I have an opportunity to buy a 1986 Hunter 23...do you think it is worth it? It is in kind of rough shape, although everything seems solid. It has the original sails and no motor. The hardware appears to be serviceable. The interior has been stripped down to the wood boxes. Evidently, it sank in about 4 feet of water at his dock (no holes...stormwater)for about a week according to guys who saw it..,.The guy is asking $1200 and will throw in a bottom job from the local boat yard with the price. (I guess the guy owes him a barter) Do you think it is worth $1200? Thanks for any info...Ray
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Hire a surveyor
Better to ask a surveyor how much it will cost to make the boat seaworthy again. An old boat sank and soaked with water. Personally, I won't accept. Good luck.
Better to ask a surveyor how much it will cost to make the boat seaworthy again. An old boat sank and soaked with water. Personally, I won't accept. Good luck.
Depends
First of all... Does it float? I would put it in the water and see what happens before you give the guy the money. Second... How much work are you able to do on the boat yourself? If you have the time and the know-how to fix it up, it may be a good deal. If you don't, it may cost you a small fortune to have the work done. If that is the case, you are better off spending more to buy something in better shape. Third... What kind of conditions are the sails in? You are already going to have to buy an outboard, so you may want to check into the price of a new (or used) set of sails. It may or may not be a good deal depending on your situation. If you are looking for a project boat, and it's seaworthy, I say go for it.
First of all... Does it float? I would put it in the water and see what happens before you give the guy the money. Second... How much work are you able to do on the boat yourself? If you have the time and the know-how to fix it up, it may be a good deal. If you don't, it may cost you a small fortune to have the work done. If that is the case, you are better off spending more to buy something in better shape. Third... What kind of conditions are the sails in? You are already going to have to buy an outboard, so you may want to check into the price of a new (or used) set of sails. It may or may not be a good deal depending on your situation. If you are looking for a project boat, and it's seaworthy, I say go for it.
The major thing
Are the two bulkheads intact / not rotted? These boat are notorious for leaking from the topsides, so I can see how a storm could put her under. I personally love my H23, and there is very minimal interior and electronics to replace if they need replaced. These hulls are tough, and there aren't any holes (or thu-hulls) below the waterline. Do the chainplates attach to the bulkhead or the hull? (The boats with the chainplates on the bulkhead, with a tunbuckle on the inside of the boat, point a lot better) Plan on redoing the hull-deck joint, replacing a couple hoses, and probably working on the main hatch, to make the leaks something you can handle. These are great boats though: I don't plan on getting rid of mine until I have the space, money, and time for a 40 footer
-Brian
Are the two bulkheads intact / not rotted? These boat are notorious for leaking from the topsides, so I can see how a storm could put her under. I personally love my H23, and there is very minimal interior and electronics to replace if they need replaced. These hulls are tough, and there aren't any holes (or thu-hulls) below the waterline. Do the chainplates attach to the bulkhead or the hull? (The boats with the chainplates on the bulkhead, with a tunbuckle on the inside of the boat, point a lot better) Plan on redoing the hull-deck joint, replacing a couple hoses, and probably working on the main hatch, to make the leaks something you can handle. These are great boats though: I don't plan on getting rid of mine until I have the space, money, and time for a 40 footer
-BrianToo much work!
I have built a lot of furniture and have done all kinds of repair work. I wouldn't touch this boat, especially since it was under water for a week. If you figure the cost of a motor, mahogany or teak wood, cushions, finish, sails hardware, lines, and whatever else you find, it just isn't worth the time and effort. I have seen some good H23's for $3000 to $4000. Better to start with a good solid boat.
I have built a lot of furniture and have done all kinds of repair work. I wouldn't touch this boat, especially since it was under water for a week. If you figure the cost of a motor, mahogany or teak wood, cushions, finish, sails hardware, lines, and whatever else you find, it just isn't worth the time and effort. I have seen some good H23's for $3000 to $4000. Better to start with a good solid boat.
FWIW, I Once Had A Neighbor With A New Cat 34
that tossed the shaft seal and got about a foot over the floorboards before an emergency haul. Fresh-washed the cushions that got wet (only a couple)and flushed the interior. Off sailing in a week. No big deal. RD
that tossed the shaft seal and got about a foot over the floorboards before an emergency haul. Fresh-washed the cushions that got wet (only a couple)and flushed the interior. Off sailing in a week. No big deal. RD
what do you want?
DO you want a boat to work on and occupy time? or do you just want to sail? h23 is a wonderful boat and that price seam maybe 100 or 200 high but pretty good. If you dont want to sleep down below right now then you dont need to do alot to it yet, or keep it striped and (sail faster!) bring some boat cushions on or something if you want to sleep. i had my original sails on my boat for a year before i bought a new head sail and still have my original main!
DO you want a boat to work on and occupy time? or do you just want to sail? h23 is a wonderful boat and that price seam maybe 100 or 200 high but pretty good. If you dont want to sleep down below right now then you dont need to do alot to it yet, or keep it striped and (sail faster!) bring some boat cushions on or something if you want to sleep. i had my original sails on my boat for a year before i bought a new head sail and still have my original main!
Thanks For Your Input!
