# Tabernacle-able roomy cruiser reccomendations?



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

*Tabernacle-able roomy cruiser recommendations? (Edited 5/30/7)*

Hello Again Sailnet Community.  Please note: I edited this post after 2 replies because I found more relevant information on Sailnet in the following archives and can now pose a more cogent request for guidance: 
http://www.sailnet.com/forums/buying-boat/9004-cruiser-vs-live-board.html, http://www.sailnet.com/forums/gear-maintenance/2455-deck-vs-keel-stepped-masts.html, http://www.sailnet.com/forums/cruising/9611-what-makes-functional-cruiser.html, http://www.sailnet.com/forums/buyin...boat/32996-30k-bluewater-boat-west-coast.html

This is the paragraph I added after reading the preceding threads: I understand that there is a "floating RV" versus "ocean crossing vessel" dichotomy at play in the marketing of boats. When I say I'm interested in a cruising style boat I mean one which I can load up with people and their stuff for anywhere from a weekend on the bay to a month trip to Hawaii or Mexico from northern California. I'm not interested in "performance/racing," but I am also not interested in a sail boat which sails like a "floating RV." Somewhere in the middle I'm hoping to find what some people are calling a "plastic classic" with simple features (tiller steering) and solid construction, with "ample" interior space but without creating an unusable deck. Then there is BIG caveat that the boat will need to have its mast tabernacled for local conditions. (Pre-op boat will have a deck-stepped mast, and the operation could cost $3500.) This caveat should bring the assortment of suitable boats down to a manageable size, but I am having enormous difficulty getting my bearings on which manufacturers effectively harmonize these competing priorities.

Last year I came to you as a complete landlubber for advice on purchasing a used metzler inflatable boat and got a lot of good tips. *I did wind up purchasing the boat and taking her out. She still needs a lot of patching up and massaging, and that's just part of the fun. (I could not post a picture when I started this thread yesterday and I am still getting an "upload of file failed" error today  )

Recently my "number" has come up on the Santa Cruz, CA harbor waiting list. I am getting a thirty foot slip (will accommodate up to 35' LOA including bow pulpit, etc.) effective June 1st, and I have three months to acquire a boat. I went off looking for a roomy cruiser style boat, but wound up with my head swimming, as I attempt to categorize and identify sundry brands (catalina, morgan, erickson, hunter, irwin, cal, islander...)

So I need your help please with specific recommendations about which brands are more suitable for 1) comfortable cruising *not aqua-RV'ing*; 2) being tabernacled. It would also be wonderful to hear about what brands are NOT good for my intended purpose.

So far I have done some reading, enrolled in sailing lessons, "walked some docks" and surfed the web. Like many people, I am hoping to get the most boat with the least funds, or "freedom chips." Also I'm a flight attendant and we're poor as a group. To this end, I've been reading "Champagne Cruising on a Beer Budget" and now understand that many "add-ons" are really unnecessary for successful cruising and (potentially) living aboard. As examples, the authors recommend tiller steering over wheel for ease of autosteering, standard jib over roller-furling for reliability, less reliance on electronics (which can malfunction) and a heavier emphasis on sturdy construction and upkeep, skills proficiency and seamanship.

But I digress... My main criteria are of course price (less), size (more) and suitability for mast tabernacling--not necessarily in that order. Tabernacling is required by the low bridge clearance at the Santa Cruz harbor. Consequently, I've been looking for good older boats with deck stepped masts (due to limited supply of already-tabernacled boats and no way to search by key term on yachtworld?!) Generally I have been looking for boats in the 29-35' range from 1970-1985 with fiberglass hulls and a diesel engine. It would be great to find a boat which already has a tabernacled mast and I understand that some slips in Newport, CA also requires tabernacling, so I am mostly looking in CA right now. But Oregon and Washington are also on the table.
This is the current search I am using:
YachtWorld.com Boats and Yachts for Sale

Thank you once again for your wonderful insights.

Sincerely,
"barnacle" ben


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

This is probably a good bet - have not heard much about a few of the brands on the page you linked, but Cal's are known for having been well-built.

YachtWorld.com Boats and Yachts for Sale


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

Question:
When you get your mast down to go under the bridge...how will you raise it? The masts of a 30' + boat are heavy and swing wildly in a sea-way. Is there a place to pull over and dock and raise it from land?


