When is a Sailboat too old to purchase?

[ArlyB]

Tor271, These are all good comments. The Nonsuch 26 sails fairly well and has a great deal of interior room for a 26' sailboat. The cat rig with wishbone can take some getting use to and doesn't point as high as a traditionally rigged sloop, but reaches and runs very well. Aside from assessing the condition of standing and running rigging to see what needs replacing and what you want to replace, pay close attention to the condition of the deck. I am fairly certain it has a balsa core, so look for soft spots or have a surveyor test for moisture. If it has been well maintained, the boat should give you many years of use.

[Peregrine1983]

Writing this as I finish up a 3 week, 600 mile cruise in our 37 year old (1983) Pearson 424. We even rode out TS Isaias while on a mooring and had a much more comfortable time of it than many newer, lighter boats.

The only things that occasionally give me trouble on this boat are much newer than 37 years old (electronics, engine, etc).

Hull, spars, and structure of the boat are arguably more sound than many newer boats.

That said, our rig was replaced in the 2000’s. I would take a hard look at a 37 year old original rig before casting off.

[Mike OReilly]

There's no inherent "too old" for quality-built fibreglass boats. Mine is 43 years old and will likely outlive me. But older boats mean greater possible issues around maintenance and upgrading, so careful pre-purchase surveying is essential.

Nonsuch's have a good reputation. I would have no issue seriously considering one.

[Cheechako]

Boats in the 80's were better than the 70's in general. Techniques had improved. An 80's boat in good condition should be fine. Some 70's boats are pretty marginal.
Watch out for cored hulls! Inspect well.
Isn't the NoneSuch cored?

[Cpt Mark]

The last yacht I captained on was a 1929 Fife. All wood construction including mast and boom. 95' long. Owner paid several million dollars usd for it.

This boat was Lloyds of London certified. What this means is every 2.5 years it get a full out of the water survey by a Lloyds of London marine surveyor. Every other haulout the boat gets emptied of everything. Engine, heads, galley etc. stripped to the hull so they can inspect everything. A huge expensive job but when you buy a boat of this upkeep level it's as good as the day it was made.

As others have said. It's all about the upkeep. You can buy a 40 or 50 year old leaky teaky cheap. I'd go to South America or some other country that is cheap to have work done and have the decks etc removed and new fiberglass decks put on. You'd have an excellent cruising boat. Not fast but solid and will go through anything.

[gonesail]

nonsuch are very cool boats. the reason I avoided them was the single massive sail. i guess on a 26 it would be manageable. the fact that your boat has been in the Great Lakes instead of Florida usually means the gel coat and exterior teak are in excellent condition. good luck.

[Halam]

I'm writing from the UK where I grew up in a house that was 300 years old. Over the years it had many updates: concrete floors replaced mud, oil heating replaced open fires, and electric light!
Meanwhile, many 'modern' buildings have been built, demolished and replaced in my lifetime.
Likewise, boats well built and well cared for can outlast young upstarts, particularly if you can keep water out of a bolsa deck and plywood bulkheads. Let me guess, the motorboats that are falling apart have wooden structural components that have rotted?
Take the trouble to understand how each boat is built, and what osmosis is all about. Then get a good survey.
As said by other contributors, it's condition not age that counts. Also your own need for up-to-date stuff. Electronics particularly is seductive, expensive, unreliable and expensive. My boat is very simple, I have depth and speed, LED lights and compass, together with a cheap tablet and downloaded charts. Oh and a used, modern DSC radio.
When I sailed across the Bay of Biscay recently on a lovely 50' yacht, for power we had the engine alternator, a diesel generator and shore power for when we arrived and spent most of our time debugging one or another of them.
I aim for quality simple systems. If you are the type that is seduced by 'new' and 'tech' then don't also think 'budget'. It's each mans choice, but it has also been said that training is better value than equipment. I think there is a balance to be had there as everywhere else.

[ABJ87]

Our boat is 55 years old this year.

The only challenge I have run into is a lot of insurance companies won't insure older smaller boats. Progressive for instance doesn't touch anything over 50. I think for most the risk is too high and profit too low.

As liveaboards we are unable to get full coverage at a reasonable cost. We did obtain 1M liability for $300 a year through a specialty marine insurance co.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by PaulvR

As an aside........I looked through the list, great info...BUT it is a travesty that the Muira 31 is not included. It is "old enough" and very arguably the one design yacht which has crossed more oceans than any other!! Even today that would be contestable. The design is legend for it's sheer cruising space and capacity, great handling in heavy weather, and uncanny windward ability in all conditions. It was designed as the minimum size to enter the Cape to Rio and tough enough for the Agulus Race, ...I had one in earnest as a young man, and now keep one as a pet :-) Edit the book :-) !

