Greetings! I'm sure my tale is one often heard but bare with me for I'm still in the new and exciting phase. For many years now I've wanted to get a sailboat/yacht. I've saved about 15k and am getting ready to enter the market. There seems to be alot to consider. I'll start with what my dream is. I have in my mind a wooden type boat, something that needs love but is still sound. I'm not interested in racing. Though it looks fun, I see boats as the last frontier of freedom. I want to nourture the boat and then learn to sail so I can explore something beside downtown malls. I'd start by continuing to work fulltime and not living onboard, but over the next 5 years or so I'd like to make that transition. So I'd like it to be roomyish. I've seen Catinlina's, Erricksons and Hunters abound, but have yet to decern the strengths and weaknesses. Then of course there's the slip...so much to know. Does anyone have any advice for a new comer? I'm trying to take my time and learn what I can, its all a little scary actually. I don't want to buy something to find myself dissappointed because i moved to fast. Anyone out there willing to lend some guidance?
New Comer
- Thread starter Oktarb
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WOOD: too much work 'n worry...
My thoughts is that if you like continuous upkeep concerns...go with plenty of WOOD. As for me, I desired Safety, East of Upgrades, Comfort, and Trailerability...I bought a Mac 26-X, all Fiberglass, and very STRONG. Great fun too with more HORSEPOWERj, the boat does well with 10 HP to 50 HP. Plenty of speed either sailing or motoring. The boat wont SINK when flooded...many examples of this proven in the NEW ORLEANS Katrina episode. We enjoy camping on the boat, and with TWO...there's plenty of ROOM. For day sailing...accomodations are fine with 4-5 folks on board. Mac 26-X...a Fine Boat. I just dont favor those HEAVY WEIGHTED KEELS, unless one is considering boats in 30 Ft or MORE along with plenty of BLUE WATER SAILILNG.
My thoughts is that if you like continuous upkeep concerns...go with plenty of WOOD. As for me, I desired Safety, East of Upgrades, Comfort, and Trailerability...I bought a Mac 26-X, all Fiberglass, and very STRONG. Great fun too with more HORSEPOWERj, the boat does well with 10 HP to 50 HP. Plenty of speed either sailing or motoring. The boat wont SINK when flooded...many examples of this proven in the NEW ORLEANS Katrina episode. We enjoy camping on the boat, and with TWO...there's plenty of ROOM. For day sailing...accomodations are fine with 4-5 folks on board. Mac 26-X...a Fine Boat. I just dont favor those HEAVY WEIGHTED KEELS, unless one is considering boats in 30 Ft or MORE along with plenty of BLUE WATER SAILILNG.
Wooden woes
I am aiming for 30+ feet. Most the recommendations I've gotten were to start right around there. And of course the more I read the more I'm led to believe that I should depart from my nostalgic dreams. Maybe a teak deck or partial...
I am aiming for 30+ feet. Most the recommendations I've gotten were to start right around there. And of course the more I read the more I'm led to believe that I should depart from my nostalgic dreams. Maybe a teak deck or partial...
Wood... No Good...
Well, that true but I'd like to try and steer you away from a wooden hull at the very least. There are a lot of fiberglass hulls out there in the 30 foot range that would work very well for you but not too many of them are under the 15K lid. You could start right on this site and look at the classified adds for boats for sail. You can specify 30 feet or larger and 15K as your budget and you will find a couple. You'll see they are thirty year old boats. That isn't a bad thing if they have been maintained properly. Those old fiberglass hulls were very well made and could go another thirty years if all other maintenance issues have been addressed and there is no rot in the deck or transom. Be sure and have a survey done if you are going to buy a boat that is that old. Some other places to look over the boats on the market: Yacht World: http://www.yachtworld.com/index.html.en Boat Trader: http://www.boattraderonline.com/newadsearch.html?is_wildcard=NO Boats.com: http://www.boats.com/index.jsp They will all let you search by length and price. There are a lot of old Catalina 30's, Hunters, Ericson's, etc. out there that would be great starter boats for you. They might even be all you will ever need or want. You might even find a few wooden hulls out there but your 15K will buy you a money pit. Good luck, enjoy the shopping and buying experience then get a few lessons to get you started safely.
