Hello from Cumming GA US

[cassianov]

Hey all,
My name is Cassiano Viana and I live over here in GA. I have recently gained an interest in sailing and have began scouring the webs for a ship. I found a 1971 Catalina 27 at a very low and attainable price. And a looking for any and all help possible haha!

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Cassiano.

[skipmac]

Hi Cassiano and welcome to the forum.

A Catalina 27 is a very good small boat. Sails well and is roomy for the size. I assume from your location you will be sailing on Lake Lanier. Very fun place to boat but can be very busy, especially on weekends and holidays. Also due to the hills around the lake the winds can be quite variable unless you are out in the main part of the lake. However, variable winds are a good way to sharpen your sailing skills.

As you might guess, I used to live in Cumming, off Pilgrim Mill Rd and spent several years boating on Lanier.

[cassianov]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Hi Cassiano and welcome to the forum.

A Catalina 27 is a very good small boat. Sails well and is roomy for the size. I assume from your location you will be sailing on Lake Lanier. Very fun place to boat but can be very busy, especially on weekends and holidays. Also due to the hills around the lake the winds can be quite variable unless you are out in the main part of the lake. However, variable winds are a good way to sharpen your sailing skills.

As you might guess, I used to live in Cumming, off Pilgrim Mill Rd and spent several years boating on Lanier.

Yes! I actually live on Pilgrim Mill Rd!
I had made another thread but it will not publish for some reason(it hasn't been approved yet). Instead I'll post it here as a reply for now.
As I said I do not have much experience or knowledge of sailing or even what to be weary of in a boat. I have since messaged this seller and asked a few questions I would expect most people to be able to answer and am seeing some red flags pop up constantly.
The boat has a transferable slip at 150/mo, but i also have friends in the area who would be willing to let me use their docks.
I then asked him the following(he replied with "Im terribly sorry I have no answers to these questions."
When was the ship last surveyed? -- added he's never had it surveyed
If you dont mind me asking what can be expected as far as insurance prices go? (Ballpark of what you have paid?) -- he said he does not know what the insurance costs
How many hours are on the engine? -- he said " The engine is old but reliable.
.. After this, I asked some more--
Okay, how long have you owned the boat for? What year is it? If you don't mind me asking, what is the history of this boat?
In regards too surveying, if you haven't had it done how did you determine the "decent conditon" of the sailboat as you have listed on your ad?
He said he has owned it for 5 years and that i is a 1971. I bought it from an older gentleman who owned it for a long time. He kept it up on lake lanier.
Please feel free to conduct your own investigation on it's condition.
I asked how he decided the condition was decent vs. good or great etc.. he said --
"I sail it as it is all the time. A picky sailor may want to do some work. A picky sailor may replace the sheets and pullies. Re-finish the teak, repaint the bottom.... so on and so forth. none of which is essential. Just a matter of pickiness. Everything works and suits me fine.
Go take a look and see if it works for you too(he then gave me the slip of the boat and key location)"
As I said the price for this ship is making it extremely tempting to me as it is very attainable; however i don't know if his has even been cared for.
I am in the process of trying to find a surveyor for it, but I would love if there was anyone around the area willing to give it a once over(since i don't really know what to look for on a ship) especially since i'd rather not spend the $20/ft on surveying if it is something that i should run away from.
Thanks in advance!

[Geek_Guy]

My personal opinion is that with a boat that size and your location the answers you got would not be unusual or really a red flag. Surveys are more common on larger boats in ocean locals. Insurance is often optional when inland. There isn't a older boat that could not get the description you got as to condition.

If it was me, I'd makes sure that it looks fairly clean and ship shape. Though you won't know some details you can tell if something has been abused or neglected.

[tdominic_97]

I used to live down past pilgrim mill road on shady grove back about 15 years ago.

[cassianov]

Originally Posted by Geek_Guy

My personal opinion is that with a boat that size and your location the answers you got would not be unusual or really a red flag. Surveys are more common on larger boats in ocean locals. Insurance is often optional when inland. There isn't a older boat that could not get the description you got as to condition.

If it was me, I'd makes sure that it looks fairly clean and ship shape. Though you won't know some details you can tell if something has been abused or neglected.

so should I have it surveyed or is that something i shouldn't worry about too much in the case that it looks good from what i can tell?

[Geek_Guy]

No one can give you an absolute answer on your question.

There are many many boats in that size and age around. They are often priced very low, often 2-4 thousand. So take a calm slow approach.

I think a survey on a 1971 27 foot boat is pretty rare. Mainly because the price is usually so low that it often doesn't make sense to spend 300 - 600 dollars when the price is only 2,000.

The boat is in the water. So it has to be sea worthy. Not likely that the day you sign a check it will just develop a hole and sink after some 40 plus years of floating. You can start and hear the engine run. You don't have to be an expert to see if it starts easily and runs. Virtually all 30 plus year old boats will have cosmetic issues. Teak dried up, cushions sad, gel coat dirty or getting thin. Those are things you can replace, clean up, or live with.

But you have to realize that you are looking at a very old boat. That doesn't mean it can't work for you but it isn't going to be shiny and glitzy. Also the owner is not likely to be the type of guy that has a babe magnet. So he probably spent little and dorked with it. That's OK too. But remember what you are looking at and how much you are willing to pay.

[cassianov]

Thanks all for your advice! This post is actually moving to http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ce-185853.html, I have added pictures and a post about the experience

[David Hughes]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Hi Cassiano and welcome to the forum.

A Catalina 27 is a very good small boat. Sails well and is roomy for the size. I assume from your location you will be sailing on Lake Lanier. Very fun place to boat but can be very busy, especially on weekends and holidays. Also due to the hills around the lake the winds can be quite variable unless you are out in the main part of the lake. However, variable winds are a good way to sharpen your sailing skills.

As you might guess, I used to live in Cumming, off Pilgrim Mill Rd and spent several years boating on Lanier.

Small world. We have a lake house off Pilgrim Mill on Fowler Trail. We have a 25' Cobalt on the lift and sadly don't get there much, now that I have the bigger boat in Florida. I guess once you're boating in the ocean, lakes just don't cut it anymore. Anyone wanna buy a nice Cobalt? LOL.