Endeavor 42

[RHardman]

Good morning all,

My partner and I live in the BVI and have recently decided we want to move onto a sailboat (what better place than here to give it a try?). Neither of us are sailors, though we intend to learn ASAP, but our rent in the BVI is almost $1,700 monthly, and that's as cheap as you can find here.
My partner used to work for Bentley in woodshop so is a skilled woodworker, especially when it comes to veneering, and I am able to sew new upholstery, biminis etc, our friend is also an electrician who can sort any wiring out for minimal cost. We have found an Endeavor 42 for sale in the USVI for $8,000, which is only 5 months rent for us- I have attached the advert below, please let me know what you think! Due to quarantining rules in the BVI currently we almost certainly won't be able to view it before we buy it, so please be critical!
Obviously the condition isn't incredible, and it needs a deep clean, but we don't particularly care much about the aesthetics for the reasons above.

Again, while eventually we aim to be able to sail her once an engines put in, it's mainly just to live-aboard for now.

"Please read till end: This beautiful work in progress. Is a 1985 endeavor. Built in Largo, Florida. Resides in St. John USVI. She comes in at an even 33 gross tonnage. She's 42.2 feet in length. With a fiberglass hull. She's 13 feet wide and a 6.5 foot depth. She was sailing last year. She comfortably sleeps 7 with that sweet rock you to night night land in minutes. She will need some sort of motor. Plus a new bimini. She's also going to need some tounge oil or something for the wood on deck. All sails are in great condition stowed away in the front head right now. Spacious V&aft births. Galley style kitchen. Working stove. Mini fridge plus cold storage. Has solar panels a converter and batteries. Water runs in sink and back shower. Both heads work without issues. She does not have a leak that I have found. I have been cleaning this boat out the best I can. It still needs work. Stereo works I know a couple of speakers need to be rewired or replaced. All the lights I've located work or need a new bulb. All the mirrors I've found reflect without any problem. All cupboards and draws work as they should and some will even come with extra goodies in them. All the hatches have screen/shades. Some photos are the day I looked at her so things have changed a little. Top deck side cleaner now. Hope this is a better representation then my first attempt. Everyone have a great day. Feel free to PM me. I am not a sailer so please come look for yourself I'm sure you'll get a better feel for it."

[denverd0n]

I absolutely would not buy a boat like that without a survey and a sea trial, nor would I buy it without looking at it first.


Are you going to tow it back to the BVI? Where are you going to keep it once you get there? Do you know what it costs for a long-term dock rental? It may be nearly as much as your current rent. Or do you plan to live on an anchor? That presents a whole different list of complications and compromises.


My best advice right now is to slow down and think this through very thoroughly, before you make any commitments. Perhaps you have done that, but if so you have not communicated that with your first post.


Good luck.

[RHardman]

Originally Posted by denverd0n

I absolutely would not buy a boat like that without a survey and a sea trial, nor would I buy it without looking at it first.


Are you going to tow it back to the BVI? Where are you going to keep it once you get there? Do you know what it costs for a long-term dock rental? It may be nearly as much as your current rent. Or do you plan to live on an anchor? That presents a whole different list of complications and compromises.


My best advice right now is to slow down and think this through very thoroughly, before you make any commitments. Perhaps you have done that, but if so you have not communicated that with your first post.


Good luck.

Thanks for the quick reply. The plan was always anchor, as the dockage here is expensive, but we can anchor for free around the same area we rent from right now. The boat would have to be delivered to the BVI as it has no motor.
For the cost of the boat, it seems our options are either pay the $500 quarantine fee + ~$200 travel fee and have one of us view ourselves, or pay for a surveyor, which in the USVI I can imagine will be a fairly large sum. Doing both would be a significant % of the boat cost, which seems counterintuitive.
Without Covid restrictions, this would be significantly easier and cheaper!

[LLCoolDave]

Hello and welcome to the forum. Buying a boat unseen is always a big mistake. This boat has been neglected for quite some time and will likely have a lot of repairs needed. At least pay a surveyor in the USVIs to inspect it. It seems like the current owner had the same idea that you've had then quickly decided against it. I see this as a big red flag. The biggest repair issue with these endeavors is that the water and fuel tanks are underneath the floor boards. If they haven't been replaced they will likely need it soon and that means dismantling the entire interior. It's a very expensive repair. Maybe $20-30k.

Go into this with your eyes open. Get a survey.

Also, there's no mention of a dinghy. Tack on $1-2k for a used one with a motor.

[Fbfisher]

As suggested above, the purchase price is just the beginning. There is likely an inverse relationship between the purchase price and the cost of ownership. I’d not count on woodworking and sewing skills to solve the myriad of issues that likely await the new owner. Let’s assume that 42’ sailboats of that vintage sell between $8K-$100K, the difference in what you’re getting for your money is important to understand. Keep in mind that you may have to put $200K into an $8K boat in order to sell it for $100K when you’re done with it. You’re novices, seeing lots of boats and paying a competent broker and surveyor will add valuable information to your decision.