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

*cal mark 3*

thanks sailor man. i will make it a priority to get on one of these boats and check her out.



Sailormann said:


> This is probably a good bet - have not heard much about a few of the brands on the page you linked, but Cal's are known for having been well-built.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

*tabernacled mast examples*

Camaraderie
I don't think many people pull over to raise the mast from land. Most appear to be rigged *or rerigged* with mechanical or electric winches to assist with the raising.

For some reason I cannot upload pictures to this thread, so I am linking the following yachtworld posting ONLY because it has a good photo of the tabernacled mast (see photo 7).
YachtWorld.com Boats and Yachts for Sale

The following "sale-pending" 30' Catalina also has a tabernacled mast. However, I would trade some of the bells and whistles for more rugged square footage.
YachtWorld.com Boats and Yachts for Sale



camaraderie said:


> Question:
> When you get your mast down to go under the bridge...how will you raise it? The masts of a 30' + boat are heavy and swing wildly in a sea-way. Is there a place to pull over and dock and raise it from land?


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

A properly designed mast raising system will allow you to raise the mast, even when afloat. The mast on my 28' trimaran is designed to be raised or lowered using a single control line run to a genoa winch. I can raise or lower the mast in about 15 minutes with little trouble, and no outside assistance.


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## christyleigh (Dec 17, 2001)

I don't see a Tabernacle in picture #7. That looks exactly like my deck stepped Seldon mast on my NC..... and that little thing on the c30 looks pretty weak.
The Nimble Arctic 25 I owned way back when had a real good Tabernacle system. It was built with 5/8" aluminum stood 2 feet high with a 3/4" pin and was Captive so when the mast was down you could remove the pin and slide the mast forward for trailering with out any side to side motion.


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

Dawg...you have training wheels...I've tried to do it on a 22 ft. monohull...a lot more difficult and that was with a light mast and a block and tackle. I would imagine it is considerably more difficult on a 30-35 footer. 
PiggyBeach...are there other 30-35ft. sailboats in that end of the marina? That might be a good place to start looking at brands. If there are not such boats...then maybe I am right bout the difficulty.


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## wakked1 (Apr 26, 2007)

For Santa Cruz sailing as well, you'll want something that is seaworthy (handles swells and high winds) as the weather can pick up rapidly, and also something that sails/motors well upwind for those Monterey RT weekends.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Try the sellar 30 only 12 built but one is now for sail in the Southwinds Classifieds


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

camaraderie said:


> Dawg...you have training wheels...I've tried to do it on a 22 ft. monohull...a lot more difficult and that was with a light mast and a block and tackle. I would imagine it is considerably more difficult on a 30-35 footer.
> PiggyBeach...are there other 30-35ft. sailboats in that end of the marina? That might be a good place to start looking at brands. If there are not such boats...then maybe I am right bout the difficulty.


Actually, the boat was designed with a mast raising system, since it is technically a trailerable.  so the mast can be lowered or raised by a single person, using a single line lead to a winch. It can be done either afloat or on the trailer... Very convenient, especially since it can be stopped and reversed at any point along the way. If you only have to lower the mast partially, you can often leave the sails and boom attached.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

wakked1 said:


> For Santa Cruz sailing as well, you'll want something that is seaworthy (handles swells and high winds) as the weather can pick up rapidly, and also something that sails/motors well upwind for those Monterey RT weekends.


wakked. thanks for the local knowledge. i've heard catalina's work well here. are there any other boat companies which you like for this area? sailormann recommended a cal mark III. i've never been on one but welcome the suggestion. i think there's one for sale in nearby alameda that i might check out. -ben
YachtWorld.com Boats and Yachts for Sale


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## karlheinz (May 28, 2000)

my Nimble Kodiak is 26'4", trailerable, substantial tabernacle for lowering the mast and trailering. I found that using a small wooden A frame infront of the tabernacle worked as a perfect fulcrum for manhandling the mast up (it's heavy). Not an operation I'd want to partake in out on open water but in a sheltered area tied to the shore it could be easily done in 30 mins or less. The Nimble line are coastal boats only...that's there design. I think your going to be hard pressed to find a design that's substantial enough for blue water cruises & "easily trailerable".....almost a oxymoron.

