The evolution of the "new" sailboat buyer

[kldzx9r]

Hello again,

I posted an earlier message titled "Sailboat advise please...? " and have been continuing my search for a sailboat to buy. I prefer to not spend more than 65K initially and expect to pay some additional costs to get the boat ship-shape or seaworthy. I have been stuck on the notion of a boat no smaller than 42 feet minimum and wanted a length of 46 if I could find one.

I had the nerve to click on a boat for sale that was 35 feet long and was very surprised to see it appears in photos to be very similar to what a longer boat has to offer. I never thought a boat that size would have two sleeping rooms included. I am not usually clostrophobic but while on a boat and no land in sight I got a fear that I need as much boat as I can get.

How old of a boat would you buy? (not with the intentions of being forced to fix it up) I was told fiberglass hulls started somewhere in the 70's and the first few years they were over-built and better than what is around today. I have been not looking at boats older than about 1985.

I was told of some boats for sale to stay away from like if the boat was ever sunk because the damage would be too much to overcome and if the boat gets rotting inside the hull. I guess if you can see cracks or repairs on the hull that might be too extensive to buy a boat like that?

[bestfriend]

Have you seen this?

[Sapperwhite]

Thats nice, they had good things to say about my boat

[seabreeze_97]

Ray Greene appears to be the man who launched the first salvo in the plastic boat wars. He introduced an FRP dinghy in 1942. From there, fiberglass began to emerge as a viable product for boat-building. Landmark boats like the Alberg 30 began production in 1962. Many early sailboats were usually solid fiberglass, with later models having wood cores in their decks, and some also sported wood-cored hulls. The debate rages over strength. The environmental nazis would have us believe plastic never degrades, but osmosis is a reality, and as to age, we're all part of a great experiment. Nobody really knows how long a well-maintained fiberglass hull will last.

[kldzx9r]

Thank you bestfriend that was a lot of info i printed it to read later

[arbarnhart]

Originally Posted by seabreeze_97

Ray Greene appears to be the man who launched the first salvo in the plastic boat wars. He introduced an FRP dinghy in 1942. From there, fiberglass began to emerge as a viable product for boat-building. Landmark boats like the Alberg 30 began production in 1962. Many early sailboats were usually solid fiberglass, with later models having wood cores in their decks, and some also sported wood-cored hulls. The debate rages over strength. The environmental nazis would have us believe plastic never degrades, but osmosis is a reality, and as to age, we're all part of a great experiment. Nobody really knows how long a well-maintained fiberglass hull will last.

There is an old governement report that has some good info:

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/ca...1981016956.pdf

Granted, the report is as old as some of the boats being discussed, but it referenced patrol boats built in 1950 that were still in service when examine in 1972 and extensive lab testing showed no signs of aging past the first outer milimeter.

[Sailormann]

It might be worth your while to do some research as to the difference in maintenance costs between a boat of say - 44 feet and a boat of about 34 feet. Start with the insurance, then work your way through engine parts, sails, docking fees, lines, winches, etc., etc.,

Your 65K is probably enough to get you a boat under 35 feet in good condition. It is not enough to get you a 44 foot boat in good condition.