Well, that true but I'd like to try and steer you away from a wooden hull at the very least. There are a lot of fiberglass hulls out there in the 30 foot range that would work very well for you but not too many of them are under the 15K lid. You could start right on this site and look at the classified adds for boats for sail. You can specify 30 feet or larger and 15K as your budget and you will find a couple. You'll see they are thirty year old boats. That isn't a bad thing if they have been maintained properly. Those old fiberglass hulls were very well made and could go another thirty years if all other maintenance issues have been addressed and there is no rot in the deck or transom. Be sure and have a survey done if you are going to buy a boat that is that old. Some other places to look over the boats on the market: Yacht World: http://www.yachtworld.com/index.html.en Boat Trader: http://www.boattraderonline.com/newadsearch.html?is_wildcard=NO Boats.com: http://www.boats.com/index.jsp They will all let you search by length and price. There are a lot of old Catalina 30's, Hunters, Ericson's, etc. out there that would be great starter boats for you. They might even be all you will ever need or want. You might even find a few wooden hulls out there but your 15K will buy you a money pit. Good luck, enjoy the shopping and buying experience then get a few lessons to get you started safely.
Look out - the onslaught is just beginning
My 2 cents: - you will be rich with all the 2 cents you are going to get with your post. First, know that a fiberglass boat is a lot of work. Hard to work fulltime and keep an old boat up properly. Wood is twice the work. How anyone actually sailed before fiberglass is something that amazes me. There are older glass boats that you can buy within that price range - be ready to work and work hard. If you hate getting dirty or are a klutz with your hands, this is not the life for you. At this price range, you will probably not be able to get a boat suitable to travel offshore - like go to Europe. If your plans are keeping you close, the boats you nentioned will suffice. Be sure to find a good surveyor. It will cost you $500, but it will save you from buying a boat that is going to be worthless. That said, all boats = trouble. Even new boats have issues. Whatever you buy you will pour money into it and put a hell of a lot of work into it as well. After 30 years of owning old boats, I still love it.
My 2 cents: - you will be rich with all the 2 cents you are going to get with your post. First, know that a fiberglass boat is a lot of work. Hard to work fulltime and keep an old boat up properly. Wood is twice the work. How anyone actually sailed before fiberglass is something that amazes me. There are older glass boats that you can buy within that price range - be ready to work and work hard. If you hate getting dirty or are a klutz with your hands, this is not the life for you. At this price range, you will probably not be able to get a boat suitable to travel offshore - like go to Europe. If your plans are keeping you close, the boats you nentioned will suffice. Be sure to find a good surveyor. It will cost you $500, but it will save you from buying a boat that is going to be worthless. That said, all boats = trouble. Even new boats have issues. Whatever you buy you will pour money into it and put a hell of a lot of work into it as well. After 30 years of owning old boats, I still love it.
Old wooden boat = old wooden coffin
If you are unfamiliar with naval architecture (boat degigning and buildind) and you attempt to learn by working on your own wooden boat there is a good probability that you kill yourself some day. This is not meant to be a joke and I'm not overreacting. Besides, you will probably spend the next several years and lots and lots of money fixing it up and you will have lived the dream of fixing an old boat, but never having sailed it. If you ask 9 sailors which is the best boat for you, you will get 10 different answers. Also consider that you are spending what i perceive to be most if not all of your savings and you may choose a boat that is not suitable to your needs. That would be an expensive lesson to learn in the way of money and time. Just a suggestion here.....Buy an old Macgregor 25 for about $2,000 with a healthy outboard motor. That way you can sail the darn thing the same day you buy it. It is big enough for 2 on a 2 week vacation ( we have done it), easy enough to learn to sail( thats what we did), then after a year of sailing and meeting other sailors you will have enough of lifes experiences on a small sailboat to better know what to upgrade to (thats what we did), if at all. The best thing about this is that you can always sell it a year later and still get your money back. I had bought our first sailboat, a MacGregor 25 with a swing keel, and neither of us had ever even been on a sailboat in our lives. I work offshore, i got a bunch of books from the library on how to sail and read them at work. Two weeks later, i got off from work and our first sail EVER, we went from Gulfport , Ms. to Pennsacola, Fl for a 2 week vacation. We had a blast. BTW, we were in our 50's when we did this. Then i made the mistake of buying a "project" boat to upgrade. bottom line....wasted a lot of money and more importantly, wasted some valuable sailing time. Since then, i have repaired and restored many many boats for others. The lesson learned by this is that a project boat is rarely if ever worth the effort, at least for me. Good luck in whatever you decide. So......was that long winded enough?
