Oh what to do

[saltydawg]

First a little back ground, i own an 83 hunter 27 in okay shape, except:

bad head on my yanmar 8hp
interior when i got it was about 6 inches deep
it has some exterior damage from breaking loose in a storm ( mostly fixed )
sails are getting old but solid


in other words its not worth anything but parts and scrap metals.

now i have a line on a h33 that looks pretty good out side, but from what the owner said it has some minor water damage on the cabinets inside. it also has a new main, tranny has been reworked as well as the cutlass and stuffing box. The bottom looks good, and would just need a fresh coat of paint, it is a deep draft keel. the owner also said its needs some of the ports fixed ( replaced ).

asking price when asked was 5 k cash, so i bet i could get it cheaper. the problem is i an laid off and mostly broke.

now the options

are sell my boat, it might cost me to pay some one to take it, if you know what i mean.

scrap my boat and sell parts i figure with some luck i could get about 2 grand just in scrap, more if i sell some parts. Then sell some other stuff i own off to get more cash. This would also give me a few parts that could be moved over if needed, ie ports.

Does anybody have any idea if there are any needed parts from a hunter 27 and an idea of what they sell for.

Also has anybody ever scrapped one of these boats, and what did it take? ( i hate to do that but it is probably the best way )

 

[Mathurin]

I'd say that in your situation, you should probably wait. If he is only asking for 5k for the boat, then there must be a lot of investment to do.

As always, my only recommandation for someone wanting to buy a boat is, go have a look by yourself, if the first time you see the boat you are please, then go another time to take more time to see if the boat really it that great. Once you decided that you feel like you could spend the money on that boat, have it surveyed by a certified marine surveyor. If the survey comes out alright, then spend some money on the boat.

Sometimes it's best to let a too good to be true deal go by, take more time to put some money aside and by a boat requiring less work.

Btw most people who buy project boats forget what boating is all about. You should be able to enjoy your boat right away, not spend years working on it and get to the point you hate the boat and end up selling it.

 

[saltydawg]

i under stand the project boat issue. the thing is this boat is in better shape than mine and 100 % sailable. the owner owns a small crappy marina, and his wife wants the wood fixed before she goes on the boat. i think its her excuse not to sail. i think he just wants to get out of it what he has in it.

 

[sandpiper10471]

Five thousand is just a start, even though it appears to be a very good price at first. But then it will take some bucks to get your 27 up to snuff. Sad dilemna. Hard to believe a marina owner only wants 5K for the boat if there is that little that needs doing. I suspect he hasn't scratched the iceberg.
As much as I love boats, eating is more important. Get rid of the money pit 27 and wait til you can afford the boat you want. There will always be another great deal around the corner. That is not the first H33 I have seen for such a great price.

 

[Ed Schenck]

I am completely sympathetic. How many nights have I laid awake alternating among "I should sell it", "I should keep it out this year for a refit", or "just sail it, what's the difference how it looks"? There is something about that boat that I can't let go. I always come back to "keep working, you can get it ready to splash in May". Defies logic this need to be working on a boat.

Then when you see a boat that you want there's the fear that there will never be another one. But there will be. So I agree with the previous advice to wait. Take your time to sell parts and get rid of the H27. You don't want that hanging over you. Maybe you will make some real money towards the "new" boat. Be patient I guess. Wish I could take my own advice.