If it's a tabernacle only situation, take a look at many of the european designs like the dutch Kotters which are shallow draft, beamy, usually steel and diesels, almost all are built with tabernacle mast systems. But of course you are probably looking at something in the 250-500K price range.
good luck
Craig


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

66 cal 30...
do you think i should buy this boat?
i've located an old cal 30 for under 10k. have not seen it in person yet but am scheduling a visit in the morning... the guy tells me the following:


deck painted twenty years ago but looks “new”



replaced standing rigging and main halyards 3 years.



original sails….



monitor vein *self-steering* (repair kit for same)



avon red crest raft holds 4 to 6 people….



hauled out a while ago…



original fiberglass hull was built up with chopper gun that put in bubbles…



then covered with a gel coat hard as steel but leaked water and (later) created blisters…



had to grind it all out with grinder and filled… 



couple of delamins in keel.



two coats vinyl with epoxy and then two coats of straight epoxy.



had it hauled out about a year ago… cleaning



"market" prop (folds) has to be put in reverse before it folds out…



sells it for not much money because lost balance…


named "sangaree"



boat is NOT tabernacled, and with tabernacle some rigging will need to be changed: stays, fittings, standing rigging, spanning rigging?



stove and oven on alcohol…



space for a refrigerator…


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

My last boat was a 1965 Cal 30. I loved that boat. what a dream to sail!


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

uspirate said:


> My last boat was a 1965 Cal 30. I loved that boat. what a dream to sail!


wondering what kind of motor they used in '65/'66.
what kind of engine did your cal 30 have? 
this one lists an atomic 4 but does not specify gas/diesel...


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## Freesail99 (Feb 13, 2006)

Atomic 4 is a gas engine.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

i've seen a lot of them in the boats i've been looking at. many people recommend a diesel for safety. what's your opinion?


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

piggybeach said:


> i've seen a lot of them in the boats i've been looking at. many people recommend a diesel for safety. what's your opinion?


UGH!!!!

A properly maintained* Atomic 4 is a perfectly safe engine... and quite reliable. Lots of boats have gasoline-powered in-boards and they do just fine. Unfortunately, a lot of people are a bit paranoid about gasoline-powered in-boards.

_*Properly maintained includes maintaining the bilge blower, engine electrical system, fuel tank and fuel lines as well. _


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

piggybeach said:


> wondering what kind of motor they used in '65/'66.
> what kind of engine did your cal 30 have?
> this one lists an atomic 4 but does not specify gas/diesel...


 yup, atomic 4 gas, very reliable if properly maintained


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

thank you. gas ok...

Next Question:
so the marine surveyor recommended to me is not available for two weeks and this boat is... cheap (if that can be said about an old boat) with a working motor--so i can't be too fickle, right? i'm going to look at it and take pictures, look for dryrot, etc. what else do i need to be on the lookout for when i Kick the Tires tomorrow?


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Piggy-

Go to the book store and get a copy of Don Casey's Inspecting the Aging Sailboat, if you can. Lacking that, try and get Casey's Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual. It has some pointers on checking/inspecting a sailboat for possible purchase.

Also, I would make the purchase subject to sea trial and survey.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

thanks sailing dog,
will do. and what do you think of 40 year old sails (is that an oxymoron?). guy tells me the boat hasn't been sailed that much and i suppose they could still be sound(?)
Ben


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

If the sails weren't used much, and were stored under cover—protected from UV light—then it is possible that they'd still be okay. However, sail cloth has improved a lot in 40 years, and the thread and cloth you can get today puts the stuff available back then to shame.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

sailingdog said:


> Piggy-
> 
> ...Also, I would make the purchase subject to sea trial and survey.


Is there a "fill in form" purchase agreement along these lines?


