Looking At a Cape Dory 25 and 3 different Balboa 26's

wsmac

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Feb 16, 2017
134
Hunter 28.5 Humboldt
I'm the guy some may know from the Hunter forum who is looking at a 28.5 and a 33.
Getting a lot of advice, suggestions, information, and experiences over there! :thumbup:
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Hoping I can get the same here. Just any personal experiences with any of the boats I'm listing below... as an owner or someone who has sailed on any of them.
I'm 6'2" and 230lbs also... just figured that might play into things.
I appreciate a bit more headroom down below but a couple of these I do know will force me to duck all the while below deck, and for the size of boat.... I don't expect standing room for myself! ;)
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Slowing myself down a bit on the liveaboard idea, thinking of a cheaper used boat... another option for me is to get a smaller learning boat that's ready to set sail for daysailing, and take more time on the liveaboard idea.
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So... here I am... having looked at many a sailboat locally... I have the opportunity to buy.... oh... and all the boats come with a mainsail and at least a jib if not a genoa too...
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1. an early 80s Cape Dory 25, with sails, sail covers, Nissan outboard, and a slip for less than $2000. It was over that price but has now come down. The owner wants to sell it to buy a bigger boat for his young family. I looked at it and it's a doable thing for me. This boat is in shape to sail, but as you can imagine for the price... it's not pristine.
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A local guy has a trailer for it that looks as new as a used trailer can... asking price is $1200.
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2. The other 3 boats are all Balboa 26

-2 have trailers, 1 does not.
-2 are in the water, 1 is not

a. The one in local waters hasn't been sailed for a year or more... I met the owner and his brother... older gentlemen... the owner needs to unload some things like this due to becoming incapacitated enough not to be able to sail anymore... I recognize the symptoms. This has a radio and some other electronics, outboard motor, needs cleaning but appeared dry inside (we've been having pretty steady and heavy rains lately that has helped me spot leaking vessels).
No trailer, and I think I would be able to keep that slip it's in. No price yet... was told to make them an offer. Also, the boat is not listed for sale yet... I happened to meet them at the docks and struck up a conversation.
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b. The second Balboa 26 (70s era) is on a lake 3 hrs drive from here. Trailer is in great shape, boat looks to be in cleaner and maybe better shape (from pics only) than the first Balboa, swing keel.
I may go look at it this weekend. $6,000 for boat and trailer.
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c. Third Balboa 26 (70s) era. Full keel. Been sitting on a decent looking trailer with pads - not rollers and with a 30' tongue extention, for a number of years. All for $3200.
Says it has radios...plural... that go with it. Also has a Chrysler 10hp outboard with forward controls. From the pictures, it will need cleaning and probably some brightwork and such. Not sure yet about hull/deck/mast condition.
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Just noticed a couple of others as well.... another boat on that 3 hour drive for the 2 Balboas.
1986 Laguna 26 with 8 hp Johnson long-shaft, trailer, sails and rolling furler. States this boat has been sailed to the Catalina and San Juan Islands. $4000
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Then there's a local Santana 20, with a Johnson Seahorse 2hp long-shaft, and a nice looking trailer with tongue extension also. Nice looking on the outside from the pics... no inside pics. Sails state to be in good condition.
They are asking $2650
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So that's the bunch I have to choose from currently.
Figuring one of these might fit the bill for a weekend sailing/training boat.
Probably mostly by myself, but at times, hopefully with my girlfriend and/or her 2 teen kids.
Sailing around our bay and possibly trailering to a large lagoon locally.
Again... something to keep me wet while I continue my search and saving for a 30' (or more) liveaboard that I can use to coastal cruise up to Oregon and Washington, and down the California coast, maybe someday all the way to Mexico.
 
