How To Make Sure The ou’re Used Sailboat Y Thinking About Buying is
How To Make Sure The Used Sailboat You’re Thinking About Buying is Not a Lemon brought to you by www.sailingmates.com If you own a sail boat, or are thinking of buying a sail boat you should join our free Sail Boat Owner’s Tip of the Week at www.sailingmates.com Each week you’ll get expert practical, hands-on ideas on: • repairing your sail boat • maintaining your sail boat • upgrading your sail boat • cruising your sail boat • racing your sail boat How To Buy A Used Sailboat 2 www.sailingmates.com LEGAL STUFF Copyright This book is Copyright 2011 by Peter Reuter. All rights reserved No Liability No liability is assumed with respect to the use of information contained in this manual. Although precautions have been taken, the author assumes no liability for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained iin this manual. Peter Reuter www.sailingmates.com How To Buy A Used Sailboat 3 www.sailingmates.com INDEX So you want to buy a sailboat? ............................................................................ 4 8 questions you need to answer ........................................................................... 5 Deal busters or not? ............................................................................................. 6 Your action plan ................................................................................................... 9 Your initial inspection ..................................................................................... ..... 9 Your preliminary on-water survey ................................................. ………… ..... 10 Keel bolts ..................................................................................... 10 Water and fuel tanks ................................................................... 11 Engine .......................................................................................... 11 Deck ............................................................................................. 11 Internal layout ...............................................................................12 Mast and standing rigging ......................................................... …12 Electrical installation ................................................................. …13 Seacocks ...................................................................................... 13 Toilet ........................................................................................... .14 Doors and furniture ....................................................................... 14 Toerail and deck fittings ............................................................. …14 Cracked gelcoat .......................................................................... ..15 Internal leaks ................................................................................. 15 Your preliminary dry survey .................................................................................... 17 Hull fairness ................................................................................... 17 Thru-hull fittings ............................................................................. 18 Hull - keel joint ................................................................................18 Osmosis ......................................................................................... 18 Water leaks .................................................................................... 18 Loose rudder or prop shaft .......................................................... …19 40 cruising sailboats you can afford …………………………………………………… 20 A guide to selecting trailer sailer …………………………………………………. ……27 How big a boat do you need?...........................................................27 How big is your tow vehicle?............................................................27 General rules of thumb ………………………………………………….28 Your trailer ………………………………………………………………..29 What type of keel/ ………………………….……………………………29 Raising and lowering the rig? …………………………………………..29 Some personal preferences …………………………………………….29 30 trailer sailers that appeal ……………………………………………………………….30 Hiring a marine surveyor .......................................................................................... 37 Costs of a marine survey ......................................................................................... 37 On-line sailboat resources ....................................................................................... 38 How To Buy A Used Sailboat www.sailingmates.com 4 So you want to buy a used sailboat? Well, before you start, here’s the first rule of boat buying. Rule No.1: You don’t want to buy a used sailboat. You want to buy a “pre-loved” sailboat. You want to buy a boat from a sailor who hands over the keys with a tear in his eye. And what you’ll discover in this manual is how to find this boat and how to eliminate the “lemons” quickly. You’ll be looking at lots of boats. Many will appear near perfect on the outside but with the skills you’ll learn from this manual you’ll be able to see past the polish and the glitter and find the boat that you’ll be happy with for many year. Notice didn’t say “the perfect boat for you”? That’s because of the second rule of boat buying: Rule No.2: There is no such thing as the “perfect” boat. And every day you spend on the futile search for it is one day you won’t spend sailing. Every used boat has problems. Every boat you see will differ from your “perfect boat” and will require some compromises on your part. The questions you have to answer are whether the compromises required are too great, or the costs of repairing or refurbishing the boat