Sailboat under $5000 for Puget Sound

northoceanbeach · #1 03-12-2013

Hi, I am in Oregon visiting family and getting supplies ready. Soon I am going to go up to Puget Sound to buy a sailboat under $5000 to sail to the San Juans and Gulf Island, well the PNW, wherever I feel to go at the time.

Should be done singlehanded.

There's not as many options on craigslist as I'd like, but there are some. Not enough that I can really pick a boat and find it, say I'd like a Cal 25, there's not necessarily any listed, but there is a smattering of nice boats listed. I though I'd post this here so I can ask questions and get general advice on boats I see. Also, the boats in Seattle sell the fastest, and the rest are spread around the sound, so I don't want to drive to far for a poor candidate.

Today my two questions are:

1: One boat said the bottom was redone with a roller and enamel paint last year. Maybe he was just talking, but is enamel used for bottoms? You know some people do some strange things.

2: A "nice " interior was partially redone with non marine grade materials. Stuff from home depot to make counters and wood trim.

IMAnonymous · #2 03-12-2013

I don't know about #1. But your question applies to the bottom fouling.

As for #2, marine plywood should have been used. However, water has to get to it. If the surface is well sealed to prevent spilled water from getting to the plywood then dry rot is your only concern which could take years and years. You can help slow/prevent this by painting /sealing the exposed bottom side of the plywood as a vapor barrier.

Alex W · #3 03-12-2013

1) Ask for the exact product used for the paint. Enamel is too generic of a term and perhaps he used real bottom paint.

2) Most boats made in the last 40 years for your price range have an interior fiberglass liner that provides the structure for the furniture. Was that removed for this boat, or is it just that additional furniture (new table, shelves, simple stuff) was made with non-marine wood? If his woodwork is non-structural, is functional, and isn't ugly then it's probably not a major problem.

When I bought my Pearson there were just about as many boats being sold in Anacortes and Bellingham (about an hour from each other) as in the Seattle-area.

northoceanbeach · #4 03-12-2013

Thanks! The fibreglass and bulkhead were left intact.

I would say half of the cheap sailboats are in Tacoma, and half again in Tyee Marina. Which is fine.

I like this one alot.
http://seattle.craigslist.org/oly/boa/3675458297.html

Alex W · #5 03-12-2013

"Previous owner removed head (including walls) "

That should raise alarm bells. "Including walls" means they removed the bulkheads. What are the chainplates attached to now?

This Newport 27 sounds a lot better for about the same price:
Newport 27 Sailboat