If you are unfamiliar with naval architecture (boat degigning and buildind) and you attempt to learn by working on your own wooden boat there is a good probability that you kill yourself some day. This is not meant to be a joke and I'm not overreacting. Besides, you will probably spend the next several years and lots and lots of money fixing it up and you will have lived the dream of fixing an old boat, but never having sailed it. If you ask 9 sailors which is the best boat for you, you will get 10 different answers. Also consider that you are spending what i perceive to be most if not all of your savings and you may choose a boat that is not suitable to your needs. That would be an expensive lesson to learn in the way of money and time. Just a suggestion here.....Buy an old Macgregor 25 for about $2,000 with a healthy outboard motor. That way you can sail the darn thing the same day you buy it. It is big enough for 2 on a 2 week vacation ( we have done it), easy enough to learn to sail( thats what we did), then after a year of sailing and meeting other sailors you will have enough of lifes experiences on a small sailboat to better know what to upgrade to (thats what we did), if at all. The best thing about this is that you can always sell it a year later and still get your money back. I had bought our first sailboat, a MacGregor 25 with a swing keel, and neither of us had ever even been on a sailboat in our lives. I work offshore, i got a bunch of books from the library on how to sail and read them at work. Two weeks later, i got off from work and our first sail EVER, we went from Gulfport , Ms. to Pennsacola, Fl for a 2 week vacation. We had a blast. BTW, we were in our 50's when we did this. Then i made the mistake of buying a "project" boat to upgrade. bottom line....wasted a lot of money and more importantly, wasted some valuable sailing time. Since then, i have repaired and restored many many boats for others. The lesson learned by this is that a project boat is rarely if ever worth the effort, at least for me. Good luck in whatever you decide. So......was that long winded enough?
Cheap boats
I guess that I'm just lucky, or insane, depending on your point of view. I have three (3) Sailable, low maintenance sailboats, total length, 89 feet. One 29' one 33' and one 27'. I don't have $10,000 tied up in the the three of them together, and none are money pits.None have been submerged, or wrecked, or salvaged. All are fibreglass, two have inboard diesel engines, and all were project boats. All three still need minor cosmetic work on the cabins, but are habitable as is. All have working galleys, two have pressure water. One has a legal plumbed head, two have portapotties. While I wouldn't go on a trans atlantic cruise with any of them as they are now, two of the three could be outfitted to do so for minimal boat bucks. The third is a coastal racer/cruiser with a 6 foot beam, and just isn't a blue water boat. I paid just under 4k, for the 29', I have 3k tied up in the 33' and the 27' cost me $1.I pay $225 to dock two of the boats, and the third is on a trailer in my driveway. I have a couple of hundred hours of my own labor added to the mix, but I wouldn't do anything but sleep between midnite and six am anyway. I do agree, that if you don't have a vast knowledge of shipbuilding, a wood boat is not the best idea. Fibreglass is an easy fix if needed and the biggest problem would be how to dispose of it, if it ever wears out. They used to burn wood boats, but the EPA has pretty much put a halt to that. Anyway, take your 15 grand,use half to buy a boat you think you'd enjoy, and the other half to spend on repairs,supplies and equipment.If you find you don't have time to sail, or decide to get rid of it, you're only out $15,000. Or, use the $15,000 as a down payment on a $100,000 boat that you will use probably less than 300 hours a year and can sell for maybe half your purchase price when you decide you can't afford it.
I guess that I'm just lucky, or insane, depending on your point of view. I have three (3) Sailable, low maintenance sailboats, total length, 89 feet. One 29' one 33' and one 27'. I don't have $10,000 tied up in the the three of them together, and none are money pits.None have been submerged, or wrecked, or salvaged. All are fibreglass, two have inboard diesel engines, and all were project boats. All three still need minor cosmetic work on the cabins, but are habitable as is. All have working galleys, two have pressure water. One has a legal plumbed head, two have portapotties. While I wouldn't go on a trans atlantic cruise with any of them as they are now, two of the three could be outfitted to do so for minimal boat bucks. The third is a coastal racer/cruiser with a 6 foot beam, and just isn't a blue water boat. I paid just under 4k, for the 29', I have 3k tied up in the 33' and the 27' cost me $1.I pay $225 to dock two of the boats, and the third is on a trailer in my driveway. I have a couple of hundred hours of my own labor added to the mix, but I wouldn't do anything but sleep between midnite and six am anyway. I do agree, that if you don't have a vast knowledge of shipbuilding, a wood boat is not the best idea. Fibreglass is an easy fix if needed and the biggest problem would be how to dispose of it, if it ever wears out. They used to burn wood boats, but the EPA has pretty much put a halt to that. Anyway, take your 15 grand,use half to buy a boat you think you'd enjoy, and the other half to spend on repairs,supplies and equipment.If you find you don't have time to sail, or decide to get rid of it, you're only out $15,000. Or, use the $15,000 as a down payment on a $100,000 boat that you will use probably less than 300 hours a year and can sell for maybe half your purchase price when you decide you can't afford it.
