Barebones or Fully outfitted?

[accomplice]

Whether equipped or stripped depends....

- it depends on what it is equipped with -- in both directions. for example, the dishwasher on my boat wasn't worth much to me because I'm not sure I'd install one if I were outfitting the boat; however, the watermaker and six electric winches on the boat were much bigger & better than i would probably have put on myself.

- it depends greatly on the quality of the installation -- a poor quality installation is worse than not having the kit.

- it depends on the maintenance and current state of repair -- in my case, the washer/dryer was ultimately dead and needed to be replaced; the a/c units are probably near end of life -- not huge value in having items that soon need to be replaced.

- it depends on how much of a discount you're getting for "stripped." unless you're doing the work yourself, the cost of installing many items can be several times the cost of the item itself. if you're doing it yourself, there's a big advantage in knowing how everything is done, but don't consider your own labor free.

Also, IMHO, there is a big benefit in having a boat that has been well used. The wrinkles have been ironed out, the weak-spots exposed and remedied. (mini-story: I love our Tayana 58. I was talking to an owner of a Tayana 48 who bought new, and complained that for years he's been fighting a problem where the tangs on the quadrant for attachment of the autopilot rams were a weak-point. I don't know if our boat suffered that problem originally, but I'm sure that after 45,000+nm that it was resolved by the previous owner if it did arise)

[barnakiel]

I would buy bare bones.

This is so because over the years we have learned what exactly the want, where to get it, and how to fit it.

I think possibly a less experienced cruiser may go the opposite way.

b.

[scuba0_1]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

I would buy bare bones.

This is so because over the years we have learned what exactly the want, where to get it, and how to fit it.

I think possibly a less experienced cruiser may go the opposite way.

b.

Our lack of money

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[barnakiel]

I went for bare but I thought a new boat, not a s/h.

I was not aware at all that a s/h boat can be had bare. They all seem to have plenty of extra gear onboard.

b.

[gjordan]

My first 2 cruising boats, I bought almost entirely on the equipment list. I didnt know squat about a Contessa 26, but the equipment list was almost all of the things that Hiscock recommended for serious cruising. It turned out to be a wonderful boat with all of the gear that the previous owner had bought, and then never sailed anywhere. Next boat was a similar situation. Neither boat had any electronics, and I would not put much stock in used electronics as a price determination. Worry about the basics, sails, ground tackle, wind vane, diesel, dinghy,etc. Again, this is just another opinion. ______Grant.