Quote:
Originally Posted by Razorc195
Hi;
I've been looking at a few of those. Mostly sticking to good used boats. Found quite a few in the $180 to $350k range that are well equiped, with most maintenence keept up... As for crewing, we'll do our own sailing, I have enough friends with crossing expirence... I'm just wanting to get the opinions of others, on equipment preferences, from some of the community that have been traveling around of late, as to what is essential and reliable products... I just hate replacing cheap stuff that the manufactures throw out there and don't support... also on the types of boats that work best for the different destinations.... since just about all of my sailing has been in pretty tame enironments up and down the west coast...
I know that some of the really neat places a Shoal draft would be a big advantage, but may or may not be as big a consideration as I've been lead to beleive.... ? How much fuel to drag along on crossings (tankage) which watermakers are better than others, equipment and boat manufactures to stay away from... With all the new materials and products to choose from these days, a person could spend a lifetime choosing the right equipment and never get out on the water..... that sort of stuff. Any advise is greatly appreciated....
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I can nearly guarantee you that any "modern" (to me defined as newer than 2001...thats 10 year old boat or newer) 50 ft+ sailing vessel in North America that is *NOT* ex-charter (read..beat to hell and back) will be on the high end of your stated budget and likely much more if its a quality buiilder.
Not to be too blunt, but you're making the classic mistake made by most boat search folks. First, you're buying to a price point by scanning yachtworld and seeing low end prices for ex-charter boats and thinking something cruise ready in tip-top shape will be in that price range. Boat for boat, an ex-charter boat will be roughly 30-40% lower than a owner cruised boat...and most bluewater boats aren't EVER in ex charter. Go look at prices for 40+ ft Pacific Seacrafts, Norstars, Tayanas, Amels, Hallberg Rassy's, that are newer than 2001.
Second, you're thinking about loading it up with all the kit and toys (watermakers, equipment, etc) rather than focusing on the type of sailing you'll do for the majority of the time and what the "motion of the ocean" will be like in your new yacht. All fine and good...but the advice on this board will tend to be along the lines of try all those vessels out above and see which one you prefer.
Tankage is a legitimate thing to look for...but all the rest (equipment, watermaker, etc)...that can all be added/refit to near any large boat relatively easily. The important thing is to find out if you like the sailing dynamics of:
1) A purpose built bluewater cruiser (Passport, Pacific Seacraft, Valiant, Hallberg Rassy)
2) Heavily built production boat (Island Packet, Tartan, Calbre to an extent)
3) Large scale volume production boat (Jeanneau, Beneteau, Catalina, etc).
A common theme in boating is that nearly every damn piece of equipment on a sailboat will eventually break. If you're looking at a budget 50 footer ($180-350k is definitely a bargain budget boat in that range) - then you better focus on acquiring the skills to fix the equipment yourself...particularly refrigeration, diesel mechanic, outboards, 12v electrical, bottom diving, electronics, A/C system (thats the order I would learn)...because likely the equipment throughout is shot.
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