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**Jim Cate** · 10-03-2014, 15:56

Re the "Great Lakes boat" issue: While the usage factor is indeed good, and low exposure to salt corrosion is great, there have been several threads here that mentioned damage incurred when boats on the hard had damage from water freezing in rudders, keels and other areas.

I have no personal experience with this (having left Chicago when I was 16, and never returning!) but it seems a reasonable concern.

Cheers,

Jim

Celestialsailor · 10-03-2014, 16:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by SaltyMonkey

And know how much time you want to spend tweaking the crap out of an old boat before you splash and depart.

Time is also money

Quote:

Originally Posted by SaltyMonkey

Well lets see

< 10 years old
fully loaded
low engine miles
sound everything
adequate elect.
turn key
dink
raft
35-38 ft
US based

< 50k

Ready to go. NOW!

You know, after listening to people talk on this thread, I think they should probably upgrade their holding tanks.

You know...not everyone is adverse to updating an older boat with electronics and new rigging. It's quite simple that the OP cannot afford one of the new "bar of soap" condo-dock queens. It's not a black and white issue. You have to compromise or spend the rest of your days in the "I'm still looking for my next boat" syndrome.

**Hudson Force** · 10-03-2014, 16:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by SaltyMonkey

Well lets see

< 10 years old
fully loaded
low engine miles
sound everything
adequate elect.
turn key
dink
raft
35-38 ft
US based

< 50k

Ready to go. NOW!

You know, after listening to people talk on this thread, I think they should probably upgrade their holding tanks.

Please read for comprehension. No one has said what you list.

What is actually available on the market is:

More than ten years old.
Well equipted
Engine with more than half it's expected life remaining
Sound hull
Adequate Electrical system
With a key
Maybe a dinghy
Probably no life raft
US based

Well under 75K maybe 35K

The used boat will be ready to go in a time determined by the buyer and his skills as well as the great amount of money saved by not purchasing a new boat.

I understand that you recommend new and we all recognize the value and cost of new. I would choose the offer of new over used; however, my personal best value has come with used. I bought a new boat in 1973 and I bought a used boat in 1985. Both did me well, but I happened to get far more for my money with the used boat which I have keep and cruised for 29 years.

SaltyMonkey · 10-03-2014, 16:54

No. I'm not allocating only buying new. I'm only setting some expectation here on what you can truthfully expect for a decent 34-38 ft ocean going boat that isn't going to suck time and money. I think you guys are way way low. If you said 90-120 I'd buy that as reasonable. Of course if you want to spend 2-3 years fixing $$$tuff go ahead. If you want to spend a month or two, follow me.

**hpeer** · 10-03-2014, 17:10

Look here....

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...-107895-3.html

Celestialsailor · 10-03-2014, 17:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by SaltyMonkey

No. I'm not allocating only buying new. I'm only setting some expectation here on what you can truthfully expect for a decent 34-38 ft ocean going boat that isn't going to suck time and money. I think you guys are way way low. If you said 90-120 I'd buy that as reasonable. Of course if you want to spend 2-3 years fixing $$$tuff go ahead. If you want to spend a month or two, follow me.

Yes but you are of the opinion that the OP cannot find an older boat, under $75K that is turnkey and that my friend is just not so.

SaltyMonkey · 10-03-2014, 18:11

hpeer: I know this boat. I've watched it on market for a couple of years, and I've considered it closely when I was going through my what's the metal market phase. Its your call. But I point out: Steel is NOT a Steal. And I love welding. You better know what you're doing when it comes to metal boats, else you holes get tight.

Mike OReilly · 10-03-2014, 18:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Re the "Great Lakes boat" issue: While the usage factor is indeed good, and low exposure to salt corrosion is great, there have been several threads here that mentioned damage incurred when boats on the hard had damage from water freezing in rudders, keels and other areas.

Good point Jim. Not so much the keel, but definitely rudders. Sometimes bilge freezing can cause problems from within. As long as the rudder has not split (easy to tell), it's not really a big deal. The other danger is frozen plumbing, pumps and of course the engine. I'd be careful buying a Great Lakes boat in the spring ... not in the sense of don't do it, just be careful to check that it has been winterized properly.

SaltyMonkey · 10-03-2014, 18:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

Yes but you are of the opinion that the OP cannot find an older boat, under $75K that is turnkey and that my friend is just not so.

It is so.

He won't. He may think its turnkey, He may survey it as such But it won't be. He'll find problems. When you add up the bar tab down the road, the money spent on those ancillary problems you DONT know until you've owned the boat for a while (also they are hidden in the original owners smile), these costs (time and money) will far outweigh if you spent a bit more on a boat that was bristol and set at an honest price.

This is not the 70's or 80's.

mikeguyver · 10-03-2014, 18:31

When you punch in those numbers into yachtworld for a florida boat under 75 k you don't get much. The newest is a former charter 97 morgan with a blown head gasket.

tuffr2 · 10-03-2014, 19:45

Yep - boat prices are mind boggling. I was always into go fast boats back in the day. Sailboats, because they had small engines used to cost a lot less.

I guess when they started calling them yachts they figured they could sell them for 475k.

BTW - when did they start calling sailboats yachts? What year?

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

SaltyMonkey · 10-03-2014, 20:18

Yeha. I wanna boat coz a boat is what i do. Got me a pretty penny. Got me pretty hair and a pretty vest. Gonna line up some listin's and hunt me down a boat, I say. No time for savin or a taw kin. deals are made not broken.

Get in me car...

First one. Looks good in the ad. Loaded to go. Pretty pictures. ngin spankin. Nice girl on the phone. Go there. Owner smile. You bring your mallet. Owner nervous. You find things. It aint like the picture. You can easily miss the clues. Major stress crack across the counter, like the whole boat was wrung out a sponge. Metal base bent in one of the winches. Like the whole dang mast took her down. Small **** that leads to bigger questions. So you punt.

Look to the next. Looks good in the ad. Loaded to go. Pretty pictures. Teddy bears as pillows. But keel bolts blown. ngin cosmetics don't hide. Rusted thru and thru under that paint. Wiring rotten. Take out you scraper. Bulkeads gone. Ports need replacing. So you punt.

Next one. Looks good in the ad. Loaded to go. Pretty pictures. Nice talking owner. Except the sails are mush. So is the standing rigging. Needs a new mast and boom too after 20 years. 15-20k at least. More ngin lies. Pluming shot. Cancer on the deck. "Oh just needs a bit of git-rot and she be fine with a little work" says the owner. F U I say, not the boat for me as you dance dance dance to your car.

Two days shot. Closer to death. Repeat next month. chinga chinga ching….
chinga chinga ching….
chinga chinga ching….

Coz a boat is what i do. Loaded loaded load….

**Adelie** · 10-03-2014, 20:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by tuffr2

Now I was thinking, since I am retired, I will buy a new sailboat and cruise.

Wow - a new sailboat costs a ton of $$$ to me. I thought I would be able to buy a new sailboat for 75k. Now that I see the prices are 475k and up I am wondering how other people do it?

How many people as regular crew?
Sailing experience?
How handy are you?
$75k to buy and outfit the boat (living and cruising costs extra.)
Where are you? Where do you want to sail out of? Which coast do you want to set off from and more specifically where on that coast?
Where to you want to go?
By cruise extensively do you intend to cross oceans or to nip around the Caribbean or Baja?
Any really strong preferences to start with? (full/fin keel, spade/skeg/attached rudder, sloop/cutter/mizzen rigged)
What size do you think would be big enough? What would be too small and why?