# Anyone bought a cheap boat and cruised a summer?



## northoceanbeach (Mar 23, 2008)

Hi, I would just like to hear the experiences of anyone whos bought a cheap boat for like a thousand or two and sailed around for a couple months.

This is my idea for the summer, but I'd like some advice on how to best do it. I see some good little boats like Cal 20's for 1500 and say you anchored and cooked a bit, you get spend , what $750 a month? Well for $3000 dollars you had two months of fun.

But maybe this is impractical, I mean, it is, probably impractical, maybe it is TOO impractical. But I'd like some advice.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

In many cases a "cheap" boat isn't going to be able to do what you're thinking of doing without a lot of work...


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## msl (Jul 4, 2001)

Not certain if you mean Hawaii or the mainland - but boat capming may suit your plans and budget.
Check out the travels of Frank and Margaret Dye in the "Wanderer"
Here is a link.

US Wayfarer Association - Home

Enjoy.

msl


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## Mimsy (Mar 22, 2009)

I'm no expert by any stretch of the imagination but we have been looking at boats and weighing different options. Based on what I've seen, Saildog is spot on.

Why not consider a charter? If you are indeed only looking to sail for a few months being able to walk away when you are done has a lot of appeal.


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## Jim H (Feb 18, 2006)

"Bruised" might be a good term for it. 

As the saying goes, those with small boats tend to enjoy going ashore more. If you were in the right area, your boat might be fine. In fact, I think there was a funny web page about a guy living on a Cal 20 in southern Cal. For some reason, there were a lot of women aboard in all of the pictures...


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## JohnRPollard (Mar 26, 2007)

Jim H said:


> "Bruised" might be a good term for it.


 

I'm assuming that was a typo, so I'll go make a change to the title.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

ruin all our fun...  Now we can't rag on the OP for his spelling... 


JohnRPollard said:


> I'm assuming that was a typo, so I'll go make a change to the title.


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## SSBN506 (Apr 18, 2008)

I would look at it like this. 3000 will pay for a one week vacation for two people all inclusive at say a 4.5 to 5 star hotel in Mexico, Cuba(non US), Dominican etc. 
So what’s the worst case scenario aside from a freak accident? The boat sucks and is falling apart you have no fun and decide you hate sailing. You can’t sell the boat and are out 3000. But more than likely you will have some fun ,spend time working on and upgrading the boat. Decide you like this and that and you don’t like this and that. Then you will sell the boat at a loss and buy a bigger boat and rinse and repeat. If you have 3000 to waste I say waste it on a boat.


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## kwaltersmi (Aug 14, 2006)

We (my wife, myself, my 3 & 5 year olds, and our golden retriever) spent at least 45 days camping/cruising on our $400 25 footer last summer in the Great Lakes. Granted, I had more than $400 into the boat by the time I fixed it up the summer before, but it's still very cheap family fun.

Trust me, if we can do it with 2 adults, 2 young kids and a big dog on a little boat (7'11" beam, 5'2" headroom!) with a very modest budget, you too can do it! In fact, I can confidently say that the summer of 2008 was the best we've ever had. I have high hopes that the summer of 2009 will be even better.


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## soulesailor (Nov 18, 2007)

*Go for it!*

I say GO FOR IT!!! This sounds like a great plan and a load of fun. Totally doable with a little planning. Many sailors who never seem to stop working and upgrading their boats either sail long distances, in bad conditions, in places where bad conditions may arise suddenly and without warning, or just like having really nice boats.

If you are coastal cruising short distances and have fairly protected anchorages to choose from, aren't sailing at night or in bad conditions than I don't see any problems with your plan.

Sailing CAN be affordable but you have to be smart and make wise decisions. At the end of your summer cruise you may be stuck with your boat. If nobody wants to buy it you will have to do something with it. If you don't buy something trailerable this means giving a yard money to haul and store and then next summer you'll need a place to keep it, etc. (you get the picture).

Good luck and have fun!


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## merc2dogs (Jun 5, 2004)

Same here, bought a 22 foot trailer sailer for $400. Spent a couple weeks cleaning it up, painting,and doing a few small repairs, then spent the summer out sailing on lake michigan. That fall I sold the boat and trailer for $2400 and bought another cheap boat and did the same the next summer.
Trick is you have to know what you're looking at, don't want to pick up a cheap boat that ends up having serious issues. I've seen perfectly sound boats sit unsold at low prices because of cosmetic issues, while boats that looked great, but had more serious problems sold for a lot more.
Also depends a great deal on what you want out of the boat in the first place.

Ken.