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Yup... I'm sure that CP or one of the others can provide a copy... it's been posted previously on other threads.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

*a-4 mystery *

ok, so i spoke with the older gentleman this morning and he's not up to showing me the boat today. however, he gave me more info regarding the motor. he said the atomic-4 runs with two cyclinders at 80 (psi?) and two at 60. it will run good for about 40 minutes and then quit. he'll need to wait 3-5 minutes before it will start up again and run for another 40 minutes. any thoughts?
thanks, ben


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## cardiacpaul (Jun 20, 2006)

remove the ballast resistor wire, throw it oveboard while cussing a blue streak. Replace the coil with an internally ballasted one (A-C Delco U515, Borg-Warner E81) cost about 20.00 from your local auto supply house) and you'll be good to go...

short answer on the compression. 
its a little low, but not of great concern. The more important question regarding the difference is the relationship of the cyls. If the 2 that are @ 60 are next to one another, you may have a blown head gasket, or a cracked head. 


personal opinion, based on the questions you've asked, wait for the surveyor.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Piggybeach, this might be of interest to you. Yesterday, as a by-product of a trade, I acquired a 28' tabernacled-mast sailboat located in the Monterey Bay. It has a nice one-cylinder inboard Yanmar that turns on like a light, a hanked on jib which I, personally would replace with a self-furler and is really a well-built, nice little boat. The mast-stepping system seems to be particularly well thought out, though I haven't lowered or raised it myself yet. Down below, it's built like according to bigger-boat scantlings. No fiberglass liner hull but with beefy and well-tabbed wooden bulkheads instead and beatiful mohagany joinery. Nice galley with working! refrigerated icebox that cools to below freezing. It wasn't my primary intent with this trade to acquire a new boat but in the past couple of days, especially after taking it out, I've become quite excited about it and have begun to buy equipment for it. However, I live in Laguna Beach and am uncertain about whether I will be able to find space for it down here and don't want to keep a boat 8 hours away. I'm just thinking out loud but there may be a deal here somewhere. It was built in 1978 by Sun Yachts (sun-yachts.com) a European manufacturer specializing in this type of boat. It's a lot of boat in a such a small package but nevertheless retains some very pleasing lines and is not bloated looking at all. It really deserves the classification of a "pocket cruiser". There doesn't appear to be a lot of them in the states but one is for sale (in Vermont) right now on yactworld (yachtworld.com) for $8900. Mine appears to be in much better shape with an inboard diesel rather than an old OMC (gas) saildrive. Stay away from those! It also has a spinnaker and gear and factory pedestal steering (though the tiller post is there and all you would need to do is attach the tiller arm and remove the pedestal if you preferred that type of steering) and a raymarine autopilot. It was hauled about a month ago and received a new prop and antifouling. The previous owner daysailed it about twice a week and used it for week-long excursions up and down the coast. This is an active boat that sails, not sits, and is somewhat well-known in the area. Even if you don't end up owning my boat, I would unhesitatingly recommend this model boat for your purposes and suggest you look for one. I'll be in Santa Cruz next week if you're interested.


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## SEMIJim (Jun 9, 2007)

Wow, talk about serendipity!


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

*pictures?*



agamemnon said:


> Piggybeach, this might be of interest to you. Yesterday, as a by-product of a trade, I acquired a 28' tabernacled-mast sailboat located in the Monterey Bay. ..


agememnon,
that's a bit smaller than i was hoping for, but if the price is right i'd like to know more.
any pictures?
thanks,
ben


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

sailingdog said:


> Yup... I'm sure that CP or one of the others can provide a [sample boat purchase agreement] ... it's been posted previously on other threads.


not sure who CP is. and i did some digging here for faq on buying a boat. so far, no fill in form. but here are some useful "buying" links:

sailnet thread:
http://www.sailnet.com/forums/buying-boat/3037-boat-purchase.html
from the above link, this one proved fruitful:
Buying A Boat
and a government publication:
Looking for a Used Boat


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

*thanks cardiacpaul*



cardiacpaul said:


> remove the ballast resistor wire, throw it oveboard while cussing a blue streak... Replace the coil with an internally ballasted one... personal opinion, based on the questions you've asked, wait for the surveyor.


 
great info. i'll take that advice and cool my jets. even though the boat is cute, it's not cute enough to warrant a new engine.
Ben


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

*surveyor brainwashing... 25-30' recommendations?*

met with joseph rodgers today for a "brainwashing"...
as a newb i needed an orientation to the whole boating world and think that i got a good start.
in short he recommends finding a boat already tabernacled in my harbor by "walking the docks" and chatting people up. i'm still interested in the CAL boats, but there are also a lot of Catalinas in my harbor, as well as a really clean Lancer 29, and a bunch of other neglected vessels...
he recommends staying away from anything larger than 30' due to the heft of the mast for tabernacling, and also advised that some smaller Cals and Catalinas (25-27) has surprisingly good cabin feel and also sail nicely. it's open season here again and i'm taking recommendations...


