Buying First Boat...need opinions!

[Nobska66]

Hello - I am actually going to go see this Bristol 24 this weekend. I have seen a survey done in 2011.The only thing newly done was electrical which is a huge update granted. No head a porta potty under V Berth and no stove. Sink pump doesn't work either. Not sure what I will see. Bristols are great boas tho.

[Cheechako]

Just remember, sleeping with your head over the head... aint fun. (smelly) Whatever small boat I would buy, there would have to be another place to move the head to. Even a Chrysler 26 has a separate head compartment....

[Nobska66]

Hi Cheechako - I so agree on the head issue. It's amazing what an additional two feet can bring to a sailboat. I looked over the survey in 2011 and at the time she was in "good/fair" condition considering her age. No head, no stove, soft spot near deck step per survey. Short money for a little pocket cruiser. I more worried about the condition of the mast step. Sad such a well made boat and not taken care of as she should have been.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by Nobska66

Hello - I am actually going to go see this Bristol 24 this weekend. I have seen a survey done in 2011.The only thing newly done was electrical which is a huge update granted. No head a porta potty under V Berth and no stove. Sink pump doesn't work either. Not sure what I will see. Bristols are great boas tho.

Yes they are great boats! To me a porta potty on a 24 foot boat is the right thing. Stove may cost you about $800 for prop or cheaper for alcohol as you probably know. Sink pump is no deal breaker. The beauty of the Bristol is its quality construction, so if is is all there in good shape for a good price, it is a very nice boat. It is very similar in design and displacement to my old Columbia 24, and that was a great boat as a pocket cruiser!

[shortytravels]

Hi Guys! I'm back... still no boat yet. Looking at a Bristol 24 on Saturday as well. Wasn't on my original list but it is in the right place in the right condition so we'll see...

That said, I've recently stumbled across a beautiful boat with the head not under my head in the vberth! The Yankee Dolphin 24...

Other than the Dolphin website, I haven't found much info/ opinions on this boat... any opinions as compared to e.g. the Bristol 24? I read it is like a miniature Albin Vega...

[Southcoasting]

Originally Posted by shortytravels

Hi Guys! I'm back... still no boat yet. Looking at a Bristol 24 on Saturday as well. Wasn't on my original list but it is in the right place in the right condition so we'll see...

That said, I've recently stumbled across a beautiful boat with the head not under my head in the vberth! The Yankee Dolphin 24...

Other than the Dolphin website, I haven't found much info/ opinions on this boat... any opinions as compared to e.g. the Bristol 24? I read it is like a miniature Albin Vega...

Oohh WOW! I'm a big fan of those Dolphin 24s...If you look at my old Tartan 27, it essentially the same boat under the water, identical...The Dolphin 24 would have less headroom than the Bristol 24. Bristol 24 has excellent headroom for its size...not many 24' or less with 5'10" headroom...If you're okay with getting the added maintenance/worry of a centerboard, then it's a perfect compromise of shallow draft, stable, but still performs well in all points of sail...I'm partial to centerboard boats mainly because it's all I've had but it's up to you...

If the Dolphin 24 you're looking at is the one in MV, I think it's a great deal if you can manage to haggle for closer to 8k...The fact it has been well maintained and has a Yanmar diesel, you're already ahead at what you want to do...Even better however is that it has a trailer for hauling and storage...that's a bonus! It will save you the money of hauling and launching since you can probably figure a way to step your own mast. That's a $1000+ a year that you will save...

A few days ago, a Sea Sprite 28 came on CL for $3000 locally. Needed work of course but I would have picked it up in a heartbeat...then again, I do my own work on my own boats so fixer uppers for great deals are no scare to me. but with a 20' waterline, the 28 would not have been any faster than the Bristol 24 or the Dolphin 24. Just roomier and good looks of course.

[shortytravels]

I've looked almost everyday on CL...how did I miss that Sea Sprite? I am not sure about the centerboard feature... I've sailed a Rhodes 19 and definitely scraped her centerboard a couple of times which scared me since they are not super strong...but it was really nice to creep into those shallow areas.

I remember having to scrape out the barnacles that had formed in the centerboard housing...that wasn't too fun and was difficult to get them out. That said, I'd hope I wouldn't let my own personal boat get to that point.

So you think the Dolphin would make a nice little coastal cruiser or perhaps a bit more?

I wish someone could compare it to the Bristol 24. The boats I'm looking at are in a similar price range and both have been professionally redone so they're both like new...

[SkiprJohn]

I don't see much discussion about the Contessa which is by far the most seaworthy and best sailing except a Marieholm International Folkboat is the same thing but has more sail area and is a great sea boat. Your size is good for that boat. I'm 6' plus and I'm a bit cramped in them. I do recommend the Folkboat and the Contessa. They are a little small because of their beam but will be a better cruiser and sailer than the others you have mentioned.

Good luck in your search.

[shortytravels]

Hi there,

In my original post I actually listed the Contessa but I have only seen 2 advertised since my search began and both are in Nova Scotia so I'd have to import them which is a bit of a pain...