Thanks!
Luckily my credit is bad enough that I can't get a loan/financing. Well at least not without putting up vital organs. Now I am good with my hands and do want to work on the boat. Heh but I'm a gathering that I'll have plenty to do without needlessly burdening myself with wood. In terms on Surveyors. It seems to me thats alot of dough to plop down. $500 bucks and they do there thing and walk? So if I surbey a boat and the Surveyor finds flaws I'm basically out $500. I mean that better than $15,000. But how many boats come up bad, how much should I budget to Surveying?
Luckily my credit is bad enough that I can't get a loan/financing. Well at least not without putting up vital organs. Now I am good with my hands and do want to work on the boat. Heh but I'm a gathering that I'll have plenty to do without needlessly burdening myself with wood. In terms on Surveyors. It seems to me thats alot of dough to plop down. $500 bucks and they do there thing and walk? So if I surbey a boat and the Surveyor finds flaws I'm basically out $500. I mean that better than $15,000. But how many boats come up bad, how much should I budget to Surveying?
Missing the point
Perhaps you should learn to sail first. Then do some sailing with someone else. Then and only then decide if you want to take this adventure. I've known many who got the bug only to find out that sailing was not what they thought it was.
Perhaps you should learn to sail first. Then do some sailing with someone else. Then and only then decide if you want to take this adventure. I've known many who got the bug only to find out that sailing was not what they thought it was.
Shellback
Ahh I should have add that, thanks. I've been talking lessons for about a month now. though the instruction is well a littlen wooden (exscuse the pun). They refrain from giving purchasing advise. So i turned to a sourcec that loves sharing, the web
I did 4 in the Navy and have loved the ocean since. i really can't imagine getting any older (33) without getting some water under my feet.
Ahh I should have add that, thanks. I've been talking lessons for about a month now. though the instruction is well a littlen wooden (exscuse the pun). They refrain from giving purchasing advise. So i turned to a sourcec that loves sharing, the web
I did 4 in the Navy and have loved the ocean since. i really can't imagine getting any older (33) without getting some water under my feet.Surveyor Req'd?
A typical survey will cost approx. $10 -$12 per foot of the boat. The only time i ever used a marine surveyor was for my Catalina 30, and that was only because the insurance company required it, and that was 3 years after i had owned it.. If you were to buy your first boat, and it was a fairly inexpensive boat, it would be nice if a sailboat friend could come along and give advice. We bought all of our boats without a surveyor and did pretty good. We just had the broker take us out for a 2 hour run and all seemed fine. Just for your info, my project boat was not in sailing or motoring condition when i bought it, and i knew this going into it. It was a romantic dream that turned into a nightmare. I'm sure lots of people will disagree with me, but thats ok. Good Luck and have fun.
A typical survey will cost approx. $10 -$12 per foot of the boat. The only time i ever used a marine surveyor was for my Catalina 30, and that was only because the insurance company required it, and that was 3 years after i had owned it.. If you were to buy your first boat, and it was a fairly inexpensive boat, it would be nice if a sailboat friend could come along and give advice. We bought all of our boats without a surveyor and did pretty good. We just had the broker take us out for a 2 hour run and all seemed fine. Just for your info, my project boat was not in sailing or motoring condition when i bought it, and i knew this going into it. It was a romantic dream that turned into a nightmare. I'm sure lots of people will disagree with me, but thats ok. Good Luck and have fun.
Look for a sailing club
There are a couple in Seattle and must be some where you are. We would go out in someone elses boat, bring food and drink and have a grand time. You can ask endless questions without offending anyone and get some real good local advice. Mine: 1. Stay away from a wood boat. 2. Get a fiberglass boat. 3. Get something sound but don't spend all you have because there will be other expenses. 4. Don't get a wood boat. 5. Don't get a wood boat. Did I say not to get a wood boat?
