I've decided to buy a used sailboat (I've not been sailing for 15 years) and the options I've found in this area in my price range ($5-6K) are: 1979 Hunter 25, 1977 Tanzer 7.5, 1979 O'Day 25, and a 1984 O'Day 26. (There are also a '78 Buccaneer 25, an '81 US Yacht 25, and a '73 Pearson 26 but I don't know anything about those three) I plan on using the boat this season in upstate NY on the Hudson and going down the ICW to Florida this fall where I will be living aboard for a while. Eventually I plan to sail on the Sea of Cortez as I have land in Mexico I want to build a house on and retire to. If anybody has any comments on these boats as to which would be best for me singlehandling and living aboard let me know your thoughts. I favor the Keel boats over the K/C ones as I think there will be less trouble with them being in the water all the time (I've heard that the O'Days CB swell up with moisture in the hollow area and are hard to raise and lower).
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LaDonna Bubak - CatalinaOwners
You missed a couple good ones
No interest in Catalinas? You could get a newer 25 or an older 27 with that kind of money. The 27 would be really good for what you're talking about cuz there's more living space. There's certainly nothing specifically "wrong" with the others you mentioned - just wondering if you're excluding them for a reason. They're in line with the others in regards to construction techniques & abilities. My advice: look for an older (early 70s) Catalina 27. An outboard would be good cuz you can take it in to the local mechanics & they're usually pretty good with them. On the other hand, they also are easily stolen. Good luck with the choice! LaDonna
No interest in Catalinas? You could get a newer 25 or an older 27 with that kind of money. The 27 would be really good for what you're talking about cuz there's more living space. There's certainly nothing specifically "wrong" with the others you mentioned - just wondering if you're excluding them for a reason. They're in line with the others in regards to construction techniques & abilities. My advice: look for an older (early 70s) Catalina 27. An outboard would be good cuz you can take it in to the local mechanics & they're usually pretty good with them. On the other hand, they also are easily stolen. Good luck with the choice! LaDonna
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LaDonna Bubak - CatalinaOwners
One more thing
I should have added the following: Unless you're wanting to do a lot of trailering. If that's the case, look at the Catalina 25. LaDonna
I should have added the following: Unless you're wanting to do a lot of trailering. If that's the case, look at the Catalina 25. LaDonna
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David Foster
Head room, a lay-out you like 25-30 ft.
Actually, I've seen few 25 footers with 6 feet of headroom (my requirement.) I would look for any well known make, and find one that felt good to me. What equipment do you want? I don't live aboard, but hear others talk about showers, the head, cooking, heating/AC,electric power, etc. Then there are the single-handed mods: we led our halyards back to the cockpit so I can easily single hand the Lady Lillie, for instance. The idea is to make your own list, and then have a plan for getting there. Look for the whole package, or, more likely, buy one you like, then make some additions. Once you find one, be sure to get a good survey. The boats in the range you are looking are often good, but few have no problems. The survey lets you know where to start your maintenance work...and may get you out of a contract for a lemon. We bought a hunter 27 for cruising and daysailing last year, and are very happy with her.
Actually, I've seen few 25 footers with 6 feet of headroom (my requirement.) I would look for any well known make, and find one that felt good to me. What equipment do you want? I don't live aboard, but hear others talk about showers, the head, cooking, heating/AC,electric power, etc. Then there are the single-handed mods: we led our halyards back to the cockpit so I can easily single hand the Lady Lillie, for instance. The idea is to make your own list, and then have a plan for getting there. Look for the whole package, or, more likely, buy one you like, then make some additions. Once you find one, be sure to get a good survey. The boats in the range you are looking are often good, but few have no problems. The survey lets you know where to start your maintenance work...and may get you out of a contract for a lemon. We bought a hunter 27 for cruising and daysailing last year, and are very happy with her.
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Steve O.
short list
I would add Hunter 27 and Catalina 27 to the list, for the following reasons:1)solid, seaworthy boats for their size and price range 2) builders are still in business 3) good resale value 4) good support network of owners for advice Buy the biggest boat you can afford if you are going to live aboard. You will be surprised how quickly your boat gets small.
I would add Hunter 27 and Catalina 27 to the list, for the following reasons:1)solid, seaworthy boats for their size and price range 2) builders are still in business 3) good resale value 4) good support network of owners for advice Buy the biggest boat you can afford if you are going to live aboard. You will be surprised how quickly your boat gets small.