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## WanderingStar (Nov 12, 2008)

In 1991 (yeah, a long time ago) I bought a 20' sloop, trailer, engine, cushions etc for $600. I sailed and cruised her for eight years. Just be careful where you go with an inexpensive boat, not too far from shore. And don't overequip it, go simple. Fair winds.


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## biloxijes (Mar 25, 2009)

*New to crusing*

Hi
I just bought a Catalina 27, 1982 vintage but restored with recent (40 hrs since OH). I am on MS gulfcoast and plan to go south, off shore and Intercoastal to about keywest and return.
I need a skiff for me (245lbs) and the wife, some bit lighter. I dare not mention her weight Ha Ha.

What do you crusiers recommend. A rubber dinghey or alum skiff about 14 ft with small outboard say a 6 hp? I am shopping and have only about $1000 left to spend on dinghey.

biloxijes

P.S. I will be towing. No lifts or davits.


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## SSBN506 (Apr 18, 2008)

Don't forget to get it surveyed before you buy. Even a free boat should be surveyed. Insurance will make you do it anyway might as well do it beforehand and get the option to walk away.


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## northoceanbeach (Mar 23, 2008)

I was thinking of buying something like a cal20 in portland oregon for like maybe 1500. I bought a cal20 here in Honolulu for 1600 and had a lot of fun with that. 

Then for about 2 months I could sail as far up the Columbia Gorge as I can, exploring the towns which are supposed to abe a blast in summer like the dalles and hood river, and then turn around and go to Astoria, anchoring at alot of little islands and checking out the channels and rivers along the way.

It seems like a good first cruise. Some navigation, but you're on a river, so it's not too bad. Plenty of towns along the way to restock and refuel, but also good nature, so I can hike and stuff.


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## JohnRPollard (Mar 26, 2007)

biloxijes said:


> Hi
> I just bought a Catalina 27, 1982 vintage but restored with recent (40 hrs since OH). I am on MS gulfcoast and plan to go south, off shore and Intercoastal to about keywest and return.
> I need a skiff for me (245lbs) and the wife, some bit lighter. I dare not mention her weight Ha Ha.
> 
> ...


Hi, Welcome to Sailnet, and congrats on your new boat!

May I suggest that you start a new thread to discuss this dinghy issue? I think your question will get lost in this thread and you may not get the answers/advice you're hoping for. Good luck!


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## SOUNDBOUNDER (Dec 16, 2008)

My first boat was a Bristol 24 that I paid around a thousand bucks for.
I went all over Long Island Sound in that boat after one season of fixing it up, and using it on a limited basis.


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## erps (Aug 2, 2006)

There have been some articles in 'Lectronic Lattitude" about an Islander 36 over in Europe that has been bought and sold once or twice now for a low price by people who just go over there to cruise a short period and then pass on the boat for the next opportunity. As long as you can find a boat that you won't always be fixin', you have a good chance of having a lot of fun for not too much money.


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## WanderingStar (Nov 12, 2008)

Northocean, it sounds like fun, do it. I would not get a survey on a cheap boat, it isn't worth it.
Bilkoxi, get a rowboat. There are plenty of aluminum skiffs around, durable, light, stable. Get one of the smaller ones so you can row it. Capacities are listed in the boat. Rowing is easy with a little practice, oars are cheap and require no fuel or repair.


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## SSBN506 (Apr 18, 2008)

WanderingStar said:


> Northocean, it sounds like fun, do it. I would not get a survey on a cheap boat, it isn't worth it.
> Bilkoxi, get a rowboat. There are plenty of aluminum skiffs around, durable, light, stable. Get one of the smaller ones so you can row it. Capacities are listed in the boat. Rowing is easy with a little practice, oars are cheap and require no fuel or repair.


In Canada you have to get survey for insurance, is this not the case in the USA. I don't know if it is against the law not to have it like cars though. I know to be a member of my yacht club and store the boat i have to have liability insurance but can you get that without an inspection?


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## erps (Aug 2, 2006)

I bought our first two boats without surveys and we were able to get liability insurance for them. As the boats increased in value, the insurance companies started requiring surveys. I don't know where the cut off point is though.


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## merc2dogs (Jun 5, 2004)

A lot of times it seems to depend on the type of insurance you want.

A while ago I ran two insurance quotes on the same boat, one with agreed value, and one with full replacement etc. They only required a survey for the full replacement policy. There is a cutoff point for agreed value too, but it appears to be at the $10,000 mark. Which would seem to be about the right value for many 'first' boats anyway, so it works out well. 
Personally I feel that if I'm in the position to say I wish I had more coverage, I'm actually in good shape. 

Ken.


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