Can I find " The Boat "?

[Bluefuss]

I am sitting in an Airport lounge in Calgary waiting to board a flight to Mexico. After roughly 3 long years of research, work, saving, and salivating (actually a lifetime of salivating)I am finally going to try and buy my Boat! Geeezz I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve. I have isolated a few good prospects and warned the brokers that I'm on my way and will be up early tomorrow morning blissfully wandering docks. So..... could everyone please stand by so that I can have instant feed back as I go thru this?

[Rhapsody-NS27]

Good luck.
I'm in the same situation. I'm in Germany waiting for my flight to the US (Tue.) then going on a roadtrip from TN to TX, FL, NC, MD and back to my new house in TN in search for my first boat.
Enjoy the trip!

[Gelfling]

Blue......happy hunting to ya! When you find the one that 'feels' right...you have probably found the right one!

Dan......you are driving through VA, I assume, you might want to check out some of the boats we have as well. One good thing about Chessy boats...the water is brackish...so they don't tend to wear out as fast as those that sit in salt water!

[barnakiel]

Happy huntin`!

Let us know as it goes!

b.

[Nemo55]

Good Luck Blue!!

[JRM]

Good luck. Just remember to translate into sailboat speak:

Bristol Condition really means the owner smokes below and never cleans or maintains anything, and turnkey means the standing rigging is rusting off and the mast is galvanicaly eroding but you can have it painted in Ensenada for $5500 where they don't do rigging. I can't repeat what "lightly chartered" means in this family friendly forum.

Yesterday I drove 9 hours to learn these terms.

May your boat searching luck be better than mine!

-- JRM

This is not me swishing around the bottom of the barrel. These were boats priced medium to high in their ranges. Even the charter one.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by JRM

Good luck. Just remember to translate into sailboat speak:

Bristol Condition really means the owner smokes below and never cleans or maintains anything, and turnkey means the standing rigging is rusting off and the mast is galvanicaly eroding but you can have it painted in Ensenada for $5500 where they don't do rigging. I can't repeat what "lightly chartered" means in this family friendly forum.

Yesterday I drove 9 hours to learn these terms.

May your boat searching luck be better than mine!

-- JRM

This is not me swishing around the bottom of the barrel. These were boats priced medium to high in their ranges. Even the charter one.

JR,
Can you translate a few more for me from broker speak and YachtWorld verbiage?
'owner meticulously maintained this boat'
'best equipped one of its kind on the market'
'new price, owner says sell it'

[Gelfling]

Originally Posted by JRM

Good luck. Just remember to translate into sailboat speak:

Bristol Condition really means the owner smokes below and never cleans or maintains anything, and turnkey means the standing rigging is rusting off and the mast is galvanicaly eroding but you can have it painted in Ensenada for $5500 where they don't do rigging. I can't repeat what "lightly chartered" means in this family friendly forum.

Yesterday I drove 9 hours to learn these terms.

May your boat searching luck be better than mine!

-- JRM

This is not me swishing around the bottom of the barrel. These were boats priced medium to high in their ranges. Even the charter one.

Spring is here! Everyone thinks....and are usually are right....that boats sell faster/easier in the spring! I think everyone that has shopped for a boat has had this happen once or twice.

[bobconnie]

Ive gotten where Im dealing with a broker as my representive, he's been shortening my running around looking at rotten boats Thats In Cruise ready Condition!! the last one of those we looked at in Laud when I stomped on the deck near the windlass I tore a big patch of skin off my shin when I punched thru almost to my knee !! LOL and it was avertized as Perfect Blue Water Cruiser, Ready to start your dreams !! LOL the 2 boats he's sent me to see were in much better condition!! Hope the next one is THE ONE !! still lookin !

[Jack Tar]

Might I ask what type of boat you are looking for ?

[Bluefuss]

Well this is as good a way to look for a boat as any. I spend the days walkin docks and lookin at boats and the nights drinking and dancing.
So far nothing has caught my eye (in the way of boats) but there is lots of time and no real schedule.
Jacktar I am looking for something like a Tayana 37, HC 38 and I'm gonna see an IP35 tomorrow.

[JRM]

I'm not ruling anything out, as every boat is a compromise. I do have a set of priorities though.

Seaworthy (as I define it) which is more about condition and initial build quality than a fin/full thing. My goal is to sail to Hawaii and back, so I must feel comfortable with it making the trip. Room for us, a 7 year old boy, and a dog should be a must too.

Some others are "want" and thus open to differing priorities. I'd like decent light air performance, but it's not a deal breaker. I'd like decent storage for parts and toys. I'd like to be able to take ourselves and another couple out for a few days, children optional (so two cabins with actual doors). I'd like enough water capacity for six people for a week trip without dealing with a watermaker. The admiral would like a nice interior with lots of light, not so much a cave.

Other stuff is more along the lines of "nice if it has, but I can always add it later." I'm decently handy with boat work. Among that stuff is fridge and freezer, SSB, dodger, Bimini, solar, self steering, etc.

We're very flexible, although so far our favorite together has been a Beneteau 393. We'll look at anything and evaluate the pluses and minuses.

JRM

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by JRM

(...) I'd like enough water capacity for six people for a week trip without dealing with a watermaker. (...)

You are looking for a big boat then.

Cigales have big water tanks and water ballast that can be used up (provided you fill it up with fresh water in port). They also have light interior, cabins and decent light wind performance. Sorta like may meet many of your priorities. Look them up:

Cigale 14 < Gamme Cigale < Les Gammes

b.