Quest for the Perfect Cruiser

[sailpower]

Originally Posted by neilpride

There you goo!!!
1975 Blue Water Ingrid 38 Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com This is a Ingrid 38 ...

1979 Morgan 462 Center Cockpit Ketch Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com A morgan 462, enough for bahamas and caribbean and who know? RTW...

1985 Beneteau First Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com A bene , first 42...

1980 Rival 41 Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com a Rival 41.. a hell of boat for the money, need lots of work...

1976 Whitby Center Cockpit Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com Whitby 42 CC , price sounds good, probably need some work..

1986 Jeanneau Sun Legend Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com Jeanneau 41 ....

Cheers. All this boats are in your budget i guess....

He is talking mostly FL Keys and Bahamas. Some of your choices are way too deep and/or on the other side of the US from where he wants to go.

[letsgetsailing3]

Originally Posted by vtsailguy

One last piece of advice that became very clear to me after looking at 100+ boats online and 30+ in the flesh.

You buy the owner, not the boat.

Good comment.

[letsgetsailing3]

Originally Posted by sailpower

He is talking mostly FL Keys and Bahamas. Some of your choices are way too deep and/or on the other side of the US from where he wants to go.

Good catch. One of the compromises I am forced to make is a relatively shallow draft. I don't really have a choice about this one.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by letsgetsailing3

Good catch. One of the compromises I am forced to make is a relatively shallow draft. I don't really have a choice about this one.

Well...not to toot my own horn but a Hallberg Rassy 35 Rasmus has 4'3" draft and available mostly under $40K.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Don L

I'm not going to provide any fuel. All I can say is that I bought a 10 year Hunter that I didn't have to do any repairs that cost more than $100 for the first year. The last 2 years I have had to do some more expensive repairs, but these have all been to non Hunter parts like an autopilot.

To date I have had 0 problems with any part of the boat built by Hunter.

Those are just the facts!

That's because the prev owner had replaced all that stuff at 7-8 years! haha
Seeriously, yeah 7-8 years may be too short I suppose, for some things anyway. but: Stuffing box? no, Head hoses? no, Batteries? no, chain? prob no, fresh water pump? no, water heater? no, electronics? no, running rigging? Prob not... etc... But if things are working, what the heck keep using them!

[barnakiel]

I think very few boats break down dramatically while at the dock.

Any boat is good for a liveaboard. When small way cruising is done in local areas what seems to count most are engines and APs. If a boat is taken offshore and across then any element and system onboard may may get tested to its limits and, yes, things of poor quality WILL break. And quality is not in a name but much rather it is good design and adequate materials used, then proper maintenance.

So much depends on the intended and actual use.

b.

[letsgetsailing3]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

I think very few boats break down dramatically while at the dock.

Any boat is good for a liveaboard. When small way cruising is done in local areas what seems to count most are engines and APs. If a boat is taken offshore and across then any element and system onboard may may get tested to its limits and, yes, things of poor quality WILL break. And quality is not in a name but much rather it is good design and adequate materials used, then proper maintenance.

So much depends on the intended and actual use.

b.

What are APs?

And what does this mean? "And quality is not in a name but much rather it is good design and adequate materials used, then proper maintenance."

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by letsgetsailing3

What are APs?

And what does this mean? "And quality is not in a name but much rather it is good design and adequate materials used, then proper maintenance."

Autopilots..

[boatsail]

Even a new boat might not be ready to go... Think tanks, solar and things like that. I would rather start with a sound hull and rigging cheap and refit new the rest. Just my opinion

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by letsgetsailing3

What are APs?

And what does this mean? "And quality is not in a name but much rather it is good design and adequate materials used, then proper maintenance."

Yes. Autopilots.

In the marina, AC counts. Cruising, AP counts. Offshore, ALL counts ;-)

What I wanted to express is that it is not in the make of the boat where the guarantee of quality is. I would not care about whether the boat came from Hunter or from Hallberg-Rassy: I would look at how she is designed and built and use her in a way that is in line with these factors.

And the maintenance thing is obvious: get a top-shelf boat and let her sit unused at the dock for three years. Then jump into the cockpit, cast the lines and go sailing. You may not go very far.

b.

[letsgetsailing3]

One thing on the "want to have" list is a boat with a soul or some character.

You know, something that makes your heart thump a little louder.

That's a point in favor of an older boat.

That means I'll be compromising on something.

[snort]

Do you have a specific limit in mind on the draft of the boat?

[scoobert]

i know you said mono... but the gemini 105MC is a perfect boat for older people.
just was chatting with a 105 owner. they were 75. they love it.

[letsgetsailing3]

Originally Posted by scoobert

i know you said mono... but the gemini 105MC is a perfect boat for older people.
just was chatting with a 105 owner. they were 75. they love it.

I'm only 50, so I don't want to sign up for the "older people" category just yet. I'm on a sliding scale that allows for age as I attain it.

[scoobert]

Originally Posted by letsgetsailing3

I'm only 50, so I don't want to sign up for the "older people" category just yet. I'm on a sliding scale that allows for age as I attain it.

lol.
what do you think of the boat thou? its not too wide... and with a shallow draft it opens up much more of the great loop.