How to narrow my search

[AKsteve]

I have $15,000 saved, I know in the boat market this is an insubstantial amount of money but I don't need a lot of boat. I want a 30' sailboat with a sound hull, reliable diesel and well maintained rigging. I'm in Fairbanks, Alaska so I am expecting to have to travel to where the boats are. I was wondering how to best narrow my search further or get suggestions on what I need in a boat to sail the coasts of North and South America safely. Is it reasonable to expect a $15,000 30'+ boat to be sailable?


Thanks for your thoughts!

-Steve

[MARC2012]

You should be able to find something in that range imho,Awhile back there was a steel hull in alaska or wash that was cheap & interesting.Needed some work but real cheap.Was on sailboatlistings.marc

[TQA]

If you want to travel then lots of boats in Florida.

How about this one?

1986 Topper Hermanson Custom Steel Cutter Commercial Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

5k might buy her.

She should do, providing the hull is not totally rusted out. Even if she needs some replating it is a quick and cheap job. Get her down to Venuzeula and have a sandblast and epoxy job done and tou have a good cruising boat.

[SecondWindNC]

It's definitely possible to find a 30-foot boat in that price range that you can put to use immediately (keep in mind heading offshore might be a different issue).

In '02 my friend and I bought a 1973 Pearson 30 for $10k. We used her for three years without having to do any major repairs or projects, then sold her for only a little less. She was a sweet sailing boat, and I miss her!

[tommays]

In my search i generaly found something missing in the 15k range be and A4 or a saltwater cooled diesel or really OLD sails ect, they all would have worked BUT had at least one big dollar outlay in the near future

I dont know biggger boats as well BUT in J24s there is a word of differance between a 6k boat and a 10K boat in terms of being able to go sailing NOW condition

[Waltthesalt]

I'd stay away from steel unless you can get a reeeeely good survey. Had a friend who though they had a good survey. They did not and put everything they had into fixing the boat plating and framework... selling thier house etc. They finally gave up. And they were pretty well off.

[Danny33]

Steve , I came out of FairBanks ,in Juneau now !
look in Yachtworld .com . Search for what your are interested in !

Im looking in Cal and Washington ,boats are dropping prices there all the time . 4800 from washington to here on a 36 foot boat ! to move it .

Lots of boats in repo or back morage and the harbor s auction ..youll be suprised ! I bought my first down here , its allright but I call it my po-punk boat ! If youd like send me your # in a PM and I call tell you a heck of a lot more then here .

I call banks and brokers all the time . my vacations I do side trips to look at boats ! Going to Vegas in feb and headed to SanDiago for a boat looking mission ! Mexico.... Works out real well for me ,.