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Did the deed!

2K views 16 replies 11 participants last post by  chef2sail 
#1 ·
Took a little trip down to the Marina/yard today to test run the engine and survey the last bits of details on the Watkins 27. Brian was a real treat to deal with and very accommodating. I ended up buying the boat for a bit less than my price point and paying for pull and splash and block and store till May '13. Add taxes, title, tag and , as a kicker, winterizing the engine!; I paid only $3875.00, out the door! :D Miss off the $250 T/ T&T/registration for two years, then miss off the (approx value) $750 pull/stow/splash WITH winterizing, leaves the out-of-pocket boat cash at $2875. Now.. y'all can argue over the value/cost of a fresh Beta 20 diesel all ya want ! ;) but the way I see it, they paid me to take the boat! :D

Now a'fore some of ya tell me that I spent a lot of money on a basket case; lemme tell ya what I *did* get....

I got virtually everything in a sailboat that I desired. As another thread asked... I got a boat bigger on the inside than out! The W 27, with it's well laid out interior and 10 foot beam feels like a bigger boat...much bigger!. A wide, (almost) flat cabin sole, very generous seating, tons of storage, Head room, for me at least ;), a plumbed marine head/sink/shower combo, decent or better cushions and a small but efficient galley.
The cockpit is huge, by my standards, The deck is big enuff to place two camp/fold up chairs and have room for a small table! Comfortably deep and well-backed seating with the usual storage below and head clearance to the boom! Will well seat 6 adults for an afternoon of leisure.. probably even while sailing! ;) Rigging is all OK and oversize to boot!

Best part of the deal for me was the mechanical bits. The PO had just installed a fresh Beta 20 replacement diesel.. and THEN got the blahs and gave it up!!! His loss, my gain. Hour meter reads only 78.5 hr! Turned over and fired up withing a few cranks and rattled (purred) ;) like a kitten. Prop wash was pretty wild and the fwd/neut/rev stick worked as it should. No leaks or problems; other than a slightly loose alt. belt. Having priced used power plants and new Beta equivalents. I think I bought a motor with a boat thrown in for good measure! :D

What I *didnt* get was a jib! Saw two sails in the cabin last month and "assumed"... yeah! I know... that all was OK. Pulled 'em out today and found the original main and another one with the same hardware and size from another make boat. Oooops! Oh well... I'll hafta go searching..no worry, one will turn up that's useable. items needing replaced are all the running rigging, a new or repaired tiller, new lexan glazing for the fwd hatch/skylite, sink drain and as all... but of rot on one of the slider stow sections. Again.. no worries. A dab of glue, some elbow grease and a lick of tung oil will have it sorted. All the usual maint. items will need done; but that was expected. The soft foredeck and spots on the cabin roof were the major item driving the price down. A little piling rash from the hurricane helped there, too ;)

With four months till splash-in; I have my work cut out for me. I plan to get down next week after it's pulled and tarp it over, leaving room to work aboard. I plan to surround/drape it entirely, to a ground sheet.. no worry about run off or debris streaming into the watershed! A couple days spent cleaning, scraping sanding and mebbe even painting some; I'll have er ready soon enuff. Future plans for mods. improvements and repairs will be posted as they happen....or before, as required by needs.

Thanks for your help SN'ers,
Paul
 
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#2 ·
Congrats.. sounds like you're on your way!!
 
#10 ·
Delta,

There's a Watkins at my marina, and I've been asked to look at them in the past. They seem to be built ok, and will be comfy, but you'll be going nowhere fast.

There's little wind on the Chesapeake during the summer, so you'll be grateful for the new Beta engine, because you'll motoring most of the time. The Watkins will be a poor, light-air boat. No worries though, because during the spring and fall, there will be plenty of breeze to push the boat around.

It sounds like you're looking to sail very casually, so the boat will probably meet your expectations.

Why do you say it's a basket case? What work does it need? A new engine is 70% of the battle.

Also, here are links to Bacon's used sail inventory for your boat:

Watkins 27 hank-on jibs

Watkins 27 roller furling jibs

Hopefully these may help you. Congrats!
 
#11 · (Edited)
Chef2;
Hoping to get slip or dockage at Bay Boat Works on Hance's Point. Actually, a little private slip surrounded by them. That's just back of the point where Jackson's Marine sits. For now it's in Harbor North's yard on Town Point below Chessie City.

Bubble;
Yeah...I know she's a slow boat. Just what I need! :D The plan is ta sail the pizz outta it, learn (or re-learn!) all I can in a season or two; then cruise the ICW wherever the wind, tide and times take me.
The foredeck is spongy and the cabin top has a few weak spots. I can deal with that. Other than a good, general clean up and the usual drips, system do-overs and repairs; she's all good :D
I was told in another thread that I was buying a wreck (sic) and could spend more wisely. Oh well; it's a good starter for me as it fits all the parameters I set, with few limitations.

I don't care...I gots the rest of my life to get 'er square away! :D
The W 27 is an over-built mini cruiser; well suited to my needs. Now, I just hafta figger out how ta make her go!

Thanx,
Paul
 
#12 ·
Great Paul,

If that doesn't work out check Worton Creek , Northeast River as its only a little further to drive but will open up huge sailiing experiences with Chesapeake sailing and little motoring on the boat.

Feel free to PM me anytime and consider r coming to the Chessie Rondevous June 8. That thread is in the SN destinations category

Dave
 
#14 ·
Bacon's will also have a jib that will fit you - and you might be surprised how many folks are looking to give away old sails, just to clear a locker.
My buddy on his Coranado 25 got two NICE jibs from a fellow DIY at the local marina simply by taking his current jib out to clean it. Sympathy gifts and still gifts :)

From where you are going to be I'm about 8 hours south, always have a dock overnight or so for fellow SN folks.
 
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