[solarwindsailor]

Is it possible to buy a seaworthy sailboat under $20000 that requires very little fix to start sailing or does one have to look in $60K plus range? I was looking for something around 27ft-37ft preferably full keel, but I would consider others.

Tell me some stories of incredible deals. I would love to hear them?

 

[Capt Len]

1972 Ericson 35-II

 

[Bill-Rangatira]

Is it possible to buy a seaworthy sailboat under $20000 that requires very little fix to start sailing or does one have to look in $60K plus range? I was looking for something around 27ft-37ft.

Tell me some stories of incredible deals. I would love to hear them?

i bought my 1974 discovery 32 for 8k

 

[solarwindsailor]

Is full keel all that much more sturdy? Nice looking sailboat, but I notice fin keel. How about the water tank capacity and fuel?

1972 Ericson 35-II

 

[solarwindsailor]

Was it sail ready and how was the engine and all?

I think it is totally doable. I am not going to spend $60K on a sailboat as older boats out live people and are usually a bargain except Pacific Sea-craft which seems to not go down in price.

i bought my 1974 discovery 32 for 8k

 

[Bill-Rangatira]

Was it sail ready and how was the engine and all?

I think it is totally doable. I am not going to spend $60K on a sailboat as older boats out live people and are usually a bargain except Pacific Sea-craft which seems to not go down in price.

it was rigged but the inboard was shot came with an outboard
all the sails were reasonable but many of the parts were older original and had no upgrades

 

[solarwindsailor]

That is still a beautiful deal for a 35ft sailboat. Did you ever put in a new engine inboard? I assume new engines cost around $3K and if yo do it yourself then maybe a bit less.

it was rigged but the inboard was shot came with an outboard
all the sails were reasonable but many of the parts were older original and had no upgrades

 

[Alex W]

You should do some more research. A new inboard engine costs well over $3k, a bare engine is around $6-$8k, and after buying all related items and parts you are typically looking at more like $15k installed.

 

[solarwindsailor]

I meant if it already had everything working and the engine was the only bad part so replacing just that would not cost $15K. I think you mean the entire setup right?

You should do some more research. A new inboard engine costs well over $3k, a bare engine is around $6-$8k, and after buying all related items and parts you are typically looking at more like $15k installed.

 

[rockDAWG]

Is it possible to buy a seaworthy sailboat under $20000 that requires very little fix to start sailing or does one have to look in $60K plus range? I was looking for something around 27ft-37ft preferably full keel, but I would consider others.

Tell me some stories of incredible deals. I would love to hear them?

This may be off the topic, but is related to the other threads that you started.

It was not clear to me what is your ultimate goal in the next two to three years in sailing. If the objectives are to want to own a sailboat (either blue water and what not), live on it, sail around the bay in the weekend and able name your own boat, and be called as a Captain, then by all means buy the boat.

If the objective to learn to sail or just love to sail off shore as much as you want in your spare time, you don't really need to buy a boat to do that. There are so many boats and boat owners need an able body to help them to sail. If you are easy going, low ego emission, and hard working, you will have plenty of opportunity to sail. Every Captain wants you on their boat.

I bet that if you buy a sailboat, you will have less opportunity to sail than without a boat. You will spend every freaking weekend fixing here and there.

I would invest that $20K and watch it grows. But that is just me.

 

[Alex W]

Replacing the engine usually also involves replacing the engine controls, prop shaft, prop, stuffing box, cutlass bearing. Putting a brand new engine in an otherwise working boat normally runs about $10k if you do all of the labor yourself, and $15k if you hire it out.

This is from doing a lot of research last time I was boat shopping, and watching threads around here.

You don't need to start a new thread to ask these questions, there are a lot of well documented accounts of boat restorations to read. In general it will be cheaper to buy a used boat that is as close to the shape that you desire then to buy a worn out boat that needs a lot of restoration.

 

[Marcaiche]

If you are reasonably mechanical in nature and have tools and the ability to think things through, dealing with issues on something small, like a 2 cylinder Volvo or a little Yanmar is not difficult, nor is it THAT expensive. Do it yourself and in the end you KNOW the machine and have extra cash in the cruising kitty.
Right now I know of at least 6 capable, solid "old-school" type (full-keel with cutaway forefoot type hulls...solid and heavy hand-laid glass, sloop-rigged, etc), vessels that are well-found and have good sailing characteristics between 26 and 32 feet loa that are available around the Salish Sea (not exactly your backyard I know..)....at asking prices between $3000 and $10,000....all solid and sound, dollar differences reflect "goodies," aux power, sail inventories, and "polish." So yes, if you want to fit your boat to you and enjoy the process, a person doesn't have to spend a fortune to find a solid and already functional base to start from.

If a person wants the latest sled as touted in one of the mags full of "auto-this and electro-fantastic that," or if you pay the yard and techs to do all the work, then yes the bank account better be full. ;-)

Of course, the route I suggest isn't for everyone. I enjoy tinkering about and making improvements without spending bags of green almost as much as I enjoy sailing, so for me it works. Plus I'm of the opinion that it's the best way to truly know your boat, and if you ever get in a spot where the caca is really hittin' the fan that knowledge can pay off in spades...

 

[Bill-Rangatira]

That is still a beautiful deal for a 35ft sailboat. Did you ever put in a new engine inboard? I assume new engines cost around $3K and if yo do it yourself then maybe a bit less.

planning to eventually install electric propulsion when time and $$ line up

 

[solarwindsailor]

Very informative. I wish I will find someone close by my home like you who would help me find and buy the right boat. I mean someone who would be a friend and not a broker or someone that would cheat me and I am not saying all brokers are "cheaters," but the goal is commission so I don't trust them.

