# Hello from OZ



## thedrages (May 22, 2012)

Hi all,
New to the forum! I live in Jan Juc , Victoria. Australia. Married with two great kids(3 & 4 1/2) and another on the way! My father taught me to sail as a kid first on a Large lake , then later coastal crusing out of Carins, Far North Queensland. I lived on a 32' 6'' Thunderbird in San Diego for two years. Since returning to Australia about ten years ago have been land locked. But all is not lost! I have convinced my amazing wife to have a serious look at buying a boat and doing Australian circumnavigation and South Pacific Island hop. Then who knows from there! We have a timeline of 5 years to save to reach our target of $60,000 for a liveable sailboat which can squeeze a family of five onboard. Not alot of coin for something around 38' , but I have hope ! Really interested in connecting with other familys who are/have cruised with kids. Also any advice would be great.

Dean & Eve


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## Classic30 (Aug 29, 2007)

Welcome aboard, Dean 

You really do live in a nice part of Victoria.. and a great place to raise kids. I'm sure $60k will buy you a decent boat - just not a new one, that's all. Now is actually a really good time to buy...

If you're wanting to get out on the water, you might like to drop into/join up with Royal Geelong YC and get involved there - sail training for the kids, drinks at the bar, etc., etc. SNet member Melbournian (and hubby) have their (new!) Catalina down there at the moment - and I'm sure they'd be happy to take you and the family for a cruise on Corio Bay sometime.

If I can get you interested in Classics (timber and varnish!), we sail out of Williamstown every couple of weeks, year round. www.classic-yacht.asn.au

Any questions, ask away!


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## thedrages (May 22, 2012)

Thanks for the reply, 

I was on the phone to RGYC this morning about membership. I am keen on crewing on some boats, work towards Yacht masters and do anything my power to help my wife catch the bug! Tossing up the idea of getting a small yacht now to introduce the family to sailing , then sell to upgrade down the track. Seems that if everything goes to pot , we would still have a weekender/ daysailer to keep me amused. Saw a old 26' Folkboat that sparked my interest. I would think if I invested in something half reasonable and fixed it up I should get a decent return back on it in a few years , all going to plan that is. I do have a bit of a soft spot for Classic Yachts , my father was a regular subscriber to 'Wooden Boat' mag.


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## Classic30 (Aug 29, 2007)

It sounds like you're headed in the right direction. If you found a wooden Folkboat, you could race it in the Classics.. (I'm only half joking - we have two on the list already)

I don't suppose you've considered a trailer-sailer to get the family started?? You can pick up a Hartley TS18 (if you don't own a 4WD) or TS21 (if you do) for not much money and the good ones do hold their value: The Hartley TS18 - 21 Yacht Club is based in Melbourne but as a former owner I'm a bit biased, I'm afraid.

Once you get a few more posts up you'll be able to send a PM to Melbournian. They're a good bunch at RGYC..


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## thedrages (May 22, 2012)

Hmmm, 
I have though on this before, as a ballpark figure . What do you feel I would be looking at spending on a Hartley 18 or TS 21. I have a 2wd hilux can tow a far bit.


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## Classic30 (Aug 29, 2007)

thedrages said:


> Hmmm,
> I have though on this before, as a ballpark figure . What do you feel I would be looking at spending on a Hartley 18 or TS 21. I have a 2wd hilux can tow a far bit.


2wd Hilux? They're solid boats. The TS18 is ~1100kgs all-up and the TS21 ~1800kgs... but being all-ply can take quite a beating (I will always remember one launch at St Kilda Marina where a cross-wind caught me off-guard and the boat ended up broadsiding the pointy-end of the jetty with a CRACK that could be heard above the roar of the jetskis. No external damage at all - hardly a mark - the sound was a rib shearing off the outer skin which I repaired when we got home, after our day sail. Most plastic boats would have been on the bottom with a hole 6" across.)

In good condition, ready-to-sail, expect to pay around $8,000 for a TS18 and around $10,000 for a TS21... but if (a) it is coastal sailing you're interested in, (b) you don't mind fixing things and learning along the way and (c) you can get a old Folkboat on a mooring for not a lot more money, I'd probably be doing that instead.

Good luck!


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## thedrages (May 22, 2012)

Hey thanks for the info,

I think I have found a Hartley 18 in resonable nick, 'Woody' - a Hartley 18, is For Sale | Sail And Oar

(found a pretty good Hartley 28 in Gippsland, no trailer though)

I have found a couple of keel boats.But permanent moorings are proving a little difficult to find around Geelong/ Balnaring area. Coastal sailing is definatley part of the plan. But that being said , would be happy Bay sailing for a couple of years. Till I get the Wife and Kids comfortable and happy little Yachties!


