what boat should i buy? PART 2

[Nice N Easy]

Just keep looking

My last two boats, I spent months looking before making a decision. I had a list of what I wanted, and what I didn't want, and what I considered to be a fair price. But when I found the right boat, I knew it, in a few minutes. Just keep on looking, and don't get discouraged. Sooner or later the right boat will appear, and when you see it, you will know.

 

[sailorKevan]

Nice N Easy-thanks and i hope your right

but it just seems like everything is against this-if i get a trailerable-i know its not enough and not what i want but at least i get to go out-but also the ppl that i want with me will not like the small boat and may turn them away for good-if i get a bigger one-i barely have enough money, but most importantly, ill have know where to slip it or whatever you call docking a sailboat-finding a slip is going to be very hard to do i think-if thats the case-well then i dont know what to do

 

[Nice N Easy]

Check out

Kevin,
Check out the Seafarer 30 for sale on the classifieds here. Photos look pretty good, has some equipment, and the price is 10K. It's in New Jersey, don't know how close that is to you.

 

[sailorKevan]

you know what, that seafarer 30 doesnt look bad does it?

thanks Nice N Easy-i sent him a quik note-hey MainSAil-and anyone else-would you guys mind taking a look in our classified section here and check out the seafarer 30 that NiceNEasy spotted and give me your opinions-NiceNeasy-it looks really good-i am 8 hrs away according to google maps and its in the states and im canada-but this has been done before-i was just starting to give up too NiceNeasy but you never know-cmon guys check this out and get back to me quik-kevan

 

[capn jim]

Keven; looks like a super buy to me

looks like a well kept boat and given its apparent condition 10k to me is a steal.

 

[sailorKevan]

mee too jim-can they cheat on a survey? i guess you can cheat anything nowadays

.

 

[sailorKevan]

how would i get it to hamilton from jersey?

anyone?

 

[capn jim]

your right ,cheating cna be done on just about anything

some times buying a boat for a very good price is being at the right place at the right time. also don't dilly dally too long or i suspect this won't last long at that price.
my personal story is that i bought my 1979 O'day30 in 1991 for 13k. i just happened to be in the right time and place. it was a one owner boat. po was about to retire. his wife didn't like to sail and his kids were grown and gone and also didn't want to sail either, he said it was too much boat to handle by himself and he just wanted to be done with it. soooo he took whatever i offered just to be done with it. survey showed a few minor things that to this day still arn't a problem. i could still sell this boat for more than i paid for it 17 years ago.

 

[capn jim]

where is hamilton?

nm

 

[Ctskip]

Now that you've found the boat

there are things that need to be done. No trailer?. You'll need a hauler. Phone work is called for here. That'll run about two grand, maybe three. Next where are you going to put her? Start looking for a slip. You have about two to three wks to find a place . The hauler has to know where he's going to put her. Don't be in a rush. Sailing is not about rushing. Slowly and thoughtfully. It's the trip, not the destination. Maybe someone local can check it out for you. Find your slip and put a deposit on it. I had my slip for 6 months before I moved Mistico into it. Slips are getting hard to find. Get your foot in the door, then you can move around, but you have to get inside first. We are up and moving, we're just not moving as fast as you wish we were. lol

If you want the boat, pay what he wants. If you make a offer (I would) be ready to possibly lose it. I'd offer two grand less, but thats me. He'll come back with a counter offer for ya. Do you own wheeling and dealing. you sound pretty sharp, impatient, but sharp. And thats OK.
Keep it up,
Ctskip

 

[Maine Sail]

Kevan..

You really need to take a deep breath and not rush this process. There are plenty of good boats out there but you need to take your time to find one. I spent seven months and looked at close to 60 boats before finding the one we currently own (nearly 35 were drive by boats that I never even had to board to know they were trashed). When we bought our Catalina 36 we looked at about 45 boats.

may I suggest looking at boats close to home first. Even if you don't buy it will teach you a lot about what you want, need and are actually looking at.

If you only have a budget of 20k you'd be much better off in the 12-15k ask 10-12k buy range. Most any used boat in that price range will require 3-5k min to get ready to your liking. Boat stuff adds up fast and even a small project like replacing a bilge pump, hoses and wiring can run you $300.00 clams fairly easily. Save some of your budget for slush repair money.


be very careful as boats often look great in the low resolution photos found on-line. One Ericson 38 we looked at was absolutely gorgeous online yet when I boarded her, in the dead of winter, she was full of water, had rotted bulkheads, frozen and split decks due to lack of hardware bedding etc. etc.. Looked great but was essentially totaled. The sails were actually frozen to the cabin sole... Oh and they were asking top dollar. You can't judge a boat until you actually set foot on it...

