Ranger 23'' $3500??

[trm]

Being a temporary "landlocked" sailor I have "caught" the fever again to purchase a sailboat. I used to sail small 10'' sailboats and loved it! I now have the oppurtunity to purchase a 23'' Ranger & need some advice please.
The Ranger 23 I test sailed today seemed to be a nice boat in fair condition. She needs some TLC but seems to be in fair shape. Comes complete with a handheld waterproof vhf radio, nice (extendable) trailer, <1 yr old force 4 four cycle outboard, spare sails, porta-potty, all the riggings. Needs repainted badly, seems to have no blisters anywhere on hull, some rust around keel bolts, handles pretty good! I had her tipped enough for water to come over the sides & she still handled great!
Seller tells me there is no finer boat for the money ($3500.00) avail. anywhere. Since I know little about current sailboats I thought I would elicit your opinion here.
I would like to use her for my training & then take her to Texas & sail around the coast all the way up to Canada. Am I looking at too small of a boat for this journey? Seller told me of a guy who sailed one to Austrilla(sp). Possible? Would this be the perfect "starter/training boat for me?
Any input would be GREATLY appreciated. I have been surfing Ebay & found several other boats much cheaper but really have no idea what I am looking at.
Thanks!
trmorrow@juno.com
405-821-4903

[Jeff_H]

This is one of my favorite boats of this size and era and an asking price of $3500 for one in the condition you are descibing is reasonably priced. (I would expect to buy the boat for something like $3000 or so) You really did not discuss the condition of the sails and that is an important point since the sails for a boat in this price range can equal half of the cost of the boat. If not scratched the hull might simply polish out rather than need painting and so you might try a test patch. Depending on how much rust is on the keel bolts this could be more serious than you realize. You do need to get this boat surveyed because as good as these boats are, they are getting long in the tooth and can have some pretty expensive ''issues''. Of course that is true for nay boat of this age.

Now for the bad news, while this is a perfect boat to develop sailing skills, it is not a boat that I would consider suitable to make the trip from Texas, around the coast all the way up to Canada. It can be done if you pick your weather window carefully and you are a good sailor, but the lack of space, storage and weight capacity of a boat this size makes a trip like this pretty hard going. OTOH I guess if I had to make a trip like this in a $3000 boat this is not the worst choice.

Respectfully,
Jeff