Jan 1, 2006
7,040
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
I like the fact that you are focusing on how you are going to use the boat now. I've posted before that folks should buy a boat that fits how they are going to use it now instead of for what they envision for the future.
The CD 25 won't scare you. It is a good platform to learn sailing. It is a simple boat in rigging and operation. You don't need to upgrade it to be a modern boat. You can buy it, use it and sell it. Hang on to that slip if you can, however. I've never sailed the Balboa 26.
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
I sold my Balboa 26 last April. I had purchased it for $3000. It had recently had the interior professionally repainted, and the cushions recovered, but the keel was in bad shape. I removed the keel, restored it, stripped the 20 layers of bottom paint and fixed all of the cracks and dings, barrier coat and repainted the bottom and then sold the boat for $6000. I also sailed it a good bit before I sold it.

Here are a few things I can say about the Balboa. It is a VERY stiff swing keel boat and holds up well in a good breeze. There is also a lot of room inside and a lot of storage room under the cockpit. Also the hull is very thick. It is built like a tank but still sails very well. Mine had a roller furled head sail but if I were to buy another, I'd go with hanked on head sails. Stepping the mast with the roller furler was a pain.

It is marketed as a trailer sailboat. But it is a BEAST of a trailer sailboat and stepping the mast and launching usually took me over 2 hours with help.

If I were to buy another Balboa, I would want to have a slip that I leave it in most of the time... and trailering it to a new place something I did only now and again.

Also, really look at the keel (see pics below) and the winch. This keel weights 1200lb with a big lead ball on the end. So the winch and cables need to be in really good shape. Also take a hard look at the keel trunk and look for damage. My Balboa had obviously been grounded and the trunk damaged and I had to do some glass work on the trunk to repair some leaks. It was a pain. A design flaw of the Balboa is the fact that the pivot pin for the swing keel is below the water line. So you need to look at the pivot pin and make sure there is no elongation of the pivot-hole in the trunk. If so, you will need to drop the keel (tonne of work -- pun intended) and repair the hole or your boat will constantly leak.

Sail the boat before you buy it and then look at how much water accumulates in the bilge. When I first got my balboa, it leaked a lot on a port tack but not so much on a starboard tack but stayed dry when just sitting in the water. When I cleaned the bottom I found out why, I had cracks that would open up on the starboard side. I fixed that too. The keel is so massive that it puts a lot of strain on the bottom of the hull when under sail. So some hull damage only becomes apparent when under sail.

With all of those negatives said. It is a solid boat! Heavily built, with great sailing qualities for a trailer sailboat. One that you could constantly upgrade and restore and maybe even turn into a live-a-board someday. Just make sure it has not been grounded. I've sailed mine to Tangier Island, from Oriental NC to Ocracoke Island, and all over Smith Mountain Lake. It is a fast and comfortable boat.
Keel-oorah.jpg
Keel-trailing edge.jpg
Ready.jpg
backing removed.jpg
keel winch.jpg
Frustration.jpg
gasket.jpg
gasket2.jpg
bushing.jpg
 
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Aug 2, 2009
637
Catalina 315 Muskegon
The Cape Dory is a nice boat. Back when I was sailing a Grampian 26 a couple decades ago, my friend had a CD25, and compared to my Grampian, I'd have to say the CD was slower, and wetter in a chop. Also had an outboard in a well, which looks nice, and may keep the noise level down, but you'll have your prop in the water when you're under sail. That said, it's still a decent boat, and if it fit my needs, I'd consider one.

Looks like the Balboa uses a swing keel, while the CD is a full/fixed keel. If I bought a Balboa, the number one project on my to-do list would be to make sure the keel was sound, meaning that at the very least, I'd want to have a good look at the pin for the swing keel. And, if the keel is pitted and rough, remove it from the boat, sandblast it, fair it, epoxy coat it, paint it, and re-install. That keel is darned heavy, by the way.

UPDATE EDIT: Looks like Rgranger's posted while I was composing my response....he gives an excellent description on the keel issue.

Whatever problems may be lurking in the CD25, at least you don't have an old swing keel that may or may not have received the maintenance it needs.

