# New Member from California



## bbremer10 (Mar 19, 2012)

Just following orders- introducing myslef. Moving up from a Hobie 16 and a small bass boat to a "proper" sailboat. An experienced sea captain friend suggests that for my situation and price range ($12000), I should shop for a Catalina 30 of 1980's vintage. So, I find a nice looking boat in Marina Del Rey and having done some research, and knowing these boats will need some repairs, I ask the following: Date of last haul-out for bottom paint; does the boat have that "Catalina Smile" going on; Has the mast compression post base ever been replaced; what's the hull number? The guy called me and seemed offended that I would ask such technical questions. Jeez- I know everything there is to know about the stuff I own. Is this typical of boat owners- not knowing their vessels down to the last bolt and screw?


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## geehaw (Jun 9, 2010)

Well I have had my bot 2 years going on three. I know most things about it. I still fdind new thigs from time to time though.


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## Rozz (Jun 30, 2011)

when i was shopping around a few years ago, i ran across this a few times... they wernt offended by my questioning, they were just either playing dumb or were dumb, dont know which lol
of the flip side, i bought my current boat from one of these idiots... have to say i should get arrested, cause it was a steal!!


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## bbremer10 (Mar 19, 2012)

Good to know, Rozz. I'll keep that in mind this weekend while looking at sailboats.


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## deckofficer (Feb 18, 2012)

bbremer10, Welcome from your neighbor in NorCal. I just need to ask this question, do you think cruising might be in your future? If the answer is yes, and you want for cruising a great and fast cruiser, consider the Cal 40. I owned one 20 years ago, that was 20 years old when I bought it. Have you ever "thought outside the box" on a major purchase, and had a grand satisfaction from what you bought? That was the feeling I experienced on the Cal 40. My knowledge going into the Cal 40 was minimal, with only sailing experience on a Flying Junior and later a Rhodes 19, so as you can see, a big step. I have enjoyed reading Steve and Linda Dashew's books and knew he spoke highly of old race boats being re-fitted for cruising, and mentioned the Cal 40 on numerous occasions. I found a nice one in Long Beach for $16K, retired race boat, and then in the re-fit matched the purchase price. What I would up with for $32K was a fun, very fast cruiser that just loved to rip down hill. Soloed Long Beach to Muluge, about 1600 nm, and it was very first off shore passage. It was a sled run to Cabo, and all my first experiences of my new purchase was WOW, such a nice motion pushing the low teens. By the time I set the hook in Sanispac, I was full of myself over the fact that this fine, refitted for cruising, fast boat was mine, I felt like I really fell into it, just so lucky. Got with my cruising friends that got started cruising before me, and I was bragging about my boat like a new father. They patted me on the back and said "ya done good", then told me if I wasn't too tired, they were going to do a day sail around the islands, and show us how your new boat sails. Slept great that night, looking forward to showing off my lucky purchase the next day. We as a group of 3 boats, raised the hooks after breakfast for a day sail that I figured to shine. One boat, a Prout Snowgoose, I could stay ahead on most points of sail, the other was a Santa Cruz 50, and after all my bragging the night before, man did I feel sheepish! He got his hook up last, slipped by both of us, and circled the island before the two of us even reached it.

The moral of this long story, once you get started, there will always be a "next" boat. By jumping up to the Cal 40, you just might delay the desire for the "next" boat. If your into class racing, SoCal has a very active Cal 40 race program.


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## tomperanteau (Jun 4, 2009)

Learn to do your own in-water survey unless you are going to have it hauled out yourself. Sellers will generally screw you if you don't know what you're looking at. We're on our third and learned the hard way that if the boat is cheap, survey yourself. If it's expensive (to you) you might want to have a pro survey it out of the water.


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## rgscpat (Aug 1, 2010)

Welcome, bbremer! I've sailed a couple of times out of MDR; one upside you have is lots of boat choices.


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## bbremer10 (Mar 19, 2012)

Being on a budget and a newbie for anything over 17 feet, I'm proceeding cautiously. Just shopping for a boat has been an education. I have a surveyer lined up and I know what each yard is going to charge for an inspection haul-out. The hardest thing to get out of the sellers is just how they have performed maintanence over the years. Everybody seems elusive about the details.


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## rgscpat (Aug 1, 2010)

"So, Mr. Boat Seller, are you still abusing your girl?" 
Perhaps for the 90% of boat owners who aren't anal-obsessive about boat care and maintenance, detailed questions about maintenance history might be a bit embarrassing? And for the smaller minority that are quite clueless or lazy or have something to hide....?
Now, perhaps some boat sellers do have legit beefs about investing lots of time and energy in "tire kickers", and maybe some just think that detailed questions are a prelude to justifying a low-ball offer or an attempt to weaken their bargaining position.


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## bbremer10 (Mar 19, 2012)

I suppose it's a little like asking when did you stop kicking your dog? Or saying your kid is ugly. So, I've adopted a different approach- pointing out all the good points of the vessel, complimenting the owner on some aspect of her upkeep- I can always find at least one good thing. Then the seller relaxes a little and is more liklely to share an accurate version of the vessel's past. I think that a successful transaction requires trustworthiness on the part of both parties. I think it's time to move this over to another thread, maybe I'll call it "Mr. B Buys. Boat- Adventures In Boat Shopping".


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## rgscpat (Aug 1, 2010)

Just so and love your approach!


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