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Peter C. Cumminsky
My Response to your Replies
I note the suggestions for a larger boat but there are no larger boats locally that fit my price range. There is an O'Day 272 but he wants $15K for it and the only Catalina is a 28 which is $36.9K. I will spend a few thousand to outfit her for crusing and singlehanding but my budget is limited. Most of the ones I'm looking at have 5'8" headroom and I'm 5'9" so there's a little bit of a crunch but after being in all these small Japannese cars I think I can manage it [Grin]. As a side note - how do I find a Marine Surveyor in upstate NY and how much will it cost?
I note the suggestions for a larger boat but there are no larger boats locally that fit my price range. There is an O'Day 272 but he wants $15K for it and the only Catalina is a 28 which is $36.9K. I will spend a few thousand to outfit her for crusing and singlehanding but my budget is limited. Most of the ones I'm looking at have 5'8" headroom and I'm 5'9" so there's a little bit of a crunch but after being in all these small Japannese cars I think I can manage it [Grin]. As a side note - how do I find a Marine Surveyor in upstate NY and how much will it cost?
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Tim Schaaf
Sea of Cortez?
Where in the Sea are you planning on retiring? If that is a big part of your decision, you need to tailor the boat to your location....for instance, the ideal Sea of Cortez boat is a multihull (and I am a mono-huller). Ventilation is crucial (not many opening ports on those Catalinas), as are a good anchoring system, awnings, and a water maker. I assume you will be anchoring, as our marinas a VERY pricey and you said you were on a budget. Solar power will work much better than a wind generator. I realize that if you add all this up, it busts the budget, so you need to pick what you want very carefully. But the best Sea of Cortez boat may not be the best ICW boat...feel free to write. I happen to be the Dockmaster at Marina Cabo San Lucas, and a ten year Sea of Cortez cruising vet.
Where in the Sea are you planning on retiring? If that is a big part of your decision, you need to tailor the boat to your location....for instance, the ideal Sea of Cortez boat is a multihull (and I am a mono-huller). Ventilation is crucial (not many opening ports on those Catalinas), as are a good anchoring system, awnings, and a water maker. I assume you will be anchoring, as our marinas a VERY pricey and you said you were on a budget. Solar power will work much better than a wind generator. I realize that if you add all this up, it busts the budget, so you need to pick what you want very carefully. But the best Sea of Cortez boat may not be the best ICW boat...feel free to write. I happen to be the Dockmaster at Marina Cabo San Lucas, and a ten year Sea of Cortez cruising vet.
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Peter C. Cumminsky
Reply to Tim
I have land near San Felipe in Baja del Norte (a couple of miles from the sea) and already have use of a Marina where I am a member (Rancho El Dorado) whenever I get there. I understand the tide range is a little less than the Bay of Fundy there [Grin]. I'll probably get a Walker Bay sailing dingy for just putterin' around the edge of the mud flats and tow it as a tender for my boat.
I have land near San Felipe in Baja del Norte (a couple of miles from the sea) and already have use of a Marina where I am a member (Rancho El Dorado) whenever I get there. I understand the tide range is a little less than the Bay of Fundy there [Grin]. I'll probably get a Walker Bay sailing dingy for just putterin' around the edge of the mud flats and tow it as a tender for my boat.
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gary jensen
good boat in your $$ range
I sold an O day 27 in 1992 for $5K...If you are looking in that price range, THAT is a great boat. I sailed it on an average of 75 days per year for 12 (yes twelve) years...."WITHOUT" any break downs. I sailed it on San Francisco Bay where the winds are strong. I sailed it alone and with people. I sailed it with a 110% jib, a 150% genoa and I flew it with a spinnaker. That boat was bullet proof.I sold it to move up to a 36 Catalina and now a 1998 Catalina 380, There are times that I miss that boat. It was very cheap to operate, unlike the others...Good Luck
I sold an O day 27 in 1992 for $5K...If you are looking in that price range, THAT is a great boat. I sailed it on an average of 75 days per year for 12 (yes twelve) years...."WITHOUT" any break downs. I sailed it on San Francisco Bay where the winds are strong. I sailed it alone and with people. I sailed it with a 110% jib, a 150% genoa and I flew it with a spinnaker. That boat was bullet proof.I sold it to move up to a 36 Catalina and now a 1998 Catalina 380, There are times that I miss that boat. It was very cheap to operate, unlike the others...Good Luck
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Tim Schaaf
San Felipe, eh?
