Buy a barebone or buy a loaded used boat?

[ReneJK]

When we bought our 'new to us' Blue Pearl , Bene 473 , it had a lot of equipment , some not working (plotters) , some too old so it wouldnt work with new equipment (Radar) but it had a Genset , solar (340 Wp) , watermaker , extra heavy duty alternator + controller, solar , wind gen , Sterling 50 Amp shorepower / charger , etc etc

so it was 'ready to go' , right ?.. ermmm not quite , previous owner took a lot of stuff to his new boat as well (like lifejackets , dinghy , outboard etc)

here's the 'upgrade' costs of what we did getting ready for a 4-5 year sail , and I didnt just throw money at it , I *really* shopped around and got some 2nd hand stuff as well

• Survey costs : 900 euro
• polish and antifoul the hull (coppercoat) : 3000 euro
• registration fee for dutch flag : 40 euro
• Raymarine cables to connect our own plotters : 350 euro
• Raymarine E120w + Navpod to replace defective RC70L : 1000 euro
• Hotel and plane tickets for 1st viewing : 800 euro
• Tickets and car rental for 2nd viewing : 400 euro
• Haul out for survey : 313
• yard costs for remainder of the year : 1000 (250 p/month)
• 8x Anodes for fridge keel cooler : 20 euro
• 2x waterpump for AC and watermaker : 350 euro
• Insurance for 12 months (fully insured for purchase price + 6 million 3rd party + personal & crew injury ) : 1250 euro
• AIS transponder : Vesper Marine XB8000 : 750 euro
• inflatable life jackets : 791 euro
  • 4x 150n guest lifejacket : 233 euro
  • 2x child lifejacket : 118 euro
  • 2x Spinlock deckvest : 440 euro
• safety harnesses : 200
• ePirb Ocean Signal: 330
• 2x PLB Ocean Signal MOB1 : 400
• Raymarine RD418D Radar : 1350
• Radar Cable 15 meter : 220
• Marine medical kit : 450
• trip to Ikea for pots, pans, linnen, towels , storage ,misc items : 500

costs 2017 :
Jan to May :

• Insurance for 12 months (fully insured for purchase price) : 1250 euro
• Highfield Hypalon 310 + Suzuki 20HP EFI: 7500
• Yard costs (jan to may) Rudderbearing , polish , putting up radar with crane etc : 3000
• Trip Feb R & J : 500
• extra line 27meter : 46 euro
• Jabsco toilet revision sets : 80
• Raymarine VHF splitter : 120
• extra Simrad handset for outside : 125
• New Sprayhood / dodger : 1200
• flares : 100
• Rocna 33kg : 860
• 100meter 10mm chain : 720
• Almerimar May, June, July : 1400 euro (may 10 euro p/night , june&july 20 euro p/night)

May to Sept

• ICOM M710 SSB set : 425
• AT130 Antenne tuner : 125
• Iridium Go! (+ antenna + cables etc) : 500
• Panel and parts for watermaker : 500
• Simarine battery monitor package (incl Barometer) : 500
• raw waterpump repair in Torrevieja : 150
• Almerimar Sep '17 to May '18 : 2600 euro
• WindSUP + 2 sails (1 small for the kids , 1 large for us) : 1600
• New showerhead : 18
• rivet gun + rivets : 50
• Simrad VHF handset cable : 30
• 2x Standard Horizon DSC VHF : 400
• various locks : 70 (outboard , lockers , dinghy)
• extra lifejacket gas + salt tablets : 70
• Duralac + SS 'anti seize' grease : 40
• hatch hinge covers : 18
• 2 new cup holders : 16
• 2 new automatic bilge pumps : 130

to do:

• New bimini frame + covers(like to do , one on there is 'functional' not great)
• New Radar / Solar arch (like to do , one on there is 'functional' not great)
• 2x new Solar panel (320-330 Wp ea. to effectively double power)
• shading cloths
• dinghy cover
• service or replace emergency raft

[Kenomac]

The best boat to buy is a 5-10 year old boat with little use, and let someone else take the HUGE depreciation hit, then add a few extras to customize for your needs.

A 1980's boat loaded or unloaded, will always nickel and dime you to the point where you'd wish you'd bought something in the 5-10 year old range. Remember, a 1980's boat is now 28-38 years old; plan on doing lots of fixin' and chasin' down foul smells instead of sailin', it's your choice.

[amiller]

Originally Posted by Cherod

Surely we can take it as given that if you buy a loaded / prepped boat then it has the type of stuff which you would want , otherwise it is a pointless discussion , Likewise if it is a barebones then it will come with good standing rigging , engine , standard systems etc etc , basically a sound boat .

There are plenty of used boats on the market. Take your time and shop for what you want. Our recent purchase is a boat 11 years old, previous charter. But past owners have--over the last 3 years--repowered, rerigged, added a big solar setup, new batteries, watermaker, etc. The PO put their cash, time, and unimaginably headaches into these projects, and the only thing I've had to do was rebuild a boost pump for the WM.

[Suijin]

Originally Posted by amiller

There are plenty of used boats on the market. Take your time and shop for what you want.

^^^ This.

The more boats you look at (and I mean actually climb around on and in), the better sense you're going to get of what's out there, what the range of condition is, differences in various models (particularly when it comes to "semi-custom" boats). Over time you'll build up some extremely valuable context in your brain about what's in good shape and what is not, what's a good value and what is not, and you'll be able to spot that unusually good value when it comes along.

I know quite a few people who have pounced on amazingly well maintained and well priced boats, but it requires knowing what you're looking at and how it compares to the stream of boats that come to market. You only acquire that context by looking at lots of boats.

[Terra Nova]

A best boat buy would be one which a knowledgeable yachtsman had already setup with little regard for cost, continually and thoughtfully upgraded, and lavished with love and proper maintenance--someone's cream puff. THAT is what you want to find, not a boat which requires tens of thousands of dollars and months or years of your time to complete.

[JPA Cate]

AmirB,

I just wanted to say that I think having the windvane as well as the autopilot is a very good idea if you want to cruise long distances. It will give you thousands of miles of silent service, at no electrical cost, and is a real boon.

Ann