Ocean worthy boats in the Caribbean

[UNCIVILIZED]

I'm curious, does anyone know if the state of affairs in Venezuela are having much effect on Trinidad, since it's but 11km away?


To the OP, since you're unsure of what you're after in terms of a boat, might I suggest starting here so that you might do some self education. Along with getting (free) professional tips on boat selection.
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ml#post2206710

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ml#post2247958


This is also more than worth a read, with it's author, Nigel Calder, being a well acknowledged expert on boats & their systems --> http://www.cruisingworld.com/how/refit-reality-check

[DavidM1600]

I think there are some possible other points for consideration that need to be aired in this kind of discussion. The first is, what sort of sailing experience do you and/or your partner have, which route are you planning on travelling (eg via Panama canal, to the Galapagos and Marchesas and then French Polynesia etc, and how comfortable are you in sailing across oceans (bluewater) on what would be a relatively small boat (30-34 ft).

Personally I wouldn't entertain the notion of crossing the Pacific on anything less than a 33 ft and ideally for a trip like this something in the range of a 36 to 40ft boat would be generally safer. Sure there are plenty of 33 and 34 ft boats which have done such crossings including circumnavigations (eg. Sparkman and Stephens 34 are legendary for such trips), but equally a small and lessor boat may well be risky.

You also need to consider for such lengthy passages, what features such a boat may have, eg, decent coms VHF, HF, Sat ph, AIS (Receiver/Transponder), chartplotter and backup (in addition to actual charts), radar, adequate water and fuel storage (for otherwise you will have to store in jerry cans (either on deck or below). That then impacts on the storage capacity, as on smaller boats compared with larger ones this can be a real issue. Afterall, the Pacific Puddle jump typically as I understand it, will take 3 weeks or so, and therefore you are going to need adequate provisions for this and that takes up space (trust me I know from my experience in provisioning on boats for a number of lengthy passages). Then you are going to need to also consider does it have adequate power generation and storage capacity, eg solar panels, wind and/or tow generator, wind vane in addition to an auto pilot and the state and number of batteries.

In terms of the boat you buy you will also need to make certain that the engine is in sound mechanical condition (and of adequate power (Hp) for when you need it. Typically the smaller the boat the smaller the Hp output. Also state of the sails, rigging and so on. Buying a project boat and getting it ready for passages can take time and plenty of $$ even if you are handy.

In our club, there is a well experienced sailing couple who bought a Catalina 40 over in Mexico and took over 2 months to get it ready to cross the Pacific to sail it back to Aus. They experienced a huge range of problems in getting it ready to sail, even though it was a relatively expensive boat, they then missed the window (season) to sail it back as a result of a failing chain plate on the port side, which no one picked up, and they had already sailed over 200 nm from Mexico. They had to turn back and sailed elsewhere in the area before flying home, and coming back the next season to sail it home.

Anything is possible, but please do your homework first, look on line, talk to as many knowledgeable people and work out exactly what you can afford and will need on the boat you wish to buy. If not, it is most likely you will have problems.

I don't wish to be a dampner, just a realist; I am learning and learning so much from experience from others, sailing with others before I actually buy my first boat. It seems a smart approach to this goal in my view.

Good luck with your dreams.

[UNCIVILIZED]

Originally Posted by DavidM1600

I think there are some possible other points for consideration that need to be aired in this kind of discussion. The first is, what sort of sailing experience do you and/or your partner have, which route are you planning on travelling (eg via Panama canal, to the Galapagos and Marchesas and then French Polynesia etc, and how comfortable are you in sailing across oceans (bluewater) on what would be a relatively small boat (30-34 ft).

Personally I wouldn't entertain the notion of crossing the Pacific on anything less than a 33 ft and ideally for a trip like this something in the range of a 36 to 40ft boat would be generally safer. Sure there are plenty of 33 and 34 ft boats which have done such crossings including circumnavigations (eg. Sparkman and Stephens 34 are legendary for such trips), but equally a small and lessor boat may well be risky.

You also need to consider for such lengthy passages, what features such a boat may have, eg, decent coms VHF, HF, Sat ph, AIS (Receiver/Transponder), chartplotter and backup (in addition to actual charts), radar, adequate water and fuel storage (for otherwise you will have to store in jerry cans (either on deck or below). That then impacts on the storage capacity, as on smaller boats compared with larger ones this can be a real issue. Afterall, the Pacific Puddle jump typically as I understand it, will take 3 weeks or so, and therefore you are going to need adequate provisions for this and that takes up space (trust me I know from my experience in provisioning on boats for a number of lengthy passages). Then you are going to need to also consider does it have adequate power generation and storage capacity, eg solar panels, wind and/or tow generator, wind vane in addition to an auto pilot and the state and number of batteries.

In terms of the boat you buy you will also need to make certain that the engine is in sound mechanical condition (and of adequate power (Hp) for when you need it. Typically the smaller the boat the smaller the Hp output. Also state of the sails, rigging and so on. Buying a project boat and getting it ready for passages can take time and plenty of $$ even if you are handy.


In our club, there is a well experienced sailing couple who bought a Catalina 40 over in Mexico and took over 2 months to get it ready to cross the Pacific to sail it back to Aus. They experienced a huge range of problems in getting it ready to sail, even though it was a relatively expensive boat, they then missed the window (season) to sail it back as a result of a failing chain plate on the port side, which no one picked up, and they had already sailed over 200 nm from Mexico. They had to turn back and sailed elsewhere in the area before flying home, and coming back the next season to sail it home.

Anything is possible, but please do your homework first, look on line, talk to as many knowledgeable people and work out exactly what you can afford and will need on the boat you wish to buy. If not, it is most likely you will have problems.