If you are reasonably mechanical in nature and have tools and the ability to think things through, dealing with issues on something small, like a 2 cylinder Volvo or a little Yanmar is not difficult, nor is it THAT expensive. Do it yourself and in the end you KNOW the machine and have extra cash in the cruising kitty.
Right now I know of at least 6 capable, solid "old-school" type (full-keel with cutaway forefoot type hulls...solid and heavy hand-laid glass, sloop-rigged, etc), vessels that are well-found and have good sailing characteristics between 26 and 32 feet loa that are available around the Salish Sea (not exactly your backyard I know..)....at asking prices between $3000 and $10,000....all solid and sound, dollar differences reflect "goodies," aux power, sail inventories, and "polish." So yes, if you want to fit your boat to you and enjoy the process, a person doesn't have to spend a fortune to find a solid and already functional base to start from.

If a person wants the latest sled as touted in one of the mags full of "auto-this and electro-fantastic that," or if you pay the yard and techs to do all the work, then yes the bank account better be full. ;-)

Of course, the route I suggest isn't for everyone. I enjoy tinkering about and making improvements without spending bags of green almost as much as I enjoy sailing, so for me it works. Plus I'm of the opinion that it's the best way to truly know your boat, and if you ever get in a spot where the caca is really hittin' the fan that knowledge can pay off in spades...

 

[Faster]

Is it possible to buy a seaworthy sailboat under $20000 that requires very little fix to start sailing or does one have to look in $60K plus range? I was looking for something around 27ft-37ft preferably full keel, but I would consider others.

Tell me some stories of incredible deals. I would love to hear them?

In today's market with the proliferation of often-decent mid70s-mid80s boats available I think the simple answer is a resounding "Yes".

The trick is separating the wheat from the chaff, filtering sellers' unrealistic expectations, and knowing what red flags to look for as you shop.

Unless you really have solid, realistic intentions of crossing oceans (and even if you do) I'd not get fixated on full keel boats. But that's just me....

 

[solarwindsailor]

Which other hull types can I look out for besides full keel?

In today's market with the proliferation of often-decent mid70s-mid80s boats available I think the simple answer is a resounding "Yes".

The trick is separating the wheat from the chaff, filtering sellers' unrealistic expectations, and knowing what red flags to look for as you shop.

Unless you really have solid, realistic intentions of crossing oceans (and even if you do) I'd not get fixated on full keel boats. But that's just me....

 

[Marcaiche]

Solar,

Both Rockdawg and Faster offered most excellent advice....

The type of boat I referenced is what I have always preferred, but it might not be the right boat for YOU.

Go sailing with different folks...club racing hones your skills (I'm not into it, but I will admit the point). Make a few friends at the marina and crew on the fast boats and the slow boats...best way to learn before you leap...

Walk the docks and introduce yourself...offer to lend a hand at the grunt work. The nice, hi-toney marinas are great...then go find the more out-of-the-way ones that aren't so shiny. Look for the old guy/gal with the solid boat that gets used that is devoid of the latest gadgets and foo-fer-all. Folks like that are the ones who know what works, who know how to fix what quits working, and who may be willing to share that knowledge...once you figure out if they prefer donuts or rum and bring it along...

 

[Faster]

Which other hull types can I look out for besides full keel?

Why, exactly, do you think you want a full keel style of boat?

For the average coastal daysailing/weekend cruising and even longer summer stints many a full keel boat will need half a gale to get going, be a bear to dock in close quarters, esp in reverse, and as such be rather frustrating to sail in typical summer light air situations - meaning you may as well buy a trawler since you'll be motoring a lot - And I know some people love their FK boats, are not in a hurry, some of them sail pretty well, etc etc... but generally, that's my take.

Yes, a full keel heavy displacement boat can better handle provisioning for a 30 day passage.. they have to be able to! But is that really what your intended usage will entail??

A sturdy fin keel built from a reputable builder will sail circles around a FK boat, reward your sail trim efforts with responsive results, you'll sail more often. As a coastal cruiser you'll rarely 'need' to provision for more than a week or so. IMO it's simply 'more fun'.

Also there are plenty of boats that fall into the middle, long chord fins with substantial skeg-hung rudders that trade off some the pros and cons of either of the other two. Bob Perry's Passport 40 is such a boat.. well out of your budget but a good example.

And since plan A ought to be to avoid hitting things, the alleged FK's ability to better absorb the results of such mishaps is, again IMO, overrated.

 

[solarwindsailor]

My intention is for ocean crossings.

So would fin keel be okay too for ocean crossings?

Why, exactly, do you think you want a full keel style of boat?

For the average coastal daysailing/weekend cruising and even longer summer stints many a full keel boat will need half a gale to get going, be a bear to dock in close quarters, esp in reverse, and as such be rather frustrating to sail in typical summer light air situations - meaning you may as well buy a trawler since you'll be motoring a lot - And I know some people love their FK boats, are not in a hurry, some of them sail pretty well, etc etc... but generally, that's my take.

Yes, a full keel heavy displacement boat can better handle provisioning for a 30 day passage.. they have to be able to! But is that really what your intended usage will entail??

A sturdy fin keel built from a reputable builder will sail circles around a FK boat, reward your sail trim efforts with responsive results, you'll sail more often. As a coastal cruiser you'll rarely 'need' to provision for more than a week or so. IMO it's simply 'more fun'.

Also there are plenty of boats that fall into the middle, long chord fins with substantial skeg-hung rudders that trade off some the pros and cons of either of the other two. Bob Perry's Passport 40 is such a boat.. well out of your budget but a good example.

And since plan A ought to be to avoid hitting things, the alleged FK's ability to better absorb the results of such mishaps is, again IMO, overrated.

 

[Faster]

For some, it's just fine

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