# Interesting Blog on buying and restoring a sailboat



## mkrautha (Jul 11, 2003)

I am shamelessly promoting my blog. I have posted here before, and received valuable insight into the boat selection and boat buying process over the last two years. Since joining I have gotten a considerable amount of experience on the water, and off (reading, talking, researching). We are still looking for the right boat and right life-strategy for cruising. We are slowly making progress toward that end. Anyway, take a look and leave me a comment to let me know what you think.

The perfect sailboat project: A bluewater fixer-upper for coastal cruising and beyond


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## cardiacpaul (Jun 20, 2006)

was going to leave a comment here, but....

While I admire the dream and the plan, I'm wondering a bit about you choice of boats. Some of them are blue water capable, many are not, and none would be without extensive repair (read costly and time consuming) given the boat bucks you have. 

All of them are wonderful, don't get me wrong, but on your budget, the repairlist and cash needed for ANY boat of that type will shake, shock and awe you into submission and possible flaming of your dream. 

I'm not trying to pee in your post toasties. really. but you're not the first with the same type of dream. 

I'm here to tell ya, that unless you're SKILLED in FRP repair, epoxy, rigging, engine mechanicals, not to mention woodworking, glazing, plumbing (bucket is not really an option, don't go there) & electrical to start, this will be a futile effort. You think med school is hard? Diagnose why flipping on the anchor light just caused your battery to become a vicim of smoke technology. (it worked till I saw the smoke) 

I'm not talking about reading a book and following pages. You need to be able to actually lay up 'glass a couple of times to do it (notice I didn't say "do it good" ). 

Might I suggest that instead of looking for a hole that holds water (and thats what you'll get based on your budget and boat choices) that you take a moment to consider one of the thousands of "sailable right now" production boats. 

Examples, Catalina, Cherubini designed Hunters, & O'Days, just to mention a few. 

Many of these can be bought for 5K to 7K and you can sail them away today , WITHOUT having to replace a motor & sails today & not have to worry if the mast is going to fall over on you.

None of the above is bluewater capable. Yes, people have done it. blah, blah, blah. I'm not going to, and I'd wonder about the sanity of your spouse if she's going along with that plan on any of those boats. 

They can be nice coastal cruisers. But then again, I wouldn't trust a rebuilt boat by someone with no experience on anything larger than a farm pond anyway. 

I think you'll find that even if you DO continue on your plan, within a couple of years you'll be suffering from "threefootitus" and looking for a more suitable watercraft anyway.

Paul


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

A lot of the boats on his list, like the Alberg 30, Pearson Triton or Ariel, etc could be bought for about the same $5000-7000 that the Catalina or Hunters could be, but would be far more suitable for going offshore IMHO. 

Another boat to add to your list is the Southern Cross 28 or 31. Both of these have made circumnavigations. Donna Lange recently completed one in her SC28, Inspired Insanity. One SC28, in very good condition and rigged for bluewater voyaging, sold for about $18,000.

If you're planning on taking your partner and child, I'd recommend going on the larger end of the list you're looking at.


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## BarryL (Aug 21, 2003)

*boats*

Hi Mike,

Wow. Interesting blog. I wish you the best.

I have no desires to live on a boat or sail over the horizon. I love sailing and am very passionate about it, but I have no dreams of doing it continuously, especially with a family. I love sailing for a day, a weekend, or a week, but no longer.

Anyway, while I'm sure it could be done, I can't image anyone, especially a family, who would want to be on a boat without a working head, battery powered lights, working engine, etc. I like my creature comforts.

You didn't ask, but my advice to you would be to buy a small cheap readily available boat in average to poor condition. Buy it now, sail it now, fix it up over time. In a year or two or three you will have a much better idea of what you really want. Your skills at boat repair and sailing will be greater. You'll most likely get your money back on the first boat (but not your time).