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## KeelHaulin (Mar 7, 2006)

Hmm... I think it might be difficult to find someone in SC that is willing to part with their boat; unless they have another one waiting to go into their slip. With the wait list for a south harbor slip (ocean-side) appx 20 years; even the north harbor slips (tabernacle required to get under a fixed bridge) are coveted for those who wish to have a boat berthed in Santa Cruz. How long did it take to get that NH slip?? Rigging a tabernacle system for the mast is commonplace in SC because of the long wait for south harbor berthing; I have seen boats as large as ~38 feet rigged to drop the mast down forward while underway. This is done with an electric winch with a spool of wire similar to one used on a 4x4 (I think). The aft stays are released and the winch lowers and raises the mast by allowing it to pivot forward; of course the deck plate and spar must be hinged so that the mast will pivot down correctly. It's quite a sight to see a 40' mast pointing forward at 45 deg while the boat goes under the fixed bridge.

Joseph Rodgers is "the guy" in terms of surveyors in your area. I've heard he is very thorough and that you will get a very complete/competent survey. I met him while taking sailing school classes at Pacific Sailing; he was our instructor for two days aboard a Beneteau 32. He's a good guy although his first suggestion would probably be to charter rather than own (which is not bad advice by any means). Since you mention that you are a newb to sailing you should take the 8-day class with Pacific Sailing to get a feel for sailing out of Santa Cruz and familiarize yourself with sailing Monterey Bay. You could even charter for a while to be sure that you are ready when you get your boat. Winds in SC are very protected nearshore between Capitola and the lighthouse; NW winds can be howling outside of the 1 mile bouy. We have been in short period 8-10 ft seas with gusts to 35 kts on clear/sunny days (non-storm conditions). If the winds are from the South the harbor can have breakers coming in the enterance; be careful of this and prepared to wait it out if you get caught out.

Get a boat that is solidly built. An older Catalina might be a good choice; not sure about earlier build quality except for the S&S designed Cat 38. The new "volumized" Cat/Bene/Hunters are not what I would call PNW coastal cruisers. Inside the 1 mile bouy at SC they are fine for small daysails; but beyond that it's just too rough out there and they really get tossed about in the wind and swell. At about 15-20 kts they start to get unstable/excessive heel even when reefed down. The Sun Yachts 27 that "agamemnon" owns might also be one to look at; ask Joseph if he knows of these boats and their build quality.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

*thanks keel*



KeelHaulin said:


> ...Get a boat that is solidly built. An older Catalina might be a good choice; not sure about earlier build quality except for the S&S designed Cat 38. The new "volumized" Cat/Bene/Hunters are not what I would call PNW coastal cruisers...


you covered a lot of ground, though not sure what PNW means?

anyway, i appreciate the tips. and sure enough joseph did recommend that i charter some boats first. i am signed up for sailing lessons starting monday, though they are through the UCSC summer boating program. after those sessions i may be ready for some further instruction with the other school. my wait time was about five years for the upper harbor. perhaps surprisingly though, there are a lot of neglected boats in the upper harbor around the area where heavy shoaling occurred. i don't know if the people there got turned off to sailing or just the upper harbor over the past few heavy winters... joseph walked the docks with me and pointed much of this out. he even suggested going smaller with a 27 foot catalina or some such for ease of single handing and getting under the bridge. that could work for me. although, i would like to spend a couple of nights per week on the boat and think 30' could be a better fit for me. either way, it's clear that i need a solidly built vessel if i'm going to make it outside of the mile bouy, let alone san francisco, monterey or points beyond.
best,
ben


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

PNW—Pacific North West... Seattle, Portland, Vancouver, etc.


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## KeelHaulin (Mar 7, 2006)

piggybeach said:


> i am signed up for sailing lessons starting monday, though they are through the UCSC summer boating program. after those sessions i may be ready for some further instruction with the other school. my wait time was about five years for the upper harbor. perhaps surprisingly though, there are a lot of neglected boats in the upper harbor around the area where heavy shoaling occurred. i don't know if the people there got turned off to sailing or just the upper harbor over the past few heavy winters...


