[bravehaarrt]

I have been looking for a boat to live a board. Found one but its 1000 miles away. It's a good price but needs work. The mast needs re stepped, the head sail needs replaced, anchor bit shows some rot, wiring need s run to mast. But 15K for a 60K plus boat. Is there an easy way to do this or should just forget about it?

 

[Donna_F]

Based on your description, there is no easy way. Where do you live? Surely there's SOMETHING closer that is easy to inspect.

However, you don't say if you intend to only live on it or also sail it. If the former, the stuff you listed doesn't matter.

Me? I wouldn't even consider it regardless of my intended use. But everyone's different.

 

[eherlihy]

The purchase price of a boat is like paying admission to a ball game.... You then have to budget for a beer, a dog, a pretzel, etc. With a boat this means budget for the following;

• Insurance - and yes, you NEED it.
• slip or mooring - whatever works best for you.
• storage in the off season
• repairs
• registration and documentation
• taxes - if appropriate
• upgrades to make it your boat

It has been said many times in the SailNet forums, that a boat in good condition is usually worth much more than the difference in price over the same boat boat in poor condition.

 

[bravehaarrt]

I'm in FL the boat is in VA. I agree with all you say but a 37 Tayana for $15k is an attention grabber.

I would live on the boat until I can fix whatever needs fixed.

 

[denverd0n]

If you cannot travel to VA to see the boat then you need to be looking much closer to home. There are a LOT of boats available in FL. Including many that are very similar to the Tartan 37.

 

[desert rat]

Looks as if I am the killjoy this time. If you had a car house that the same house on the market was selling for 70K and someone offered one just like it for 15K well uhm. I would at least take a very close look at it. Odds are that it would cost over 100k to put that boat into the 70 K range.
I love the 37 it is a beautiful boat, but even thinking about the amount of money;; and work that this one will require--- would make me cry.

 

[bravehaarrt]

Point taken.
Well there was a nice 30' Catalina with all the bells and whistles 5 miles from here!?

Thanks for the input Sorry for the softball questions - I just don't want to reinvent the boat.

 

[Faster]

but a 37 Tayana for $15k

An attention grabber indeed, but for all the wrong reasons, likely. You have to ask yourself why would the seller be willing to sell for 1/5 or less value?? It would cost a substantial part of that price to ship it south - and it sounds like it's not ready to do that trip by sea.

Are you planning to live aboard alone? how much space do you really need? Kids? pets? S.O.?

 

[bravehaarrt]

Me, wife and our 7 yo son. You can see the boat on eBay. It's the 36 Tayana buy it now @18k.

 

[Faster]

I think you need to ask why you want to live aboard..

For cost reasons? If so, do your due diligence as to the actual costs and practicality.. Moorage rates? Liveaboard surcharges? Is it even legal to do so where you are?

For the romance? If so talk to a wide group of people already doing it, esp those with kids. How will school registrations work out? etc..

Living aboard is often not quite the scenario that people think it will be.

 

[miatapaul]

Me, wife and our 7 yo son. You can see the boat on eBay. It's the 36 Tayana buy it now @18k.

I have seen what I think is the same boat on sailboatlistings.com. the issue I see for you is that it has a strange layout with only one double birth and the forward is setup wit a v shaped settee that would have to be reconfigured every day to have separate sleeping quarters. That would get old quick! For a couple or single guy it might work out alright, but not for a family.

And by the way the 36 is quite different from the classic 37 by Robert Perry.

 

[hellosailor]

Bravehaart, I'm sure there real steals out there. But if the 'classified' and 'by owner' ads for boats are anything like the classified ads for cars? Year after year the Nooze find those are about 95% outright frauds.

So if you can't lay eyes and hands on it, or get a professional (and possibly competent) surveyor on it? The odds are it is a moneypit, not a steal.

 

[chuck53]

Unless you have some reason for a very specific boat brand/model that was a limited production run, meaning they are few and far between, there are way too many boats in your own back yard that are in decent to good condition at a reasonable price, to have to travel long distances to find one.
Yes, it's possible the boat you have found may be a real steal, but chances are, it is priced low for a reason and you will have to spend big $$ and invest lots of time to get it back into shape.