Boats Less Than $30K Recent Noteworthy Finds

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

I rebuilt the engine in my Hallberg Rassy which was a Westerbeke 46 (aka Mitsubishi) Although I have my own Machine Shop, I didn't have honing equipment or centers to polish journals and valve grinding. I was able to do everything else. With most but not all engines, if it's an Industrial based motor, inexpensive kits are available. I would guess outside labor and you assembling plus the kit, you would be out about $3500. Not bad for a $5-$6k boat.

Not bad at all as my father in law was a diesel mechanic for ever I have access to all the fun toys for rebuilding .

[eomzat]

1982 Ron Holland designed 36 ft Ericson sailboat. I've run out of steam after 22 years of owning this sailboat. I've done all of the hard work if someone is looking to go on a sailing adventure...
1) Peeled and re-fiber glassed the hull using West System and vacuum bagged it using 2 layers of biaxial glass.
2) Faired the entire hull with epoxy fairing compound and finish with 2 layers of epoxy barrier coat. (was told by a professional boat painter that it was one of the finest jobs he had ever seen).
3) Rebuilt rudder with additional steel in the internal frame and new foam core.
4) Installed Jefa rudder bearings (top and bottom) with new rudder tube and additional re-enforcement using fiberglass 1/2 inch board and west system.
5) Repowered with a Yanmar GM30F low hour engine (~200 hour).
6) All new thru hulls and sea cocks with 1/2 inch fiber glass backing plates (bolted).
7) All woodwork has been rebuilt in the interior that needed it including new 3/4 inch teak and holly plywood floor with hatches to most of the bilge.
8) Installed Vacuum insulated ice box lid and stainless-steel countertop.
9) Installed Victron Inverter/Charger.
11) Fiber glassed in wood backing and fitted all main cabin and Vee berth wood ceiling base panels.
12) Replaced the acrylic hatch glass with polycarbonate.
13) Replaced acrylic port glass with safety glass.
14) Installed new holding tank and waste lines.
15) Had hull painted with Awl Grip.
16) Installed custom 2 inch teak rub rails.
17) Had new foam cushions made for interior (main cabin, vee berth, and quarter berth).
18) Custom stern railing with built in seats (still have originals).
19) Built a custom fuel filter sliding holder so they can easily be changed.
20) Custom access door for sink cabinet.

I'm sure there is stuff I'm forgetting. I was outfitting this boat to go off on an extended sailing adventure. I have a ton of stuff I'll throw in with it. Currently the mast is off the boat and needs to be painted. There is still stuff that needs finishing. The boat is near Huntsville Alabama. I know even in pristine condition that this boat will not sell for anything close to its replacement cost. Make me an offer after seeing the boat.

For someone that wants to truly go on a sailing adventure or doesn't want to have to do all this to another boat, this boat has had all of the hard stuff done.

Thanks,
Robert

[goboatingnow]

I met Ron Holland. I didn’t know he designed the Ericsson. Interesting

[Celestialsailor]

Beautiful boat Eomzat...Ron Holland can design a boat that looks like it's surfing, standing still.

[cdreid]

Nice. You found the unicorn!

[Celestialsailor]

It should be anytime now when we will start seeing these pages filled with the recent hurricane damaged boats.

[cdreid]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

It should be anytime now when we will start seeing these pages filled with the recent hurricane damaged boats.

Theyre hitting the boat selling sites already. Beneteau's etc.. 40-60 feet etc with alllllmost no water damage.. reeeeally good deals.. just need maybe new masts rigging and a little fiberglass work on the big hole in the hull...

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by cdreid

Theyre hitting the boat selling sites already. Beneteau's etc.. 40-60 feet etc with alllllmost no water damage.. reeeeally good deals.. just need maybe new masts rigging and a little fiberglass work on the big hole in the hull...

Which sites are you seeing them?

[eomzat]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

I met Ron Holland. I didn’t know he designed the Ericsson. Interesting

He designed two sailboats for Ericson a 33 and the 36, there were only like 32 of the 36's made. They are very unique boats they have a massive internal fiber glass frame that runs from stem to stern making the hull extremely strong.

[cdreid]

Boattrader or boats.com i think? Not a huge number but at least 3 or 4 in the very specific ranges im looking at..ie over e5 feet..25 to 100k cruisers and cats. I was pretty bummed about the 200k boat gping for like 75 when it mentioned the "some fiberglass work needed on the hull before going in the water"

[cdreid]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

Which sites are you seeing them?

Actually here's one
https://www.boats.com/sailing-boats/...is-50-6946238/
Honestly seems like a good price to me at that assuming it doesnt have a giant hole in the hull
and this
https://www.boats.com/sailing-boats/...s-440-6946246/

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by newhaul

I'm trying to talk myself out of buying this one I owned a sistership years ago cried when I sold her .
https://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/boa/7537059953.html

Well it sold today but not to me

[pete c]

I am the new owner of an '88 Hunter Legend 35.

My admittedly untrained eye thinks it is in pretty fair shape.

The good-

Good running diesel.

Sails not new, but perfectly good for cruising.

Hull seems to be in great shape. A scuff here and there, new bottom paint.