There are a couple in Seattle and must be some where you are. We would go out in someone elses boat, bring food and drink and have a grand time. You can ask endless questions without offending anyone and get some real good local advice. Mine: 1. Stay away from a wood boat. 2. Get a fiberglass boat. 3. Get something sound but don't spend all you have because there will be other expenses. 4. Don't get a wood boat. 5. Don't get a wood boat. Did I say not to get a wood boat?
aahhh..... the beauty of a wooden boat....
...but you did say that you actually wanted to sail - not spend countless hours on the hard stuffiing seams with caulk and cord, varnishing woodwork, repairing rotted planks, replacing screws that no longer hold...etc...etc. I am a fan of wooden boats. I have had a few classics. I too had a very limited budget. I bought a 1989 Hunter 26.5 from a private seller for $7,500 three years ago. The boat had not been neglected, but needed some attention. I looked for a boat that had not been through alot of modifications from several previous owners. I replaced the standing rigging, had the sails cleaned and checked out by a pro, eliminated as much of the wood work as posible by replacing with starboard to eliminate the maintenance, added a new harken furler, bought some used head sails on Ebay and now spend all my time sailing the boat, and very little on maintaining it. I always can find something to spend money on for the boat, though! The boat stays in over the water over the winter since it has no through hulls below waterline, and I even get to sail it if the weather breaks over the winter. Keep it simple to start - outboard, portapot, limited electornics and so forth. Get the basic equipment needed to be safe and enjoy yourself. Then spend your time sailing. I tried trailer sailing and found that for me, the boat didn't make it to the water as often as I had wished. I advise that you find a nice marina, meet some new people and let them know that you are interested in crewing. You could also look into chartering a bigger boat once or twice a season as I do. Keep it simple and enjoy the sailing!
...but you did say that you actually wanted to sail - not spend countless hours on the hard stuffiing seams with caulk and cord, varnishing woodwork, repairing rotted planks, replacing screws that no longer hold...etc...etc. I am a fan of wooden boats. I have had a few classics. I too had a very limited budget. I bought a 1989 Hunter 26.5 from a private seller for $7,500 three years ago. The boat had not been neglected, but needed some attention. I looked for a boat that had not been through alot of modifications from several previous owners. I replaced the standing rigging, had the sails cleaned and checked out by a pro, eliminated as much of the wood work as posible by replacing with starboard to eliminate the maintenance, added a new harken furler, bought some used head sails on Ebay and now spend all my time sailing the boat, and very little on maintaining it. I always can find something to spend money on for the boat, though! The boat stays in over the water over the winter since it has no through hulls below waterline, and I even get to sail it if the weather breaks over the winter. Keep it simple to start - outboard, portapot, limited electornics and so forth. Get the basic equipment needed to be safe and enjoy yourself. Then spend your time sailing. I tried trailer sailing and found that for me, the boat didn't make it to the water as often as I had wished. I advise that you find a nice marina, meet some new people and let them know that you are interested in crewing. You could also look into chartering a bigger boat once or twice a season as I do. Keep it simple and enjoy the sailing!
The survey is free if you buy the boat
Most surveys will find more than the cost of the survey in items that need repair or replacement. A $300 survey will probably give you a list of $1-2,000 of repairs that the boat needs. You negotiate the price down to cover the repairs. Net gain. If you don't buy the boat, you save even more. $300 spent vs $15,000 wasted on a bad boat. Most insurance companies are going to require a survey on an older boat anyway, it pays to get it done before you buy.
Most surveys will find more than the cost of the survey in items that need repair or replacement. A $300 survey will probably give you a list of $1-2,000 of repairs that the boat needs. You negotiate the price down to cover the repairs. Net gain. If you don't buy the boat, you save even more. $300 spent vs $15,000 wasted on a bad boat. Most insurance companies are going to require a survey on an older boat anyway, it pays to get it done before you buy.
A wooden boat
is a hole in the water that you throw money into . On the other hand a fiberglass boat is a hole in the water that you throw money into. All of the advise that you have been given is valid and I can not improve on any of it. There is another forum called "the wooden boat forum" that you should look into for what they can offer.
is a hole in the water that you throw money into . On the other hand a fiberglass boat is a hole in the water that you throw money into. All of the advise that you have been given is valid and I can not improve on any of it. There is another forum called "the wooden boat forum" that you should look into for what they can offer.