Please, for your own sake, slow down, take a breath and think about this strategically...

 

[sailorKevan]

thanks all you guys

hey ctskip, mainsail and jim-thanks guys-im just joking about that wake up stuff-i just noticed that no-one has been anoying you guys for at least 12 hrs-so i couldnt hold this one in-so eveyone awake-you know what guys-on our classified site-check out the 1994 hunter for 16000k-or is it too small-its a 26 footer-its just that lake michigan is accessable in ontario-i think-ill check it out

 

[Ctskip]

Brick NJ is just north of Toms River NJ.

Maine Sail is right. Slow down and take a deep breath. If it's your's, it'll be yours next week. If not , it was meant to be. your boat is out there. Be patient and be through. Eyeball the structure. Move everything that can be moved and touch everything that can be touched. Look long and hard at the mechanicals. The motor mounts and shafts and bulkheads, keel, tanks, open all the hatches and take all the "stuff" out and look closely. Do your own examination. walk on every square inch of the deck and feel for soft spots, especially around openings like scuttles and pedestal bases in the cockpit. Hatches and mast plate. Surveys can and are fudged for whom ever pays for the inspection. Sad but true.
Keep it up,
Ctskip

 

[Steve W (NY)]

Kevin.....I've been following this thread

I don't have much to say about boat selection, as I went the other way....I downsized to a boat that trailers and sets up well, but it's all a compromise.

The only thing I have to add is realize that buying a boat in the states and bringing it into Canada is complicated. It's not impossible, but you need to grow a thich skin for silly rules and regulations. I bought a Sea Pearl from a really nice couple near Kitchener (sp?) and it was a beaurecratic nightmare. I eventually had to have them bring it from Canada to the states, and get it, and then just play dumb like I bought it from them here in the states. I had to have the trailer inspected....in short, it was two trips to US customes, and three to the DMV, and a third to a weigh station.

I only mention this because I was told that boat brokers who do those thing all the time know their way around the red tape. If you do go this route, realize it's not fun. I love my Sea Pearl 21, but I'll want that week of hell back on my deathbed.

Take Care
Steve

 

[capn jim]

keven ; how to get it to hamilton

you have three options;
one; all the way around and through the st lawrence seaway.
two; truck it.
three; sail/drive it up the hudson then have the mast steped and drive it through the erie canal. height restrictions on the canal is 15'

 

[sailorKevan]

thanks ctskip and im listening to your advice and mainsails too

um-you guys know alot about whats include in boats sales-um a furling is how the sail is let out and in-anyways on the seafarer does it have that stuff-and would you guys check that 94 hunter out-its 26 feet-but its a 94 so its alot newer and the space might be distributed better-i just want to know if i should check it out too-it has a trailer-but if its not much different than a 2w3 hunter or 24 shark then its not for me-kevan

 

[Ctskip]

I can only speak for myself

when it comes to comparing different boats against one another. That is entirely a personal thing. there are differences. One boat needs a slip/mooring and the other can be trailered with out much difficulty. One has 6 ft headroom while the other is 5'8". Big difference, at least for me it is. I like room, while others like performance. I'm not a racer. A low, slow, heavy steel hull would suit me wonderfully. But then steel has it's quirks too. I have a fiberglass for ease of maintenance. I keep mine in a slip for convenience. A furler is for sails and it's not what I would consider a deal maker or breaker. Some sailors like them, while others don't. They can be put on at any time and break when you need it most. The basic boat is what you want to look at and consider. Sinks and heads and stoves, furlers can be added anytime. The basic boat is what you are buying and should be looked at it that way. Hull, cabin top, bulkheads, motor, rudder, keel, mast and rigging. Where you will keep her and how you will sail her is what needs to be considered. Weekends? racing on week days? summer home on the water? Being up north your season isn't all that long. Will you have to travel to enjoy your boat? I look at my boat as my dog house. When the wife gets in one of her moods, I go to the dog house. I tinker on the boat and enjoy my neighbors and the camaraderie. Your boat is a personal thing that only you can decide which one is right for you. How do you feel on it and do you love it? Forget the options and other goodies. They are only cosmetic things that confuse the object. Look at the basic boat. When I bought Mistico. I took everything that moved off the boat and inspected it. It took me 5 hours one afternoon just get all the visual candy off, so I could see and inspect the boat itself. Did I care that I took up the whole dock? Not one bit. Other sailors found their way to their boats. I spending money here, so please excuse the mess. I took longer to inspect her than the surveyor did and I paid good money for him. I found things he missed.

