# Opinions on a Tanzer 7.5



## Pointy_End (Sep 19, 2011)

I've read a fair bit here and elsewhere about the Tanzer 7.5; most comments seem positive. I went to look at one priced very low and I'd like some feedback from people more knowledgeable than I.

Here is the boat in question: Link, priced at $2900.

I went to look at this boat and the pictures are accurate; the deck seems very solid but has some minor cosmetic issues. This is a smaller boat than I would normally consider, but the fact that it has a real head and a roller furling made me overlook its lack of headroom.
It strikes me as a very well cared for boat that has perhaps been neglected for a few years.

Here are the pictures I took; pardon the quality, they were taken with my cell phone and a flashlight - Link

The Good:

- Very clean inside and out (with some exceptions listed below)
- 6hp 4-stroke with battery charging
- private head
- roller furling
- appears to have been professionally rewired not long ago; nice panel with all wires labelled, although I could not find a master battery switch anywhere
- battery box and fresh water tank seem recent

The Bad:

- Sails in questionable condition. As you can see in the photos the headsail is pretty gross. "I'd be embarrassed to sail that into our marina" - My wife
- I did not unfurl the main, but I did notice that at least one of the sail slides was broken. The sail material seemed "thinner" than what I'm used to, but maybe that's common with smaller boats?

Looking at the pictures for the first time since viewing a week ago, I actually remembered the sails looking worse than what the pictures show. I'm really not knowledgeable enough with sails to know if this is a replace or repair scenario so I'd appreciate some input on that.

- There seems to be a significant amount of fresh water in the bilge, under the settees, and under the v-berth. 
- The water under the v-berth was almost black in colour (shown in one of the pictures). Any idea what that could be? 
- The hand pump for the head didn't seem to work; felt like the seals might have been gone. Same for the sink pump, but in all fairness I'm not 100% sure there was water in the tank for the sink.
- Keel bolts - I'm not sure if these are normal or not (based on pictures linked above) - thoughts?
- There is no indication as to when it was last surveyed, and the broker said he thought it was hauled and painted this spring. There is a significant amount of algae growth on the rudder so I'm not so sure about that...

Part of me would like to "rescue" this boat; I wouldn't mind putting a bit of money into something like this, but where to draw the line? New sails ($1k to $1.2K per sail I'm guessing) plus other things means I'm getting up into the $5k to $6k range where I could possibly get a larger boat in better condition.

I'm drawn to this because it's cheap and simple, and as a first boat if I don't use it as much as planned I won't feel as guilty as if I buy a 27ft or 28ft diesel powered boat. One thing I did learn is that I can probably live without 6ft standing headroom. Perhaps I need to keep looking.

Sorry for rambling on, but I find writing out my thoughts help me consolidate them. Also I'll use any input to build on my (very) amateur surveying skills


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## bljones (Oct 13, 2008)

When you get down into the bottom-feeder price bracket (that's not an insult, in my book- it's where I live when it comes to buying/building boats), you're going to find lots of tired sails and leaking hull/deck joints and just general stuff that needs to be fixed. The upside to a Tanzer 7.5 is it's relative popularity in Canada- it's easier to find used sails and other bits and bobs, relatively inexpensively.
Black water near the head is a possible area of concern. Did you smell the water in question?
I'd be more concerned about the rigging than the sails. How did it look?

If you can live with the limited headroom, aren't afraid of a little hard work, and know what you are getting yourself into, offer the vendor $1800.


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## killarney_sailor (May 4, 2006)

This Tanzer model does not do it for me aesthetically but that is neither here nor there. I think Tanzers are well-regarded and the price point leaves some room for fixup. Also, since it is a well-known make it will be a bit easier to resell at some point. None of the issues you mention should be particularly costly to fix other than the sails and you know where you stand with that. You can get some decent used sails pretty cheaply as well. I would consider an offer in your shoes.


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## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

As Killarney alluded to, you have to 'like the look'.. this one, and her bigger sister the 26 won't necessarily be the 'prettiest girl at the dance' but these boats have a solid rep and sail well. As a starter boat in BC waters you could do much worse - esp at that price.

Your pictures don't look too bad; the 'filthy' sail is mainly the result of long-time disuse and having been left furled.. it's mostly dirty on the exposed portions and the rest of it looks not too bad. New or better (used) sails would be a good (and perhaps early) upgrade.

The only pics that gave me pause were the keel bolt images, but that might just be surface rust due to standing water - still, that needs a careful look.


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## Peas (Oct 11, 2011)

I don't think that you would want to get too excited about the prospects until you can get a look at her bottom. If there is a lot of blistering or keel/rudder damage, you could just be taking on liability and be upside down on this boat after all your repair costs/time compared to getting one that someone else just restored for a few grand more.

