Narrowing the field.

[mudnut]

Ya know when ya write the "Must have & can do without list"as far as ya first boat.Well this is what I've come up with. Boats for Sale . I'm not after speed and the knowledgable amungst you will see that first off. I really don't need to cross oceans , and long coastal voyges are planed, Island hopping and similar overnight crossings. The traditional shape and overall appearence delight me to no end. Also it's in budget. I plan to liveaboard full time and just go off cruising at leisure. I'm not a sailor, can't afford "Boat 1 & boat 2". In some plan to learn or get aquainted with "Sailing" so I realize there will be a learning curve . Thoughts on the boat its self for handeling the task would be interesting. Thank you. Mudnut.

[northerncat]

wheres the second hull? it looks like another cata.
sean

[mudnut]

Like I said,these boats are inside my $$$ Factor.If I could afford 2 hulls,I would still buy 1 and use the money I saved on the other to fund my kitty.I do see the humour in it all though.Mudnut.

[northerncat]

it almost anti australian/nz to sail around on only one hull
sean

[rtbates]

Very cool boat. And as an added benefit it likes sitting upright better than upside down!

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by mudnut

I really don't need to cross oceans , and long coastal voyges are planed, Island hopping and similar overnight crossings. The traditional shape and overall appearence delight me to no end. Also it's in budget. I plan to liveaboard full time and just go off cruising at leisure. I'm not a sailor, can't afford "Boat 1 & boat 2". In some plan to learn or get aquainted with "Sailing" so I realize there will be a learning curve . Thoughts on the boat its self for handeling the task would be interesting. Thank you. Mudnut.

For your intentions, it looks good. A shallow keel for gunkholing, a cabin for the tropical rains, roomy down below & well set up. A bit of a motorsailer!
Is it steel or plywood? I can't quite tell from the pict's....................._/)

[Boracay]

My understanding is that boats that look that salty and seaworthy are illegal in Australia.

Seriously though, all of that lovely cabinet work is going to have to be pulled out sooner or later to check/repair any rust on the hull (The boat is steel, right?). This is possible?

If you want any info on rust check some of my preceeding posts or just ask.

[mudnut]

The design is from Hanna,it's only 32' and yes I'ts steel.There are a few of these boats for sale out my way,this one is the derest of them.I have a few other types I've collected in my search for "The boat",many of them have traditional lines.Modern shapes don't tickle my fancey.None of them have two hulls,but like this one they all have "Pirate ladders to the mast"Now I only need a plank and a barrel o rum.Mudnut.

[cooper]

Nice boat......glad to see yet another person crossing over from the dark side to the wonderfull world of ....ta da dah da dahhh...-{Steel}-.......To do a quick inspect try and find the spot that no one would want to stick their head in.: ) ..and then go to the next worse spot (seriously) and have a look at the hull surface. Bad rust is very easy to spot if you can get to it. A bright torch and hand mirror can be a big help. Signs of moisture inside such as mould may indicate standing water. Remember this is a STEEL boat ..it should not have water inside. You would be supprised how easy it is with a little bit of planning to rip something out (in a pretty brutal way and then stick it back in with only a little bit of extra trim, and have it not noticable.A large quantity of steel boats dont have backs, or only light panels to their cabinetry. Light panels can be wrecked and then replaced with cover sheets held in by super velcro. If all you see is light surface rust then look some more...if thats it then it is probably in good condition. Add to your list a strip (read gentle angle grind ) and paint, section by section using dust curtains. Something to ponder the price of steel has increased at a speed that not even catamarans could equal. The future of small steel boat production may be becoming to much of a cost burden. This in turn will greatly increase the value of good second hand steel boats. The price of second hand stainless has gone up 400% in a couple of years. ..........makes ya think huh...

[mudnut]

Cooper,reflecting on what you said about the rust issue got me to thinking.This boat is $55,000.Another boat similar is asking $33,000.Considering that I will have to go over the boat with a fine tooth comb and address any issues usually acociated with steel was allways in the back of my mind.It just might be worth buying the cheaper boat and use the money I would have saved to do a top notch repair/refit.Good thoughts Cooper.Mudnut.