Looks like his list doesn't include fin keel boats just those with the following criteria.....

Aside from a few exceptions, all boats here meet the following criteria of proven seaworthiness, moderate draft under 5-foot, tiller steering, either traditional full keel or, more commonly, relatively long three-quarter keels (full keel with cutaway forefoot) with keel attached rudder, room for one or two people to live-aboard in reasonable comfort, fiberglass construction for ease of maintenance and availability, and this sailor’s idea of functional and attractive design.

[j.g.evans]

The Nonsuch was built by Hinterholler who was a fanatic for quality. I bought a 24' Shark from him and visited him at his factory. The Nonsuch sails well. If it is in good shape and your are handy then go for it.
I sail a 1981 C&C 36 without qualms. If you want to make the interior of the Nonsuch look new then I suggest varnishing the teak interior which most likely looks tired and redoing the floor with table top epoxy resin. This looks spectacular and requires much less maintenance than old teak.

[danleach]

George Hinterholler made killer boats. And if the wishbone boomed Nonsuch cat boats are not to your liking, go find an early to mid 1980s Hinterholler Niagara 31, 35 or 42. Before we moved up to a Passport 40....we had a Niagara 35, and loved it. We'd still have it if my wife didn't want just a little more room. I looked for a 42, but there were none on the market.

[TrentePieds]

Quote: "When is a Sailboat too old...?"

What do you mean by "too old"? In what sense could a boat be too old? Too old for what?"

Or did you mean "too decrepit"

As one of our sages said many years ago: "Wooden boats are on life support from the moment they leave the builder's yard. Fibreglass boats you have to ASSASSINATE!"

A "frozen snot" hull, in my latitudes and yours, endures forever. Everything else, everything that attaches to the hull, and everything that lies loose within it, is a consumable. Everything, including rig and engine! "Use it up, Wear it out, Make it Do!" as the saying used to go. In many cases you can even observe the 4th bit that used to be part of that maxim: "Do without!"

As you know, economists distinguish twixt "value in trade" ("price") and "value in use" ("utility"). A 50 year old well kept yacht that suits you will have greater utility that a brand new one that DOESN'T suit you. Yet the golden oldie will have a price that is a mere fraction of the price of a new or nearly new one.

No-one should pay more money for a boat than he can walk away from with a smile still on his face. Everyone should understand that the simplest of boats will require an annual budget for maintenance, repair and replacement, i.e. for buying consumables including rig and engine, and that whatever money is spent for such purposes will never be recovered.

So buy an oldie. Keep what you can use of the things you find aboard her, add what she doesn't have that you can't live without, chuck out what she has aboard that is of no interest to you, and start putting a coupla boatbux into a sinking fund each month to keep on top of the need to replace consumables.

All the best

TrentePieds

[danleach]

There's a Niagara 42 for sale in Rochester, NY right now with a brand new engine. Sweet. https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/198...ra-42-3689424/

[joelhemington]

Originally Posted by Tor271

I am a longtime boater, but finally decided to make the shift to sailing! I am looking at something in the 25-27 foot range. The model that has caught my eye is the Nonsuch 26 Classic. My concern is that it is a 1985.

When buying and selling used motor boats in the past, most are 5-20 years old, and after that mostly on their way out. But, it seems for sailboats, 20, 30 and even 40 year old boats are common and still hold substantial value.

What is the difference? And, am I safe buying a 35 year old boat - with new many upgrades to equipment - will I still be able to retain some value if I want to sell in 5 or 10 years?

Thanks for your thoughts on question - and my possible new purchase.

What are your plans for the boat? Age won't matter as much as condition and the level of ongoing upgrades - you don't want a $10,000 special that needs $30,000 in upgrades. Will a 27' boat have enough space for you, can you access the engine comfortably? If you're planning anything long term, limited tankage may be a consideration in a small boat. If planning a lot of offshore with a couple of crew, then consider something 32' or larger. Older boats won't depreciate much if well maintained - fiberglass can last a long time. Most small boats will have a head but no shower with a small galley and sleeping in the v berth upfront - not the best for overnight passages or rolly anchorages.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by danleach

There's a Niagara 42 for sale in Rochester, NY right now with a brand new engine. Sweet. https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/198...ra-42-3689424/

I was just about to mention that boat! From driving past it in the yard it looks to be a nice boat (it's currently at my home marina). Not quite sure where it was stored / living previously, as it was trucked in a couple months ago and then placed in the RCR Yachts "For Sale" row in the yard. I'm guessing it was somewhere else local and on land, so they had it brought over for easier access (it's about 100 feet from the listing broker's office).