Boats Less Than $30K Recent Noteworthy Finds

[Tetepare]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

Honesty from a broker...Like anyone would expect.

Haha. Liars and thieves. I thought our regional broker was well known and ethical. Found out the hard way they’re just as bad as all the other used car / boat sales.

[paisan]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

I have a former business partner that I bring in on other types of projects to come in and look at it with me. We both came to the same conclusion that this is a perfect boat for someone under 50 that can donate 20 hours a week for a few years to bring her back. It would really make a great cruiser. To be honest, the only reason I looked at her was she was 2 hours away. I hope someone gets her.

someone under 50 that can donate 20 hours a week for a few years . .

yowzzer . . is that the case with most of these under 30k boats? would make more sense to use that time making money to buy a better boat. unless you had a passion for the work. but from what i understand it is hard dirty work in small spaces and parts are expensive.

[paisan]

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...Anull%7D%22%7D

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Tetepare

Haha. Liars and thieves. I thought our regional broker was well known and ethical. Found out the hard way they’re just as bad as all the other used car / boat sales.

Over many years, I've used around 8 brokers. 2 were quite good and I felt I could trust them. 2 others seemed competent but I knew they were in it for the money only. The other 4 reminded me of the Ferengi off of Star trek.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by paisan

someone under 50 that can donate 20 hours a week for a few years . .

yowzzer . . is that the case with most of these under 30k boats? would make more sense to use that time making money to buy a better boat. unless you had a passion for the work. but from what i understand it is hard dirty work in small spaces and parts are expensive.

It depends. I suppose it would be more accurate if it was termed as dollars vs. displacement. A vessel that displaces 20,000lbs. and is priced at $20,000 ($1 per pound) is generally going to need more attention then a vessel that is 12,000lbs. and priced at $20,000 ($1.67 per pound).

Geeez!...I think I just created a new buying formula!

[SuW]

Originally Posted by paisan

someone under 50 that can donate 20 hours a week for a few years . .

yowzzer . . is that the case with most of these under 30k boats? would make more sense to use that time making money to buy a better boat. unless you had a passion for the work. but from what i understand it is hard dirty work in small spaces and parts are expensive.

Yep. Especially the ones under $10K. There is what I call the terminal value for a boat, and it's basically the value of the stuff you can salvage minus the cost of disposal of the residue.

If you want a large boat (38 foot and up), your chances of finding anything in sail away condition at the $30K price point are low. You could easily find something in the 30-foot range, that size seems less popular (they are small).

It would make more sense to pay more for a better/newer boat.

Having twice brought a boat back from the dead, I say, don't do it; unless you love the work and want to spend your life hanging around in boat yards...

There are worse pastimes. I could have been watching TV.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by SuW

unless you love the work and want to spend your life hanging around in boat yards...

There are worse pastimes. I could have been watching TV.

...and that is what separates different categories of sailors. I enjoy the camaraderie at the docks and the yards.

[SuW]

1976 Fisher 30 motorsailor $35.9K Cdn (<$28.5K US) in Powell River, BC, Canada.

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-sailboat/pow...ler/1590631180

I don't normally post boats here that I don't personally know about, but this would be kind of neat, if you were interested in cruising Pacific Northwest.

Shallowish draft, big engine, compact boat, in reasonable shape. Inside steering. Wood stove.

[SuW]

1986 Roberts 34 (fiberglass) in Sarnia, Ontario (near Detroit). $35K Cdn (<$28K USD)

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-sailboat/sar...ass/1570939441

This has been for sale for a while, I think. Decent looking boat. (I may have posted it before).

Some good, relatively new gear. Big solar array. Dinghy, davits, crane and outboard. Modern anchor. Not sure if it has a windlass.

Needs new batteries.

[paisan]

Originally Posted by SuW

1976 Fisher 30 motorsailor $35.9K Cdn (<$28.5K US) in Powell River, BC, Canada.

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-sailboat/pow...ler/1590631180

I don't normally post boats here that I don't personally know about, but this would be kind of neat, if you were interested in cruising Pacific Northwest.

Shallowish draft, big engine, compact boat, in reasonable shape. Inside steering. Wood stove.

love it.
would it be brave to cross an ocean in that or just plain madness?

[SuW]

Originally Posted by paisan

love it.
would it be brave to cross an ocean in that or just plain madness?

Well, oceans have been crossed by less-suitable boats than that! However, I'd say with the small size of fuel tank (and the bar fridge and woodstove, that this should be considered a coastal cruiser.

Probably could be single-handed.

If they've done 4200 hours in 6 years, they weren't using the sails much.

[paisan]

Originally Posted by SuW

Well, oceans have been crossed by less-suitable boats than that! However, I'd say with the small size of fuel tank (and the bar fridge and woodstove, that this should be considered a coastal cruiser.

