yet another which boat? thread

[madgunny]

Morning all.
I am hoping to get some input from experienced sailors/liveaboards regarding which boats you members would consider likely prospects as a liveaboard/part-time cruiser.
firstly, I have no experience sailing. I spent a week on a friends cal 30 as an untrained gopher( calling myself crew would be a misrepresentation!) and caught the bug.
some info to help you all narrow the field is as follows
I am considering sailboats exclusively
30-35 foot range seems ideal for me as I would eventually single hand(after learning how)florida coast st. augustine/jax area
I would be at a marina or mooring ball near same and would spend about a year working ashore fulltime as I learned to sail. with plans for coastal cruising N. carolina to florida and bahamas
I am 6'1'' and prefer not to duck
I will be buying used, and have sailing friends to help with an initial inspection before having it surveyed
I have been looking for a few months on the usual used boat sites, sailboatlistings,boattrader, etc.. and have found several that caught my eye, and met my pricerange of 10k or less.
I understand repairs are to be expected and unavoidable. I have looked at and liked Bristol, newport, grampian , cal, and columbia boats in the 27 to 35 foot range.
so what say you all? input?? laughs of derision?

[Mike Vogdes]

You should consider a Catalina 30.. Very popular roomy boat for a 30 footer, They are everywhere and you may even find one in your price range.

[madgunny]

I've looked at a few and they all seem to be rather short on headroom? 5'10'' if I recall, otherwise yes. they looked pretty decent

[Sailormantx]

Maybe a morgan out island 33? Not the greatest sail performance, but shallow draft and a huge interior for it's size. They can be found for cheap of you are wiling to put some work into it.

[letsgetsailing3]

It would be a lot cheaper to buy your friend beers and sail with him.

[madgunny]

sailormantx .. I have seen a few morgans in my pricerange, and heard some reviews good/ and bad, but it seems like every morgan I found had massive need for repower and retrofits, we're talking pickled motors, no sails, etc.. maybe if something comes up in the near future. I grew up fixing and building 60's musclecars so I'm not afraid of infernal combustion, and the ubiquitous atomic 4 looks like an old iron duke to me, so maybe I could pull off a rebuild but the sails tend to cost more than the boats I'm looking at, lol. other helpful suggestions?? I don't mind buying a sailable but otherwise beat up learner boat that I won't mind getting a little dock rash on as I learn

[madgunny]

letsgetsailing3. of the friends I have who sail and / or live aboard. only one drinks. they all enjoy a good steak tho. must be something about living cheap on the hook and trying to eat all the free fish... what say you all about a little old cape dory 27?? am talking with a gentleman now .. its cheap, motor works, and it has useable sails. input?

[BlackOak]

Get something with more than a 10ft beam. You will find it more roomier, and makes it more spacious feeling when you step down inside. When ya go for length, be aware of what ya want. My 34 footer is a good size boat, but nearly 7 feet of that is open cockpit. So take that into consideration as well.

[letsgetsailing3]

For a 10K budget, expect some warts. Look for one that floats, has a working engine, sails and rigging. If you find one that you like, get it! Your criteria are lots more important than ours.

Everything else is more or less optional, and some would argue that the engine is optional. Put cosmetics at the bottom of the list.

Be sure and figure out a reasonable budget. After that initial 10K, there will be lots of regular expenses that you might forget about, like insurance, maintenance, storage, etc.

[madgunny]

yes I definitely notices the size discrepancies. I spent alot of years as a full time RVer so I know that a 28 foot trailer is only 24 when you remember the hitch! seems like boats and cockpits are about tyhe same only worse. lol.once the cabin sale is over and the check clears I am planning on moving post haste to florida and renting a small efficiency for awhile, maybe cruiisng up and down the east coast for a bit and gonna try to spend as much time on as many boats as I can get access to.. seems to be pretty much a buyers market these days, so I'm hopeful for a decent deal

[Mike Vogdes]

The Florida market is flooded with used boats, you should be able to find what you have in mind there.

[Sailormantx]

Cape Dory is a great boat, my first boat was a CD 25. But they are narrow, small boats for their size. More than six foot of headroom is uncommon in smaller boats; be sure to check bunk length too! Walk the docks, check craigslist,boat donation charities, and ebay...yachtworld and major brokers are unlikely to have what you are looking for.

[Jaxxiam]

Check out the Walkin 27. Not The best sailing vessel (very beams) but it will get where you want to go.

[madgunny]

yes I noticed the dory was a little narrow, and others like the morgans/catalinas were a LOT roomier and that may be an issue once I get boots on the ground , so to speak, but a huge attraction for me is SOLID fiberglass hull and decks! I haven't been cruising the forums and such for a long time yet, but it seems to me one of the largest issues with older boats seems to be core rot/soft spots... and I understand they are replaceable/repairable, but solid FG seems like a nice touch don't you think?.. does a narrower beam make them less manageable? more likely to heel? or is that a result of just too much sail? the idea of sailing, while essentially sitting on my ear doesn't hold alot of appeal lol

[Jaxxiam]

I would suggest reading reviews found all over the internet along with finding owners that can give you some insight on the boat. I would also suggest to find a boat and go sailing!
There are too many boats out there to limit yourself to something you have to fix before you can use.
Find a boat in your price range and get out there. Most importantly have fun. Personnel I like working on my boat, not all tasks are pleasant but knowing I'm making her better make all the difference. You will have to be prepared to spend time & some money on what ever boat you end up with.
Don't get all wrapped up in the dream of cruising and lose sight of the hard work and hardships of boat ownership.