The Frugal (AKA poor) Sailor

[s/v Beth]

So how many of you got free boats? Being frugal and cheap I see it happens on occasion.
Anchoring out with a free boat and doing all the work yourself seems like the lowest cost to go to me...

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by s/v Beth

So how many of you got free boats? Being frugal and cheap I see it happens on occasion.
Anchoring out with a free boat and doing all the work yourself seems like the lowest cost to go to me...

Mine was $2,000.

It may have been better than free since the old salt that owned it was on a return trip from a two year cruise from Massachusetts to Florida.

The boat was well equipped and had been totally gone over before his trip it appeared. (rigging, hoses, etc)

I found it five years after he left it. He had died and it was an estate sale. The son was in California. The boat didn't even have a for sale sign on it.

Another thing, the PO saved me several times (in bad anchorages exposed and near shore) because he set the boat up not me. I raced catamarans. I know how to sail, but as far as the proper anchor, chain, shackle size, spare anchors, extra chain and rode, I really didn't know a lot for this size boat.

[s/v Beth]

I agree Thomm as one that is already set up by an experienced sailor is a rare find, and you are using his education to save you $$.
The older I get, the less glamorous I need.

[oldragbaggers]

We were given a free boat once, a 28' Pearson Triton. A son had taken over a marina from his father and was getting rid of all the abandoned boats in the yard. It turned out to not be such a good deal though. We paid $800 to have it trucked from the marina to our backyard. The son said he was "in the process of getting the title." After a few months and it didn't come we contacted him and he said that he had to go through all of his dad's old boxes of paperwork to determine who the owner was and "then he would be in the process of getting the title." Needless to say this thing sat in our back yard for 5 years and he never did get the title and eventually stopped answering our emails and taking our calls. In the end we stripped off all the parts we could sell and had it hauled away to be destroyed.

It was a shame really. They're awesome boats.

Moral of the story....don't take any boat, even a free one, without a title in hand.

[weavis]

OK
one current fad that works in favour of the frugal sailor is wooden boats. I'm talking about ply boats that are clad in GRP. In conversation with sailors you will see many throw up their hands and say "oh no not a wooden boat!" I tend to just smile and carry on. I'm not a traditionalist who likes planked boats that require caulking, but I have no problem with well-made fibreglass sheathed vessels.

These boats will be cheap. Especially catamarans simply because the modern trend is for solid glass or cored boats. If you take the time to look through boatyards you will find many many examples of well designed and well built boats in ply which will be cheaper, much cheaper than you could expect in its full glass counterpart. For example, boats built to the designs of Richard Wood under the watchful eye of a boatyard, will have lots of space, strength and durability for a modest price.

I recently took a look at a Diamond 24 Catamaran that a friend just purchased, made of ply, GRP sheathed and in absolutely superb condition. Had the vessel been solid GRP I think it would have been in the £12-£15,000 range. However he paid just over £4500. He had crawled all over the boat prior to purchase, made his decision and paid for it without the survey. He invited me to explore the vessel and I spent an hour looking everywhere and was amazed at the quality and careful attention to detail in every aspect. Whilst I was there, we pushed it into the water from the trolley and motored out of the marina and threw the sails up and went for a 30 minute run. Neither of us being used to the boat, we did not get to fine trim but were more than happy with the responsiveness and motion. He wants to change the colour of the hulls so it is now laid up and he will work on it over the next couple of weeks.

So don't be afraid to look at ply boats.

[weavis]

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...aS0pjWnc#gid=0

I found this list put together by one of my favourite posters on C.F. David Old Jersey.

Great info for the Frugal Sailor.

[ravinracin]

I recently purchased a very expensive boat. I have put in some work and attempted to get insurance. SUPRISE! If I want insurance, which is required by the marina is not so easy to get. The companies I have contacted require that I have the boat hauled out and surveyed. This is a cost of around $900.00 plus any repairs updates that may be required. Plus moving the boat to a marina that can haul her. Still no mast lights and a few other things she needs before I can sail her. What to do, This is almost half the cost of the boat.

[Sondor]

Originally Posted by ravinracin

I recently purchased a very expensive boat. I have put in some work and attempted to get insurance. SUPRISE! If I want insurance, which is required by the marina is not so easy to get. The companies I have contacted require that I have the boat hauled out and surveyed. This is a cost of around $900.00 plus any repairs updates that may be required. Plus moving the boat to a marina that can haul her. Still no mast lights and a few other things she needs before I can sail her. What to do, This is almost half the cost of the boat.

Does one typically need a haul-out and survey for liability insurance?

Liability is all I've ever heard marinas request but maybe that's changing?

[four winds]

I assume you just need liability coverage.

Have you called Progressive?

[Sailorman Ed]

try getting it as an adder to your homeowners policy (assuming you have a home). Ours was very inexpensive and no survey.

[ravinracin]

Progressive, boat us, geico which uses seaworthy,a Berkshire Hathaway co all want a haulout and survey, one wanted the surveyor to climb the rigging also. Still searching.

[four winds]

I've had progressive for three years without a survey.

Time to renew next month so hoping the policy hasn't changed for my area.

[brownoarsman]

Also with progressive-125 mile liability with no survey, all they wanted was the HIN and a summary of my experience.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[ravinracin]

Let me correct my original post, it should read a very inexpensive boat. The reason the insurance co's have given is the age, 1977.

[Pendragon35]

I have a 1965 Alberg 35. Progressive insured the boat without survey for declared value. Boat lies Anchorage Maeina, Baltimore, MD, and the insurance limits us to 75 miles from the coast. It will be a long time before we go that far offshore so not an issue for us.