Running rigging a few years old, but looks good. Standing rigging is at least 22 years old, but looks fantastic. Other older boats I have looked at generally have some indication of corrosion. I see none on this boat. This tells me the owner has done a good job keeping it clean. I realize that "looks good" is not a sufficient test if I had blue water aspirations, but I think it's fine for close coastal cruising.

Interior looks good. A bit of weathering around companionway, but nothing a little sanding/oil won't fix. Cushions reupholstered a few years ago.

Deck seems very solid. One small area a little soft. Will likely try the injected epoxy fix or may just live with it for now.

Functional furuno radar, 2 VHFs and an older GPS.

The bad-

Rudder bearings a little sloppy. Plan to do them this winter while it is on the hard.

Is there a way to assess the rudder internally short of cutting it open and having a look? I am an xray repair tech. I am half tempted to run it through an xray. I would think that corrosion would show up as it changes the density of the metal.



The ugly-

Hunter, to save a couple of dollars used regular steel chainplate anchors. These hide behind the liner. Mine look to be pretty well corroded.

Upon finding this issue (after handing over the check!!!!) I became a bit worried, but after researching the issue and the fix (cutting a hole in the liner and replacing them) I am confident I can make it better than new, for short money and not too much of my time.

So, what did I pay for it?

I first looked at it back in May. Seller was asking 12K. I offered 10 and he accepted. I thought this price was more than fair.

He wouldn't take the deposit I offered.

He should have.

After going home and researching the cost of keeping it and coming across an opportunity to have unlimited use of a friend's Pearson 27 in exchange for helping him sort out a few issues, I decided to withdraw my offer to buy.

I assumed it would sell this past summer. It almost did a few times, but a few weeks ago as I am scrolling through the craigslist ads, there it is. 8K obo.

Hummmm. I really didn't need to see that!!!!!

So I messaged him.

Hi Barry, this is Pete, the guy who backed out of the sale this spring. I see it's back up. I am still interested.

To be honest, I wasn't THAT interested and would have passed at 8K.

A couple days later he texts me that he has an offer for 4500. Beat it and it's mine!

Damn. I really dont need to this boat now....but this guy is doing a pretty good Don Corleone imitation. He's making me an offer I can't refuse.

I probably could have been an a-hole and offered him 4550, but this guy has been completely honest with me all along and I still felt a little guilty for reneging on my original offer to buy. So I offered him 4800.

I am also on the hook for this winter's storage and launch next May ($1925).

So, did I screw up?

I realize that buying a boat without a survey is a crapshoot. My personal opinion on surveys is you'd be a fool to pass on one if you are buying a boat for 50K or even 25K.

But for under 7K?

This is money I can afford to lose and I would rather put that thousand bucks, give'r'take towards the boat.

In the end it came down to my feel for the owner. He seems like a very honest person who had a perfectly plausible reason for selling. He says his knees are shot so he bought a powerboat last year and the admiral laid down the one boat rule.

If there is anyone in the Newburyport, MA area familiar with these boats, I would love to have you take a look so you can congratulate/ridicule me for my decision to buy this thing. I will provide the beverage of your choice for an hour or two of your time.

Would also like to hear from anyone who's done the rudder bearing job an a Legend 35/37....

[Patrick of M]

Congratulations! Nothing ventured nothing gained. I rolled the dice on my purchase as well.... if I sail in the spring I did well, if not, well, I will have learnt alot. For my purchase it's the unknown engine that will be the challenge. I bought the boat for almost nothing, knowing I might have to repower. As I go through the systems, I have my work cut out, if I get the motor functional I'm ahead, if not I'm still good. No survey here either, doesn't make sense under $20k ish, to me anyway.

[Glenn.Brooks]

Originally Posted by pete c

I am the new owner of an '88 Hunter Legend 35.

Running rigging a few years old, but looks good. Standing rigging is at least 22 years old, but looks fantastic. Other older boats I have looked at generally have some indication of corrosion. I see none on this boat. This tells me the owner has done a good job keeping it clean. I realize that "looks good" is not a sufficient test if I had blue water aspirations, but I think it's fine for close coastal cruising.

...

Sounds like you found a good deal. Congrats.

If it where me, I would immediately replace all the standing rigging. 22 years is a looong time to keep wire in the boat. Loosing the mast suddenly will be a considerably more expensive proposition than saving a few bucks by trusting old wire. Typically wire breaks suddenly and gives little warning. Corrosion isn’t the issue with stainless, so you can’t depend on lack of corrosion as a signal. Standing rigging, particularity swayed stainless breaks at the top of the stage when it has flexed one to many times. Little bit like bending a coat hanger wire until it breaks…. To many cycles and bang, you loose a shroud. Google life expectancy of standing rigging to find out what the current manufacturer recommendations are for replacement times… ( I don’t remember, it used to be 7 years ocean service. But that was years ago…)

Everybody pays winter layup and launch fees. Routine expense. Wouldn’t worry about it much. Except it hits the wallet every year.

Re: Rudder bearing looseness- hard to tell from your description. Could be the rudder stock has wobbled out the shoe at the bottom of the rudder - or the rudder shelf itself has worn a bit at one of the pintels. Check to see if your rudder shaft is hollow tube or solid round stock. Boats not that old, so Likely not corroded within the layup itself- but start with a good inspection and check your attachment points first, before doing anything drastic…

Good luck, have fun with your new boat.