"Permission to come aboard?"

[DAdams]

Ahoy Everyone!

Don and Gina here... We are two middle-aged water loving adventures who have raised more than our share of kids; and are ready to live life to the fullest on the open waters.

Don is very talented with huge cranes, diesel engines and most anything to do with repairs. Gina (Yep, I'm Italian Mermaid) knows her way around a galley and loves the water... Neither is afraid to get their hands dirty, accept advice from seasoned sailors, ask questions or learn. Both are past power boaters, and sailboat newbies. Life changes, time slows down or should, and it's time to set sail. We have sold it all, except for Phil, the dog, and two bags of clothes.

Within our budget we are looking for a safe, sturdy, older sailboat. We started out 7000 miles and 6 weeks ago looking for our home on the water.

It all began when he looked at me and said, "I want to sail!" My answer, "Not without me! Let's do it". Him, "It's not an easy life". Her, "Neither was raising 7 kids, but nobody warned me about that!" After a huge tag sale, and the sale of the house... it was off to the internet we went setting up appointments to visit boats, researching life onboard... the good and bad of it all...

Our search began on the TN River, then down the east coast of FL to Key West. They ran us out due to Faye. We headed up the Gulf Coast and landed in Ft. Meyers... lol... So did Faye! Next we hit the panhandle of FL. We put in a back-up offer on a liveaboard in Panama City. We headed home to Charleston, SC, and met Faye once again, spent the night with Don's parents, and found Oriental, NC on the Internet.

As you probably know Oriental, NC is a quaint little town whose population of sailboats more than doubles the number of citizens. However, they do not have many for sale...

With a daughter-in-law having oral surgery, Don dropped me off in the Upstate of SC to help with the grandchildren. He has headed back to FL to visit 5 more boats while I research them online.

Our search has been long and hard... maybe we are tooooo picky... who knows. We have worked with two brokers... One we like, and one we didn't so much. Oh and there was the one I wanted to push into the water... let's not forget him! We met him at the appointed time at the marina. He leads us to a boat. Mind you I have a printout in hand. I said, "This is not the boat in my printout." He looked me dead in the eyes and said, "Sure it is, I just have a great photographer." Four hours wasted... however, much learned! All-in-all he taught us more than he knows.

Don is visiting what we hope will be our new home today. She is a 1980 Pan Oceanic Double-ender. With our budget, she is a solid vessel for our first few years in the islands. If this one doesn't workout, our will find us soon enough. So do us a favor and spit on your ship for us... Would ya please?

Looking forward to getting to know everyone and living life aboard.

All the best

[Ex-Calif]

Welcome aboard Gina and Don and Phil!

You are not new to boats so that's a good thing and you are soundly very wise in regards to brokers and it also seems that you have figured out how to pick a boat based on budget and desires.

Wow! You'll be teaching all of us!

Okay - maybe when it comes to making the boat move under sail and not motor we may have a shot to help - LOL...

Welcome aboard and enjoy Cruisers Forum.

[DAdams]

Thanks for the welcome Dan!

We are here to learn... and learn we shall. We hope to have a couples sailing course under our belt soon. Lucky for us we have friends who sail...: ) It's always good to have friends in wet places!!!

Again, Thanks for the welcome.

[imagine2frolic]

WELCOME,

The 3rd broker should've been pushed in the water. Then held under with a sharp pole...............

BEST WISHES in finding a boat to serve you well. Nothing wrong with being picky

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Don and Gina,
Welcome aboard! I wish I were looking for a good boat. Look up Allied Princess on the web page. You'll find a good one for little money.
Kind regards,
JohnL

[Cheechako]

I had friends with a Pan Oceanic. I love the design with the enclosed /deck-up nav area with a berth up there too. It was very sturdy and had the best diesel engine ever made in it (perkins 4-236). His boat had some deck issues, the deck was visibly warped. He just ignored it and kept on going. Beware, you can spend an extreme amount of money on a boat that old getting it back in shape. Sometimes it might be better to buy a smaller newer boat ... at least if it is just the two of you.