As mentioned before, the name Tanzer helps out a lot and when the time comes that you would like to sell, it shouldn't be too hard to move, especially after you put all your sweat equity into it.

Good luck with the hunt!


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## canadianseamonkey (Sep 4, 2006)

For that price, take a chance on it. A toilet is only 130 bucks and you can use those sails for many seasons still I bet. That outboard is worth at least 800 bucks alone. I had looked at at Tanzer 7.5 years ago and really liked the way the interior was set up for a small boat, very spacious. Go for it.


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## Pointy_End (Sep 19, 2011)

bljones said:


> ...
> Black water near the head is a possible area of concern. Did you smell the water in question?
> I'd be more concerned about the rigging than the sails. How did it look?
> ...


I stuck my head as far into the compartment as a I could, but couldn't smell anything unusual.
The rigging seemed in good order; the jib sheet looked pretty weathered, but functional.



Peas said:


> I don't think that you would want to get too excited about the prospects until you can get a look at her bottom. If there is a lot of blistering or keel/rudder damage, you could just be taking on liability and be upside down on this boat after all your repair costs/time compared to getting one that someone else just restored for a few grand more.
> Good luck with the hunt!


That is my major concern, and at this low price range I'm not convinced it is really worth hauling out to have a look. 
I dunno, I'll think about it over Christmas


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## FlyingJunior (May 31, 2012)

old post, but hopefully it's realized (above) that the "jib sheet" is a rope/line. Surely no one is too concerned about a weathered rope.


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## oldstock (Mar 16, 2017)

Hello, 
Can someone out there tell me the depth of the keel on a tanzer 7.5. The distance from the bottom of the keel to where it meets the hull. I am a welder with the task of constructing a cradle for the boat. Any info would be great, thank you. Bryan.


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## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

This might be as good a scale drawing as you'll find without contacting the manufacturer...

Tanzer 7.5 Specifications

The dotted line is the fixed keel profile, you could roughly scale the hull depth knowing that the full draft is 4 feet.
You should be able to get close enough so that some adjustable pads will make up the difference. Without full hull line drawings a profile is of limited use to know exactly what the pad heights need to be, or for that matter the shape of any bunks you might plan to use.

Here's a typical trailer for a keelboat.


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## Arcb (Aug 13, 2016)

Make sure you talk to the boat owner and determine which Tanzer 7.5 you are dealing with. There are 2 models out there, both fairly common. 

There is a shoal draft version with less than 3' draft with a long flat keel and a fin keel version with over 4' of draft.


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## Florida Salt (Apr 24, 2017)

To answer your questions about a Tanzer 7.5 in apparently not very good condition, I am copying my response to another person considering a Tanzer 25 in another forum. It should give you a good idea of the difference between a bare boat OK for day sailing and a weekend or two, and a boat updated, modified,and considerably improved. You will soon find that a cheap boat is not cheap. It just takes longer to pay for.

As a 30 year owner of a 1980 Tanzer 7.5 meter, also called a 25', I am amazed at some of the responses. She is well built with a solid fiberglass hull and plywood core fiberglass deck. She is very seaworthy. We have sailed her from Miami throughout the Bahamas, up the Gulf Stream to Hilton Head S.C., throughout the Fl Keys and the FL SW coast. My wife and I have been caught out in 50 mph winds and 15 foot seas, which she handled well, and many other storms. We also use a very rough inlet to the ocean. We are able to cruise under power at 6.5 to 7.2 mph and reach similar speeds and slightly higher under sail. With our modified rudder, she points well and the helm is well balanced. We are very comfortable aboard during month long trips, mostly anchored out. More comfortable than in many larger boats. With the addition of a plywood board that stores under the settee, our bunk in the main cabin covers the 8 foot width of the boat. Our 34" shoal draft is ideal for the Bahamas and south Florida.

You my be able to buy a 7.5 cheap and enjoy it. However, unless the boat has been improved and upgraded, you will probably have a lot of work to do: encapsulating the iron keel, reinforcing the keel, reinforcing the keel bolts, reinforcing the transom for a 9.9hp 4 cycle motor, painting with Awl Grip, providing instruments etc. We have replaced or modified nearly everything on our boat with many upgrades and additions. For example, recently $7,000 worth of electronic upgrades for all new instruments including the autopilot. 2 Garmin 7" chart plotters, Three high grade solar panels with top of the line regulators, silent refrigeration, Anderson 28S stainless self tailing winches at $1000 each, a new bow roller. A a 28 lb stainless Ultra anchor at $1000. A like new Achilles 9f inflatable with an inflatable floor and 5 hp Nissan outboard. A 2 burner stove with an aluminum tank on the stern rail. Sunbrella cushion covers. A dodger with side curtains, Sunbrella Bimini top and side and back curtains, a $500 EPIRB. VHF Radios. Harkin roller furling. Recently new sails, a modified balanced rudder, added side hatches and opening ports. Awl Grip. New forward hatch. New stanchions and much more. We consider an ideal boat for two. The agreed upon insured value that we would be paid in the event of a total loss is $33,000. We are selling her now, because of loss of our dock space, for $24,445.

