Boat hunting

[Chinook92]

Hey all, hows it going?

I'm looking for my next boat. My wife and 1/yr old kid live in a tiny cruddy 380 sqr ft house, and are ready to move onto a boat, as I'm a marine diesel mechanic for a living, it would be a pretty low risk investment and we can say we own where live.

What we are looking for is a sailboat, with two staterooms. We need our own room, and the kid needs hers. No quarter berths or anything like that, we need to be able to close her door at night so the wife.and .I can do whatever.

I don't get see many sailboats, I'm more of a powerboat guy, but love to sail, but that's just the nature.of my job, so while I grew up sailing, 90% of my boat model knowledge is powerboats, so I'm hoping you guys can help.

We are looking for something 30-40 foot with diesel power, and two staterooms. One head is fine- less to work on.

We live in Washington and want to load up and move to Alaska, so a boat really fits the bill.

We only can spend about 15,000$ but I've seen plenty of decent boats for that price.

What models come to mind? We are also considering a center cockpit, but having to go outside to get to our stateroom seems wet and cold. Ketch, sloop, yawl, rig isn't important, as long as it's junk rigged. I hate junks.....

Any insight?

[MrReedatsea]

"We only can spend about 15,000$ but I've seen plenty of decent boats for that price. What models come to mind?"

I just bought a 1989 O'Day 322. It has two berths, both with closing doors. The price was close to the range you're looking at although as an older boat it naturally has some improvements that need to be made.

There are some pictures on my website: MrReedatsea.com

Good luck!

[DDabs]

You going to be doing cruising, or primarily tied to the dock? For $15k, as long as you're not super set on sailing, I'd just find the biggest boat that floats and go from there.

Also - center cockpits, 99% of them have a passageway that goes from the salon to the aft stateroom. I've only seen a select few that require going into the cockpit and through a separate companionway.

[Cheechako]

It's a tight budget. You'll likely find something though. Be sure what you find has a great motor... many currents from WA to Alaska.

[Chinook92]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

It's a tight budget. You'll likely find something though. Be sure what you find has a great motor... many currents from WA to Alaska.

Yeah, sure.would suck to break down in Grenville channel or seymore narrows in the middle of the night! I commercial fish up north, so, I've seen the inside passage at its worst, but being a diesel mechanic I'm prepared to rebuild an engine if I find the right boat....

Sailing is great, I love it, but the reality of 'sailing' to Alaska is that the motor will be doing the majority of the work, might have some sails up to help the motor out, but, still is nice to run off wind power when practical.

If I could afford it, id get a Fisher or a Nauticat, but, that's not gonna happen anytime soon....

[skipmac]

In that size and price range the most common option for two cabins will be a standard layout: aft cockpit, main cabin with someone sleeping on the settee, and forepeak.

The other option is a something with a center cockpit with aft cabin for the parents, main cabin and forepeak for the baby. Not too many of these in your price range. The O'Day is one. Morgain OutIsland 36 if you can find one cheap enough. May be a few more.

[Chinook92]

Didn't Hunter make a smaller twin cabin layout? As Ericson? 34-2? I saw a 34-t and maybe I'm mixing my models up... Catalina 34 would be work if it werent the price or something with a similar layout....

Can't believe I'm saying this, but what about the center cockpit Coronado? Ugly as sin...

Main thing is being able to have a kids room and adults room, separation from the rest of the boat... More so than a kids room, a space for when the old.lady and I are squabblin, because let's be realistic here. Wife and kid on a boat? Who are we kidding. There are going to be good times, and miserable times, and some sleeping alone, so gotta be able to close doors and go to different cabins for when that happens, ESPECIALLY on a cruise from Washington to Alaska. I've been on enough commercial fishing boats to understand how that can work.