Good luck,
Barry


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

Mike...nice job on the blog. I think you are freakin nuts (in a very nice way!) and will regret the time and $$ you are gonna waste with this approach down the road...but hey..it is your road to travel. Just try not to push the limits with the baby on board. 
BTW...med school is about a $250k proposition these days. If ya can't afford a sailboat in decent condition...how are you gonna do that in a few years after you've depleted your resources sailing? Suggest you take the boards while science is fresh in your head just to see whether you can qualify...it ain't gonna be easier in 4 years!


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## sailhog (Dec 11, 2006)

I would urge you to focus on 1.) getting drunk and 2.) getting laid. Sounds like you've had some success with #2, since you have a kid. However, the general tone of your blog suggests that you haven't been focusing on #1. Hunker down, get #1 taken care of. In the meantime, you might want to think of a way to slip out of your relationship with your significant other before the kid gets too old and the old lady starts hounding your butt for $$. Get a boat, scrape the name off the transom, and make a run for it while you still can. Just a suggestion.


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## h16Sailor (Mar 7, 2007)

Saildog I concur. 
However, to be serious for a second or two.

Mkrutha, follow your dream & Just Do It.

My advice on paying for the dream comes from having just read ‘The confessions of a Tenerife Barman” by Joe Crawley. This guy lived the dream and wrote a book about it. 

Nice, easy, fun read. So live your dream, write a book on how you accomplished your dream. I think the market for this type of book is Huge as more than likely a large percentage of sailors dream ‘your dream’.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

You agreeing with me or SailHOG???


h16Sailor said:


> Saildog I concur.
> However, to be serious for a second or two.
> 
> Mkrutha, follow your dream & Just Do It.
> ...


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## mkrautha (Jul 11, 2003)

*Thanks for the*

good advice, encouragement and good humor. Today we went out on Lake Champlain in a Soling that we rent locally. Wind 5-7 knots gusting to 10. All the sun we could want. The baby was happy as a clam. 
Keep reading the blog if it interests you...


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## sailingfool (Apr 17, 2000)

mkrautha said:


> good advice, encouragement and good humor. Today we went out on Lake Champlain in a Soling that we rent locally. Wind 5-7 knots gusting to 10. All the sun we could want. The baby was happy as a clam.
> Keep reading the blog if it interests you...


Maybe its just me, but isn't it a little risky taking a baby on a Soling...what's the plan if that daysiler were to get swamped and sink?


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## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

I'm with the Hog. Get drunk, get laid and keep dreaming. 

The plan is nuts. I'm sorry, but it is. Your list doesn't even include new standing and running rigging. Even for basic coastal you need at least a half way decent rig and a $3000 s__tbox is not gonna have one. 

This is 2008. Engineless boat is not an option. Yeah yeah I know, what about the effing bloody Pardeys ? As someone once said...you havn't cruised until you'd had the P's hit on you to tow them into port......or words to that effect. You on the other are not the P's. 

Ah bugger it, I'm sick and tired of being a miserable old coot. Buy your boat, patch up the holes, piss in the bucket, go sailing, have fun, try not to drown the kid and in the meantime I'M gunna go out get drunk and try (however futiley) to get laid myself. 



ps - has anyone ever managed to sink a Soling ?


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

I know of at least two people who have managed to sink a soling... 


tdw said:


> I'm with the Hog. Get drunk, get laid and keep dreaming.
> 
> The plan is nuts. I'm sorry, but it is. Your list doesn't even include new standing and running rigging. Even for basic coastal you need at least a half way decent rig and a $3000 s__tbox is not gonna have one.
> 
> ...


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## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

sailingdog said:


> I know of at least two people who have managed to sink a soling...


Wow.


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## engele (Nov 26, 2006)

*Solings and thoughts*

It's one thing to sink a Soling in a race, and another to sink it on a daysail.

I race Etchells, and take friends and family out on it all the time with no mishaps.

My thoughts on all of this are that you should DO IT. A few years back I lived in a marina on the Gulf for a few weeks with a very interesting group of folks. You will find that there are two types of sailors, those who do things themselves, and those who pay ridiculous amounts of money not to worry about it.

I wish I was in the latter group, but like you my circumstances don't allow for that. In any case, I know of folks who have fixed up old boats and sailed off to Mexico from the Seattle area, which includes going down the West Coast. Not a novice move by any means.

