Finding a used sailboat

[Joel5949]

Hello, I'm looking for a specific boat (O'Day 272LE) and am curious what online sites you would recommend for locating a used boat. I have done TONS of searches on the well known sites like yachtworld.com, etc and have taken a few trips to look in person but i'm convinced there are other O'Day 272LE's out there... i just don't know where to look. All help is greatly appreciated! Also... if you have a suggestion on a boat that has 3.5" or less draft and can clear a 43' bridge then i'm all ears! I prefer something no older than the mid 80's. I haven't decided on the 272LE for sure but it seams like the most logical choice for where i'll be sailing (Oriental, NC). Thanks!

 

[bob G.]

Yacht World

Yacht World is one of the most comprehensive broker network sites. If you don't find it there they don"t list it. Private for sale by owner listings are available on a number of other sites such as Boat Trader, etc. which I'm sure others will post their favorites. Good luck....272 is a good boat by the way.

 

[bob G.]

ABL.com

ABL.com is good

 

[Brian D]

Sometimes Craig's List

Might have what you are looking for. In your address bar, just type craigslist.org and enter your city, or state. You might, and I say might, find something. Other wise, I second Yacht World.

 

[G Vogel]

Snug Harbor Boats

Try Snug Harbor Boats on Lanier Lake, GA. I believe they have a 272LE currently listed. They have a web-site.

 

[Phil Herring]

There are 5 - 272's listed here

i think one or two of them are LE's.ph.

 

[Lou 14643]

Don't limit yourself to the "LE"

Joel,We have a 272 that I was told was an "LE." Other than the gray hull color, I don't know of a difference between our boat and an "LE." Some plain 272's were built with the Westerbeke diesel and with wheel steering. Our boat has both. Otherwise, I'm not sure what we don't have that an LE does, and if I had just searched under that designation, I would not have found this boat. By the way, we love it. The shallow draft (2'11") allows us to get far up some pretty small creeks. It feels, in many ways, like a boat bigger than 27', performs well and I've been out on it for as long as 6 weeks at a time without wishing I were somewhere else! Good luck with your search. Lou

 

[steve]

This old boat ......

Well the magazine This Old Boat reviewed it in their last issue. You might want to pick it up. If I remember correctly the older models were quoted as being faster & better balanced - (maybe due to the skeg rudder). I love my 1975 27'. It has a 4' draft, 38'-6" height & an atomic four gas 30 hp engine. Absolutely a pleasure to sail. Turns on a dime, and I often single-handle her in all types of weather in scenic Brooklyn. Good luck. Steve

 

[tedsbeds]

FINDING SAILBOAT

Yachtworld, Soundings and Boattrader online seem to have the most boats, Craigslist has the cheapest.

 

[jackhartjr]

Here is one on e-bay...

...doesn't say it's an LE, not a bad looking boat.Jackhttp://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ODay-272-1986-sailboat-w-9-8-hp-Electric-start-engine_W0QQitemZ330098630225QQcategoryZ63730QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item330098630225

 

[tweitz]

272LE

I used to have a 272LE, very nice boat. Living where I have to cross a sand bar, the 2'11" draft was a decisive advantage over the prior O'Day 27 for me. If I remember correctly, the differences between the 272LE and the 272 were the following, some, but not all of which were available as options:- wheel steering- inboard diesel- double lifelines- double batteriesThere were one or two other things as well, but I can't remember them, and sold my manual with the boat.An excellent place to make you inquiry would be the O'Day owner's group on sailnet.

 

[Joel5949]

Update...

Thanks for all the great suggestions! That review in Good Old boat was great. I have looked at a couple O'Day 272LE's in person now and i really like that boat but i have decided to look at other manufacturers as well. The issue i have is draft. I have (on average) about 3'10" of water at our pier. I also have a bridge to worry about that has an avg. 45' clearance. I've been looking at wing keels because i want a boat in the 27-29' range. The area i sail in, Oriental, NC... has a lot of shoal and i want something that i don't have to worry about grounding if i stray from the channel abit. Anyway, if anyone has suggestions on a model that will work then i'm all ears! I'm considering a 1991 Catalina 28 but still checking specs on the exact draft and bridge clearance. The price jump from the O'day to the Catalina is a little more than my budget but with this particular boat i don't have to worry about transport since it's located in Oriental.