Casey,
Everyone on the list has been giving you good advice.
Some of the past articles by folks here and
elsewhere have been collected at another web
site that is still a good reference and gets you
thinking about what the critical issues are. Take
a look at:
http://www.geocities.com/bill_dietrich/RetireSailboat.html
It is a historical acct of how a newby went about
finding and buying a boat and follows the recommendations
and thoughts of many on this site, now and in the past.
It is an accumulation of interesting and informative posts.
Finally, found there as well, consider Rick Kennerly's good
advice:
Rick's Rules for boat buying and ownership:
A small boat and a suitcase full of money beats a 40-footer tied to
the Bank every time.
Cruising boats are bought by the pound, not the foot.
You gain more live aboard space for every foot of beam added than for
foot in length purchased (there are some older narrow CCA-style boats
that are 50 feet long, but with less usable interior space than our
Westsail 32).
While boats are linear, their maintenance, time and equipment costs
are exponential (it costs three times as much to maintain a 40-footer
than a 30-footer).
The view of paradise is exactly the same from the cockpit of a small
boat as that from a gold-plater.
Any fool can sail a 45-foot boat downwind in nice weather. On the
other hand, it is very easy to buy more boat than a couple can handle
during a blow on a lee shore.
Pay attention to the basics -- hull, engine, rigging, sails -- rather
than to amount, quality or age of gizmos; a few grand held back at
purchase can replace (or add) GPS, VHF, wind and depth instruments,
and creature comforts -- cushion covers, propane stove, etc. A bum
engine, a rigging failure, or a bad case of blisters can easily set
you back three or four times that.
Charter fleet boats were designed for two or three couples living out
of duffels and eating ashore most of the time, not live-aboard and
cruising -- you'll be offered hundreds of badly used former charter
boats at very attractive prices but you can't afford them.
"Go simple, go small, go now." L & L P
Finally, always purchase a boat in which you will be proud to be seen
arriving.
Ed
Ed Kelly (& Sue Kelly)
USSV Angel Louise - a Catalac catamaran, now at the Elizabeth City,
NC town dock
Our Skype Phone (202) 657-6357
Email: EdKelly ("at" symbol) netins.net
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Sun, 25 May 2008 21:47:51 -0700 (PDT)
From: casey koogler <>
Subject: [Liveaboard] Opinions and advise
To: [email protected]
Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
Hi,
I am retired and sitting on a small nest egg. I am in
the market for a liveaboard. I am new to sailing but
grew up on tugs, know my way around a dock and a tool
box. I have known kayaks, sailboards, ski boats,
joined a sailing club and took the Basic KeelBoat
class. I've spent the last 4years online looking.
I went to an openhouse at Sailing Life here in
Portland Oregon yesterday and talked briefly with an
old salt salewoman. Her advise was to buy the boat I
will be wanting to use for the next 5 years and take
the time to learn how to run her. Big isn't hard.
I am a bottom feeder. I want to keep it under $70K
but 42 to 55 feet. I also want as many whistles and
bells as I can get, to include a wash/dryer and safety
gear. I'll learn as I go. I've nothing to prove if I
make it around the world it will be secondary to just
finding warm water, fun sailing and nice people.
I am too old for a project boat.
Any thoughts will be taken seriously.
Casey
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