Sooner or Later (a boat)???

[gulls]

Due to the long drive to the lake - I would not want to buy anything that I could not comfortably spend a couple of nights aboard with the wife (probably a dog too).
Don''t have the truck etc. to do a trailer boat - but would be getting a great deal on the slip so that would not be too much of a problem.
I guess I like the C27 enough to keep it until I can get the cruiser - just would like to get the cruiser when able for lifestyle reasons - but it wouldn''t kill me if it took a few extra months to sell the C27. The lake sailing idea is a stop-gap as I live inland and its the easiest option for getting on the water until I buy the coastal boat. So learning the sailing grounds is not a factor at all.

[RobGallagher]

The Catalina 27 you are considering has an outboard so you might also consider a 25 with a pop top and enclosed head (less $$). The 27 and the 25 are both fun boats to sail and good for a weekend. I like the 25 better, small boat feel (on the helm) and with the pop top it seems almost as big down below as my C&C30.

I don''t know where you sail, but, the outboard could give you problems motoring in less than ideal conditions.

Research BUC, Yachtworld, Sailnet etc and go look at some other boats to get a good idea of a price. Beware, you are doing business with a friend and a "fair deal" is when neither the buyer or seller is happy with the price. 8000 seems like the upper range for a 27 w/ an outboard.

Expect to spend money on the boat, that is why we call them holes in the water.

Don''t expect to get back what you paid for it or put into it in a couple of years.

If by some chance you don''t fix or upgrade anything and sell the boat for what you paid for it, write a book. We will buy it!

Get your own survey done.

Thats my .02 cents worth. Best of luck to you,

Rob

[DuaneIsing]

RobGallagher wrote: "If by some chance you don''t fix or upgrade anything and sell the boat for what you paid for it, write a book. We will buy it!"

That is VERY funny! LOL

[h37skipper]

Lots of good advice and ideas so far. Sailing a "small" boat first seems to be a consensus. But I would not consider a 27, even a 25, a "small" boat. Smaller yes, but not small. I can guarantee you would not find it any more difficult to sail my 37-footer. Excepting, of course, the inboard compared to an outboard. So I do not feel that should be part of the formula.

As for lake sailing versus your ultimate sailing grounds. How long before you realize you really want to be out there with the big guys? I think that you can underestimate the work and stress of changing boats that quickly, especially when one has poor sails. And I hope you are not feeling obligated because it is a friend''s boat. This decision is too big for that. Best of luck.

[Jeff_H]

When you are sailing for a long time it sometimes seems as easy to handle a big boat as a small but when you are new to the sport, the greater manueverability and smaller momentum of a small boat is really is easier for the novice. More significantly the smaller boat, especially if fin-keeled, spade ruddered and tiller steered, gives a lot more input so that the novice will develop better boat handling skills more quickly. In my opinion 27 feet is about the upper limit to provide a good learning platform.

Jeff

[paulmcquillan]

OK I''ll bite... What was the other list where most of the responses were "hold out for the bigger boat"?

[gulls]

Lattitudes and Attitudes bulletin board.
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