due to favorable exchange rates I am considering the purchase of a yacht in the mid 30 foot range,aprox middle 1980's vintage. Sailing conditions over here are fairly windy(20-25 knot range). Hunters seem to be good value but I am not familiar with them. I would welcome any advice on different sailboats in this range and also shipping to Australia V
advise on boat purchase
- Thread starter david5327
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What are good boats from Austrailia?
Hunters will bring a lot of different comments - some love them, some hate them. Quality wise they are mid range and do offer a lot for the money. It is pretty tough to answer your question as there are so many different brands to choose from. Go to "Index of Forums" on this site and you will see what I mean. Also what is your price range in US dollars as that will define your search. Is there a large selection of Australian built boats?
Hunters will bring a lot of different comments - some love them, some hate them. Quality wise they are mid range and do offer a lot for the money. It is pretty tough to answer your question as there are so many different brands to choose from. Go to "Index of Forums" on this site and you will see what I mean. Also what is your price range in US dollars as that will define your search. Is there a large selection of Australian built boats?
reply to higgs
thanks for your reply. Budget is about $30k. Australa has a strong sailing scene but most economical mid size yachts are heavy 1970's era. this means older and narrower(smaller). We mainly have smaller production runs which means less choice. Nowdays every body wants plastic power boats.
thanks for your reply. Budget is about $30k. Australa has a strong sailing scene but most economical mid size yachts are heavy 1970's era. this means older and narrower(smaller). We mainly have smaller production runs which means less choice. Nowdays every body wants plastic power boats.
Check out...
yachtworld.com--it's probably the most extensive list of boats for sail. You can search by various filters, dollars, lenght, brand, etc.
yachtworld.com--it's probably the most extensive list of boats for sail. You can search by various filters, dollars, lenght, brand, etc.
At first
The first time I read that I thought you were talking about sailing it home. I would highly reccomend shipping a Hunter 30 that far
The Hunter is a great "bang for the buck" coastal cruiser, my concern would be the sustained high winds you spoke of. Most have a unique stay system that eliminates the backstay and makes them a little different downwind. I'm sure an engineer will tell me I'm full of it and paranoid, but if you're planning alot of offshore bluewater stuff I'd go for something a little beefier with standard rigging. Just an uneducated opinion
The first time I read that I thought you were talking about sailing it home. I would highly reccomend shipping a Hunter 30 that far
The Hunter is a great "bang for the buck" coastal cruiser, my concern would be the sustained high winds you spoke of. Most have a unique stay system that eliminates the backstay and makes them a little different downwind. I'm sure an engineer will tell me I'm full of it and paranoid, but if you're planning alot of offshore bluewater stuff I'd go for something a little beefier with standard rigging. Just an uneducated opinionFrom one aussie to another .........
David .......... have you looked at the Northshore 33? They're a sturdy well-built boat of good quality, they're locally built, generally excellent value for money ..... and ..... they're no slouch on the water either. I don't own one myself ..... but there's a more than a few around my home waters and all the owners seem very happy with them. Good luck with your search.
David .......... have you looked at the Northshore 33? They're a sturdy well-built boat of good quality, they're locally built, generally excellent value for money ..... and ..... they're no slouch on the water either. I don't own one myself ..... but there's a more than a few around my home waters and all the owners seem very happy with them. Good luck with your search.
also boattrader.com check Southern California
yachtworld and boattrader are the two big composite listings. Both have search features where you can choose by state or region. There are good deals in Southern California. Some nice clean boats. Florida has good deals too, but they tend to be damaged or distressed. So Cal is closer to you anyway. Don't be afraid to make low offers. One reason boats are cheap in California is the high price and lack of moorage. I recently bought a Catalina 38 in San Diego for $22K that was advertised at $49K. Nice boat. Estate sale. Good luck!
yachtworld and boattrader are the two big composite listings. Both have search features where you can choose by state or region. There are good deals in Southern California. Some nice clean boats. Florida has good deals too, but they tend to be damaged or distressed. So Cal is closer to you anyway. Don't be afraid to make low offers. One reason boats are cheap in California is the high price and lack of moorage. I recently bought a Catalina 38 in San Diego for $22K that was advertised at $49K. Nice boat. Estate sale. Good luck!
think fresh
The Great Lakes region might be a good spot to look. Fresh water boats are usually in better shape than salt water boats. At your price range some decent coastal cruisers from our part of the world are, in my opinion: Catalina, Hunter, C&C, CS, Endeavor, Morgan, Pearson. Some of these go back into the late 70's but are still good boats especially if out of the Great Lakes. I am certain to be leaving out other brands One other boat that may be good for you is the Newport. A friend had one and it seemed like a pretty well built boat. It was a slug in light air, so in an area like yours it may be a good choice. Another good source for you may be a publication - Practical Sailor. They do exstensive reviews of many used boats and pretty well lay it on the line with their comments. I beleive they have a book of their reviews. A friend of mine is selling his C&C 29 - that may be smaller than you want. It is here in L Ontario, so one could move it to NYC by water in a week and ship from there. I can find out more details for you if you are interested in this boat.
The Great Lakes region might be a good spot to look. Fresh water boats are usually in better shape than salt water boats. At your price range some decent coastal cruisers from our part of the world are, in my opinion: Catalina, Hunter, C&C, CS, Endeavor, Morgan, Pearson. Some of these go back into the late 70's but are still good boats especially if out of the Great Lakes. I am certain to be leaving out other brands One other boat that may be good for you is the Newport. A friend had one and it seemed like a pretty well built boat. It was a slug in light air, so in an area like yours it may be a good choice. Another good source for you may be a publication - Practical Sailor. They do exstensive reviews of many used boats and pretty well lay it on the line with their comments. I beleive they have a book of their reviews. A friend of mine is selling his C&C 29 - that may be smaller than you want. It is here in L Ontario, so one could move it to NYC by water in a week and ship from there. I can find out more details for you if you are interested in this boat.
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