Hi everyone,
Just relocated to Vancouver Washington area and I am looking for a liveaboard cruiser.
I have looked at a few boats with lines I like, but the real world isn't all about looks so, that being said:
Ideally, I'm looking for a boat that's 27' or more. She should be:
*rigged for solo sailing
*mostly coastal sailing with aspirations of long travel in a couple years
*solid and sound mean more than speed to me
*the farther along in making her self sufficient the better (solar, wind gen, water maker, etc.
and here's the hard part:
affordable (5k-10k max)
I know there's a juggling act between initial cost (older boats are cheaper) and maintenance (older boats cost more to maintain).
Being new to owning a sailboat I'd like to have a boat with a proven track record (Countless Cat27's 25+ years old still active and capable boats, macGregors, Hunters.. etc..)
But I'm guessing most of you here have been at it longer, farther, and harder than I have! So any advice and insight is welcome =)
Also if you're in the Portland/Vancouver/Longview area I'd love to hear from ya!
On a bit of a side note, I've heard with the current economic slump there's boats to be found that have basically been let go of as their owners couldn't pay slip fees etc. I have no idea if this is true, or if these boats would be more akin to finding an abandoned house and trying to make it liveable (Money pit).
I look forward to hearing from you guys!
Good winds and fair seas...
Mike
Just relocated to Vancouver Washington area and I am looking for a liveaboard cruiser.
I have looked at a few boats with lines I like, but the real world isn't all about looks so, that being said:
Ideally, I'm looking for a boat that's 27' or more. She should be:
*rigged for solo sailing
*mostly coastal sailing with aspirations of long travel in a couple years
*solid and sound mean more than speed to me
*the farther along in making her self sufficient the better (solar, wind gen, water maker, etc.
and here's the hard part:
affordable (5k-10k max)
I know there's a juggling act between initial cost (older boats are cheaper) and maintenance (older boats cost more to maintain).
Being new to owning a sailboat I'd like to have a boat with a proven track record (Countless Cat27's 25+ years old still active and capable boats, macGregors, Hunters.. etc..)
But I'm guessing most of you here have been at it longer, farther, and harder than I have! So any advice and insight is welcome =)
Also if you're in the Portland/Vancouver/Longview area I'd love to hear from ya!
On a bit of a side note, I've heard with the current economic slump there's boats to be found that have basically been let go of as their owners couldn't pay slip fees etc. I have no idea if this is true, or if these boats would be more akin to finding an abandoned house and trying to make it liveable (Money pit).
I look forward to hearing from you guys!
Good winds and fair seas...
Mike
