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A couple of Questions for you

2K views 12 replies 10 participants last post by  PalmettoSailor 
#1 ·
We went down to the All Sail show in Oakland and were able to crawl thru a few boats. I like the Island Packets a lot. Attended John and Amanda Neal (sp) offshore seminar.



Here are the questions:



1. We are looking at buying the boat about 2 years out. When do you start looking in earnest?



2. Really don't want one until I sell the house, but would you borrow the bucks for the right boat and pay it off once you sell the house?



3. Buyer Broker? Get one or not? One guy or Multiple?



4. If number 3 is yes, anyone with a recommendation in the Nortwest?



I thought the Neal's did a good job of making me a little more open minded on boats to consider and what to look for in a boat.



5. One of the boats they suggested was a 35 Wauquiez. Saildrive? No personal expereince with them, but I don't like the looks of them. Opinions or experience?



Thanks in advance.



DW from Boise, temporarily in Naknek, Ak.
 
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#2 ·
A lot of what your answers will be, have to do with what you plan to do with the boat.

If you're planning on making bluewater passages, I would recommend getting a boat that does not have a saildrive—especially if you're planning on sailing in more remote areas. While many boats have made bluewater passages with a saildrive, it is probably safer to do so in a boat with a traditional shaft and prop. Also, getting a saildrive serviced in remote areas, especially if the bellows fails, is probably more difficult.
 
#11 ·
A lot of what your answers will be, have to do with what you plan to do with the boat.

If you're planning on making bluewater passages, I would recommend getting a boat that does not have a saildrive-especially if you're planning on sailing in more remote areas. While many boats have made bluewater passages with a saildrive, it is probably safer to do so in a boat with a traditional shaft and prop. Also, getting a saildrive serviced in remote areas, especially if the bellows fails, is probably more difficult.
I am looking to go cruising. Cross oceans and see how far I can go. I am not going to break the bank or get something too damn big I cannot sail it or keep it up. When I get to a foreign port I do not want to be paranoid about leaving the boat. I am looking 35-40 foot. IP is just one make there are others that will certainly work. I have the patience of a buzzard. I do not want a bunch of wood to keep up. A friend bought something big and old. Too much of a project. I am going to be on the coast for two years living on it, so I have some time to get everything in shape to depart.

DW
 
#3 ·
....

3. Buyer Broker? Get one or not? One guy or Multiple?

....
If you are buying a yacht...something more than 5-10 grand, then I think its a good idea to work with a good broker, let him/her do the footwork and searching, dump the broker and start over with another if you see more than one dog.

Best of my knowledge the US has only "brokers", no "buyers brokers".
 
#5 ·
Saildrive

My boat has a volvo saildrive and is now 32 years old without even a hint of a problem except for the time a boat yard put in a cheap seal on the oil drain plug and it failed. No real problem except it cost me a haul out and oil change. I have no problem recommending a sail drive at all and the true joy of being able to back up with not even a hint of prop walk is something I brag about everytime I have one of my friends aboard and return to my slip backing around two corners to get to it.

I also have a friend with a sistership who have done extensive cruising all around the pacific and are now in New Zealand and they also swear by their saildrive.

I'd look at a few dozen boats first before using a broker. They you know better what to ask for.

Good luck!
 
#6 ·
1. We are looking at buying the boat about 2 years out. When do you start looking in earnest?
NOW! About a year ago would have been better.
2. Really don't want one until I sell the house, but would you borrow the bucks for the right boat and pay it off once you sell the house?
If you are serious, I would not go into debt to finance a boat. I would save enough to put a down payment, or suggest selling the house NOW and renting until you find the right boat.
3. Buyer Broker? Get one or not? One guy or Multiple?
Most brokers that I have dealt with want to be MY broker... Frankly, I don't see the need. I have learned a lot from a lot of different brokers. If I were working with only one, I doubt that I would know as much about boat buying as I do now.

5. One of the boats they suggested was a 35 Wauquiez. Saildrive? No personal expereince with them, but I don't like the looks of them. Opinions or experience?
I agree with SailingDog's appraisal of the SailDrive. Great for coastal cruising because they give you more freedom in the interior layout. However, they are more complex to install (and fix) could and require difficult to source parts if you are going to exotic ports...
 
#10 ·
Robustly built, heavy and slow.
Hence the nick name - Island Piglet:D
 
#8 ·
Duck, I have to agree w/ Charlie Cobra. There are many many nice cruising boats out there that probably weren't at the show. If you haven't bought a boat before, particularly a larger one, then a broker can help you define what you want and what's available. Sure, there are plenty of folks who don't feel they need one, but a really good brokerage is looking to make you a life long customer, not just a one shot out the door wonder. They're also not going to press you. In the NW, I'd recommend you give Swiftsure Yachts in Seattle a call to see if they might be a good fit for your needs. If not, no worries. Good luck!
 
#9 ·
2. Really don't want one until I sell the house, but would you borrow the bucks for the right boat and pay it off once you sell the house?

I financed the boat before I sold the house, it was a deal that I was looking for. I remember the first night I slept on the boat, I was a bit nervous as we don't have an economy anymore, only a scam from Washington.

The house was on a lake so it was in demand and I knew I could sell it, that has to be part of the decision if you go in debt.

One year later, the boat is paid for and things are looking like we cut the strings in the next year.
 
#13 ·
We went down to the All Sail show in Oakland and were able to crawl thru a few boats. I like the Island Packets a lot. Attended John and Amanda Neal (sp) offshore seminar.

Here are the questions:

1. We are looking at buying the boat about 2 years out. When do you start looking in earnest?

2. Really don't want one until I sell the house, but would you borrow the bucks for the right boat and pay it off once you sell the house?

3. Buyer Broker? Get one or not? One guy or Multiple?

4. If number 3 is yes, anyone with a recommendation in the Nortwest?

I thought the Neal's did a good job of making me a little more open minded on boats to consider and what to look for in a boat.

5. One of the boats they suggested was a 35 Wauquiez. Saildrive? No personal expereince with them, but I don't like the looks of them. Opinions or experience?

Thanks in advance.

DW from Boise, temporarily in Naknek, Ak.
I think of IP's more as a nice coastal cruising boat than a blue water boat. The Wauquiez Pretorian 35 is a proven well built blue water boat. They built them with saildrives and with traditional shaft drive. I think they all had Volvo engines, at least all the ones I looked at did. I wasn't looking for a bluewater boat and the combination of deep keel and the Volvo convinced me to move on, even though I really like the robust construction of the Pretorian.

You didn't really say what your sailing experince is, but one thing you could consider is getting some offshore experience through an outfit like Offshore Passage Opportunities over the next couple of years. That would give you a chance to evaluate different boats in offshore conditions to help you decide what you think is important in your boat.
 
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