To-do list: refit a 10-20 yr boat for bluewater sailing

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Originally Posted by The Wolf

New to the forum, but not new to sailing.

The wife and I plan to sail the Caribbean/Bahamas and across the Atlantic from Florida in 7 years’ time (retirement age).

Looking to buy a 40-45 ft production boat 10-20 years old with a hull and deck in excellent condition (no rot, osmosis, joint leaks, etc). I plan to refit the vessel, per details below (some professional completed, some DIY).

Am I missing anything significant?

I assume even with “professional” installation of items indicated, it would still be cheaper than buying a dedicated new blue water vessel (HR, Najad, Contest, X)?

What timeframe to complete would I be looking at, given the scope below, on the hard, full time (8 hrs/day)?

New
• Mast – professional
• Boom (in-furling) – professional
• Sails : Jib (furling), Gennaker (furling), asymmetric spinnaker, storm – professional
• Standing rigging - professional
• Running rigging including clutches/blocks/sleeves/pulleys – professional
• Autopilot – professional
• Hydrovane - diy
• Stuffing box or dripless shaft seals – professional
• Mattresses/cushions/linens – diy
• Watermaker - diy
• Through-hulls - diy

Upgraded
• Navigation electronics - professional/diy
• Inverter - professional/diy
• Batteries (LiFePo4) - diy
• Solar panels - diy
• Electrical power winches – professional
• Alternator - diy
• Microwave/stove/refrigeration/freezer - diy
• Navigation lights - professional/diy

Serviced
• Engine – professional
• Generator – professional
• Prop & prop shaft – professional/diy
• Rudder & housing – professional/diy
• Hatches/ports/windows – professional
• Woodwork/trim - diy
• Tanks (cleaning) - diy
• Plumbing - diy
• Heads - diy
• Anti-fouling - diy

first after 1997-2000 year production grp boat not possible to have osmosis.all boat made from vinilester not possible osmosis.
if you need all do ths in list buy new nude boat,lot cheaper.

Mast – professional new is around 50-80000€
• Boom (in-furling) – professional +- 15000 €
• Sails : from 8000€ and up lot up
Standing rigging - professional include in price mast
• Running rigging including clutches/blocks/sleeves/pulleys – professional this also can be from 1000€ and up depend boat
• Autopilot – professional this is from 5000€ and up lot up new boat ussualy pacage 10 000€ and up
ecc ecc

[thomm225]

This is some very good advice from James Baldwin of atomvoyages.com who has refit many boats.

A final word of advice to the novice sailor – resist the temptation to undertake a major refit and extensive modifications on your new old boat right at the start. It’s best to make only the obvious repairs needed and go out and sail locally and on some limited coastal passages to learn exactly what is and what is not needed for you. Otherwise you may end up spending years and many thousands of dollars more than expected modifying your boat and then find out on your first ocean crossing that the boat is not right for you or those great ideas you had during the refurbishment did not work out that well at sea.

https://atomvoyages.com/

For type of boat, a good place to start would be the Mahina Offshore Boat List. You don't necessarily need a boat off that list but it give you an idea of the type needed especially if you check it's specs on a site like sailboatdata.com.

https://mahina.com/wp-content/upload...e-Cruising.pdf