posting a photo here or information about a boat does NOT constitute an endorsement of that boat or that brand or that seller of the boat. The buyer should still "beware."

The buyer should always ask: In what condition is it?

As with any purchase of any large boat, it is wise to have the boat surveyed by a professional Yacht Surveyor prior to purchase. If you are a newbie and don't have much experience with sailboats, this is especially important.
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Good luck hunting!