[cooper]

hey muddy
23 k is a lot of spundoolie....all other things being equal;..ie how up to date the electronics are etc. that sort of money would get you a blast and repaint (epoxy ) in side and out AND have someone else doing the work !!The most important thing is to be realistic about the state of the hull. as l said before surface rust is not a problem small rust pitting is also not a problem, it can be happily filled with any of the high build two part epoxy paints....(think plastic boat with Very strong bonding material). If the gear is the same on both boats and the cheaper one needs a paint job...then to my mind ,you end up with a better boat because you have a brand new lattest technology paint system. It cost me 6 K to get my boat blasted and fully primed ,inside and out (38 footer) you can go straight to a roller and paint brush after that. viynl barrier coat and anti foul under water. polyurethene or epoxy with sand or garnet for grip, topsides, and leave the rest alone........ buy some toys and go sailing for a few months with the balance............crapy LOOKING boats can be a bargain.......my first was stinking cormorants nest....4 k for a 30 footer......... good luck...

[mudnut]

Hey cooper,What do ya think of this deal? $5,000,Has the mast & rigging plus a motor.The donk is suss and the boat is bare.Brand spanking new.I have a budget of about 0<20k for initial,understanding that,I have a 15k spending kitty for kitting the boat out.That leaves me $25k cruising kitty.Even if I bit into that to the tune of say,15k,I would affectivly have 45k at my grasp to get the boat up and running.I have seen a few of these deals on Yachthub local lately and wonder if they might be an option.I would think 10k would go to the donk.It's all steel.Mudnut.

[cooper]

If the hull is well built then man you have a bargain ! Check the price of steel plate....go on do it just to make you happy ! Have you got any more pics ?Mast and riggings gotta be worth 5K. You can get a brand new 20 hp and gear box with all the marine stuff for 8k or if you want more horses and you put in keel cooling (pay some one else to weld on the cooling pipes ?) a bit over 10k will get you 53 hp (enough for a 40 footer) As long as you fitout the basics with a view to the future you can sail now and continue to add to the guts along the way. (allthough it can be a pain and messy, at least AFTER you have used the boat YOU WILL HAVE A REAL IDEA OF WHERE THINGS SHOULD GO) ...you know it makes sense.... (sorry to the rest of the world ozie joke) what you will end up with is a brand new boat...your boat. Just remember to make sure everything is secure before you sail. It amazes me the "missiles" that l have seen on boats going through renevations. Even if it is just a put put or day sail, it is amazing how much that will help launch you into the next bit of work. Keep me posted.. at this rate you may end up with your project on the water before mine...speaking of which............................................. PS what size is it etc..

[David_Old_Jersey]

Mudnut,

Just a couple of ideas, but on the basis that this is homebuilt - why not see if you can lay hands on a copy of the plans? Useful for if you ever need to do any major surgery - but also you can check that it was built as designed, both underbuilt AND overbuilt (given the size adding weight will probably have a big impact on performance).

I think you said that their a few of these around, so why not have a chat with a couple of owners (ideally one who is also the builder) of sister ships - to get a lowdown on good and bad points, regarding the build, maintanence and performance / liveability. IMO would be worth spending the price of a few beers in "Consultancy Fees"

Also just to make the point (that would be true in this part of the world and I guessing in yours), and which I am sure you already know that she is a homebuilt steel boat (ie no "Brand Name") so no matter how much you spend on her their is a limit to what she will ever be worth.........of course only crops up when (if) reselling.

Although I have no first hand experinace with Steel Boats, my understanding (take with a pinch of salt!) is that everything can be repaired given time and skills (or money!), but that what you really want is a sound hull to start with and this involves inspecting every nook and cranny - and checking the remaining plate thicknesses (both with a hammer and with "electrickery" - I forget the actual gadget name!! ).......I would also like someone who knew about welding to have a look at the welding (including on the out of sight areas) to see how much care / ability appears to have gone into her construction - although I beleive that a weld can only be truly tested by destruction.

I have also heard of cases where hulls can rust through in only specific spots due to "events" (electrickery? / wrong metals? / trapped bilge water? / black magic? / bad luck?) which whilst of course not good would not mean the whole boat was fooked.