[McDaddy]

Total n00b here with one season of sailing under my belt. Absolutely LOVE it. Obsessed really. Just moved to a new area with a nice (Virginia) State Park reservoir nearby.

I have been casually looking for a small-ish day sailer/project boat that I can take out evenings and weekends. Maybe take a friend, furry or not along. Something in the 15-16 foot range. I am 6'4" and pushing 300 lbs so a sunfish or something really small just isn't an option.

Perusing Craigslist this afternoon I found a "Gale Force 16" with trailer for $500. I have searched and searched and other than finding some references to "Rinker" I have been able to find NOTHING out about this boat!

It is an almost 5 hour drive away, but very near my in-laws, so any trip wouldn't be a total waste. Is it even worth the gas to go look? The guy who owns it kind of inherited it, and isn't really interested in keeping it. He has sailed it 3 times and says everything seems to work fine.

Whadda ya think?

Thanks!

Jim McDonel

 

[McDaddy]

Thanks for your reply, krisscross!

I live in Western Virginia, but my In-laws live in south-east Ohio about 1/2 an hour from where the boat is. So it wouldn't be too difficult to convince the Admiral that we need to go visit her Mom and Dad, and, oh yeah, can we look at a boat while we are there?
Both sails are in fair condition. He has sailed it recently, but it has no paperwork, and he doesn't want to go through the hassle of re-titleing and re-registering what is essentially a "found boat". I think the process in Ohio must be tougher than it is here in Virginia.
Does anyone know anything about the boat itself? Is it a good design? Who the heck was Gale Force? Looks like a short manufacturing span in the early to mid-80's then .....nothing. Where did they go? What does Rinker have to do with the process?

 

[McDaddy]

Thanks Cat Man. That is exactly the kind of info I was looking for!

I talked to the current owner, and he says there are two mains, one of which is like new and the other which seems to match the jib, original, but in fair condition.

 

[McDaddy]

Yep, that's the one. He now has a trailer for it...hmmm. I am on call this weekend, but I may run up there next weekend.

 

[McDaddy]

Roanoke is about 45 minutes from here. Thanks for the heads up!