Good morning everyone. This will be the first of hopefully many posts to this thread and forum.
On 8/17/2021, I received a text from my coworker that simply showed a link to a 1971 22' sailboat on Craigslist.
My coworker knew that I had raced sailboats when I was in the Navy, and even participated in the 2009 TransPac race. Landlocked here in southeastern Idaho, I don't get many opportunities to sail. So now that he had garnered my interest, I enthusiastically opened the link to the posting. That's when I immediately saw that the boat was being posted as "Free". I quickly dismissed it as a scam (since the above picture was the only one provided), and closed the page without further consideration. However, I couldn't shake the thought of once again owning a sailboat. That's when I decided to reach out to the owner. No phone number was provided, so I just had to email the given link. I sent off my reply to the posting, and started the process of waiting. That's when I heard... nothing. By now the idea had thoroughly embedded itself in my brain, and I had decided I would do whatever was necessary to try and get this boat. So I again emailed the owner explaining not just that I was interested, but why I was interested, my sailing credentials, and what my intentions were with the boat. That's when I received a reply stating that it was mine if I wanted it.
It turned out that the owner and her husband had been restoring the boat for a fun retirement activity together. Tragically, he was diagnosed with terminal cancer and passed away before they could take pleasure in what they had worked so hard for. To my understanding, it had been restored to "good" sailing condition, and was used to sail among Idaho's freshwater lakes for a couple of years. However, the owner still had another, larger sailboat in Washington state, and no longer wanted to endure the emotional connection between the C22 and the loss of her husband. That was why she was willing to part with it for free, so long as it was going to go to someone who would care for it. That's where my journey has begun.
Upon getting it home, I knew I was into something remarkable. I had previously owned a Cal 20 when I was stationed in Hawaii which had needed a decent amount of work. This C22 was in fantastic condition comparatively. The only serious damage had been due to a snapped keel cable and a severed older style 3/8" keel eyebolt. Otherwise, it was in excellent condition. Below are the first (unwashed) pictures and video I took once I got it home.
The boat has cleaned up beautifully, and aside from some minor spider cracks in the gelcoat, the hull appears to be in excellent condition. The only thing I actually paid for was the outboard motor. It was a nearly new 4HP Honda long shaft with <20hrs total. With the current supply chain issues, I figured what the hell, and I gave her $1,000 for it. I was definitely getting my money's worth overall. It doesn't appear that this boat has ever touched salt water. Corrosion is very minimal overall.
I'm pretty excited about the whole experience, although I do feel for what the PO must have experienced with the loss of her husband. I hope that she can rest assured it will be cared for, and with the help of this community, will become a boat worth talking about. I'm hoping I can add to the extensive bank of knowledge on here, so stay tuned for my upcoming repairs and work!
On 8/17/2021, I received a text from my coworker that simply showed a link to a 1971 22' sailboat on Craigslist.
My coworker knew that I had raced sailboats when I was in the Navy, and even participated in the 2009 TransPac race. Landlocked here in southeastern Idaho, I don't get many opportunities to sail. So now that he had garnered my interest, I enthusiastically opened the link to the posting. That's when I immediately saw that the boat was being posted as "Free". I quickly dismissed it as a scam (since the above picture was the only one provided), and closed the page without further consideration. However, I couldn't shake the thought of once again owning a sailboat. That's when I decided to reach out to the owner. No phone number was provided, so I just had to email the given link. I sent off my reply to the posting, and started the process of waiting. That's when I heard... nothing. By now the idea had thoroughly embedded itself in my brain, and I had decided I would do whatever was necessary to try and get this boat. So I again emailed the owner explaining not just that I was interested, but why I was interested, my sailing credentials, and what my intentions were with the boat. That's when I received a reply stating that it was mine if I wanted it.
It turned out that the owner and her husband had been restoring the boat for a fun retirement activity together. Tragically, he was diagnosed with terminal cancer and passed away before they could take pleasure in what they had worked so hard for. To my understanding, it had been restored to "good" sailing condition, and was used to sail among Idaho's freshwater lakes for a couple of years. However, the owner still had another, larger sailboat in Washington state, and no longer wanted to endure the emotional connection between the C22 and the loss of her husband. That was why she was willing to part with it for free, so long as it was going to go to someone who would care for it. That's where my journey has begun.
Upon getting it home, I knew I was into something remarkable. I had previously owned a Cal 20 when I was stationed in Hawaii which had needed a decent amount of work. This C22 was in fantastic condition comparatively. The only serious damage had been due to a snapped keel cable and a severed older style 3/8" keel eyebolt. Otherwise, it was in excellent condition. Below are the first (unwashed) pictures and video I took once I got it home.
The boat has cleaned up beautifully, and aside from some minor spider cracks in the gelcoat, the hull appears to be in excellent condition. The only thing I actually paid for was the outboard motor. It was a nearly new 4HP Honda long shaft with <20hrs total. With the current supply chain issues, I figured what the hell, and I gave her $1,000 for it. I was definitely getting my money's worth overall. It doesn't appear that this boat has ever touched salt water. Corrosion is very minimal overall.
I'm pretty excited about the whole experience, although I do feel for what the PO must have experienced with the loss of her husband. I hope that she can rest assured it will be cared for, and with the help of this community, will become a boat worth talking about. I'm hoping I can add to the extensive bank of knowledge on here, so stay tuned for my upcoming repairs and work!
