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Deck Delamination

3K views 9 replies 6 participants last post by  sailingdog 
#1 ·
I came across a 35' sailboat in my search for a liveaboard this past year that was first listed at $28k. In the past year the boat has sat seemingly unused and still for sale, the owner seemingly has dropped the price down to $18k. The boat seems to have a lot of other good things going for it, but the delamination is across 50-70% of the deck. I know that is a major repair, at what point is buying a boat like that worth it? Or is the structural integrity so compromised that it will never be worth it no matter how much the price is dropped?
 
#4 ·
A Coronado 35 in great shape might fetch $18-20K .. you can do better. It's not a great platform to begin with, a 'rotten' one's a non starter... that's a significant amount of delam and may only be the tip of the iceberg.

In today's market there's little need to risk such a venture.
 
#6 · (Edited)
You'd probably be better off to look for the best boat you can get for your budget rather than the largest. Starting off in the 28-30 foot range is going to give you a much wider range of boats (in better condition) to look at.

In the end you'll get a boat you can use right away.. the costs involved in 'great deals that need a little work' tend to escalate beyond what you'd have likely paid for the same boat in good condition.

Here's a link to a worldwide search for boats 28-32 feet under $20K (some results beat the price filter, but still there's plenty there and you'll get some idea of what's available in that range.)

(Sail) Cruiser/Racer Boats For Sale
 
#9 ·
for my 2¢ based on very little experience except extensive looking at boats to buy, the decision you need to make first is whether you want to go sailing or boat building!

I looked at 'cheap' to 'free' boats that needed major work to go sailing, and at somewhat more expensive boats that needed little beyond new exposed woodwork and a really good cleaning. I chose to go sailing :)

The other thing to consider is that operating costs increase pretty steeply with length. You can trailer a 19 ft or 20 ft boat behind pretty much most smallish cars. But get an extra foot or two and you need a truck. Much bigger than that and you need a slip, with annual launching and haul-out fees.

I re-read that you want a live-aboard, so you've pretty much bought into the operating costs already. So back to the first thought: when do you want to move aboard? The more work you have to do, the longer it will take. I think a boat is too small to live on and do major work, though anything is possible if you put your mind to it.

I second Faster - buy the best condition boat that meets your needs (you fall in love with it ;) ) and is within your budget. Allow twice the time and twice the money for any improvements! And go sailing, unless you really, really want to become a boat builder....
 
#10 ·
Just remember when you're boat buying, you want to buy a great boat at a good price, and that refurbishing a boat costs a lot more than buying the exact same make and model in good condition, since you're paying NEW BOAT PRICES for the gear and equipment you have to add/replace.

Also, cheap boats are generally pretty expensive.
 
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