[Illinois.josh]

I'm looking at a Luger Voyager 30. I presently live on the shores of Lake Michigan, in Chicago, and I'm thinking about buying one of these for a couple thousand. The owner says it doesn't have a headliner, just the bare under-deck (if that's a term) with fittings visible, etc.

He's been sailing it on Lake Michigan for 18 years and is retiring; now wants to unload it. He says there is 9 hp two-stroke outboard that's a few years old, some old but sturdy sails, and one window (portlight?) that's leaking.

I'm new to boats bigger than 15 feet, and new to sailing a yacht at all. But I think this might make a good starter that I can keep on a buoy in the harbor, take on weekend or week-long trips on the lake. Other possible trips include making it to the atlantic and down to the bahamas, which would necessarily be a couple of months.

I'd really appreciate any thoughts on this boat, if you have anything to contribute to my odyssey.

What do I need to look out for? Are there any special difficulties I might encounter? Weak spots?

Thank you,
Josh

 

[miatapaul]

The think with Luger boats is that they were all kits, this means they were sold in varying degrees of disassemble for finishing by the owner. Given that they can have significant variation in layout and quality of finish. So they range from a boat that may be a good value for a grand to would not touch with a 10 foot pole. They might make an OK starter boat, but would not be my choice to take down to the Bahamas. Again it really depends on who put it together. You say there is no headliner, well that may be that there never was one, or it was not nice, or well done so removed.

The Luger Sailboat Mooring - I Love My Luger!
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/lugerboats/info

I have never heard much good about them, and whenever they come up for sale they are quite inexpensive so take that with a grain of salt.

 

[Faster]

Actually looks a substantial vessel, from a decent designer even if she won't be the 'prettiest girl at the dance'..

Finish quality is always going to be the big variable with what were predominantly kit boats.

VOYAGER 30 (LUGER) sailboat specifications and details on sailboatdata.com

 

[krisscross]

2 Grand is a very fair price for project grade Luger 30. But expect to spend a lot more to make it safe and sea worthy. Great design for gunkholing and if properly outfitted, also for coastal sailing.

 

[Illinois.josh]

Thank you all for your comments. I've spent a few hours online researching this boat, and the favorables are as strong as some of the negatives, which is true for almost anything out there. I know it won't be very fast, but apparently it's pretty safe in the water, hard to capsize, stands up to some stronger winds.

That being said, there's the trailer, which I think is worth about as much as the boat itself, if I have to unload it whenever. I'm also hoping that I can find a place to store the boat outside of a shipyard when the weather turns bad here. That might save me some money, too.

I'm pretty new to this, and I have more unanswered questions than answers. For example I foresee needing some new sails, and I don't have much insight into this process. I understand that DIY sails are affordable, given time and space.

One of the things I do like is the interior head-room, which is well over 6 feet, and almost everyone in my family is tall, taller than me at 5'10," and I know that the first time my wife bumps her head in a boat is the last time she'll want to sail in it.

Anyway, I'm going to look at it this Friday. Wish me luck, and if you have any tips for checking out a boat, please share.

Josh

 

[krisscross]

Survey/inspection tips:
Boat Buyer's Guide - Boat Evaluation Checklist - BoatUS
Marine Survey 101, Do your own marine survey

A trailer for a boat this size has to be rock solid to be roadworthy. Otherwise it may just be something to use in a boat yard for storage out of water.
Headroom on a boat is a tricky thing for tall people. Something they need to get used to. Good head (toilet) is far more important. You can always stretch out in the cockpit, but taking a leak in a stinky, hard to work marine toilet can be traumatic to most women.
You can buy used sails much cheaper then new ones, but you need to be very careful and deliberate about it, to make sure they fit.

 

[Illinois.josh]

Thank you for the links and head advice!

 

[krisscross]

Good luck Josh and keep cool when looking at the boat. The real cost is not in buying a boat, but in fixing and keeping it on an annual basis. It can be a lot of fun, but it can also be frustrating and expensive. These magic moments when the sailing is really good or when you spend the night in a quiet, beautiful anchorage make the money spent on the boat well worth it.

 

[Illinois.josh]

Thank you very much for the advice. I have the feeling the owner didn't do much in his own to this 35 year old boat, which he has owned for 18. Not a DIY person. At rather think he did what needed to be done when it needed to be done. To me that suggests that either he's taking care of things in a timely manner or everything maybe on it's last legs. However he didn't sail it that extensively, a couple hours at a time, Not very far from shore, 20 times per year.






20 outings per summer not very far from shore.