I would also expect a CD25 to sell quicker when the time comes.
 
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Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
One more thing about the Balboa... if you do decide to buy one... make sure you have a keel winch that has a break on it. As I mentioned, the keel weights 1200 lb. So if you accidentally let go of the winch handle while lowering the keel, and you don't have a break, the handle would fly around at an alarming rate... and probably break a finger or two.

Also, if you do go with a Balboa, PM me. I have spec sheets for the boat that include the rig and the keel cables etc. and I can send you all of that stuff. I might even still have the jiffy reef lines that were on my Balboa that I could put in the mail for you.

r
 
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wsmac

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Feb 16, 2017
134
Hunter 28.5 Humboldt
Thank you all for the comments! :thumbup:
As I type... I glanced over on my table and the two pages I made up from SailboatData on the Balboa 26 and the Cape Dory 25 are sitting right on top.
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I do like the idea of a bit more room below, and the Balboa certainly had that a bit over the CD25.
It's been interesting and fun comparing numbers between the boats that I have actually been able to board.
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One other boat I checked that was on the hard is the Ericson 25+.
It comes with a trailer (rough shape, but structurally sound such that I could move the boat to local water), with tongue extension. The boat will need work to chase down some leaks inside. I was unable to check the deck out due to rain and a tarp being drawn down tight over the deck.
The owner had removed the motor, left all the mounting blocks/ring, and glassed over any opening from outside the hull. He said he used 2 types of cloth and mat with a kit from West System. From the outside it looks good... but since he admitted this was his first glassing job... I figured I didn't want to take the chance.
He is asking $5000 for it! But he really wants/needs to sell it and I got the feeling he would come down.
I'm passing on that one though... even at half the price... seeing as how that price would get me into a more solid boat from what I've seen.
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I'll head out this weekend, weather dependent, to check out the other 2 Balboas and hopefully the Laguna 26, once I hear back from the owner.
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I'll also contact the owner of the local Santana 20 and arrange a look if it hasn't sold yet.
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Having fun with all this so far... even when battling that feeling that I JUST WANT IT NOW! :D
 

wsmac

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Feb 16, 2017
134
Hunter 28.5 Humboldt
As far as having a trailer....
My use for that is two-fold.
With a proper tongue extension for the shoal and full-keel boats, I can see doing my own haul outs for inspection/servicing and on-shore storage if desired, as well as the occasional move to another body of water.
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As I type that... I realize I should investigate moving a boat from the Bay to local Lagoons and Lakes... whether that's allowed, and what type of cleaning and inspection I might have to go through. I'm new to all that, but I'm aware of the concern over invasive species.
 

wsmac

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Feb 16, 2017
134
Hunter 28.5 Humboldt
rgranger... just wanted to say thanks for all the pics, the stories, and the offers!
:thumbup: :plus:
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
Glad I could help.

Another boat you might want to consider is the Rhodes 22.

http://www.usedrhodes.com/home.html
www.generalboats.com/home.html

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I know 22 sounds small but the Rhodes 22 is a huge 22. It has a flaired bow so it rides dry, an 8' beam so it has a lot of interior room and everything is designed to be easy to use. Main and Genoa are on roller furlers... the pop-top is on a line to the mast so one hand raising. The outboard is on an electric motor lift... head is a true head with mercerator etc. I chartered Stans (the owner of General Boats) for a week cruise and totally fell in love with that boat. They are very roomy inside, have a functioning galley. Two can sleep in the V-berth, the galley converts to another two and a cockpit tent essentially turns the cockpit into a queen berth. If you can find a used one in your area, that might be a great boat for what you have in mind. A new one is $40K but you can find used ones in the $5K range. These are true trailer sailboats but I do know of at least one person who has sailed one to the Bahamas.

I actually have one that I'm restoring but it is still in rough shape. I paid $250 for it because it had sunk in the slip.
 
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