Hi! Looking Forward to Reading More...

[jbpollock]

I'm new to the idea of spending a lot of days on salty water with shore more than a few tens of meters away. For some reason the 35' motor raft for whitewater rafting I am accustomed to seems smaller than a sailboat of the same length.
Cheers!
Joe

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Joe.

[jbpollock]

Thanks Gord May!
I wonder if you could point me toward a forum that addresses wanna be boat owners. I've got a nest egg burning a hole in my pocket and have received a bit of good advice already. To wit, go fiberglass for a first boat; get something that's basically turnkey. I'm looking for a liveaboard so it's probably not a good idea to work in the space.
Any suggestions or pointers in the right direction for advice would be appreciated!
Joe

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and welcome aboard!
There is just a whole bunch of information right here on this forum answering your questions.
Ask the right questions in the proper threads and you'll get all the help you can get for a new sailor.
If you are intending to get a sailboat it would be good to know if you already sail. I recommend a basic sailing course if you're not already a sailor.
Look up at the top of the screen and click on Forums on the grey bar. Check the subject items that you might want to research and you'll find all kinds of information.
There is also a search button on the first blue bar.
Good luck in your search.
kind regards,

[jbpollock]

JohnL,
Thanks for the post. I've been doing a bit of research, mostly searching for budget info, i.e., purchase price, insurance, maintenance and operating costs, slip fees and amenities, cost of surveys, taxes, registration, and moving of a boat overland, if need be. I'm hoping to contact some acquaintances who are in the know. There's nothing like getting advice from those who have done it.

As far as my experience is concerned, I'm not entirely new to boating. The majority of my experience is inland motor rafting on 35' rubber pontoon rafts. That being said, I am not without a limited amount of sail experience. That is to say, I've done some sailing on sailboards, sun- and sailfish, some Hobie Cats in high school (oh, getting to be well over twenty years ago!) and few outings on some 20-30 foot boats more recently. While I can't say I participated too much in the actual sailing, I was fortunate to be part of the crew on a magnificent 75' cat in the Caribbean in the recent past.

My situation is as follows. Instead of bankrolling a land purchase with intent to build and settle down, I've decided to try to parlay my experience and desires along with my cash into a future on a sailboat. When I say "bankrolling" and "cash," I mean the not inconsiderable amount of $25k for purchase price, with other sums in reserve for the above mentioned inevitable costs. As with other pursuits I've entertained in the past, I have become somewhat loathe to divulge the actual amount in my purse. Visions of vultures sweeping in with flashy deals and disappointing substance cloud my mind. While I am doing my best to educate myself to what is solid and fitting, I shrink, out of fear I suppose, from getting bested in a bad deal or putting myself in an untenable situation. However, "Chipper," I tell myself, and I must remain so to look to the future with an unjaundiced eye and open myself to the good of what is to come. With that in mind, I lay out my situation to those who would hear it, and who would come forward in the spirit of camaraderie to offer perspectives and information that this willing fellow human would have.

To verbally summarize what I've come up with for myself (and hopefully bounce it off some willing ears):
1. At 5' 10", 180 lbs, I'm not overly nor underly sized. Get a large enough boat to live on comfortably. Get a small enough boat to handle singly. I am in my pursuit by myself, save for my canine companion. Twenty-eight feet seems too small; 40 seems too large. In between is a good range to explore possibilities.
2. Fiberglass for maintenance, durability, adhesion to a common standard.
3. For now, ability to cruise the coastal waters of the coast of California seems to be as much boat as will be necessary. Being able to safely venture beyond the line demarcating inland and near coastal waters is a must for my future plans.
4. Turnkey for living aboard. I have been without a place to call my own for some time now. I need a space without living in a work zone. I've gone that route before. Not interested.
5. Turnkey for sailing. I am not willing to be frustrated by working on a boat I want to be sailing on. I know the excitement of getting underway and, while enjoying the fruits of one's labors is fulfilling, I feel I've labored enough to exchange my money for the fruit of actually sailing.

With the above in mind I've started looking:

34' Hunter Sailboat Hunter 34 - $23000
(34' Hunter Sailboat Hunter 34)
The posting is sparse. What does it come with? The list of what needs to be on the boat I eventually own is long and there's nothing on this post in that regard. That being said, this is, from what I've seen, a hull type and manufacturer I may seriously consider. I probably wouldn't consider this particular boat, it being already listed as needing some work. I'm not afraid of the work that I know will eventually come with boat ownership. I am leery of any work that will prohibit me from sailing or living aboard immediately.

There are many more I have filed in my mind as considerable, but in the interest of concluding this post, I will have to let that do for now. JohnL, if you have actually made through to this point in my ramblings, I thank you again for your response and your time.

Joe

[propellanttech]

Joe,

To kill one of the first myths, be prepared to have a work area where you live. Boats require a lot of work, so you will be using your living space as a work space. But I understand you want to limit that to a manageable level. You should be aware, just about any boat you buy will need something with regards to repair before you go. You may also want to change some things based on your wants/needs.

Most boats run from $40000 to $150000(monohull), $100000+(catamaran) that are worthy to live on without a huge amount of initial repairs (32+ ft. range.....newer '85-'95.....the older boats do get cheaper). Don't always judge a potential boat by the price. Only personal inspection and/or survey is the best way. If someone needs out of a boat the price can drop and fast.

Yachtworld is your friend with respect to what comes on a boat from the factory. Just look at the same year and model of boat, and you will decipher what is standard (may take a few listings). Just be aware, the pictures of said boat can be years before the current listing (when she was pristine).

NADA guides will get you in a range of prices, but the real test is watching the sales, and what they actually sell for.

James L

[jbpollock]

Thanks, James L, for the reply. The tip about Yachtworld is especially useful. I know I may hoping against hope about the "no work zone" especially with the price range at which I'm looking. I've already seen substantial drops in price on individual boats listed, so I know there's some wiggle room depending on seller. I've also discovered sailboatdata.com
(HUNTER 34 sailboat specifications and details on sailboatdata.com) which is good for basic info. Some of the listings on Yachtworld seem to carry more info with respect to gear and equipment.
Cheers,
Joe