you think this would be a good buy

smallboatlover · #1 (**permalink**) 08-09-2011

21' Sailboat w/Trailer do you think this would be a good buy for my i was planning on selling my other boats and getting a bigger sailboat but what do you think about this one. it doesnt have every thing i want in a sailboat but is in my budget and i can sleep in it. it have a v berth and two quarter berths and a porta potty but no stove or sink or cooler. should i just keep looking? or would it jsut be easer to bring a cooler on board with me and a small camping stove?

DRFerron · #2 (**permalink**) 08-09-2011

You're 15. I think this size would be appropriate but I'd be wary of having anyone try to judge a boat by a photo. There is no way to judge its seaworthiness. I would certainly not purchase a boat because some stranger told me to.

But, like I mentioned in the chat room, my first boat was a Venture 2-22 and we spent weekends on it. We did without a stove, although I knew someone with the same boat who had one, but a cooler fit perfectly.

smallboatlover · #3 (**permalink**) 08-09-2011

ya i would go look at it first but the thing is if i go to look at i might be the day i buy it because driving there a few times my dad won't do

Barquito · #4 (**permalink**) 08-09-2011

Just be prepared to do a full inspection. If the owner is willing to do a sea trial, that would also give you time to think things over. If you really want to plunk down some cash, you could have a survey done (you don't need to be there, but it is nice). No matter what the condition, plan on spending a bit of money to fix things.

smallboatlover · #5 (**permalink**) 08-09-2011

i'm not sure what a full inspection is. how much do you think a survey would be? And just wonder why do you think i will need to fix things? becasue of the age or just cause its a boat also i'm conserned about the 1968 sails being how old they are. Also it doesn't have any other sails than main and jib and also no rolling furler. i kinda wish it had a genoa or spinkker but i could take the spininaker from my other boat thats never bin used.

Boasun · #6 (**permalink**) 08-09-2011

You can add a "Chuck wagon" style cabinet for the stove and spices... Had a friend do this for his Catalina 25 when they first came out. Man that was a day or two ago...
People do make changes and Improvements to their vessels... So visualize on how you would do this for your protential boat... Tis what I do...

smallboatlover · #7 (**permalink**) 08-09-2011

SO you think a 21' sailboat would be good for upgrade like i would be able to do what i wanted and have room?

DRFerron · #8 (**permalink**) 08-09-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by smallboatlover

i'm not sure what a full inspection is. how much do you think a survey would be? And just wonder why do you think i will need to fix things? becasue of the age or just cause its a boat also i'm conserned about the 1968 sails being how old they are. Also it doesn't have any other sails than main and jib and also no rolling furler. i kinda wish it had a genoa or spinkker but i could take the spininaker from my other boat thats never bin used.

An inspection (by a licensed boat surveyor) is usually done prior to purchase. The person crawls all over the boat and lets you know what is wrong with it and what major things need to be fixed to make it seaworthy. It can cost anywhere from $300 to $500 depending on your area. Usually banks and insurance companies require one before you can get a loan or insurance.

My Venture was covered under my homeowners insurance because it was small and the area was small that I could potentially sail.

I'm not suggesting that you not have an inspection, but I did not have one when I bought my Venture. I did have an experienced sailor friend board it and at least let me know if it would float and he told me the issues he saw with it.

I didn't pay much for the boat and trailer and fully expected to have to do work on it, and I did. I didn't buy the boat thinking I was going to cross oceans in it, heck, I didn't even get to the other side of the Chesapeake (only because I had absolutely no idea how to do it at the time). So I was less concerned about surveys and stuff like that.

There's probably no used boat on earth that doesn't need something fixed. Sometimes from neglect, whatever it might be may be why the previous owner is getting rid of it. And, well, boats get old and start to fall apart.

Although I have seen furling systems on very small boats, it is rare and not really needed. I had a set of three hank on jibs and while they were a pain to change, many people feel that you get better performance out of hank on sails than you do with furled sails. I have no science to back that up, just what some racers have told me.

tommays · #9 (**permalink**) 08-09-2011

In that price range finding a friend with some boat smarts is going to work out better

YOU do need to be carefull as there are things that can really cost money despite it being a 1500 dollar boat

carl762 · #10 (**permalink**) 08-09-2011

I like the boat. Spend the cash to check it out.

Inspect the trailer as well, especially the wheel bearings, and since you're there already, repack or replace them. Tires good? Look out for rust on the trailer that would cause you to lose the boat.

If this little boat checks out, I would jump all over it. Just be prepared to fork out cash on a regular basis.