[Chilton0585]

I will be in the keys July 10th-14th and was wondering if anyone from the area, specifically Marathon was able to take a look at this for me in person.

35 ft Coronado sailboat. perfect live aboard

It's a nice boat and exactly where I want it, in boot key harbor, but I just cant bring myself to buy it without having some in-person info on it from someone other than the seller!

 

[capta]

How about hiring a surveyor to look at it? I believe that is what they do for a living, whereas a complete stranger without credentials.....

 

[Multihullgirl]

smells like spam... driving traffic to his ad, methinks

 

[Donna_F]

Chilton is legit. He headed out last night down the coast to look at boats. We have a thread here of SailNetters who volunteered to look at boats in their area for other SNers who lived far away. Not to do a full survey-style look, but just to see if the boats are worth going to the next step. I know a number of forum members who took advantage of that with good results.

http://www.sailnet.com/forums/boat-review-purchase-forum/38505-local-boat-buying-assistance.html

 

[travlin-easy]

There are loads of decent live aboard boats in Boot Key Harbor, many of which I've been aboard. Not all, however, are in pristine condition, therefore it would behoove you to contract a certified surveyor, spend the money to have the boat properly surveyed, and make sure it is worth what the owner is asking.

As for the location, I, personally, would be a live aboard in Boot Key Harbor in the blink of an eye, but my loving wife of more than a half-century says NO! So, I only get to live in Boot Key for a short period of the year when I can sail down from Chesapeake Bay.

Good luck,

Gary

 

[CarbonSink62]

I agree with the approach. Why bother with the money for a surveyor when a fellow SailNetter can dismiss the boat in 2 minutes for free?

I'd never buy a boat based on the review of an SN member, but I'd strike one off the list.

I had someone contact me last week asking me to look at a boat. It was 2 hours away and I couldn't help them; I'd gladly drive 20 minutes to help a fellow sailor keep the dream alive.

Ken

 

[FirstCandC]

I also agree with the approach, but I am just looking for an excuse to look at a boat! Does anyone else check out the new boats in the marina each trip down?

P.S.- Gary, the Admiral may be concerned with the groupies down in Boot Key.

 

[travlin-easy]

I always check the boats in the City Marina, mainly because I got to know each and every person residing there during the winter of 2012/13 - really nice folks. And they came to hear me perform music every Saturday night at the tiki hut.

Of them all, Captain Jack, who turned 92 while I was there, was among the most colorful individuals you ever want to meet. I played for his birthday party that year and he gave me one of his autographed treasure maps. Hope he's still around when I get back there next winter.

Anne at the marina desk doesn't live there, but she is a live aboard across the highway at another marina. Nice lady and always willing to help. The guy that drives one of the city's garbage trucks is also a live aboard, his boat is on a mooring ball.

Randy and his daughter Miranda, live aboard a boat on a mooring ball as well. Randy is a fantastic guitar player and performed every Saturday evening with me. His daughter is growing like a weed, goes to school in Marathon, and she loves to catch monster iguanas that lurk in the nearly mangroves. It's not unusual to see her walking down the dock with a 4-foot iguana on her shoulder taking a ride.

There were lots of great folks there from Canada that I met, most of which did not want me to leave when I headed north on March 1st. I really didn't want to leave, but I had commitments here in Maryland, contractual obligations for music jobs.

I also performed regularly at Sombrero Resort's Tiki Bar, Wednesday evening Happy Hours, had some huge crowds, they didn't want me to leave either.

I'm hoping my wife will change her mind when I drive down this coming January and spend a few months down there with her in Marathon. I'll be taking my music gear, performing at the same locations, and maybe a few more, and I think that once she gets to meet the wonderful folks I met, she just might come down and live aboard with me the following fall and winter. I know she would really enjoy it if she gave it a try. She would rather me rent a home instead, which is really expensive, averaging $1,000 a week during winter.

Good Luck, and I hope the boat works out for you,

Gary

 

[Chilton0585]

Welp I found a good deal down in key west and picked up my first boat, a 28' Pearson Triton.

 

[miatapaul]

Welp I found a good deal down in key west and picked up my first boat, a 28' Pearson Triton.

Much better looking boat than that Coronado, that is one UGLY boat. Sorry to anyone who owns one, but those are just fugly. The one in the Craigslist looks like it had a 6 foot long bar, not sure where or why they put that in! I could deal with a homely boat and even an ugly one, but fugly?

 

[Andrew65]

Welp I found a good deal down in key west and picked up my first boat, a 28' Pearson Triton.

Congratulations !!!

 

[waaarghh]

The Triton IS a nice boat. I'm on my way to Key West at the moment. Diesel broke in Beaufort, NC. Gonna put an outboard on her and continue my trip. I'll look you up when I get there.

 

[Chilton0585]

I'm not in key west anymore, I am in marathon

That said, if anyone IS around here or from the area and has experience in restoration work, I found this website....

Pearson Triton #381 Glissando | The Restoration of Glissando

And I would love to do something like this. My boats not in NEARLY as bad a shape, but redoing the interior would be a dream. Problem is I have NO idea how, and NO experience.

So if anyone in the keys would like to help me out, that would be awesome. It wouldn't be a paid job aside from free beer and food, but I would buy all the materials needed.