In 2007 we decided to get a boat to sail in the North Channel. We looked at a basket case Dolphin 24. A more ready Dolphin, and a 25 Cat. The Cat was too much to swing. We found a 22 Cat at a charity shop for $2k including a trailer. That was in April and by July she was on the water in Bruce Mines ON. I had to add some standing
rigging ends, all the running
rigging, put in a pumpout porta potty, rewired and used a 6hp Johnson I had. We only sailed her a couple of hours on local lakes.
We tooled around St. Joe Island, Horseshoe Island, Detour and back during the next week. Ran a ground once in the Drummond channels. Had a fabulous time except for the porta potty. Using it was a real pain because of the lack of headroom and privacy as it was in the v Berth. At the end of the summer, sold it for $2,500. Sold the motor for another $400.
This past spring we starting checking out other boats. This time with a separate head. We want a trailer boat because of the quick driving to so many big lakes and easier storage costs. We ended up buying a US25. The glass was in very good condition, very few scratches even. The interior was OK. The boat came with a 10HP electric start Chrysler with remote controls, roller
furling,
spinnaker and pole,
radio, sails,
autopilot, two batteries and other assorted goodies. Its up on a trailer with rollers. It can be launched in a deep launch which we know of many.
Of course there are issues. The ports leak, the interior is poorly maintained. However, the clincher was that the interior is not a glass tub, the whole interior is wood. This spring, I am stripping her down to the hull and redoing her with an aft kitchen and stretching out the v berth a couple of inches and making the head bulkheads full width so there is much more space to use as a changing area for the grandkids. I'll hope to get that done for some summer cruising. We move to the Up of Michigan and lakes Michigan, Huron and Superior are all in an hour's drive. If I can get the mast raising and lowering process down to a reasonable time, day sails would be a reasonable expectation. It came with the pivot frame for raising it.
So far, I have accumulated new opening ports, a dual
battery charger, new
compass,
GPS, an lot of books and ideas. Can't wait till spring. Its on the hard in the back yard under a tarp surrounded by 24 inches of snow.