Sailboat suggestions

[cdreid]

So im moving onto a sailboat in 4 years when i retire. Im not a sailor. .Ill take sailing classes and maybe offer to crew for a bit to learn.Ive wanted to do this since i was a kid and have been researching it since then to the point i read a lot about Herreschoff and thought about trying to build one of his designs.
I want to see the world before i die. Im budgeting 40k. Very capable of repairs (cnc mill in garage and 2 oscilloscopes 3d printer beside me... ive cast metal..). Ill have 2 dogs with me and live on the hook mostly. Ill need to make a few bluewater cruises as... continents. And ill be singlehanding
Im guessing i should target a fin keel with a skeg rudder as a safety/handling compromise. A cutter or ketch rig for single handing but ive also read cruisers saying they still prefer a sloop. (and cutter rigs generally add 10k to the boats cost).
I also have a thing for Cheoy Lee's with those giant round cabins.. and morgan oi 40's because.. who doesnt want to sail a condo. I fully expect people to eyeroll the morgans. Heck i even considered a multihull for a few seconds when i saw how ridiculously cheap theyve become.
I plan on buying a 37 to 40+

What i need is boat suggestions . Ideally i buy something for 20k thats sailable and put 5k into watermaker, solar etc and 5 or 10k into things i find along the way that need fixing. Maybe even another 10k into an electric motor.

Note i fully expect the "you cant sail without a 100k boat and 10k a month" people and the "you need 20 years experience before you can leave a dock" people. Im not even slightly interested in what those folks have to say.

[thomm225]

You might want to try sailing and living aboard before spending all these year planning something you may not enjoy.

Also a 20K boat with a watermaker is a bit ........ different. One extreme to the other so to speak

Most of us with boats in that price range use water badders or jugs of water not $3500-$11000 watermakers

https://smartbottleinc.com/product/5...iABEgK6fPD_BwE

Also you will most probably need that watermaker money to get the boat ready to sail especially in the size range you mentioned.

Your numbers seem to be off a bit./

Btw I paid $2,000 for my boat 10 years ago and have put $10,000 - $12,000 into it and still no watermaker.

Plus it still needs rigging, AIS transponder, and a fridge would be nice but I'd need more solar and maybe battteries to support that.

[Sailor Sailor]

The best list of bluewater boats I have seen is the one posted on Mahina Expeditions, "Boats to Consider for Offshore Cruising", as follows:
http://mahina.com/wp-content/uploads...e-Cruising.pdf

It will be challenging to find one at your pricing - you will be looking at smaller, classic plastic good old boats - Alberg, Bristol, Cape Dory, Morgan, Pearson, Tartan.

If you can find one, a Pearson 35 or Tartan 34 would be an excellent choice IMHO. Expect to do a lot of the work yourself bringing it up to spec while you learn. (I have owned 2 Pearsons and I thought they were really well-built, well -designed boats.)

[JimsCAL]

A $20k 40 footer is going to need a lot more repairs and updates than your budget allows. Either raise your budget or look at smaller boats.

[JBP]

If you love working on stuff, learning how to fix things yourself, then yes, excellent plan. Buy a project boat, live on it for 5-10 years while you slowly fix it up, then sail the world. I agree that Pearson and Tartan make excellent project boats, they are well built and will be great boats again after you fix them up. But there are LOTS of different types of boats that will do. A lot depends on what's available when you are ready. I know a guy who just got a Westsail 32 for $20K in usable condition. Cheoy Lee's and Tayana's are beautiful boats, but are bonus project boats because they need a lot of more work to restore and maintain, thus the nickname Cheoy Leeky.

[boatman61]

https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ml#post3671380

[Manateeman]

At anchor plus two dogs. What size dogs. It’s different from being on land.
In the back of lots of boatyards, you’ll find project boats for free or just yard fees...which you can start to work on and see if you are comfortable with the idea. One step at a time.

[Sailor Sailor]

One more thing, read Don Casey's This Old Boat before you start down this road. One of the most important premises of his book, is to pick a classic if you intend to invest all your time and energy in a renovation.

Don't pick a garbage boat. If you pick one off the Mahina Expeditions list, you will be less likely to make that mistake. Many boat owners love their own boats or boat make, and are biased in the selection process.

[ramron67]

Originally Posted by Sailor Sailor

If you can find one, a Pearson 35 or Tartan 34 would be an excellent choice IMHO. Expect to do a lot of the work yourself bringing it up to spec while you learn. (I have owned 2 Pearsons and I thought they were really well-built, well -designed boats.)

I will also put in a vote for a Pearson 35. Mine is 45 years old, but still in great shape and sails very well.

[SV-Viento]

Really some thoughtful advice already. And note that variations of this question come up frequently. It’s a great question about goals and dreams so if naysayers arise continue your research. My 2 cents for now is to encourage you to sail now and if possible spend some long weekends on similar size boats.

The thoughts of sailing are great but the act of sailing is not for everyone and living aboard is a whole other world. Good to learn now. Btw I love them all as well as a good project boat . Good luck with the search and plans.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by cdreid

...I plan on buying a 37 to 40+

What i need is boat suggestions . Ideally i buy something for 20k thats sailable and put 5k into watermaker, solar etc and 5 or 10k into things i find along the way that need fixing. Maybe even another 10k into an electric motor...

