Suppose You Had a Total Budget of $60,000...

[barnakiel]

6k for a 23' pocket cruiser then some cash in an outboard and to get her going (a new sail, a new toilet, etc).

The rest to use for going as far and out as imagined.

b.

[sailorboy1]

Dolittle like people have said you can get a 30' in fairly nice condition for under $30,000. So unless you are chosing based on some 'status" thing go low. And since you asked this here I would guess to say you haven't started shopping or have a similar boat now to use as a comparison

[dcstrng]

Originally Posted by Doolittle

...and you wanted to buy a pocket cruiser under 30 feet...

A lot depends on what one calls a pocket-cruiser (one person’s pocket-cruiser is another’s barge… and visa versa… ). However, it appears that most of the bases have been covered by other folks… If I was budgeting $60K, I’d assume that would cover an entirely serviceable 28-33’ CCA style boat at under $20K, some DIY upgrades, incidentals and general upkeep (not including clothes and eats) for some years to come… if you must depend on metropolitan marinas to do the work, $60K may not last long, but if you are modestly handy with at least the run of the mill maintenance on sailboats (light fiberglassing, blister-repairs, minor rigging and hand sail-repair and the like…) then $60K may keep you going nicely for some time…

[MichaelC]

Make sure you budget for a marine surveyor before you finalize your boat purchase. If you get a full keel boat, you don't need to haul it every other year to keep the mandatory clean bottom. Buy a used 30 footer for 25k and then quit your job and go cruising. If it is truly a sailboat, you'll be able to sell the engine and equipment for spending money after a year or so....

[Curmudgeon]

1980 Southern Cross by Ryder Yachts Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com=

or

1983 Island Packet MKII Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

or

1977 Pacific Seacraft PSC 25 Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com=

or

1978 Allied Seawind Ketch Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

There are plenty of other pocket cruisers (e.g the Arlberg designs such as the Cape Dory 25D or Cape Dory 30), and if you want to go with a larger boat there are Pearson 35's, Aloha 32's and similar "classic plastic" boats available for around 30k. The boat is the easy part.

Then spend 10k making sure that the essentials are in good working order (engine, toilet, sails, rigging, steering, winches, ground tackle) and put the rest in the cruising kitty.

Just my $.02

[Doodles]

With so many good boats on the market I see no reason you need to spend more than half your budget on the boat, which leaves a nice sum for upgrades and maintenance. Here's a good example of a nice clean cruising boat for under $30K .....1983 Hinterhoeller Niagara Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

[mike d.]

why has the paint not been burned off the belt for the water pump looks like the engine was painted to pretty it up. other than that good looking boat like the seawind also alot of boat for the money

[Stillraining]

Pretty standard.... called a "South of the boarder overhaul"...politically correct version of it anyway.

[bangkaboat]

Chris(witzgall),
Unless I missed it, the author of this thread didn't mention the area of use, other than "coastal sailing". For me, coastal could include sailing from Vancouver, Canada, to California or Mexico.
Mike

[Alexei]

If I were you I'd buy a great Sabre 28 that just happens to be up for sale for $18.5k......