Help Me Look for a Boat, Please

[vguerrao]

Hi

I'm selling a Oday 37 with two cabins, two heads that we have sailed from San Diego to Isla mujeres. It's really comfortable an well taken care. It's 1979 and asking $20,000 us dls. vguerrao@gmail.com

[UNCIVILIZED]

Guys, this ain't a frickin DIY sell your boat thread!

If in doubt, read the OP's posts, & some of the well thought out responses to same.

[Island Time O25]

Like some one posted earlier, unless you find an incredible deal, if your plans are to start cruising 5 years down the road, I'd go with a smaller, popular model today for the next 5 years to get all family members comfortable with the sailing part of future cruising. And in 5 years most likely your needs/wants will change enough so that together with gained experience of boat ownership you would not need to ask a bunch of strangers what boat to get for your cruising plans.

Today you can easily find a 30'-35' boat under $20K, often under $12-15K, which can be sailed right away. And 5 years later, assuming you did not let it go to derelict condition, it'll still be worth what you paid for it. So you'd be just out of your regular ownership costs which most likely be no more expensive than one (or two at most) 7-10 day charter in the Caribbean each year but will give you considerably more experience and confidence.

[duefocena]

While a Lancer 44 motor sailor is about as far on the other side of the spectrum from what I sail it can be an option for those with a limited budget looking for maximum space. I recently looked at one with roller furling main and jib and twin Perkins diesels. The 75 year old owner had gone through the Panama Canal and into the inland passage way of Alaska. Motoring at 8kts and I have personally sailed one at 8kts. He was asking $35k for the boat and it sold in about a week. I could see that another $25k would have given her new sails, some glass work and upgraded some electronics as well as some cosmetics.

[johngfoster]

Originally Posted by UNCIVILIZED

Regarding your search for a boat, you have some good conceptual ideas. And I’ll get back to that soon. And Ann's tips on the subject are Great.
But at the moment, you’re probably putting the cart a bit before the horse. Plus there are some things which you & your other half need to consider TOGETHER. While you formulate this plan.

One of them being, that she needs to be comfortable doing most, if not all, of the tasks onboard the boat. Especially the ones which are physically & emotionally stressful. Including docking, handling the boat in heavy weather, & dealing with all of the loads on things, via the various mechanical advantageous systems onboard.
As her being at ease with/about these tasks, could easily make or break your; sailing together, marriage, & or, cruise. So, to me, that’d be one of the first priorities. As it’s one which is very prevalent in sailing.

IE; She needs to learn to sail without you around, & to handle a boat of whatever size you’re thinking about.
Some of that topic/theme is covered in here http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ng-161019.html
And it’s also one which is echoed by many of the successful cruising couples out there, who stay at it for any length of time.

Too, & this is a semi-segue into the boat choice thing. She, & all of you, need to be comfortable living together in a Tiny space, under some very stressful conditions.
Follow some of the links in the attached pages http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...is-153569.html

As to your ideas on boats, it is wise, for instance, for each person having their own bunk/personal private space. That’s key, even for kids. As boats are small enough places to be cooped up with other humans in, anyway.
We all kind of need an area into which we can retreat, & recharge, or just “be”, regardless of age.
For it’s difficult for most people to live entirely within their own heads.

So, some ideas for boats are covered in the attached pages, or their links. And I wrote up the pluses & minuses of a Cal 29, in several of them. To give newbies an idea of what’s important to look for in a boat… Including, lots of bunks. As you alluded to. Regarding which, designs which have several quarter berths & pilot berths, would likely serve you well.
That, & you might look at something which has an aft cabin, like a Peterson 44/Kelly-Peterson 46 (same design). As it’d give you & your partner a private space, plus, a good deal of room for the kids. And common areas as well. Both inside, & topside.

Also, that design tends to sail pretty well, & has a good owner’s association. To include where various ones are for sale, & in what condition, etc.

Plus, when you’re looking at boats, the easiest way to judge their speed, is to take a look at their PHRF (racing) rating. It’s based on how well a given boat type performs under an average of conditions, and +/- it’s a pretty accurate yardstick.
PHRF New England - Handicapping - Base Handicaps
Also, for a reality check regarding boat speed, there’s this page, on Beth Leonard & Evans Starzinger’s excellent website Click on where it says “Passage Speed Calculator” Calculators
Plus, there’s this great article on the topic as well http://bethandevans.com/pdf/200mile.pdf

Keep in mind, too, that it’s not tough to find a well fitted out 30’-35’ boat for $10k - $15k, & use her as a trial horse, in order to hone your skills. As well as general enjoyment. And then, on the other end, more or less, get back what you put into her.

Then, if your brain’s not too fried yet, go to Mahina Expeditionss conducts sailing and navigation training and expeditions in the South Pacific and offers offshore sailing seminars
They’re a couple who teach both Expeditioning, & Offshore Sailing (plus the skills for same), in addition to professionally helping people to find what boat(s) would best suit them, & their sailing styles & goals.
And you can ask yourselves the “hard” questions, if you dare, via
Kurt Hughes Multihull Design - Catamarans and Trimarans for Cruising and Charter
And Kurt Hughes Multihull Design - Catamarans and Trimarans for Cruising and Charter

Finally, but significantly, you’ll (both, together) need to figure out that intricate dance, of handling; the boat, plus raising, & taking care of kids while on it. Especially for sailing jaunts which last more than a few hours or days. And for some that's easy, while for others it takes a good bit of time & practice.

PS: I’ve probably written this "pick a boat thing" a dozen plus times, for several different folks. Each time, emphasizing different things. So if you’re curious, a custom search of this website should turn up those posts. Including a very good one on “what was/is your favorite boat”, or something like that.

Thank you for these words of wisdom. This post, more than any so far in the thread, is the most helpful. It has helped bring my feet back down to earth . It's easy for me to dream about this and get caught up in it. But you're right. If my wife is coming too, then she too needs to be involved in the process, just like she would be if we were buying a house (which we would be, kinda).

[ztsf]

Read Sailing A Serious Ocean by John Kretschmer. It provides a chapter discussing a variety of the best bluewater cruising boats, in all sizes. Hopefully that will help you narrow your field.

[UNCIVILIZED]

I'm glad that you found some helpful/useful thoughts in my "Thesis" And hope that you & the family get out on the water, Soon.

Which, BTW, if it helps you to do so. There are some Great trailerable boats, that you could use as a "trainer", there, close to home. As well as taking it elsewhere, for more on the water time, when the thermometer drops, or you want a change of scenery.

That was one of the ways we got in more sailing time when my brother & I were younger. And we Loved it, especially his & my Gigantic berth, underneath of the cockpit, on our Chrysler 26'.

[picklesandjesse]

I owned an F and C 44 for a few years and cruised many thousands of miles in her. It's a design by German Frers and built in Argentina about 60 made. They have a reasonable draft with centerboard. We dropped the board only twice in 8 years, once for 5 mins and another time for 2 hours so you don't really need it. Best days run was 190 miles and we never pushed it because we were homeschooling our son. These boats are very quiet below and you can often find that the weather when you poke your head out is way worse than the boat would make you think.

They do have a few issues ( laid decks ) which many have replaced by now. Also the chainplates are embedded in the hull and can rust and blow out the hull ( easily seen on the outside ) They've become a lot cheaper these past few years and I noticed there's one for under $50K on Yachtworld. Has recent new decks but no mention of chainplates but they can be fixed from the outside. I would take it on but I also build boats, you might need help.

I would buy one again but getting too old. Good looking boat though.