Worth Investigating?

Apr 8, 2010
1,606
Frers 33 41426 Westport, CT
Just found out that this boat may be available for a song, or less. I know NOTHING about it aside from what I can see from the balcony at my office. Owner stopped paying the bills, building maintenance guy asked me if I was interested in it since he knows I'm a sailor... haven't even walked down to try and figure out what make it is.

Any guesses what she is / and what she's worth in decent condition? looks to be about 34-38 feet, though it's hard to judge from 5 stories up looking down. The only thing I know for sure is she needs a bottom job and new dock lines. before I go about getting access into the boat, I wanted to see if anyone could say if the make / model is even worth my time.

20151130_125604.jpg
 
Feb 8, 2014
1,300
Columbia 36 Muskegon
Hard to tell from that distance, but she looks better than most derelict boats I've seen. Can't hurt to get a closer look. If there's nothing identifiable, try to get the hull number off the upper right corner of the transom. Make and year can be gotten from that.
 
Jan 22, 2008
8,050
Beneteau 323 Annapolis MD
There are alot of hoops to jump through to take possession of a boat because of payments due. I would not even step on the boat unless/until the property owner has gained legal title and it is HIS to sell to you.
 

Rick D

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Jun 14, 2008
7,131
Hunter Legend 40.5 Shoreline Marina Long Beach CA
Ron has a good point, but maybe the maintenance guy was referring to making a deal directly with the current owner. Something is better than nothing.
 

pateco

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Aug 12, 2014
2,207
Hunter 31 (1983) Pompano Beach FL
Jump on it if she looks good!!!

We got the Stargazer for free that way. Slip owner got title to the boat for non payment, and had a new boat wanting to rent the slip, so we got the Stargazer for FREE if we could get her out of his slip by a certain date. A deal too good to pass up. Could have cost me a lot of money, but it has been a blast so far.

She looked a lot rougher than the one your looking at when we got her.




Looking a whole lot better 1 1/2 years later.



Good luck!!!
 
Apr 8, 2010
1,606
Frers 33 41426 Westport, CT
went down over lunch and grabbed a picture of the hull number. Its a little confusing as all but the first 2 letters appear to be reversed?

Looks like it might be a C&C, and she's much bigger than I thought...
20151130_144644.jpg
 
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Apr 8, 2010
1,606
Frers 33 41426 Westport, CT
Flipped it for you
the original is how it appears on the hull itself. Note the word "Hubbell" on the shore power connector.

Either way, I cannot seem to figure out who made this boat, it doesn't appear to be a conforming HIN...
 
Oct 26, 2008
6,041
Catalina 320 Barnegat, NJ
HIN's should start with 3 letters to indicate the manufacturer (all manufacturers appear to have a 3 letter abbreviation). So this doesn't appear to follow the format for HIN.
The first group of 7 appears to be a Vessel Identification Number VIN as described by this website. I can't tell if that first figure is a letter C or something else. It appears that there is 1 letter followed by 6 digits in the 1st group. I don't know what the second group is. I haven't found how the VIN helps unless you have access to some database which may not be public.
https://cgmix.uscg.mil/PSIX/Definitions.aspx
 
Jun 8, 2004
2,841
Catalina 320 Dana Point
I was also leaning towards a Jeanneau. The six portlights at the cove stripe are confusing to me, I don't recall ever seeing a boat with that many lights in the hull.
 

pateco

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Aug 12, 2014
2,207
Hunter 31 (1983) Pompano Beach FL
I was also leaning towards a Jeanneau. The six portlights at the cove stripe are confusing to me, I don't recall ever seeing a boat with that many lights in the hull.
I sailed on a Jeanneau 35' to the Bahamas and back. Nice sailing boat.
 
Jan 4, 2010
1,037
Farr 30 San Francisco
well looks like it doesn't have sails. So unless they are downstairs, your free boat is going to cost you 5k off the bat. Looks pretty nice though. JD likely nailed it looks french in any case. As I understand it Jenneau is Buick to Beneteau's Chevy
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
well looks like it doesn't have sails. So unless they are downstairs, your free boat is going to cost you 5k off the bat. Looks pretty nice though. JD likely nailed it looks french in any case. As I understand it Jenneau is Buick to Beneteau's Chevy
I would assume that the (smart) owner took the sails off the rig for storage. Notice that the deck control lines are off as well. If you leave the sails on, they end up looking like the mainsail the the PO left on Patico's boom! What a mess; now a useless rag.

I can think of only one time I bought a boat and did not immediately by new sails. You're right about the $5k amount; any new owner should have their checkbook out. Just because the boat is very low cost does not mean ownership will be.
 
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Jun 8, 2004
10,024
-na -NA Anywhere USA
Jackdaw,
That is a good source to refer to. Each state of course varies as to derelict, abandonment and so on. I note the orginal post is from a Connecticut resident. I also note a state registration on the boat; thus the boat would not be documented. To rely on what an employee said is not proof that the boat is abandoned. In order for the marina to own that boat, notices via registered mail with return receipt would have to be sent in most localities giving a time to respond and make payment. Probably and again referring to the individual states statuates, a civil proceeding will ensue. Once done, the boat ownership would revert to the marina which then would have to apply for titling in their name and again it depends on the state statuates. All this takes time. The first suggestion is to check with the marina management first to see what is going on first. If payment is in arrears I would then ask for owner's name and phone number to see if the boat is possibly for sale. Most marinas would prefer not to take the Civil route for many reasons and if the matter can be resolved, they would like to have their fees paid up to date first.
 

pateco

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Aug 12, 2014
2,207
Hunter 31 (1983) Pompano Beach FL
I'm trying to un-see that.
In the picture you can see the state of the main sail. It had been left for years without a sail cover. when I took it back down, it crumbled to dust in multiple areas. The slip owner had already removed the jib from the furler and stuffed it below decks. It was so bad that it had started to unravel and shred into strips, and the shreds were flapping like flags on a used car lot. UV sure does take its toll.
 

pateco

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Aug 12, 2014
2,207
Hunter 31 (1983) Pompano Beach FL
well looks like it doesn't have sails. So unless they are downstairs, your free boat is going to cost you 5k off the bat. Looks pretty nice though. JD likely nailed it looks french in any case. As I understand it Jenneau is Buick to Beneteau's Chevy
John,

$5k for new sails, but I replaced the rotten sails on my Free H31 for less than $1000, with quality used sails found online. Once you know your measurements, you just need to shop around in the used sail lofts online, and on E-Bay

Main from South Carolina off Ebay.


Jib from a resale sail loft in Texas


They are working out quite well compared to the shredded ones that were on her to start.

 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
John,

$5k for new sails, but I replaced the rotten sails on my Free H31 for less than $1000, with quality used sails found online. Once you know your measurements, you just need to shop around in the used sail lofts online, and on E-Bay
I am SO glad you are not using that mainsail! ;^)

And you are right, you can spend a lot less money if you by used sails. The issue I have with used sails is, why did someone sell them'? In 95% of the cases, it is because it was used up. The cloth MIGHT be in good shape, but the shape is shot. So you end up spending 1/3 the cost of new to get 1/3 of the performance. Its really not a bargain. I've said it before, Life's to short to sail with crappy sails.