Terrifying Spencer 42' - Should I buy?

[S/V Arabesque]

"Even if it were free, you'd have to sink so much money into that boat to put things right it just wouldn't be worth it." qutoed from copacabana, which from my personal experience would be on the mark. Most older boats that seem to be a "bargin" end up requireing at leat as much as the purchase price in repairs. Much better to save up and by the newest boat with the newest equipment you can. Just sayin.

[mitiempo]

John Brandlmayr never drew a bow like that.

Here is the boat for sale compared to a Spencer 42

I would run.

[erps]

When I see bows like that, I think another ferrocement homebuild from the 70's. You say it has a hard chine though?

[blistovmhz]

Hahaha! Oh man. Thanks for all the input folks. I'm not one to shy away from some hard work if the price is right. I also buy old $500 jeeps and make'm go better than the day they rolled off the line, but this boat, as stated in the OP, just scares me. I mostly wanted to see how accurate my initial assessment was. I was going to go take a look at it just cause, all information is good information right? But if this is as several have said, a wood boat (despite the owner claiming it's FG), I'd probably have told him to show me the head and ran when he wasn't looking as to not be murdered.

That said, I seem to have gotten much more constructive input on this thread than my main "how do I liveaboard" thread.

What should I be looking for with $20k in my pocket, and a steady income? Assume my current rent is $1500/m for a tiny, ugly, smelly 2bdrm apt with no storage space, yard, garage, or even a place to hang my bikes.

The O/I 33's and S2 11.0C's look massive compared to the Buchan 37 I was just on. What should I realistically expect to be put down on a boat big enough for 2 people and a few cats to live aboard (keeping in mind our current place is only 700sq', poorly laid out, and I still feel it's bigger than I want). ?

[puddinlegs]

But the Buchan will sail circles around the other 2 you mention. An I/O 33, while not being a great sailor, has more live aboard room than about anything other than a 33' RV.

[bljones]

20K will buy you a very good Oday 32 CC, a very good Gulf 29, a usable Willard 30 a very good bayfield 29, an exceptional CS27... or an average bayliner buccaneer 27- y'all ask really stupid money for those pigs on the west coast for some reason

[bljones]

Originally Posted by puddinlegs

But the Buchan will sail circles around the other 2 you mention. An I/O 33, while not being a great sailor, has more live aboard room than about anything other than a 33' RV.

is an I/O 33 simply a limited edition Morgan Out Island 33 marketed to dyslexics?

[blistovmhz]

Originally Posted by bljones

is an I/O 33 simple a limited edition Morgan Out Island 33 marketed to dyslexics?

Corerct!

[bljones]

Y'know, i'm on my 6th beer, and I can almost pronounce the OPs username.

[blistovmhz]

Originally Posted by bljones

Y'know, i'm on my 6th beer, and I can almost pronounce the OPs username.

heh. Blistov - Megahertz Been my handle for ... nearly 20 years now.