Your plan doesn't match with what my experience says is realistic.

A 37-40' boat for $20,000 is certainly possible, maybe even one which is sailable, But you may not find one which matches exactly to your desired specification. Perhaps you need to be more flexible and look for a boat in good condition even if if isn't exactly what you prefer to buy, or look for your exact preference and settle for more of a project.

We bought an old race boat, which was relatively inexpensive for it's size, then spent a lot to make it cruise ready. We lived aboard at the dock for 10years before we took off.

Most people spend at least a few thousand dollars on a dingy which you'll need if you live at anchor.

Your budget for upgrades is very low. My experience says that a watermaker alone may cost you $5000, or more when you include the cost, even DIY, of the installation. Same with the solar. Not $5000 but more than you expect. I usually figure whatever you spend on something it is double that to get it finished.

Oh, the idea of an electric motor for a long distance cruising boat is only workable if you are committed to sailing ALL THE TIME, and plenty of solar for recharging, or budget for marine berths every night.

We spent as much as the purchase price over again and we were totally DIY, kept the boat simple, and it was in very good condition when we bought it.

So maybe look for a little smaller boat, be flexible about what it is, and be prepared to spend more money (and time) getting it ready.

Embarking on a life aboard, as a single hander, with two dogs, on a limited budget, is setting yourself up for some tough times, I think.

In that sense getting a boat which is sailable is a great idea. Get one early and start sailing it (locally). Take your dogs for a few days on the boat and see what that is like. Start your projects of installing things but do that in a way which does not take your boat out of service. Keep it sailable, and start getting experience with the boat and the sea. The idea of seeing new continents any time soon should be tempered with goal of getting experience and confidence closer to home.

You don't have to wait for retirement. If you can live near the water you can get a boat now and move aboard while still commuting to work. You'll quickly get a feel for the challenges.

Go ahead with your plan but do it in little steps.

[cdreid]

Ive been on boats... i dont get seasick dont mind the motion etc. And as i said i will be spending time on boats before i buy

"Most of us with boats in that price range use water badders or jugs of water not $3500-$11000 watermakers"

I can do a watermaker for 1500 diy. Seems completely worth it.



Btw I paid $2,000 for my boat 10 years ago and have put $10,000 - $12,000 into it and still no watermaker.

Plus it still needs rigging, AIS transponder, and a fridge would be nice but I'd need more solar and maybe battteries to support that.[/QUOTE]
Whatever i buy will be capable of sailing from the day i buy it. Strong bones, good rigging. Ive seen example after example of people going sailing on far less than 40k baseline. TY for your suggestions

[cdreid]

Originally Posted by JBP

If you love working on stuff, learning how to fix things yourself, then yes, excellent plan. Buy a project boat, live on it for 5-10 years while you slowly fix it up, then sail the world. I agree that Pearson and Tartan make excellent project boats, they are well built and will be great boats again after you fix them up. But there are LOTS of different types of boats that will do. A lot depends on what's available when you are ready. I know a guy who just got a Westsail 32 for $20K in usable condition. Cheoy Lee's and Tayana's are beautiful boats, but are bonus project boats because they need a lot of more work to restore and maintain, thus the nickname Cheoy Leeky.

JBP yes the cheoy is more of a "i wish" thing.. From what i can see a ready to sell cheoy is going to cost 60 to 70 (without solar, watermaker etc). Of the boats that seem to have a good bluewaterish rep i see tayanas, morgan 38's, Pearsons and albergs.
I have 4 years and ive been watching youtubers including Sailing uma etc etc whove done exactly what i want to do.. and for less money (though i wouldnt take on the kind of project uma did haha) Ty for the advice

[Mariefred]

20K? That should stretch to a one way ticket to Somalia, a fast RIB, and a pirate's hat. Then take your pick.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by cdreid

Ive been on boats... i dont get seasick dont mind the motion etc. And as i said i will be spending time on boats before i buy

"Most of us with boats in that price range use water badders or jugs of water not $3500-$11000 watermakers"

I can do a watermaker for 1500 diy. Seems completely worth it.



Btw I paid $2,000 for my boat 10 years ago and have put $10,000 - $12,000 into it and still no watermaker.

Plus it still needs rigging, AIS transponder, and a fridge would be nice but I'd need more solar and maybe battteries to support that.

Whatever i buy will be capable of sailing from the day i buy it. Strong bones, good rigging. Ive seen example after example of people going sailing on far less than 40k baseline. TY for your suggestions[/QUOTE]


I was sailing my boat within a week after I bought it (completed bottom job first as it had been on the hard 5 years), but you will find that just because it's sailable doesn't mean it doesn't need lots of things

Mine still needs rigging, but I have added or replaced the autopilot, dodger, mainsail, cabin lamps, cabin shades, inverters, computers (for chart plotter) HDTV, VHF w/AIS/GPS, solar, controllers, alps sleeping mats, cushions, Coleman Blowup Lady (mattress), etc

Luckily it came loaded with anchors, rode, chain, autopilot VHF, roller furling, etc

Also like I said you may want to get something now rather than planning for years to do something you might not enjoy.

Being on boats is one thing but living on them is a totally different deal.