I don't wish to be a dampner, just a realist; I am learning and learning so much from experience from others, sailing with others before I actually buy my first boat. It seems a smart approach to this goal in my view.

Good luck with your dreams.

LOL, experienced & missing a bad chainplate don't go together. They're one of the first things that wizened folk look at when considering a boat. Even first time owners who've sailed on a lot of other boats. Or sailed a lot in terms of ocean miles anyway.
And if a chainplate goes bad 200nm into an ocean crossing, after 2 months of prep, then virtually zero proper sea trials were done.

Also, 2 months isn't a lot of prep time after buying most boats to fit them out for ocean voyaging, unless you've purchased very wisely at the outset. Read bought a boat which was almost ready to go on such trips when you bought her.

And while a lot of the listed gear is nice to have, it's far from essential. As well as the fact that it & it's installation costs can easily run equal to the price of a sound, seaworthy vessel. Even a 40'er of quality, which has had her key systems refurbished.
BTW, 2/3 of the mentioned electrical, comms, & electronic gear weren't to be found on most cruising boats of even just 20yrs ago. So how vital can they be?

Owning a boat or three does help one learn to prioritize gear. And the only way to learn if it's important is to sail both with & without it. As honestly, if you know how to sail, & how to navigate, little is required. Charts, cruising guides, & a way to fix Latitude + Longitude.

Note that there are some vital things worth having, yet unmentioned. A sextant, perhaps a taffrail log (or two), RDF, etc. Old, but still vital & handy. All of them self contained, & simple.

Then there are folks like Tania Aebi, who knew little enough of sailing, that made it around the world on a 26'er. Ditto Robin Lee Graham on his 24'er. Both of them solo.

The above is just a flipside viewing of things. And if on a budget, worth considering.

[Emerald Sea]

Yes, take your time and do your homework and review boats thoroughly, target a few that meet your criteria and have a surveyor review these. Even at that, have some reserve funds for upgrades, maintenance.

There are a lot of older boats out there for sale in substandard condition. we've met two cruisers in the last few months that are selling up their boats as the maintenance costs and time are ruining their cruising dream. And they've advertised them as if these are the best available boats on the market.

Good boats are out there but watch out for the window dressing.

Best of luck.

[dgz3]

I think it's a great idea. If you're clever. And competent. And do your homework.
It's been 30 years since i was in Trinidad. I loved it, but it was a bit sketchy in some places. And that was then. Check Noonsite for cruiser advisories.
Suggestions: Do your homework online first. Saves a lot of travel expenses. Don't be afraid to pick up the phone. The guy selling that boat may know of ten more "unadvertised specials." Don't confine your search only to Trinidad. Don't get locked in on any one particular boat. Keep your eyes and ears open, because you never know what else you may stumble across once you arrive. Go as small as you can. Not as big as you can. Overall length has a lot to do with price and very little to do with seaworthiness. Equipment! You can spend as much on gear as on the whole boat. So buy the best equipped boat you can find. Just make sure it's stuff you really need and not just bells and whistles. Equipment that comes on the boat you buy is almost free compared to what you'll spend to outfit a stripped boat.
The situation you are looking for is a boat owned by someone who got down there and had to change their plans. Health issue, family problem, relationship breakup, discovered they hate sailing, etc. Their misfortune is your opportunity. Don't be afraid to lowball them mercilessly! They can always say no. Or you can decide to pay more.
Make certain you can get clear title and proof of ownership sufficient to bring it home one day. Legalities can get complicated when you're talking about buying a boat not registered in the country you are buying it in. The services of a knowledgeable, trustworthy local agent may be money well spent. How you find THAT guy is another matter.

Good luck!

[boatman61]

Pity you can't stretch to say $30-35K.. this one would suit your needs perfectly
BVI Yacht Sales Ltd. (Physical: Nanny Cay Marina, Nanny Cay, VG1110, BVI, British Virgin Islands)

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by JBas

Hi there!
I'm heading over with my partner to Trinidad in few weeks in order to buy a sail boat.
Looking to get a monohull, something between 30'-34'.
Needs to be suitable for blue water as am aiming to cross the Pacific with it.
Our budget is at the lower end of the scale...
We'll appreciate any tips on what to look for; equipment, preferred keel, displacement, draft, and as important -where to find the right boat.
Anybody who knows about someone who is looking to sell his/hers boat to go to a good and adventurist home- We're it!

Cheers!

Why would someone head for a specific destination to buy a boat without a specific boat in mind? Somewhat sounds like getting the cart before the horse?

[Steadman Uhlich]

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...147098-18.html

See Post #265
Boat is located in St Johns USVI
Bristol 40 yawl (1970)
Well equipped.
Engine has 470 hours.
Owner has death in family and has priced low to sell fast. Asking price is just $17,500.
See the thread.

I just posted some information about a Bristol 40 that may appeal to Bristol fans.

This Boat is NOT on Yachtworld. It is FSBO and the owner just posted in a Facebook sailing group in which I am a member. I have NO connection to the boat or seller.

Look for my post #265 in this thread.
Boats Less Than $30K Recent Noteworthy Finds - Page 18 - Cruisers & Sailing Forums

[Cheechako]

My advice is this:
-Do not accept what someone tells you about the boat as truth. Investigate yourself.
-Many stored boats have been there a while, assume anything you cant test is bad until proven good.
-Bargain hard, if they are selling a boat stored out of country, they don't want to go back and retrieve it.
-Think about if you have to pay import if the boat is sold while in Trini/Mexico etc. Not sure how that works out when you check out of the country to leave.... Not sure it's a problem but know ahead of time.