As a kid my folks in Ct. We lived on the boat all summer long. As soon as school was out Mom loaded us up and moved to the boat. And we lived on the shore year round. My Dad left for work from the boat. We returned home to mow the lawn.
Keep it up,
Ctskip

 

[William]

Slow down a bit!

Whew Kevin...take a breath! You are kind of flying all over the place here. That seafarer seems like a nice boat. I checked the add and the pictures show a hanked on head sail not furling (and yes the furler lets the head sail in and out). For me furling is a required piece of equipment. It just makes things easier. You can let the headsail out and bring it in from the cockpit and is foul weather that is nice. It does seem clean and the seller has done a lot

Another draw back is that the boat is in NJ. I would not buy a boat without getting on it myself and looking at it. Surveys can be fudged for whoever is selling the boat. That is why a lot of sellers get one done ahead of time. Not saying Surveyors are dishonest it is just how things work.

I know you want a boat bad and why but try to slow down and have fun..this is part of owning a boat. Like someone said...if it is meant to be it will be.

Good luck with the search

 

[Ross]

Kevan, I acquired my boat by a path that most

people can't and most boat owners don't advise. I bought my boat strictly based upon her shape. and spent the next 9 years making her into the boat I wanted. I am blessed with the skills, tools and patience to do this and with a very supportive wife who worked hands on with me for much of the project.

There are thousands of boats sitting out there waiting for a buyer. Choose the shape and size that you want after you have defined your sailing aspirations. Read as many books as you can concerning the characteristics of the myriad designs that have been built. Everybody has a favorite style or design and will try to convince you that it is the best. I am no exception and believe that several thousand years of wooden boat building refined a shape that was/is strong and seaworthy and sea-kindly. There are many others that will argue that the traditional hull shape is slow (all sail boats are slow by modern transportation standards). Boats of all makes and descriptions have been sailed around the world. So it can not be said that such and such a boat is not suitable for this or that. Some are just better suited than others. A draft horse can run around the track at Church Hill Downs, Kentucky but not as quickly as a Thoroughbred. I think that you need to do some more research and organized thinking about how you want this to serve you. As you have said "it's your money that you will be parting with". Make haste slowly.

Ross

 

[Scott]

A fellow on our lake has an '89 Hunter 26.

It is one of only a few boats on out lake that has a fixed keel. I believe his is shoal draft and though he says it is 26, the actual dimension is 26'-6" making it only a few inches shorter than mine which is 26'-8" but is called a 27.

If this is the same model, it is a very nice boat. It is attractive and roomy below, although I think his headroom is about as limited as mine. His Hunter has a walk thru transom which you may like and it has an outboard engine. I prefer an inboard but an outboard on that boat isn't bad. He claims that his boat is faster than mine, but the one time I blew by him, he complained that his outboard was in the water, and he wasn't actively trimming! If he was on the water more often while we are sailing, we would have to see. He spends a lot of time captaining a catamaran in the islands, though, so I don't see him out as often as I'd like. His Hunter is a fractional rig, and I prefer a masthead rig, but that difference may be insignificant to you.

I'm guessing that the '94 may be the same model as the '89 with a fixed keel. I think all current 26' Hunters now are water ballasted trailer sailers. I've heard they are pretty decent boats, too, so you may not go wrong that way either. I'm no expert, I just have a knack for figuring out what I want pretty easily. I rarely make purchasing decisions that I am unhappy with. My mother taught me one thing (of many) that stands out in a circumstance such as this. When you want value, look for quality (and pay the price for it).

BTW, a trip from New Jersey to western Lake Ontario may be just the ticket for a great little adventure! I would consider it in a heartbeat! Another option that capn jim didn't mention is to sail her up the Hudson to, say Newburgh, take the mast down and proceed up the Hudson and thru the locks that take you over to Lake Champlain. Sail on Lake Champlain up to the St. Lawrence. I'm not sure if that involves another round of mast unstepping and stepping or not, but I believe you can get thru at the northern end via locks to the St. Lawrence. Then you have all of the Thousand Islands and the entire length of Lake Ontario to enjoy (not to mention Lake Champlain). I've heard the canal is a nice way to go but I might prefer Lake Champlain even though it is quite a bit longer. If you are going to do it this year, there is no time to waste! Can you spend the time?