Hi Peter, Well, you will definitely get your share of tides up there!!! But, there is some beautiful cruising in the Midriff Islands, not far away. I would suggest checking out the cruising guides by Gerry Cunningham, who is quite a character, by the way. He does all his sailing in an engineless Rawson 30! By the way, I would reaffirm that the ideal boat for the area (docking permitting) would be a trimaran. There is just so much room on deck and it is ideal for diving, swimming, carrying an inflatable, etc. etc. And, by the way, if you put off your purchase for a bit, you could probably find a good deal on one in La Paz, San Carlos, or Puerto Escondido. Then again, you have your trips planned back East, so my idea is probably a non-starter. The thing is that if you are going to do any cruising, you REALLY have to be self-sufficient in that area. And, while it can be dead flat a lot of the time, it can also blow pretty hard. So, I guess my question is whether you are just going to live aboard and putter around in the general area or are you going to EXPLORE.......if I can be of help, my email address is tims@cabomarina.com.mx
Hi Peter, Well, you will definitely get your share of tides up there!!! But, there is some beautiful cruising in the Midriff Islands, not far away. I would suggest checking out the cruising guides by Gerry Cunningham, who is quite a character, by the way. He does all his sailing in an engineless Rawson 30! By the way, I would reaffirm that the ideal boat for the area (docking permitting) would be a trimaran. There is just so much room on deck and it is ideal for diving, swimming, carrying an inflatable, etc. etc. And, by the way, if you put off your purchase for a bit, you could probably find a good deal on one in La Paz, San Carlos, or Puerto Escondido. Then again, you have your trips planned back East, so my idea is probably a non-starter. The thing is that if you are going to do any cruising, you REALLY have to be self-sufficient in that area. And, while it can be dead flat a lot of the time, it can also blow pretty hard. So, I guess my question is whether you are just going to live aboard and putter around in the general area or are you going to EXPLORE.......if I can be of help, my email address is tims@cabomarina.com.mx
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Rob Rich
Bucanneer? I'd give it a look!
I bought a C-27, but I looked very closely at a Bucaneer 29.5. It was a sweet little bugger, with lots of sail and a fast tear-drop shape. That would be alright in the ICW, but would be a bit challenging in open water, I believe. I would certainly check that one out though, as well as Buc's support. I don't believe they are in production any more, and parts/service might be tough. Good Luck! (and good surveying) Rob
I bought a C-27, but I looked very closely at a Bucaneer 29.5. It was a sweet little bugger, with lots of sail and a fast tear-drop shape. That would be alright in the ICW, but would be a bit challenging in open water, I believe. I would certainly check that one out though, as well as Buc's support. I don't believe they are in production any more, and parts/service might be tough. Good Luck! (and good surveying) Rob
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Peter C. Cumminsky
Reply to San Felipe, eh?
Tim, I got a bounce back when I tried to send you an e-mail. I also couldn't get the Marina's website to load. Maybe I'll try from another e-mail account just in case it doesn't like HotMail [Grin]. Anyway here's what I wrote: From: "Peter Conrad Cumminsky" <peterconrad@hotmail.com> To: tims@cabomarina.com.mx Date: Wed, 07 Mar 2001 13:08:09 -0500 Hi Tim, We recently exchanged messages in the "Ask All Sailors" Forum on SailboatOwners.com - I was asking about buying a used boat and mentioned I had land in San Felipe for when I retire. I thank you for the advice and for the offer of help. I don't plan on getting to the Sea of Cortez until about 2003-4 so that's a ways off. My land is on El Dorado Ranch which is just outside San Felipe. They have a "Beach Club" at the Ranch and they are going to start developing a Marina/Condo/Hotel area this year. Should be ready when I get there [Grin]. I first became interested in the Sea of Cortez after reading Steinbeck's book "The Log from the Sea of Cortez" while I was living in Hawaii and California in the 80's. I was lucky enough to aquire a long-term renewable lease on some land on El Dorado Ranch in San Felipe as a place to retire. I've never actually been there yet - I moved to NY to be with my family in the late 90's - but it is my ultimate goal now that I'm approaching my 60's. As I mentioned, I'm buying a monohull sailboat locally (no big "Cats" up here) and plan on going down the Hudson this Fall, then on the ICW and puttering around Florida as a liveaboard for a year or so. I then plan on sailing the ICW to Texas and will either, sell the boat there and buy another in San Felipe (unlikely as I don't think much is available there at a resonable price), or have it transported to San Felipe and liveaboard while developing my property. I do want to explore the area once I've gotten settled in. Well, that's my plan anyway. Hope to exchange messages with you more as I progress and I will be grateful for any advice you send my way. Happy Sailin'! - Peter Conrad Cumminsky | <peterconrad@hotmail.com> - - Alternate E-Mail Addr. <peterconrad@earthling.net> - - Web Portfolio [http://www.bigfoot.com/~peterconrad/] - - Business Web [http://www.angelfire.com/biz/taming/] -