Thanks for all of your input. The boat is currently in the water and floating since the summer. The chainplates attach to the bulkheads. There doesn't appear to be any woodrot whatsoever. I guess being in FL it dried out quickly in the heat.The sails are in gret shape. If I redid the inside I would take a day sailor / minimilistic approach. My last boat was a Catalina 27..I got tired of messing with the teak, the head,the stove, and all the electrical corrosion, etc. that we get here in the saltwater (The 4 ft. draft didn't help much either). I can do all the work here at my dock, so It would just be the outboard expense...Anyway, thanks for your input again, I'm not that familiar with the smaller Hunter boats (my friend had a nice Hunter 38" and another friend just sold his 25"), but most of what I've heard is good. Maybe I'll offer him $1000...Thanks again! Ray
Thanks for all of your input. The boat is currently in the water and floating since the summer. The chainplates attach to the bulkheads. There doesn't appear to be any woodrot whatsoever. I guess being in FL it dried out quickly in the heat.The sails are in gret shape. If I redid the inside I would take a day sailor / minimilistic approach. My last boat was a Catalina 27..I got tired of messing with the teak, the head,the stove, and all the electrical corrosion, etc. that we get here in the saltwater (The 4 ft. draft didn't help much either). I can do all the work here at my dock, so It would just be the outboard expense...Anyway, thanks for your input again, I'm not that familiar with the smaller Hunter boats (my friend had a nice Hunter 38" and another friend just sold his 25"), but most of what I've heard is good. Maybe I'll offer him $1000...Thanks again! Ray
sounds like a buyers boat
give him 500 bucks if no one else has made an offer yet. The inside wood may start to crack and deteriorate or just plain fall apart. It is an easy boat to work on and that is how you learn to maintain a 20 year old boat. I bought the same boat with a great trailer and sails two years ago for 5 thousand. If you want to sail today, spend a little more, if you are more patient than I am give him 500 bucks.
give him 500 bucks if no one else has made an offer yet. The inside wood may start to crack and deteriorate or just plain fall apart. It is an easy boat to work on and that is how you learn to maintain a 20 year old boat. I bought the same boat with a great trailer and sails two years ago for 5 thousand. If you want to sail today, spend a little more, if you are more patient than I am give him 500 bucks.
Maybe!
I bought a 1987 Hunter 23 which was in pretty good shape. But, if your boat has the original standing rigging, it should be replaced, I am going to do mine. I too have the original sails but they need replacing. New sails will be about $2500.00. I had to replace the running rigging, several hundred dollars. My boat had a good outboard and a custom trailer. I paid $1,500.00 which was a very good deal. Your going to put at least $3,000 of materials into the boat not including a motor, plus your time. If you like to work on your boats like I do, then the project would be fun. LIke others have said, make sure the bulkheads are solid. Other wise, find one for $4 or $5,000 that is in better shape with newer sails and a motor. It is very fun to sail and is a solid boat. I don't think it is worth $1,200.00. There is one on ebay thats an 89 with a trailer and motor with a buy it now price of $4,600.00 Like the other post, offer him $500. Good luck and let us know what happens and post some pictures. Brian
I bought a 1987 Hunter 23 which was in pretty good shape. But, if your boat has the original standing rigging, it should be replaced, I am going to do mine. I too have the original sails but they need replacing. New sails will be about $2500.00. I had to replace the running rigging, several hundred dollars. My boat had a good outboard and a custom trailer. I paid $1,500.00 which was a very good deal. Your going to put at least $3,000 of materials into the boat not including a motor, plus your time. If you like to work on your boats like I do, then the project would be fun. LIke others have said, make sure the bulkheads are solid. Other wise, find one for $4 or $5,000 that is in better shape with newer sails and a motor. It is very fun to sail and is a solid boat. I don't think it is worth $1,200.00. There is one on ebay thats an 89 with a trailer and motor with a buy it now price of $4,600.00 Like the other post, offer him $500. Good luck and let us know what happens and post some pictures. Brian
Love your boat
I have something to add here. A very good dealer told me, when I was considering buying a new Hunter 170 from him, that if I loved the boat I owned I would sail it more. That advice stuck with me through the years I owned the 170. I loved that boat, sailed it as often as I could, and miss it today. When it came time to buy a larger boat, I narrowed my choices down to the Hunter 22 or the Hunter 23. I sold the 170 as was sad to see it go. I found a Hunter 22 but could never connect with the owner to see the boat or to make an offer. My Hunter 23 came to my attention and I bought it. I love this boat and it doesn't matter if I am sailing it or working on it, it brings me joy. My point is, buy this boat for the joy of working on it and the ultimate joy of sailing it. Because no matter what boat you buy, it will only cost you money. But if you love the boat and sail it, the money will be money well worth spent. Fair winds.
I have something to add here. A very good dealer told me, when I was considering buying a new Hunter 170 from him, that if I loved the boat I owned I would sail it more. That advice stuck with me through the years I owned the 170. I loved that boat, sailed it as often as I could, and miss it today. When it came time to buy a larger boat, I narrowed my choices down to the Hunter 22 or the Hunter 23. I sold the 170 as was sad to see it go. I found a Hunter 22 but could never connect with the owner to see the boat or to make an offer. My Hunter 23 came to my attention and I bought it. I love this boat and it doesn't matter if I am sailing it or working on it, it brings me joy. My point is, buy this boat for the joy of working on it and the ultimate joy of sailing it. Because no matter what boat you buy, it will only cost you money. But if you love the boat and sail it, the money will be money well worth spent. Fair winds.
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