Probably could be single-handed.

If they've done 4200 hours in 6 years, they weren't using the sails much.

alas there is a good thread on theses forums about it

https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ss-190594.html

cheers

[Rotan]

While the debate about value is intersting, I am nore interested in hearing about the wisdom of putting expensive new parts, onto an old boat.

Lets say you find your 35ft boat for 20k, its going to need 40k to get it seaworthy (or it wouldnt be priced at 20k now would it) and another 40k to be barable as a liveaboard, and another 30k to prep for ocean crossings - and those are conservative numbers based on what I have seen, assuming you do 6mo to 2yrs work on it yourself.

So now you have spent 120k on a boat that is worth half that.

Then you see ads for 1980s boats all fixed up for 225k by owners trying to recoup their money when a 200x production boat will sell for 90k, and have 2x the performance.

I would love to hear one story of a fixer upper that sold for more than was put into it (and is in seaworthy condition - not lakeworthy)

[SuW]

Originally Posted by Rotan

While the debate about value is intersting, I am nore interested in hearing about the wisdom of putting expensive new parts, onto an old boat.
Lets say you find your 35ft boat for 20k, its going to need 40k to get it seaworthy (or it wouldnt be priced at 20k now would it) and another 40k to be barable as a liveaboard, and another 30k to prep for ocean crossings - and those are conservative numbers based on what I have seen, assuming you do 6mo to 2yrs work on it yourself.
So now you have spent 120k on a boat that is worth half that.
Then you see ads for 1980s boats all fixed up for 225k by owners trying to recoup their money when a 200x production boat will sell for 90k, and have 2x the performance.
I would love to hear one story of a fixer upper that sold for more than was put into it (and is in seaworthy condition - not lakeworthy)

We only fixed up a boat because we like the type of boat and could change it to our own requirements with a relatively clean slate. It's a shorter process than building a boat from scratch, if you start with something that was decent when new.

And we know the boat completely. It took 11 years for this boat, but it is a pleasure to live on her when we do. It does not make sense financially.

Seaworthy/lakeworthy?

The worst weather (the most life-threatening conditions) that I ever experienced was on Lake Ontario. You should be able to trust your life to your boat, whether you go to sea or go out for an afternoon.

I suspect that more people die in coastal waters in sight of land than at sea. It's the hard bits that are the hazard, I find

Anyway, this is all a bit off topic, perhaps start a new thread on this subject?

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Rotan

While the debate about value is intersting, I am nore interested in hearing about the wisdom of putting expensive new parts, onto an old boat.

Lets say you find your 35ft boat for 20k, its going to need 40k to get it seaworthy (or it wouldnt be priced at 20k now would it) and another 40k to be barable as a liveaboard, and another 30k to prep for ocean crossings - and those are conservative numbers based on what I have seen, assuming you do 6mo to 2yrs work on it yourself.

So now you have spent 120k on a boat that is worth half that.

Then you see ads for 1980s boats all fixed up for 225k by owners trying to recoup their money when a 200x production boat will sell for 90k, and have 2x the performance.


I would love to hear one story of a fixer upper that sold for more than was put into it (and is in seaworthy condition - not lakeworthy)

Not sure where you get these numbers but since you're a newbie, at least to this forum and maybe a first time boat hopeful, You might be just a little bit off. That and you really can't make generalizations like that. I'll use the last 3 boats I have restored and give real would examples. 1997...bought a 1966 Tartan Blackwatch 37. Barely made it from Ventura, Ca. to Santa Cruz, Ca. and lost the transmission in doing so. Spent 2 years restoring it while using her. 95% work done on my own including deck recoring and rebuilding all running gear. Bought for $15K, put $7K in it and sold in 2000 for $42K. Profit, $22K. Took the profit and bought a house in Kailua-Kone, Hi. for $185K and sold that for $545K, 6 months before the collapse. Took some of that money, bought an Ingrid 38, fixed her up and flipped it and unfortunately broke even and the rest of the money went into Real Estate, basically insuring I never would have a mortgage again. Currently residing on my ranch here in Northern Ca.. 2011 bought a Hallberg-Rassy 35 for $15K with a non-running engine. Rebuilt the engine for $2500 and updated the interior and electronics for another $6K, sailed her down to the Sea of Cortez and sun tanned down there for 3 years and sold her there for $30K. You cannot put a price on the enjoyment down there.
My point is if you're smart and semi talented, knowledge of how to use tools and a lot of motivation, You can perpetuate this sort of dream.

I also know when to walk away from a project. The factors that ply into that of course ia my age vs. the size of the project...where will I work on the boat...is it close to home? I currently have my Westsail 28 3 ft. from my shop on the ranch here. Yes, that was planned.