Which to Choose?

[biker6977]

So- I've taken a position with a new company. I plan to become a live aboard- woohoo! There is a small but nice Marina in Bainbridge GA where slips are $200 a month including power, wifi, showers and grills. There are also laundry facilities . Now I have to find a boat.
I will be getting 1 month temp housing and on my first check a $6400 signing bonus which is what I plan to use to purchase the boat.
It will be just me and possibly a cat. All I need is a bed, a small gally- fridge would be nice but not a must as I can use a cooler, a small stove would be nice but could also just use a micro and they have grills and I could get a grill for the cockpit. I do want at least 5'6" of head room as I don't want to be stooped all the time.
I will be sailing it on the weekends to improve my skills- we just took our first class and will finish keel boat 101 this weekend.
I am leaning toward a model I can trailer simply becuase it will make it easy, cheaper and faster for me to get it to the marina. I will have about 4- 5 days to pick it up and get it set up as I will be working already since I will be waiting for my first check to get the bonus money.
I would like all pros and cons on each that you have experience with.
Here are ones I am looking at- I'd like to know if anyone has experience with any of these. How is the headroom, are there any issues I should specifically look for in each model? I've done some searches on some of the models but would like forum input.
A couple are more than the $6400 in hopes they might come down on the price- but are they worth the extra?
Thanks in advance- Caroline
CLASSIC PEARSON 26 SAILBOAT

dufour 30 sailboat

30ft Newport Sail Boat Sale / Trade

1972 Columbia 26

a Sailboat 27' Hunter

@@@@1975 Catalina 27 Sailboat and dinghy @@@@ $4,750 obo

30 Catalina sailboat

*** Cherubini Hunter 27 - Must Sell ***

http://keys.craigslist.org/boa/4678353550.html

has trailer
1977 O'Day sailboat 25' "reduced price"

1975 Bayliner Buccaneer sailboat for sale in Alabama

27' Buccaneer Sailboat

[brownoarsman]

We have many P26s at my club. There have been tons of Pearson 26s made so you'll see a lot of variations between them. However, I believe the design brief was always the same, and in my mind that was to make a great daysailer with the possibility of doing a weekend, but I wouldn't consider them liveaboard. They have huge, awesome cockpits that are great for large groups going out, and the tiller means that the benches in the cockpit are straight down. I'm 6' and I've slept on the benches with a camping pad comfortably before. All that cockpit space necessarily comes at the expense of interior space however. Very little headroom, a small salon, and a vberth that has the head right in front of it. Also no shower, it would soak the vberth, and the only sink is in the small galley that can only fit two burners, no oven, at least on ours (also alc stove not propane, no dedicated locker). You could live on it if you really wanted to and sure, I've spent some comfortable nights one at a time, but it's more a party day sailer than it is a liveaboard. Sails okay but I wouldn't write home about it.


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[Vasco]

All those boats will be suitable. What's more important than anything is the condition!. And to check condition you have to inspect them.

[biker6977]

Originally Posted by Vasco

All those boats will be suitable. What's more important than anything is the condition!. And to check condition you have to inspect them.

Yes, I have an appointment to see the local ones this week and next weekend. Other than the usual- soft spots, delamination, leaks etc. I'd like to know if there is any thing specific to each model that I might not think to look at? Do any of them have mast compression issues? Any of them have keel bolt issues? Where any of these notorious for delamination for the time period?

[Suijin]

Both of those Catalinas make fine liveaboards. The 30' will be positively luxurious compared to the other boats on your list.

Getting a boat you can trailer, just because it's logistically easier and cheaper at the outset, is in my opinion pennywise and pound foolish. You'll be living on the thing...get something comfortable...with a stove and refrigeration. It's easy to say "Oh I can use the microwave and a cooler and the marina's grill" but those will get tiresome very quickly, or at least inconvenient.

[cpa]

I lived aboard and sailed a Dufour Arpege for a little over a year. It was a snug fit but a great sailing boat and well made too. In the end I sold it for a decent profit and moved to a bigger boat.

[biker6977]

Originally Posted by Suijin

Both of those Catalinas make fine liveaboards. The 30' will be positively luxurious compared to the other boats on your list.

Getting a boat you can trailer, just because it's logistically easier and cheaper at the outset, is in my opinion pennywise and pound foolish. You'll be living on the thing...get something comfortable...with a stove and refrigeration. It's easy to say "Oh I can use the microwave and a cooler and the marina's grill" but those will get tiresome very quickly, or at least inconvenient.

Good points- I will be on it a minimum of 2 years as that is the contract I've signed. spaced out over 24 months the cost to move it would I suppose be negligable. Thanks for the reminder.

[prosneek]

I personally, would shy away from a main sheet traveler in the middle of the cockpit. Makes things kinda awkward in my opinion.

[biker6977]

Originally Posted by prosneek

I personally, would shy away from a main sheet traveler in the middle of the cockpit. Makes things kinda awkward in my opinion.