[Cheechako]

Also, be aware... most boats I've seen and sold actually sell for 25-35% less than the asking price. Real popular boats ...not so much so... Offer LOW... you can always come up. Go back for a second look in the process, if it's a broker ask if you can meet the owner on the boat. Most owners cant stop talking about their boats and you will likely learn a lot of things you didnt see the first time. More knowledge = more negotiating power. It's a fact of life... A survey will usually pay for itself in additional things you didnt find that need fixed. I was once enamoured with a large monohull that showed very clean and was "too low priced". I never went to survey though because after much discussion and research I discovered that the design had a balsa cored hull which it turns out almost all of this maker's boats were full of water!! There should be a ton of good boats in this market. What size and price range???

[DAdams]

Thanks for the advice and encouragement et all!

Don did a great job today! After 30 boats, 7,000 miles, and 6 non-stop weeks an offer was made on a boat. With advice taken, his final offer was 10k less than the asking price; after much talk and negotiations his offer was accepted. The survey and sea trial will take place in 5 weeks. We knew from the beginning they were leaving for Germany on Sunday. That's okay with us, since it is hurricane season and insurance isn't popular during this time of year.

She is a beauty! 1980 Pan Oceanic Cutter Ketch Mao Ta (Nils Lucander and Ted Brewer, designers) . From research and talks with folks, only a handful of these were built due to the troubles between the Mao Ta partnership problems. A Coast-Guard documented boat, with a lot of the goodies we hoped for... including a great bonus rain catcher setup! We mermaids love the way rain washes our hair don't ya know! Her present owners used good quality when adding upgrades… that’s a plus. I know there are things we will want to add to her also. Thank the lucky stars my brother-in-law works in a boat salvage yard in Miami… He is now my favorite brother-in-law. LOL nah, he has always been my favorite… Hey wait he is my only brother-in-law! Don’s buddies in the Charleston harbors (he is well known as a crane op) are all ready to build or rebuild whatever, whenever. Everyone is as excited as we are.

Don asked if we could come back this weekend to see the boat... I have only seen her online via photos. The owner (we didn't use a broker) said we were welcome to spend the weekend on her and check her out top to bottom! We’ll not leave the slip with her however; it will be great for bonding time!!!

As for a smaller boat... We wish... But I'm Italian, and as the Momma of five boys, two girls, three daughter-in-laws, 1 son-in-law, and four grandchildren... well we need the room for family time. What would an Italian Mom do without a few weeks of family time with the babies? I kept saying we can get a smaller boat... Don would add, "What about your babies Momma?" Then he would smile and shake his head. He knows me better than I know myself sometimes.

Please send positive energy our way for the survey and sea trial. It looks like we are close to a home on the water and our own little piece of Heaven!
Here's to new adventures!

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by DAdams

Don asked if we could come back this weekend to see the boat... I have only seen her online via photos. The owner (we didn't use a broker) said we were welcome to spend the weekend on her and check her out top to bottom! We’ll not leave the slip with her however; it will be great for bonding time!!!

Previous owners sound like Gems! Also letting you stay on board unsupervised over a weekend displays confidence in their boat.

Both signs bode well!

Good luck.

[Cheechako]

Congrats on a great boat!

[Southern Star]

Welcome and congrats. The Oceanics were great boats and, as the previous owner of a flush deck boat with pilothouse, I can tell you that you will not regret your choice based upon the design. Yes there is an increase in windage, but really it is minimal when you consider that the coachouse on any boat also creates wind resistance and hence, you only add the small area that is occupied by the side-decks (from bow on) and from the coach forward (from the side). On the plus side is increased storage, the feeling of spaciousness below, increased deck space for lounging/dinghy repairs/inflation, flaking sails etc. AND you can see over the pilothouse while seated in the cockpit. Most of the new DS (deck saloon) boats do not allow you to do that and it is critical for safe and comfortable cruising.

In addition a pilothouse saves your chartplotters, electric self steering gear and charts (not to mention yourself) from exposure to the elements. Does she have a decent removable side boarding ladder/steps? If not, Garhauer makes a terrific one at a reasonable price.

Anyway, once again congrats! Here's to hoping she makes out well on the survey and sea trial.

Brad