Westerly

[Akacake]

Hello,

I have an option to buy either a

Westerly Centaur (1970) 26 foot, stock, with a Volvo 16 HP for $13,000

OR

Westerly Centaur (1971), 26 foot,
NEW Volvo 20 HP with some custom work in the cabin and cockpit for $25,000.

I am having a hard time deciding which would be the better buy.

I would like to not spend too much money now but am worried that the engine
could end up costing me $12,000 (CAD) in the end anyhow.

any input would be great!

[ndsailor]

You have more to check than only the engine. Sails, rigging, moisture content in the hull,... In my opinion, you can save money by purchasing the 1970 after having the engine checked by a professional if all other things seem equal. Even if you have to repower, at least you will know you have a new engine. I can''t imagine spending $25000 on "any" Centaur...and I like Centaurs. You must be in the UK or Canada...Eh?

[Akacake]

Yes, I am from Canada, how did you guess? LOL

$25,000 CAD converts to approx $15,000 USD. From what I have seen for sale this doesn''t seem too high?

I guess my main question is both being fairly equal boats except for the custom work done on the 1971 model, which is better, saving the money now or heading into problems later with an older engine, and having to pay for it then? I know there are many boats of all models out there and very few have new engines...

One thing I would look forward to with the less expensive boat is the chance to customize it myself, where as the other one has a lot done already (in someone elses taste).

I saw some of your pictures, ndsailor, and I love what you have done with your boat!

Regards,
Kelly

[ndsailor]

The tip off was the price of the Westerly., much higher dollar figure in the UK or Canada. You can see larger pictures of "Levara" at vintagesail.com . We purchased her because of the new rigging, engine and sails., then were able to fit out the interior and exterior to our taste, as you mentioned, and it was well worth the effort.....Rick

[Jeff_H]

Yes, $15,000 USD seems way to high even for one in extremely nice condition. We are talking about a 31 year old 26 footer with mediocre sailing ability. I would expect a boat like that to be well under $10K USD. In that price range a boat with a new inboard engine means that the owner has more in the boat than its worth in any kind of fair and balanced marketplace.

I am not sure that buying a beat up sistership makes any more sense though. You can expect to find some ''issues'' with any boat this age. Unless very well maintained and updated by a previous owner, you might expect to need to address some combination of the following items, and in the worst case these can easily exceed several times over the value of the boat fixed up.

· Sails, chainplates, mast step and associated suporting structure, standing and running rigging that are beyond their useful lifespan,
· an engine that is in need of rebuild or replacement,
· worn out or out of date deck, galley, and head hardware,
· worn out upholstery,
· electronics that are non operational, or in need of updating,
· electrical and plumbing systems that need repairs, upgrades to modern standards or replacement.
· Blister, fatigue, rudder, hull deck joint or deck coring problems
· Keel bolt replacement (bolt on keel) or delamination of the hull from the ballast for a glassed in keel.
· And perhaps a whole range of aesthetic issues.

Jeff

[ndsailor]

Jeff, I really appreciate all the good advice you give to us, but sometimes people buy boats without regard to re-sale value. If someone wants a vintage style boat, for whatever reason, they are just not around anymore in like new condition. You do indeed end up spending more on upgrades than the boat is worth... the payoff, however, is in getting the exact boat you want in top notch condition.....regards....Rick

[Pangaea]

Jeff,
God blessya'', but what would you say if it were a 31 year old Farr design???????

Dennis L.

[Pangaea]

Akacake,
Figure this, a brand new Yanmar 20 horse would cost 7k or so.(USD). a brand new Vetus 20 horse would run about 4k USD. Seems to me, the more expensive boat isn''t worth it just because of the new power and some "custom" interior work that was probably all labor anyway.

Dennis L.

[Akacake]

Thank you all for all your input, we appreciate it. We havn''t made a firm decision as to which boat, even IF we are going to buy the Westerly or not. We are first time sailboat buyers and will be first time sailors. We are currently enrolled in the Canadian Power and Sail squadron course ( starting soon) and will no doubt need lots of lessons when we actually acquire our sailboat!
We are interested in the Westerly as we have small children and would like something more stable than fast.
I hope we can make a decision in the next few months as to what we are going to buy....but the looking is a lot of fun too!!

Akacake

[Jeff_H]

I am not sure Bruce Farr was designing production boats 31 years ago, but even so, a 26 foot mid-70''s era Farr would be worth something well under $10,000. My 15 year old 28 foot Farr was only worth somewhere around $18K in extremely good condition.

Jeff