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## Classic30 (Aug 29, 2007)

thedrages said:


> Hey thanks for the info,
> 
> I think I have found a Hartley 18 in resonable nick, 'Woody' - a Hartley 18, is For Sale | Sail And Oar


Here's the "official" advert: http://www.hartleyyachtclub.com.au/sales/woody2a.doc

"Woody" has an excellent pedigree with the TS18-21 YC and has had a string of good owners in her long life (including a past-Commodore of the Hartley YC, now sailing a bigger boat) but was actually in in pretty good nick last I saw her. Being a Mk1 and set up for cruising she's unlikely to win any races, but for a sea-kindly day-sailer/bay cruiser that certainly seems like a reasonable price to me. Well worth a look and a trial sail if you haven't done so already.



thedrages said:


> (found a pretty good Hartley 28 in Gippsland, no trailer though)
> 
> I have found a couple of keel boats.But permanent moorings are proving a little difficult to find around Geelong/ Balnaring area. Coastal sailing is definatley part of the plan. But that being said , would be happy Bay sailing for a couple of years. Till I get the Wife and Kids comfortable and happy little Yachties!


A Hartley 28 isn't a trailable yacht - not unless you own a truck. A 24 is about the biggest I know of anyone trailering, and then only behind a Range Rover! Large trailerable yachts don't always make financial sense if you add the cost of a new 4x4 into the equation.

As far as permanent moorings go, I'd think Limeburners (Lagoon Boat Club) would be your only chance near Geelong. I think there's a reasonable waiting list, but you if you bought a boat on a mooring you might be able to get the mooring also. The waiting list for RGYC is better, but them's marina prices..


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## thedrages (May 22, 2012)

Thanks Mate,

I am quite keen about her the more I think about it. Good price and if I can jam the wife a kids onto an 18' , they will think a 35' to 40' is a cruise ship! Need some tips on cost/easiest way to refinish the hull, if you have any thoughts?
Appriciate your feedback!

Dean


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## thedrages (May 22, 2012)

I've answered my own question. Join the Hartley TS18-21 Club! Checked out the website and the seller advised me about the cradle for hire! Problem solved


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## Classic30 (Aug 29, 2007)

thedrages said:


> I've answered my own question. Join the Hartley TS18-21 Club! Checked out the website and the seller advised me about the cradle for hire! Problem solved


Hi Dean, yep the club cradle is certainly the easiest way to do it. The other way is to take everything moveable out of the boat and launch it off of the trailer onto your backyard lawn - but don't try this with a plastic boat!

Hartley hulls are typically 3/8" marine ply with fibreglass-taped seams (some are Dynel sheathed making them stronger still, but a little harder to fix - the owner could tell you). Easily repaired with only average woodworking/painting skills. What sort of "refinishing" are we talking about? I assume at worst it's only a sand and paint (orbital sander, primer/undercoat and 2 top-coats of marine enamel).

The Hartley TS18-21 YC are a really friendly family-oriented bunch. Even though I now sail a bigger boat for other reasons, the majority of my present crew are Hartley Club members including one or two from the Committee and we attend Club events on a regular basis.

If you like the Hartley TS18 design and concept and are keen to buy, by all means take "Woody" for a spin if you can, but I'd suggest joining the Club first off and going for a sail with someone else. That way you'll get the newsletter ("Windward") and other boats for sale.


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## thedrages (May 22, 2012)

Woody has a dynel sheath, dry rot has been repaired by current owner. She needs sanding , fairing and repaint on hull. I have verygood woodworking skills and done a bit of fibreglassing etc. So shouldn't be a huge problem , a little concerned about cost/time though. I have also seen a 16' which has just been completly redone same price range.


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## Classic30 (Aug 29, 2007)

thedrages said:


> Woody has a dynel sheath, dry rot has been repaired by current owner. She needs sanding , fairing and repaint on hull. I have verygood woodworking skills and done a bit of fibreglassing etc. So shouldn't be a huge problem , a little concerned about cost/time though. I have also seen a 16' which has just been completly redone same price range.


If the rot has been repaired then, yes, fairing, sanding and a repaint is quite literally all that's required. Compared to a similar task on a boat-in-the-water, a piece of cake. Also unlike a bigger boat, you can repaint the hull of a TS18 in a couple of hours and working on it at home (carport/garage) makes it a couple of weekend's work - and even un-faired and un-painted you could still sail it if you wanted to. Funnily enough, one of the original ideas behind the Hartley TS was that "father and son" could build one together in their back yard!

A TS16 is strictly a 2-person boat - sleeping in the cockpit under the stars. For the size of your family and what you are wanting to do, I wouldn't recommend it.

Having said that, the TS18 will be "cozy".. but the wife and I spent a week on ours one Christmas on the Gippsland Lakes without too much difficulty (*). One of the advantages of a bigger boat is more room, but the big disadvantages are (a) the storage of it and (b) that maintenance cannot be done at home. This can become a BIG downer if, for some reason, the family don't like sailing and the boat then drags you away from them in endless maintenance.

If you think of "Woody" as a short-term family-sail-training craft, you'll be fine. Also, because it is a "known boat" in the Hartley YC, when the time comes you should have no trouble selling it in future. If you and the family like her, make an offer and see what happens.

* = We were enjoying it so much we stayed out too long - until the food ran out and the Porta-Potti overflowed. Not fun!


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