1986 Hughes 40 H40

[Cfitz]

Looking into buying our first ever boat. Our plan is to learn to sail her on Lake Huron for next 6 years and make upgrades to her etc and then we will retire and sail to islands. Erie canal, New York, Florida, Bahamas, Virgin Islands etc.
Does anyone have input on the 1986 Hughes 40 ketch? The layout looks great for a liveaboard, I like that it's a ketch with a mizzen sail and a center cockpit.
It's been used as a cottage on the water for last few years without the mast up, how would that affect it? One owner and freshwater only.

[Orion Jim]

Get a knowledgeable friend or a surveyor to go over that boat from stem to stern. Someone using her as a cottage should set off alarm bells. All maintainence "may" have been ignored or put off for another day. It might possibly be the reason she was relegated to use as a cottage. At this point in her life she needs tons of TLC to make her seaworthy if she hasn't been meticulously maintained and updated throughout her life by a knowledgeable skipper. I would be very wary.

[Bear15]

I've seen this boat where it's docked, did you ever go look at it?