Before I take the leap ...

soling42 · Apr 27, 2011

Get a survey from a completely independent surveyor!! It'll be the best thing you'll ever do if you have no experience in sailboats. A serious keel strike can be an issue unless it was throughly addressed. If the offer wasn't contingent on a survey it may be a little late and only serve to point out serious deficiencies, but still very worthwhile.

Maybe get a few basic sailing lessons from a sailing instructor/sailor friend too.

Good luck and be safe. Mike

Johnb · Apr 27, 2011

I second the suggestion for a survey. There are a lot of things like failed
rigging/steering/through hulls/unsafe propane/electricity that can really ruin
your day.

The engine is your friend - take it on a good hard 4 to 6 hour motor and make
sure it stays running.

Don't expect to have blissful enjoyment from the start, it takes time to get
into a confident routine about going out sailing but you will get there. Be
better at staying out of trouble than getting out of trouble. Be brave enough to
chicken out when it is the better thing to do. Practice reefing before you need to.

Practice man over boards. Don't wrap/tangle lines (sheets, anchor or anything
else) around yourself or allow anyone else to get in the way of danger. Don't die from carbon monoxide poisoning. Don't blow the boat up with propane. Don't head butt the boom. Do know the waters you are sailing in.

Merlin Clark · Apr 28, 2011

I strongly recommend a sailing course for both you and your wife. Include your kids over about 8yo in classes too but that can happen later.
This will "invest" everyone in your sailing and make it safer, less stressful and far more pleasurable than trying to figure out things on your own.
Above all else it should be fun and relaxing. For me, a few minutes on the boat, even tied to the dock, can erase the stresses of a bad day.
You'll find the PS course covers boating basics but nothing to do with sailing.
Sailing is much more involved and seems to require more grey matter than stink-potting around in Rodney Dangerfield style.
There is your first motorboater slur, any "yachtsman" that blasts through your peaceful anchorage in his plastic condo is a "%^&*($#@ (your choice of expletives) Rodney (from the boat scene in Caddy Shack)".
If you all enjoy the sailing experience, it will become a very pleasent part of your lives.

KMm · Apr 28, 2011

Take a Basic sailing coarse, it will allow you to learn what you need to know to keep yourself and others safe and make learning to sail fun, why do I say this? When I first learned to sail I took lessons after I finished and a check out I was allowed to take out any of the fleet Cat 27's. My third trip out of Newport harbor in SoCal we were tacking up the channel between the levy's, the wind was 3 to 5 mph (onshore) and we were flying a 150 jenny and the main. We had just reached the outer marker when the wind switched 180 degrees and we were hit with a gust of wind at 45 to 50+( The famous Santana winds off the high desert). The Boat was flat in the water and sail were filling with water in less than 20 seconds. Would you know what to do? Had I not been schooled on that in the coarse I would not have had a clue. An may have guessed right but could just as easy sank. or how about the fellow who was sailing to Catalina Isl. and was de-masted in the channel, no gps, no radio no safety gear of any kind. They found his boat two months later off the coast of Peru, alive, lucky, he ate seagulls and rain water. Be smart, Be safe, take lessons. Chances are you will always bring them back alive. Fair winds

NOLA_Hunter · Apr 28, 2011

I am hoping that your surveyor included an appriased value in your survey. That is a standard item in the survey.

To get a boat's market price, you can go to www.bucvalu.com and click the link in the upper left part of the page "Boats value search". I believe they still allow a couple free searches. Also, http://www.nadaguides.com/Boats is another place. BUC and NADA will give you an idea of the market price of the boat. BTW, very, very few boats qualify as "Bristol/excellent" condition. Now, every owner believes their boat is in Bristol condition and then some.

Another way is to do a web search of the model you are looking for. This will take you to sites like Yachtworld and "for sale by owner" sites. This will give you a ballpark of what your model year is going for. Just remember that a used boat's "listed" price is like a car's "sticker price". Never pay sticker price.

David in Sandusky · Apr 29, 2011

If you are really interested in the market price, search the web as advised in earlier posts. Of course, if you are in contract, you are too late for it to make any difference.

My quick web search came up with a range of $20,000 to $27,000 asking price, which would imply $18,000 to $24,000 or lower sale price.

In my opinion, it is well worth paying at the high end of the range for a well maintained boat, since the market only pays a little for good condition, and real extras.

Beware of all the goodies, though. Our friends bought a boat with "everything," and most of the stuff was really tired! Sails, electronics, electrical, plumbing and instruments were all on their last legs, and they ended up replacing or junking most of them in the first few years of ownership.

soling42 · Apr 29, 2011

Man, I hate to say this but I sure hope that price didn't come from a surveyor with connections to the seller or broker. I'm kinda agreeing with Davids last post on the price(if it's a '93 Hunter 28).

Either way have a great sailing experience and keep some canned spam on-board

.
Loved the don't die list too. Electrocution counts.....I have a slight lightening phobia after 2 close calls that left a mark.

Mike

isaksp00 · Apr 29, 2011

Tip I learned in a chartering course: never unplug your shore power cord from the boat end first - always unplug from the dock receptacle, THEN from the boat. That way, if the unplugged end drops overboard, it has no voltage.

Tally Ho · Apr 30, 2011

eliems said:
The survey did come up with a value of $35,000. Any opinions about this estimate?

Thanks.

PS: I pay for the boat tomorrow! :dance:

I assume that this is CDN $? Sounds a little high, but maybe not in Canada.

I purchased a 1996 Hunter 280 over the winter with an 18 hp Yanmar, Autohelm autopilot, GPS, Wind Speed/Direction, Depth, etc and 3 sails (main, roller furling jib and cruising spinnaker. Also included a microwave, seat cushions, alcohol stove and icebox. Seller was asking $26,900. I offered $25,500. We are on Lake Michigan.

I took some sailing lessons last summer and chartered a boat once. Not much experience, but my 2 sons and I sailed her the 85 nm from Milwaukee to Indiana over Easter Weekend. Took 2 days and we motor-sailed all the way. Was not the most pleasant trip (38 degrees F and raining when we left Milwaukee), but is was worth it as we sailed past Chicago and got the boat in her slip. Now we are ready for some nice warm sunny weather!

Good luck on you purchase.

mel22 · May 2, 2011

Congradulations and many happy sailing adventures to you and your wife. Will the PO do some more sailing with you or is there a sailing club where you could get some more experiance.