What you WILL find though is that it will cost you more than you ever imagined and take far longer than you thought.

I started a journey like the one you are talking about a few years back, and over time I have gotten more and more picky and the boat has gotten nicer and nicer. I could have purchased a boat in better repair and have been done with it, cheaper and sooner, if I would have known.

It wasn't an option at the time (though it would be now), so I started to dive in. it can be done. As far as "Smoke Technology" it usually isn't all that complex. I've helped wire three or four boats and done other wiring jobs on others. In every case I had capable help. Really I had someone who knew what they were doing telling me what to do. Friends like that can be found though.

Engines likewise are not all that complex if you have the right help. Good advice will save you months of work and re-doing projects. The point is, if you aren't ready to learn a lot of new things, don't get involved, and don't go cruising.

As mentioned above make sure you have strong standing rigging and if nothing else replace your forestay.

We lost a shroud in the bay this year and had our stick crumple into three pieces. No one was hurt, but it taught me a lesson in reality. Have your chainplates checked as well, and don't forget to replace all of the through-hulls.

The boats you are talking about are capable boats, and all of them are small enough that if you are afraid of engine mechanics, you can always throw an outboard on.

Good luck. There really is more jobs than you can imagine, but less than you would think. I can't explain that except to say that you will spend a lot of time on things you never thought of, but find that there are fewer systems than you imagined as well. That's the best I can do. Good Luck,


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

well, does the baby float? well enough for 2 adults to hang on to?


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## tager (Nov 21, 2008)

Boats sink, babies die. Don't let it stop you from going sailing.


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## bljones (Oct 13, 2008)

Wow, tager, I now sympathize with your landlord.


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## mitiempo (Sep 19, 2008)

Mike
I read your blog and found it quite interesting. Ever notice how strange it is that blogs work backwards - you have to start at the bottom and read up to get it in the right order.
You won't get any discouraging comments from me. The Hurley 22 is a solid boat, although a bit small for my taste, as at my age I prefer one a bit larger. My first fiberglass boat was a Westerly 25 twin keel with a Volvo MD1 diesel way back in 1972. She was a solid cruiser and well built as most British boats are. Since then I have owned a 35' twin keel custom design and a 30' Verl ,also British designed & built. I'm doing the same sort of thing you are though at an older age (58) and not hampered with wife and child. My current (last) boat is a 1977 CS27 which I consider at my age the smallest I can comfortably live and cruise on indefinitely. Small 8hp diesel, full headroom, and a bit of comfort for my old age. But size has a lot to do with amenities and comfort but nothing to do with seaworthiness. I do like to put my pants on standing up however. All boats are projects if they are not brand new and even then there are mods to make and things to fix or change. By keeping it simple you are saving dollars for what counts, getting out there and going somewhere. As mentioned, check the seacocks, the rigging, and the basics beyond that. By doing the work yourself you will not only save money but end up knowing the boat better after you're done. The big difference between you and I is that you will be returning to go to med school and my goal is not to come back. Don't listen to the naysayers and work for your dream as I wish I had 30 years ago. I should have kept the Westerly 25 and sailed south then.
Here's a link you might find interesting. 
Introduction to the junk-rigged Corribee Mingming The blog of an adventurous Brit and his 21' Coribee.
Good luck and keep us updated.


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## 4arch (Jul 7, 2009)

Why is this thread being revived? Until tager posted it was over a year since this thread was active and it's been almost 5 months since mkrautha was active on either sailnet or his blog. It looks like he bought a Hurley 22 in poor condition in August, asked a few questions, and then disappeared. Wonder if he bit off more than he could chew.


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## catamount (Sep 8, 2002)

4arch said:


> Why is this thread being revived? Until tager posted it was over a year since this thread was active and it's been almost 5 months since mkrautha was active on either sailnet or his blog. It looks like he bought a Hurley 22 in poor condition in August, asked a few questions, and then disappeared. Wonder if he bit off more than he could chew.


My thoughts exactly.

But, gee, don't we all have our own "blog" on buying and restoring a sailboat? (Mine starts here.)


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