Boat Finders Fee!

[vtsailguy]

After going half blind staring at my computer searching for a boat for the last 3 months, I am turning to the community and offering a 0.05% purchase price bounty for helping finding a boat!

Here is my ideal boat:

In the New England area and as far south as Annapolis on the east coast

In excellent condition
Under $50k (implies $500 bounty)
35-39 feet in length
Not center cockpit

Accommodations
Sleeps 5 in proper permanent berths and NOT settees. Can be any combination of single/double.

Engine
Low engine hours (or newer engine)
Heat exchanger
Fresh water cooled

Sails, rigging and canvas
Sloop/Cutter, no ketch
Replaced in last 10 years - sails, standing and running rigging
cruising spinnaker of some sort with sock
bimini and dodger

Galley
Fridge
Hot and Cold
Watermaker

Electronics
SSB and VHF
Radar, GPS and AIS
Autopliot
Solar panels

Mechanical
wind vane steering
windlass
wind generator
ST winches
Large water and fuel tanks

Misc
liferaft


If I buy the boat you found, you get the bounty!

[Faster]

Does that mean the boat can't be more than $49,500?

That's a pretty tall order with some fairly specific 'extras' that will be either difficult to find, or, if present, old, outdated and perhaps marginally functional. Water makers and SSB are significant cost items..

I really think you're best off to shop somewhere where someone's dreams have been dashed and they are desperate to sell a (hopefully well-equipped) boat in some remote locale.

I wish you luck but I think your budget's a bit skinny....

[hellosailor]

Nice concept, but ARE there any boats in that size that sleep 5 without using the main cabin settees?

Two in the v-berth, two in an "owners cabin" maybe, that makes four. And I don't recall seeing anything in that size range which has more than the one owner's cabin, or has that plus a quarterberth. I'm sure there must be something, but if no one is sleeping in the main salon....I think that radically cuts down the market.

[Faster]

Some tricabin (dual aft cabin) ex charters may fit the bill, but it's 3 doubles... however that may work out...

[Tim R.]

With a shopping list like that, you would do better buying a new boat although your budget will not support that. Used boats mean compromise.

A lot of the items on your list you could add(electronics, windvane, canvas, WM, etc). I would recommend this anyway if they are older components.

Concentrate on the 5 permanent berths in an <40 ft AC boat for less than $50k. This implies a 3 cabin boat as you will find virtually no AC boats that have 3 berths in one cabin. Not many boats will fit that bill.

Excellent condition at that price will also be a deal breaker.

[vtsailguy]

Originally Posted by Faster

That's a pretty tall order

Well... my expectation is that I won't get everything I would like, it was my "ideal" boat.

Originally Posted by hellosailor

if no one is sleeping in the main salon....I think that radically cuts down the market.

I assume quarter and pilot berths are key here . I just want three permanent berths for the kids that can be left up, and be curtained off with a reading light and fan

[hellosailor]

Pilot berths are still a rarity, most boats have put in bookshelves instead and the placement of chain plates or limited depth still make them hard to find. Haven't seen one in a dogs age, and that was on a 45'er.

Can't keep the kids in a lifeboat?

[rugosa]

Uh! $50,000 x 0.05% = $25.00. Won't get many takers there

[Seaduction]

$50,000 at 0.05%.
50,000x0.0005 = $25.00

Dang, Rugosa beat me.

[rugosa]

Seaductions on island time, I wish I was on island time. There must be a 3 minute gap