Don't forget the motor
One piece of advice is that it can be easy to overlook the condition of the engine in the excitement about a sailboat. But, the engine can easily easily be the biggest time and money requirement on a sailboat. If your engine dies you have to face some expensive options while not being able to use the boat in the meantime. Good luck!
One piece of advice is that it can be easy to overlook the condition of the engine in the excitement about a sailboat. But, the engine can easily easily be the biggest time and money requirement on a sailboat. If your engine dies you have to face some expensive options while not being able to use the boat in the meantime. Good luck!
Good point rdiesel and.............
Consider this....$15K can buy you a fairly large wooden boat, in that case, the large engine to be possibly replaced will become only a SMALL cost compared to other problems that will arise.
Consider this....$15K can buy you a fairly large wooden boat, in that case, the large engine to be possibly replaced will become only a SMALL cost compared to other problems that will arise.
oktarb, go classic plastic.....
For your 15K you can get a really good old west coast built Pearson Triton(28), a really, really nice Cape Dory 25, even a decent Alberg 30, and several other of the classic(overbuilt) boats with the beautiful lines you associate with 'wooden'. They are all full keeled. Excellent stability and the 'glass' is thick, these boats sides do not pump in and out with small waves, unlike some newer racier models of boats that start with B, or H, or M heheh In fact the classic small wooden is the Folkboat and you can often find the plastic version well within your budget. These are all 'heavy' weather boats that are a snap to sail single handed in almost any condition. Do look at them, you'll be hooked and satisfied for life.
For your 15K you can get a really good old west coast built Pearson Triton(28), a really, really nice Cape Dory 25, even a decent Alberg 30, and several other of the classic(overbuilt) boats with the beautiful lines you associate with 'wooden'. They are all full keeled. Excellent stability and the 'glass' is thick, these boats sides do not pump in and out with small waves, unlike some newer racier models of boats that start with B, or H, or M heheh In fact the classic small wooden is the Folkboat and you can often find the plastic version well within your budget. These are all 'heavy' weather boats that are a snap to sail single handed in almost any condition. Do look at them, you'll be hooked and satisfied for life.
If I were in your boat shoes...
Wooden boats are like grandchildren, something great that some one else owns and maintains. I would look for an older Catalina 27 or like boat in the early 70's vintage. You should be able to pick up a decent one for around $8,500. Then plan on spending the rest of the money on need repairs and upgrades. This gives you a decent budget to replace the canvas on the dodger, put in new cushions (cheapest from Catalina factory), get a better newer used Merc 9.9 motor, etc. Remember as a buddy taught me, $1000 is really only one boat dollar. If the boat is structurally fine but has some cosmetic flaws, that's okay; you can always work on that. Be aware all older boats have issues, what's nice is that you can go to a forum and find out what they are before you purchase, then decide if the issues the older boat you are contemplating purchasing are too severe or not.
Wooden boats are like grandchildren, something great that some one else owns and maintains. I would look for an older Catalina 27 or like boat in the early 70's vintage. You should be able to pick up a decent one for around $8,500. Then plan on spending the rest of the money on need repairs and upgrades. This gives you a decent budget to replace the canvas on the dodger, put in new cushions (cheapest from Catalina factory), get a better newer used Merc 9.9 motor, etc. Remember as a buddy taught me, $1000 is really only one boat dollar. If the boat is structurally fine but has some cosmetic flaws, that's okay; you can always work on that. Be aware all older boats have issues, what's nice is that you can go to a forum and find out what they are before you purchase, then decide if the issues the older boat you are contemplating purchasing are too severe or not.
Good Advice
Go fiberglass, 27' or so. Those are popular and you can get it with money to spare. You will need some spare money for the upgrades, repairs and personalization. A 27 is a real boat you can weekend or more on with a family or friends. It also has good resale, so when it comes time to move up, you can recover a lot of your investment. It is also easy to sail and singlehand. I had a wooden boat for almost 20 years and i spent at least half of that working on it... but it sure was pretty. Rick D.
Go fiberglass, 27' or so. Those are popular and you can get it with money to spare. You will need some spare money for the upgrades, repairs and personalization. A 27 is a real boat you can weekend or more on with a family or friends. It also has good resale, so when it comes time to move up, you can recover a lot of your investment. It is also easy to sail and singlehand. I had a wooden boat for almost 20 years and i spent at least half of that working on it... but it sure was pretty. Rick D.
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