Advice Please

[Propnut30]

I have a chance to buy a 1977 Columbia 8.2 but I have a few concerns. First I should say that I have no experiance with boat this size and I plan on getting professional training. Im recently widowed and have spending a lot of time at the beach, its my outlet. I started scuba diving but dive sites around there mostly require a boat. I figured with fuel costs and how much time I plan on investing a sailboat would be the way to go. I also am tired of paying for hotel rooms and campgroungs there are almost non-exixtant. I found this. She is in what appears to be good shape, a fellow was living there but passed away. It has a slip, at a reasonable price, and the boat itself is only $1500. The mast is broken and needs to be replaced but the rigging and sails are fine. Would it be pratical to find a replacment mast, if so, what measurments will I need. And how does it mount, does it fold down? A fellow at a salvage yard said that if I got him enough information he could find a mast from another boat maybe not the same model to put on it.

Does it sound like it could be a good idea. Im not looking for a boat that will turn heads, just a toy that I can depend on without breaking the bank. On the same note I dont want a dog either. Here is a link to the site. I plan on looking at the boat myself after Turkeyday.

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/boa/1469891189.html

Its obvious that I cant tow it with my truck, I love my toyota but she just aint big enough.

Thanks in advance
Brian

Thanks in advance.

 

[Propnut30]

I found my own answer. Being that I would much rather get to sailing as soon as possible, I scratched the idea. I asked around and found a 1984 Macgregor 25'. By looking at the boat I would swear it was only a couple years old. This girl was really well cared for. It cost me a little more than twice the asking price of the columbia but the time, money, and effort spent in fixing and parts searching would have been about even.