Cheap boats for the Keys

[CSY Man]

Some of these cheap boats have a negative value.
That means it will cost more to make them seaworthy than the boat will be worth when it is finished.
I know: A boatyeard here in town gave me a couple of free boats that has been sitting for years and the owners not paying the bills.
One of the was a 50' fiberglass sloop of European design called a "Glass slipper".
Sold it on eBay after I cleaned it.
Another was a 62' Italian motor-sailor. I chopped it up and sold parts and pieces as it would cost crazy money to fix it.
Also sold a few other cheap boats but got out of that business.
Dreamers beware

[MBWhite]

You do not say where in TX you are living, that might affect potential choices you make for a boat.

I'm in a similar situation, but in my case it is my kids and not my dad that I'll be sailing with. I'm in the midwest with a goal of sailing the Bahamas in 2016. I already have a boat that is pretty small but quite sturdy and capable of dealing with weather and has the advantage of being trailerable. My plan is to trailer to Florida then make the crossing from Ft Lauderdale.

If you would consider downsizing from a 30 footer it might be a better choice to get something trailerable. One huge advantage is you can park the boat in your back yard, saving slip and yard fees and also be able to get 10 times the work done when you can do the little one and two hour jobs. When your boat is seaworthy you can trailer it to a local lake (if not on a coast) and get much more sailing time than when having to plan for a weekend.

Anyway, I'd suggest looking at the classifieds in the "trailer sailor" forums for a european built (preferably) boat, and research how well that particular model does in moderately heavy weather, and go from there.

Good luck!

[soverel]

It takes determination more than money.

AIS get an android app.

Paper charts.

Anchor out instead of marinas.

Where theres a will theres a way.



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[soverel]

And if money is issue consider something under 30 foot.

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[Dulcesuenos]

Endeavourcat 30 , best lil coastal boat ever. You can beach it, they have a Ton of room, great vis forward., huge galley and head and salon and they sail well. We had one going 10 knots surfing, 8 knots reaching. And i have seen them close to 30k lately

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[geokey]

Hello we have a Hunter 26 only draws 21 inches, has a new motor, not a project boat. This is a 1996 sailboat, there is no mold, has a dinghy with a motor and is currently anchored on a mooring ball at Boot Key Harbor in Marathon Florida. This boat will be available in 30 days, when are you looking to buy a boat? We are asking $12,500 for the boat. This is cheaper in the long run than buyingna project boat. Send your email and I can give yuoiu a list of equipment included, too much to list here.

[Scout 30]

Good luck finding a cheap Endeavour Cat.

[Scout 30]

A guy down the street from me has an Iriquois Cat that I think can be bought for less than 10K but it's a project.

[Eleuthera 2014]

A cheap boat is often the most expensive.

GL though.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

Good luck finding a cheap Endeavour Cat.

You have that right on the OP's budget. I wish he could find one but worse than unlikely, impossible.

[fjwiley1]

There's no such thing as a Cheap Boat........


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[Cadence]

Originally Posted by dadsdream

Hello. I am new to the forum.

My dad and I have had a longtime dream of sailing to the Bahamas. He's getting older and now is the time for me to get on it. I am hoping to find a good boat (Cheap or free) that needs repairs. I am a professional carpenter and general contractor, also a mechanic by hobby. Father in law is an electrician. So, making major repairs is not an issue. Money is.

I am hoping to head out from the Texas Coast towards the tip of Florida and then Bahamas. I would love to get a sailboat with a very shallow draft, one that can even be beached. Something like the Seahawk 32Rk, centerboard or retractable keel.

Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

You might want to look for non-profit orgs. that take donated boats and people just take a tax write off. I did that with an outfit in Ft. Myers. If I can find the paper work I'll sent the relative info..

[dadsdream]

I think we are going to buy a Macgregor 26s with trailer. This way we can sail it here in Central Texas and drive it to the Gulf for day trips. Once, we've refined our sailing skills in a year or two, the plan is to drive the boat to the keys. From their we can hop to the bahamas and surrounding islands.

I've been looking for one at a good price. Any advice or suggestions. Thank.

[appick]

Be sure and read up on the downsides and issues with the Macgregor, there are many. Yes they are able to trailer and put a outboard on but for open water most will say they are wholly unsuitable. If it's the big motor you like maybe a trawler or powerboat would be a better fit. Otherwise there are many still very affordable trailer sailors that are much better built and sail better than the Macgregor. Oday made several, the 25ft is a nice sailing boat and can be had with an inboard. Otherwise there are always some decent smaller Catalina's around that can be had cheap.

[dadsdream]

I am considering buying the 26' with swing keel sailer (26s). Not the 26x or 26m, which are the motor sailers. I think I've read every article there is on the macgregor boats but I'll keep looking. The 26s is basically the 25, which is an award winning boat, but a foot longer, water ballast (doesn't have the 600lbs keel) and different layout. I really want something that can sail up close to islands, inlets, coves. The Seaward 32RK would be perfect, except I can not afford a new boat. Catalina's are nice, but I haven't see any models with as shallow a draft as the 26s and with a much room for sleeping.