[mbuckner]

Originally Posted by shortytravels

Hi there,

In my original post I actually listed the Contessa but I have only seen 2 advertised since my search began and both are in Nova Scotia so I'd have to import them which is a bit of a pain...

The below may be active .... good luck

New York:

1972 JJ Taylor Contessa 26 sailboat for sale in New York

Colorado:

1976 1976 Contessa 26 w/ trailer sailboat for sale in Colorado

[shortytravels]

Sailboatlistings.com is awful. The dates that those were listed are 2010 & 2012. i think the site never deletes its old listings and sellers apparently don't either...


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[shortytravels]

Sorry, one states it was still for sale in April 2014. i'll email him tomorrow, just in case!


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[Southcoasting]

Originally Posted by shortytravels

I've looked almost everyday on CL...how did I miss that Sea Sprite? I am not sure about the centerboard feature... I've sailed a Rhodes 19 and definitely scraped her centerboard a couple of times which scared me since they are not super strong...but it was really nice to creep into those shallow areas.

I remember having to scrape out the barnacles that had formed in the centerboard housing...that wasn't too fun and was difficult to get them out. That said, I'd hope I wouldn't let my own personal boat get to that point.

So you think the Dolphin would make a nice little coastal cruiser or perhaps a bit more?

I wish someone could compare it to the Bristol 24. The boats I'm looking at are in a similar price range and both have been professionally redone so they're both like new...

Well, I look on CL religiously every few hours and I search in the typical areas local to me which are Southcoast, Boston, Rhode Island, & Cape Cod. When I seen the Sea Sprite, it had just been listed 3 hours ago. I was tempted just because it was such a great deal but I love my 34 and could not give her up! I got my 34 the same way though...it came on CL on the Southcoast list at an incredible deal in the next town over and I just jumped on it despite the fact I was not planning on upgrading from my 27. It was too good a deal and we could afford it.

The Dolphin has a great reputation. If a Dolphin was good enough for cruising the Buzzards Bay chop and the typical stiff afternoon Southwesterlies we get here, it is good for cruising pretty much anywhere...

I cannot say for the Dolphin but since they're identical below the waterline, I'll give you my synopsis of my old T27. My 27 was a great boat. It was fast and I often kept up with larger boats. When I would sail with my buddy to the Vineyard in his racing hull formed Albin Cumulus, I had to constantly slow down to let him catch up. If I didn't, I would get ahead so much that he would be difficult to see when I look back!

It had some flaws like heavy weatherhelm when overcanvassed and it was easily overcanvassed as it had a big mainsail and big genoa. Then again, many boats have this when overcanvassed but I guess on the 27, it was easier to overcanvas. But once I figured out that for the typical 15-25 knot winds of Buzzards Bay I needed to be reefed on the main all the way and genoa, it was a fast boat and I could handle the tiller with just my finger. It beat against the wind well enough, loved to beam reach, and was pretty good downwind. The centerboard allowed me balance the boat. I learned how to adjust the board for optimal performance. and the shallow draft allowed me to anchor in many places other boats could not...this was a huge plus when I got to overly crowded places like Cuttyhunk, Oak Bluffs, Hadleys Harbor, Lake Tashmoo as I had the pickings of anchoring spots the other boats could not dare to go where other boaters with deeper draft had to turn around and anchor outside the ideal spots. Another con was when tacking in stiff winds, the full keel was a drag and I had to backwind the jib in order to complete the tack.

Look at as many boats as possible and once you think you have the boat that found you, jump on it...

[oldragbaggers]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Just remember, sleeping with your head over the head... aint fun. (smelly) Whatever small boat I would buy, there would have to be another place to move the head to. Even a Chrysler 26 has a separate head compartment....

We lived on a Bristol 24 for a year. We removed the marine head that was in it and replaced it with a porta potty for just this reason. At night we moved the porta potti out into the main cabin near the companionway. Problem solved. As far as the berth though, you will not find another boat in this size range that has a more comfortable v-berth for 2 people than the B-24. (Well, maybe a Flicka....) And they sail so beautifully. I would consider it too small for a full time cruiser, but mainly because there just isn't enough storage space to hold what you would need for long term, but it was one of our favorite boats.

[Pegu Club]

We have a 1975 B24, with a composting head where the ports potty was, a whale manual sink pump is inexpensive, and we purchase a lightly used origo two burner alcohol stove. We then installed spreaders between the settees that are removeable to create a large double berth, and yes it's comfy and sets up and breaks down very quickly. The v-berth is now mostly storage/ head, this set up works well for us, and we have done up to two weeks on her with very good comfort. We as well have a rail mounted propane grill, so cooking is no issue. We also use a yeti cooler, and use the original ice box for food storage.
The B24 is a stout boat, we have been in up to 6ft swells (8 second intervals) between Block island and Naragansett bay, and she handled it with no issues.

Happy boat hunting,