Well I just had my post dumped when I tried to spellcheck  Here we go again...

I'm sure there are lots of boats in SC North Harbor that are neglected/unused. People tend to hold onto their boat and slip as long as possible because of the wait to get in; even if they are throwing money away with marina fees and deferred maintenance. There are many derilict boats in my marina too; even though there is no shortage of slips. I understand the philosophy of buy for next to nothing and fix/refit; but are you sure you want to go this route? A project boat is a huge amount of work and the time/money you spend might better be put towards a boat that is in better condition and closer to being ready to sail. Part of the equation at SC is that the owners who regularly sail keep their boats seaworthy (and for the most part don't want to sell); while the boats that are neglected are placeholders for people who either have lost interest but still want to be able to own a boat/slip, placeholder boats for people who are looking for a newer boat and/or in seriously bad condition. These are assumptions on my part; but that's the picture I see. It would be ideal if you find someone in SC with a well kept boat that fits your needs and is looking to sell/upgrade. Second choice would be to find a boat that has had recent refit work done and is 'rough around the edges'; this might represent the best overall value; if you find all of the problems and correctly adjust the value before you buy. Be sure and ask Joseph to check his files for any previous surveys on boats you are interested in; he might be able to help guide you toward/away from particular boats on your short list.

I would check out other boats, get a feel for what you like and what you dislike. Lots of preliminary research in this regard can be done on yachtworld.com and walking the docks. Until you sail some different boats you will not get an idea of what you do and don't like about different models; both in sailing properties and layout. If you can get some sailing time before you buy it will really help in your understanding of how sailboats work and what you will want to look for.

Consider buying a small sailboat that is inexpensive and does not need to tabernacle first. You could sail it for a year and get some time to research the ideal cruiser. That would justify the slip rent and get you ready for a bigger boat. Does the boat you put in the slip need to be a sailboat? You could even buy a zodiac before you buy the sailboat if you just need something to occupy the space.

I don't think I would limit myself to only the fixer boats in SC marina. It might be more trouble than it's worth and just turn you off to boat ownership in general. Use the boats in the marina as a guide to what's available and what can be easily retrofitted to tabernacle; keep in mind that every fix costs 2-3x more than what you estimate (before you jump in on a boat that is "well below market").


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

KeelHaulin said:


> ...Part of the equation at SC is that the owners who regularly sail keep their boats seaworthy (and for the most part don't want to sell); while the boats that are neglected are placeholders for people who either have lost interest but still want to be able to own a boat/slip, placeholder boats for people who are looking for a newer boat and/or in seriously bad condition....
> ...find a boat that has had recent refit work done and is 'rough around the edges'; this might represent the best overall value...
> ...Until you sail some different boats you will not get an idea of what you do and don't like about different models...
> ...Consider buying a small sailboat that is inexpensive and does not need to tabernacle first.
> ...You could sail it for a year and get some time to research the ideal cruiser. That would justify the slip rent and get you ready for a bigger boat..


WOW. thanks for a lot of sage info. i'm tending to lean your direction as to getting a smaller inexpensive boat for the first year or so...one that is ready to go, if musty. on the other hand, I could hang in there for a while. the menu of sailing classes before me will occupy the next eight weeks. by the end of that i may be ready to jump into a roomier boat (which is my inclination) but with a substantial measure of confidence--which is now lacking for obvious reasons. tomorrow we practice capsizing!


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

*still lookin*

i'm taking my basic sailing lessons right now and spending more time in the harbor. the "need" to buy a boat is still there, but with the tempered calm which comes from reviewing a lot of "for sale" listings and realizing that it's much MUCH harder to get rid of a boat that you don't want then to pick up a boat that you DO want. kind of like marriage? dating???

in fact, the surveyor Joseph i met with said that it's important to try out a few boats and fall in love with their "curves" (if you get the picture!)

so, i'm out looking at boats in the SC harbor, watching them go under the bridge (18' clearance at max tide) and tabernacling--lowering and raising--their masts. what a GIG! anyway, thanks to all who posted replys to my request for help.

the search is not OVER...


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