Yes, I am sure you can find a Tanzer 7.5 for much less, and it might meet your needs. For someone who wants a really nice cruising sailboat, You would need to spend much more upgrading the boat than the asking price for our boat.

If you are interested in our boat you can see her on boat trader. Google: type Boat Trader, Tanzer. Then select Tanzer boats for sale - BoatTrader.com

Florida Salt


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## Tom Chev (Jan 25, 2019)

Florida Salt said:


> To answer your questions about a Tanzer 7.5 in apparently not very good condition, I am copying my response to another person considering a Tanzer 25 in another forum. It should give you a good idea of the difference between a bare boat OK for day sailing and a weekend or two, and a boat updated, modified,and considerably improved. You will soon find that a cheap boat is not cheap. It just takes longer to pay for.
> 
> As a 30 year owner of a 1980 Tanzer 7.5 meter, also called a 25', I am amazed at some of the responses. She is well built with a solid fiberglass hull and plywood core fiberglass deck. She is very seaworthy. We have sailed her from Miami throughout the Bahamas, up the Gulf Stream to Hilton Head S.C., throughout the Fl Keys and the FL SW coast. My wife and I have been caught out in 50 mph winds and 15 foot seas, which she handled well, and many other storms. We also use a very rough inlet to the ocean. We are able to cruise under power at 6.5 to 7.2 mph and reach similar speeds and slightly higher under sail. With our modified rudder, she points well and the helm is well balanced. We are very comfortable aboard during month long trips, mostly anchored out. More comfortable than in many larger boats. With the addition of a plywood board that stores under the settee, our bunk in the main cabin covers the 8 foot width of the boat. Our 34" shoal draft is ideal for the Bahamas and south Florida.
> 
> ...


Re: Opinions on a Tanzer 7.5 Not sure were to ask this so I will try here. Is it possible to change keels on the Tanzer 7.5, changing a deep draft to a shoal draft. Other words are the keels interchangeable Thanks


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## Guyfromthenorth (Jul 2, 2015)

Tom Chev said:


> Florida Salt said:
> 
> 
> > To answer your questions about a Tanzer 7.5 in apparently not very good condition, I am copying my response to another person considering a Tanzer 25 in another forum. It should give you a good idea of the difference between a bare boat OK for day sailing and a weekend or two, and a boat updated, modified,and considerably improved. You will soon find that a cheap boat is not cheap. It just takes longer to pay for.
> ...


Having never seen inside a t7.5 with a fin I can only speak from what I know. I own a t7.5 with the shoal keel. If you look on sailboatdata you can see just how far back the shoal keel goes. I can vouch that bolts are under the galley sink and continue forward all the way to about the head. Looking at the fin keel profile I would be shocked if it had bolts in the same locations. My initial thoughts are no they are not interchangeable.

I'm selling mine in the spring. Maybe you'll see it online if you're shopping the northern great lakes.


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## Tom Chev (Jan 25, 2019)

I do have a shoal draft tanzer but not in very good shape, so if I could change the keels with a better shape deep draft one and have my trailer, I would consider doing this as apposed a total rebuild. I do watch the markets and will be watching for yours. It would still be interesting to know if the keels are interchangeable.


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## Guyfromthenorth (Jul 2, 2015)

Tom Chev said:


> I do have a shoal draft tanzer but not in very good shape, so if I could change the keels with a better shape deep draft one and have my trailer, I would consider doing this as apposed a total rebuild. I do watch the markets and will be watching for yours. It would still be interesting to know if the keels are interchangeable.


Have a look at the website I mentioned. Heres a direct link to save time:

https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/tanzer-75

See how the shoal keel actually goes all the way back to the main traveller location on the bridge-deck? And the fin keel ends at the forward edge of the first porttlight? Like I said I can confirm the shoal has bolts under the sink up to almost the bridgedeck. They are almost definitely not interchangeable. Some other companies made their shoal keels the same as the fin and then just cut 6in off them. Tanzer did the smart thing and made a whole different keel for their shoalies so it still sailed well.


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