Yes, the boat we are learning on is a little 22 with that and it's a bit of a pain to get around.
I do like the Dufour- though all berths are single I guess that's ok though. From what I've read they are stout little boats and the pictures show it to be in good shape- of course that can be quite deceiving as I found out when we went to look at a boat this past Sunday- I think the pics were years old!
If I choose a boat without a trailer how would I go about finding someone to bring it up to the marina? It can be brought up to the lake via the gulf to the river to the lake but will take a few days I suppose and I will have only 4-5 at most. I have no idea who to call to trailer a boat up- I know it's done all the time. I will ask when I go to a couple of the marinas here to look at a couple of the boats on my list.
If anyone knows of a boat that would suit my needs feel free to let me know.

[Terra Nova]

You're rushing into something for which you have not done due diligence. You can't choose a boat you've never seen based on the recommendation of someone you've never met. Making an intelligent choice takes time and effort.

Instead you should be looking for temporary quarters while you try to learn enough to do a proper job of finding the right boat. And to give you and your new employer time to settle into a new relationship.

The process of buying a live-aboard boat, you will find, is full of new things to learn. These things cost money and take time: escrow, title search, haulout, survey, survey corrections, insurance, might-as-well's (while we're hauled out we might-as-well: paint the bottom and boot stripe, repaint name/hailing port, install a new transducer or bilge pump outlet, replace cutless bearing, service shaft and prop, ...). And the new owner will have a never-ending shopping list of mostly expensive stuff, each time he leaves the boat.

[biker6977]

Originally Posted by Terra Nova

You're rushing into something for which you have not done due diligence. You can't choose a boat you've never seen based on the recommendation of someone you've never met. Making an intelligent choice takes time and effort.

Instead you should be looking for temporary quarters while you try to learn enough to do a proper job of finding the right boat. And to give you and your new employer time to settle into a new relationship.

The process of buying a live-aboard boat, you will find, is full of new things to learn. These things cost money and take time: escrow, title search, haulout, survey, survey corrections, insurance, might-as-well's (while we're hauled out we might-as-well: paint the bottom and boot stripe, repaint name/hailing port, install a new transducer or bilge pump outlet, replace cutless bearing, service shaft and prop, ...). And the new owner will have a never-ending shopping list of mostly expensive stuff, each time he leaves the boat.

I will have one month temp living. I don't want to sign a year lease so that is the time I've allowed myself to find a boat. All I am asking for here is simple real world knowledge- are some not even worth looking at? I have been doing my research and have gone to look at some- true the time frame is compressed but I've purchased houses unseen and cars unseen and rented places unseen. This is a 2 year commitment not a life time- I have spoken with some of the owners and ruled some out through conversations. I am not looking for a long term boat- simply a boat to live on during the week and sail some weekends. I thought of getting a camper but decided this would be more beneficial to what our long term goals are.This forum is full of knowledge and I'm not going to buy a boat just on advice- the advice I am seeking is simply a way to gain more knowledge. I don't plan on having a survey done on any of the boat- they are not expensive and I should be able to easily see major issues. All are willing to do a trail sail with me so I can test the systems and sailability.
I have already planned to have any boat hauled out and bottom painted as all are currently in the water. Beyond that any changes will be made in the evening and weekends.
I could live in a tent so living on a boat should be easy (so says the person who's never done it ) With my budget and way of life I don't need fancy- I don't even need a potty or shower as the marina has those. I've lived with out refrigeration for over a year before- cooler worked fine.
A floating roof over my head is all I need at this point- hell I suppose I could live out of my car but that wouldn't be near as fun.

[Terra Nova]

Originally Posted by biker6977

...I don't plan on having a survey done on any of the boat...

Most/all anchorages will require that you carry insurance. Most/all insurance companies will require a survey.

Due diligence.

[delmarrey]

And why a sailboat. For just a liveaboard power boats have a lot more room and facilities.

[Hudson Force]

Any of these used boats well be more suitable by their condition and care than by any particular quality of their original manufacturing. You must be able to evaluate these boats by direct inspection and best with someone who knows boats. I would construct a rubric with a list of critical qualities,- as an example:

1. suitable draft & underwater configuration
2. condition of engine
3. condition of rigging and sails
4. Galley amenities
5, working head & holding tank
6. comfortable layout
7. leaks and interior water damage
8. electrical circuits & shore power connections
9. deck condition,- soft spots
10. overall cosmetic condition

Your list might vary, but this is a good sample. Look at the individual boat and give each factor a value from 1 to 10 in order to make a critical comparison and take the best, but nothing less than 7.5! You'll be surprised how many 4.2's are on the market. Don't "fall in love" with some pretty lines,- be critical and stick to the rubric. Be patient! Do be upset if something you like sells before you seal a deal. There's always a gem out there waiting,- it's the buyer's market!

[dohenyboy]

someone needs to build or sell plans for a 9 X 30 barge home.