Getting my feet wet, need advice. Cat27 or Paceship 26?

[Jeraden]

Glad you discovered those issues before you wrote the check! Keep looking, there are many out there.

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[20ft cruiser]

Yep well done on the paceship inspection. Many a good sailer has fallen when buying. My only advice is make sure you love everything about the boat when you buy. Because most people keep their first boat a long time and no one ever forgets it.

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[Jeraden]

Great advice 20ft cruiser! We loved our Gulfstar 36 upon first sight and plan on living aboard for a very long time. She required much work and TLC. Now she's fit for ocean cruising.

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[Jeraden]

Don't get discouraged crispyfish! You will find the right boat for you :-) Hours
of research and inspections will pay off.

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[chrispyfish]

Thanks for the advice, guys.

I'm actually pretty sure I've got the right boat locked down! Kind of a funny story too.

I've been spending A LOT of time here on CF in the last month or two. Good thing, because I noticed a fellow CF'er post a boat for sale in my area. Well, actually, it's for a free boat, 1975 Newport 28. You can see the ad in the boat classifieds. I've been chatting back and forth with the owner, SURV69, and he's sent me a TON of pictures of the boat and all the work he's done on it so far. He's been pouring his heart and soul into this boat for the last 4 years to get it up to CF liveaboard standards

He's giving it away because a nicer, larger boat (a bristol 29) came his way and he's paying it forward. Gotta love this awesome community here at CF!!! So thanks to you guys for the all the care and information. This definitely worked out for the best. SO glad I didn't drop the hammer on that Paceship.

Got in touch with the Marina I've had my eye on, and they have plenty of space for me too, so it looks like everything is now in motion. So exciting!

So now the real work begins. Time to start selling all my stuff and downsizing my life in preparation for moving aboard in 3 months or so. The boat is over on the other side of Lake Erie, so I'll be getting a lift down there with a buddy to act as first mate for the maiden voyage across the lake, and home. Then, system by system, I'll spend the summer going through her top to bottom and getting her ready for cruising. I'll have to spend another winter here (ugh) but I have a plan. My cousin has a house in my city, but heads down to Texas for the winter, and needs someone to look after his place for the winter. Free rent and place to stay while the boat is on the hard. By Spring 2016, the boat should be ready, and I should have a big enough kitty, to finally head out, sail through the Erie Canal to the Hudson, and then South. See you guys in El Caribe in 2016!!!

Also, I'll try and keep the updates coming in on a thread as I go through the entire process. Might even start one of those liveaboard blogs I've read so much of hehe.

Anyway, again, thanks for all the help and support CF! Without it, this whole endeavor would be but a dream.

More to come! Stay tuned!

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by chrispyfish

Thanks for the advice, guys. ....................
...................... This definitely worked out for the best. ...............
............... so it looks like everything is now in motion. ................ So exciting! ..................... I have a plan. ..................
.............................. See you guys in El Caribe in 2016!!!
.................. More to come! Stay tuned!

We love hearing of success, 'keep us posted of your adventures!

[chrispyfish]

Thanks a lot, Hudson! And everyone else too.

In a couple of months I'll take possession of the boat, then I'll be here with TONS of questions.

Until then...

[chrispyfish]

Hey everyone!
Thought it time for a new update. Nothing particularly important has happened in the last little while, though..

The only thing I thought I would mention is that another boat did catch my eye for a little while. There's someone selling a 1975 Bayfield 23/25 in my area that's in pretty sweet condition. Has a 1991 Vire 12 instead of the original Vire 7, as well as a 1997 Mer. 9.9 outboard and trailer for $1800. Pretty sweet deal.

So I've now been tossing between the Newport 28, which is free, and the Bayfield, which is almost free. Originally, I had thought that the Bayfield was the larger 25, with standing head room and enclosed head. If it was, I would probably be leaning towards it for sure, considering it's full keel with an impressive <3' draft. But after discovering that it's the 23/25 model, without standing headroom (5'9" and I'm 6' tall) or enclosed head, I decided against it, I think. I have to admit, in the process I've fallen in love with the Bayfield design and would trade up the Newport 28 for a Bayfield 25 (or a Bayfield 29 ) in an instant. The classic lines and heavy use of teak are stunning, they're designed for bluewater cruising, and I could see a properly commissioned Bayfield turning a lot of heads hehe..

So, anyway, I've been starting to figure out the plan for commissioning the Newport, come Spring time. The logistics are going to be somewhat difficult. I live in Canada, and the boat is currently registered in the US. I'm planning on taking a holiday from work towards the end of April, around 10 days. I'll head down to Ohio where the boat is, and spend 7 - 10 days getting her up and running. The Atomic 4 in the Newport hasn't run for quite a while, but she looks brand new in photos, and was properly winterized the last time she WAS run. I'm fairly confident that I'll be able to get it started. Once splashed and running, I have to drive her across Lake Erie, and through the Detroit River against the current, so a running engine is a must.

The boat has sails, although she lost one of her head sails when it was blown out during Hurricane Sandy. The paint job looks perfectly fine (based on photographs from when she was hauled in the Fall) and I've been assured she's watertight.

One point of concern is the keel bolts. Newports were designed with keel bolts "permanently" encased in epoxy. However, the epoxy in this boat has completely cracked apart, and there's a good amount of rust covering the bolts. I've attached a pic. I would really like an opinion from some CF'ers about these bolts and whether they seem sound to you or not. There doesn't appear to be any keel separation or any water intrusion at the joint. Still, I think I'm going to have to at least dig the bolts out, clean them off, and re-encase them somehow. Still figuring out what I'm going to do about this. Any advice would be appreciated.

The other thing I'm wondering (i.e. worrying) about is bringing the boat into Canada from the US. I've researched the procedure for importing a boat from the US to Canada, but the part I'm foggy on is the fact that I'm getting the boat for free, so I have no idea how the Canadian Border Services is going to charge taxes and duty. Like, would they try and figure out some sort of perceived value of the boat, or would there be no tax and duty as the boat was free? This, I have to figure out.

One idea had was this: my father lives in the US as a landed immigrant (he married a woman from Detroit). From what I understand, the PO wouldn't be able to "gift" the boat to me, as we are not related. However, I could have him transfer the ownership to my dad, who could then, as family, gift it to me. Am I way off on this assumption?

I really can't wait for this snow (2 feet yesterday!!!) to melt so I can start tackling some of these questions. More updates to come! Any feedback is mightly appreciated. Thanks!

[chrispyfish]

Oh, on a side note, you'll notice the incandescent clip-on light attached to the engine in the picture. Pretty solid evidence that there's no fuel leakage? Otherwise, turning on that light would have been a pretty explosive experience I can imagine. Amiright?