Can someone review this please before I pay for survey

[C.Karo]

A 42 ft. sail vessel will not compare to the size of a 42 ft. trawler. You sure you want to down size?

[Jgoshow1]

Yes. Financial situations and costs to motor verses sailing is a huge difference. Sailing to me is a whole different freedom and experience, 2 years ago I would have never even thought about a sailboat, it was a grotesque way of being on the water in my eyes. I was a Motörhead, top of the line harley bagger, trawler for cruising and a speedboat for fun. For some reason,over night, I now see sailing as being the true way to be on the water, wind for your motor,and I just can't even explain how natural it is, it's how sailors traveled the world before power was invented. Time doesn't mean anything to me anymore, nor does a schedule... I'm really lost for words and have no idea how to explain my feelings on this. Bigger isn't always better.


" We do not remember days, we remember moments"

[dbostrom]

This forum is a great source of advice. Also do not miss Practical Sailor's reviews of boats; loads of in-depth information on nice boats going back decades, with those reviews being done on actual boats that are already decades old as opposed to shiny new ones that have not had to time to grow warts.

Reviews here:

Practical Sailor - Sailboat Reviews

In general Practical Sailor is a nearly indispensable resource for sailboat owners.

[engine1218]

Could Jgoshow1 be Alex Dorsey's long lost twin brother??



The Minimalist Sailor | Brought to you by Project BlueSphere

[George DuBose]

Being a two Pearson owner, a 1973 36-1 and a 1970 26, I can't say enough good things about Pearsons. That Dometic is an add on. I wonder what was originally in that space. I installed a Dometic CF 110 in front of the pilot berth. It serves as a back rest to the nav desk. I wouldn't want a refrigerator that when I opened on starboard tack would empty its contents all over the cabin sole. I don't know the sailing characteristics of this model Pearson, but generally, they are strong and fast. My P26 had a headstay so oversized that I could pick up the whole boat by that stay. The price is pretty good, but I am sure that there would be some upgrades and replacements necessary. I know where there is a tweaked Pearson 36-1 for sale in Ohio for 29K, the guy really loved his boat tom@heiditom.com I paid 40K for Skylark, too much, but she had a new engine. I spent another 40K replacing EVERYTHING, down to the glass in the ports. Wrote a book about it. "Renovate a Sailboat and Cross the Atlantic".

[C.Karo]

Ok. Looks like a good deal. The owner's list states a survey was completed in 2009. Ask to fax or mail you a copy. Its a good start.

[JPA Cate]

Jgoshow1,

I read about your health issue on the other thread, but it is part of my thinking as I write.

What I'm thinking is just a small note that sails deteriorate with age, and do require replacement. So, the wind isn't as free as we'd like it to be.

But sailing, ah, sailing, is indeed a lovely thing.

Sailmakers can help you keep costs down.

Ann

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by Jgoshow1

I don't see myself going much past Barbados to Panama but if I decide to actually hit blue water I want my vessel capable of doing so.


" We do not remember days, we remember moments"

This is something you need to spend a lot of time thinking about. First you really should define "blue water" as you see it. Gulf of mexico crossing? Atlantic crossing? Circumnavigation? High Lat sailing?

The type of boat you'll want for each of those endevours is vastly different. Considering your limited budget, my advice is buy a boat for your current plans (few people end up with the perfect sailboat on their first time buy).

Once you've sailed your first boat for a couple of years, you'll have a much better idea of what your personal needs (space, equipment, etc) are. You'll also have a good idea of just how ambitious you are re: blue water voyaging.

If you are used to trawlers, one of your issues on a small sailboat will be "getting away from each other" On a boat that size there are few places where you can go and be alone. If you are voyaging on an extended basis (with lots of time at sea) even long term couples can need a couple of hours by themselves.

IMHO if you are boat shopping in the $20k range - be prepared to spend at least that getting it ready for longer term living aboard (even with short range sailing)

[Jgoshow1]

Carstenb I agree, I'm going to pursue a vessel that will be good for carribean sailing since my home port will be punta gorda florida. Afte a couple years of island hopping I can always cash out my annuity and upgrade to a vessel that could sail to Hawaii and such. I'm hoping to find an island hopper for around 40k that is ready to go. So am I on the right track?


" We do not remember days, we remember moments"

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by Jgoshow1

Carstenb I agree, I'm going to pursue a vessel that will be good for carribean sailing since my home port will be punta gorda florida. Afte a couple years of island hopping I can always cash out my annuity and upgrade to a vessel that could sail to Hawaii and such. I'm hoping to find an island hopper for around 40k that is ready to go. So am I on the right track?


" We do not remember days, we remember moments"

I don't know the american market but I expect you can find someting inthe 40k range - but it will depend on its condition and how many toys/upgrades you feel you need.

[Alecadi]

Goto

http://keys.craigslist.org/boa/4911526241.html

If interested pass a PM please.
Thanks
Alec

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Jgoshow1

Carstenb I agree, I'm going to pursue a vessel that will be good for carribean sailing since my home port will be punta gorda florida. Afte a couple years of island hopping I can always cash out my annuity and upgrade to a vessel that could sail to Hawaii and such. I'm hoping to find an island hopper for around 40k that is ready to go. So am I on the right track?


" We do not remember days, we remember moments"

Don't overthink the "blue water" thing. Any sailboat of any kind is so extremely "blue water" compared to any trawler. You will be pleasantly surprised. It's hard to buy a sailboat over 30' which isn't plenty seaworthy enough for anything you might want to do.

There is no such thing as "ready to go". Any boat you buy will need plenty of work. It will help enormously if you are handy yourself, but even in that case you need to allow plenty of reserve cash for buying all the parts, materials, and equipment which you will need to get any used boat in shape for long passages and living aboard. $40k is a very small budget -- it can be done if you're handy.

What you won't be pleasantly surprised about, coming to a sailboat from a trawler, is the space on board. A 45' trawler has about the space of a 55' sailboat. Worse than that, most sailboats, monohulls at least, have all the accomodation below decks, so tends to be dark and musty, besides cramped, relative to what you're used to.

But sailing itself is magical. Once you try it, you will wonder how you could have ever spent all that time rumbling around in a motorboat. Imagine flying over the surface of the water, with no sound except the wind and the water rushing over the hull, and you can fly like that to the end of the earth, because you're not burning any fuel. Unlimited range. I like motorboats too, but sailing is magical.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

Jgoshow1,

I read about your health issue on the other thread, but it is part of my thinking as I write.

What I'm thinking is just a small note that sails deteriorate with age, and do require replacement. So, the wind isn't as free as we'd like it to be.

But sailing, ah, sailing, is indeed a lovely thing.

Sailmakers can help you keep costs down.

Ann

Right -- sailing is definitely not free. Sails are expensive. To keep a boat like mine in sails costs is similar to the cost of diesel fuel for a comparable trawler. But the smaller the boat, the cheaper the sails -- geometrically. So by the time you get to a 40 foot sailboat, you can use ordinary Dacron sails, and it will be much cheaper than motorboating.