SailNet Community banner
  • SailNet is a forum community dedicated to Sailing enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about sailing, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, repairs, reviews, maintenance, and more!

Perfect large cheap older shoal draft boat?

1722 Views 25 Replies 9 Participants Last post by  Arcb
I'm looking for a short list of larger cheap fixable neat sensible fiberglass shoal draft boat.something with a pocket keel or a retractable keel.fiberglass.i.prefer a well rounded boat not a skinny Pete.
But run in very shallow water.
Prefer a pilot house but can build my own.prefer a rear pilot erea.with roomy roomy space.but cheap...so old boats along the east coast of USA prefer florida.must have small diesel.but years ago I wanted to do this so I looked at boats and I learned something.i was a roomy appeasing boat not a mass produced compromise that will never make me happy.
Cheap as in I'm selling a acre in east Tennessee and loosing huge money on it but for $15,000 I'm chipping some off my price for this boat I've just described.so i can use my skills in Mechanic's and fiberglass to make it work for me.
My goal: sell my fishing product touring the inlets of east coast florida.and in-between.prefer a 40-50+ so if anyone has a specific name of boat or just seen a old shell they remember please feel free to Intertainment my curiosity.
I saw a boat on YouTube a couple recently don't it was aluminum.but it was a fascinating flat bottom with a retractable keel.i wouldn't mind modifying a larger boat to make a retractable pocket keel.
Also a junk might Intrest me.but I'm not a sailboat owner( ever)but I know I prefer a regular sailboat sail design.could a person blend the two?a junk rig hull and a modern sailboat upper works?
Best regards.
1 - 3 of 26 Posts
For a 3 ft draft in that size range, I would be looking for a Sharpie. You are going to be extremely limited in what you can get for $15000 in that size range, but you might be able to find something older, possibly ply wood that could work.

BTW, I sail the Keys, and I agree that unless you want to spend all your time out in deep water, and be limited to the $$$$ marinas, very shallow draft is a great idea. Much of south Florida is off limits too deep draft boats.
Ah, the name just came to me. I knew it was stuck inside me head somewhere.

Reuel Parker


He is the designer you are looking for.
Phil Bolger was another Sharpie designer. Not sure if he drew anything as big as the OP is looking for but he sure drew a lot of Sharpies.
I was thinking of suggesting a Colvin Gazzelle too. I almost bought one years ago for a charter business idea that I had.

The one I looked at asking price was $20 000 can so pretty close to the OPs $15k. It needed a lot of work though.
1 - 3 of 26 Posts
Top