Tim, I got a bounce back when I tried to send you an e-mail. I also couldn't get the Marina's website to load. Maybe I'll try from another e-mail account just in case it doesn't like HotMail [Grin]. Anyway here's what I wrote: From: "Peter Conrad Cumminsky" <peterconrad@hotmail.com> To: tims@cabomarina.com.mx Date: Wed, 07 Mar 2001 13:08:09 -0500 Hi Tim, We recently exchanged messages in the "Ask All Sailors" Forum on SailboatOwners.com - I was asking about buying a used boat and mentioned I had land in San Felipe for when I retire. I thank you for the advice and for the offer of help. I don't plan on getting to the Sea of Cortez until about 2003-4 so that's a ways off. My land is on El Dorado Ranch which is just outside San Felipe. They have a "Beach Club" at the Ranch and they are going to start developing a Marina/Condo/Hotel area this year. Should be ready when I get there [Grin]. I first became interested in the Sea of Cortez after reading Steinbeck's book "The Log from the Sea of Cortez" while I was living in Hawaii and California in the 80's. I was lucky enough to aquire a long-term renewable lease on some land on El Dorado Ranch in San Felipe as a place to retire. I've never actually been there yet - I moved to NY to be with my family in the late 90's - but it is my ultimate goal now that I'm approaching my 60's. As I mentioned, I'm buying a monohull sailboat locally (no big "Cats" up here) and plan on going down the Hudson this Fall, then on the ICW and puttering around Florida as a liveaboard for a year or so. I then plan on sailing the ICW to Texas and will either, sell the boat there and buy another in San Felipe (unlikely as I don't think much is available there at a resonable price), or have it transported to San Felipe and liveaboard while developing my property. I do want to explore the area once I've gotten settled in. Well, that's my plan anyway. Hope to exchange messages with you more as I progress and I will be grateful for any advice you send my way. Happy Sailin'! - Peter Conrad Cumminsky | <peterconrad@hotmail.com> - - Alternate E-Mail Addr. <peterconrad@earthling.net> - - Web Portfolio [http://www.bigfoot.com/~peterconrad/] - - Business Web [http://www.angelfire.com/biz/taming/] -
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LaDonna Bubak - CatalinaOwners
Thoughts...
You have quite a plan going there, Peter. Sounds fantastic! Here are some thoughts you probably already had but I'll throw 'em out anyway... Perhaps you could forego the trip down the ICW or crew on someone else's boat and then buy a boat if Florida. You're going to have an infinitely larger selection and usually at MUCHMUCHMUCH lower prices than upstate NY. Think about this: What happens if you get to FL & just hate this boat you bought in NY? If you sell it in FL, you'll be taking a huge dump on it. If you saved that money till you got to FL, you could buy much more of a boat than you could now. If you want to go sailing now & get experience, you could sail on OPB (other people's boats) or buy a much smaller, less outfitted boat for just a little money. Then sell it before you leave NY & hop on someone else's boat for the ICW trip. There's always someone looking for crew and if you hang out at marina's, chances are you'll know 'em before you leave. You get to FL & find the right boat for the right money & off you go! Everything is going to be cheaper down there since boating is HUGE there. Haulouts cost next to nothing (comparitively), parts are more available, etc. You could really outfit your boat right there. Ok, these are just some thoughts to mull over. Sorry for being so long winded. Good luck! LaDonna
You have quite a plan going there, Peter. Sounds fantastic! Here are some thoughts you probably already had but I'll throw 'em out anyway... Perhaps you could forego the trip down the ICW or crew on someone else's boat and then buy a boat if Florida. You're going to have an infinitely larger selection and usually at MUCHMUCHMUCH lower prices than upstate NY. Think about this: What happens if you get to FL & just hate this boat you bought in NY? If you sell it in FL, you'll be taking a huge dump on it. If you saved that money till you got to FL, you could buy much more of a boat than you could now. If you want to go sailing now & get experience, you could sail on OPB (other people's boats) or buy a much smaller, less outfitted boat for just a little money. Then sell it before you leave NY & hop on someone else's boat for the ICW trip. There's always someone looking for crew and if you hang out at marina's, chances are you'll know 'em before you leave. You get to FL & find the right boat for the right money & off you go! Everything is going to be cheaper down there since boating is HUGE there. Haulouts cost next to nothing (comparitively), parts are more available, etc. You could really outfit your boat right there. Ok, these are just some thoughts to mull over. Sorry for being so long winded. Good luck! LaDonna
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Jack Gilmour
Bucaneer???
The only non-daysailor Bucaneers I recall had a very shallow keel that served as a headroom increasing walkway. These boats sailed a lt like a retractable keel boat with the keel retracted.
The only non-daysailor Bucaneers I recall had a very shallow keel that served as a headroom increasing walkway. These boats sailed a lt like a retractable keel boat with the keel retracted.
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