are too high. And you’ll discover how to answer those questions here. You must remember that you can’t afford to get a full marine survey on every boat you inspect. The cost would be prohibitive. However, after reading this manual you’ll be able to perform a preliminary survey on any boat and eliminate the real lemons. You’ll discover how to check the basic condition of a boat and get a good idea of the major work needed to bring it up to acceptable condition. You’ll also be able to discuss repair costs with local boatyards, riggers, diesel mechanics and sailmakers. You’ll be able to eliminate from your short list those boats that are either unsuited to your sailing plans, too poorly maintained to consider, or too costly to repair. You will still need a full professional marine survey before you finally buy your boat. You won’t find all the problems with your initial survey, so it’s prudent to get a professional survey done when you finally decide on the boat you want to buy. Anyway, your insurer and finance company will probably demand one before they finance or insure your boat. At the end of this manual we show you how to hire a marine surveyor, the questions to ask and what you should do before and during the survey. But before we start all that you need to narrow down your search parameters to boats that truly fit your lifestyle. If you buy the wrong boat, one that doesn’t fit your lifestyle or your sailing plans, you could find yourself with an expensive mistake on your hands. Worse still, an unsuitable boat could put you off sailing altogether, which would be a real tragedy. How To Buy A Used Sailboat 5 www.sailingmates.com 8 questions you need to answer In order to avoid buying the wrong boat you need to answer a few questions. Your answers will help you determine which type of boat is right for you. 1. Where will your boat be used? · on sheltered inland waters · on major lakes · on coastal trips · on ocean voyages 2. How many people will be on the boat at any time · family only (1-5) · family and friends (5-8) · too many (8-12) 3. Do you want a boat you can trailer? 4. Will the boat need to be on a marina? 5. How often will the boat be used? · · · · day sails on summer weekends weekend cruises in summer week long cruises all year round long cruises all year round 6. Do you intend to sleep and cook aboard? 7. How much do you want to spend? Remember the cost of the boat is your buying price plus the cost of repairs. You should budget to spend between 25% and 40% of the purchase price on initial repairs (unless you’re looking for “fixer-upper”, in which case you should budget up to 100%).Your preliminary survey should eliminate any boats costing more than this to bring up to standard. So if you intend spending $40,000 on a boat, you should be looking at boats with a purchase price of around $25,000 Then there is the annual costs of owning the boat, such as: · · · · · · · monthly finance cost x 12 annual registration fees annual insurance premium annual marina fee maintenance and repair costs fuel costs winter storage costs How To Buy A Used Sailboat 6 www.sailingmates.com Like cars, boats depreciate by massive amounts as soon as they leave the showroom. They then depreciate rapidly for the next 5 or so years until the sails and rigging are due for replacement. If you buy a boat 5-7 years old you should ensure that the sails and rigging have been replaced, or budget for their replacement sooner rather than later. 8. What are your sailing skills? Be honest now. If you need further sailing lessons and/or experience to handle the boat your thinking about you should plan to get them. Deciding on a boat Deciding on the boat that’s right for you is a bit of a juggling act, there are many conflicting requirements. However, by considering these questions you’ll get a general idea of the type of boat that will suit you. For instance if you’re looking for boat to take the family out on the lake on summer weekends you may want: · · · · · · · trailerable sail boat, approximately 22 ft long 3-4 berths swing keel or shoal draft rudimentary galley portable toilet outboard engine icebox At the other end of the scale, you may be looking for a boat to go coastal cruising with the family for a week or more several times a year. In which case you might be looking for: · · · · · · · · · sailboat, 34-36 ft long 4-6 berths full galley with icebox/freezer full head room enclosed shower/toilet with holding tanks diesel engine adequate fuel and water tanks adequate storage for provisions deep draft In other words you’re looking for a medium-size cruising boat with offshore capability. Deal busters or not? Every used boat has defects and when considering the purchase of any boat, it’s useful to think about the importance of the separate parts of the boat and how any defects in these parts should impact on your decision to buy. Some parts and systems of a boat are costly to repair or replace and some parts are difficult to repair or modify, so major defects in these areas could be considered “deal busters”. That is, if you found these defects in a boat you’d probably walk away from the deal Let’s consider some of the more obvious defects and whether they are “deal busters” or not. How To Buy A Used Sailboat 7 www.sailingmates.com 1. The hull and deck Damage to the hull or deck due to water penetration into the core, or major osmosis damage to the gel coat and underlying laminate is probably a deal buster. The cost to rectify the damage could be more than the boat is worth. Major humps and hollows in the hull due to the hull bending or “hinging” over internal bulkheads, or distortion of the hull at the chainplates due to rigging loads means that the hull is not strong enough to withstand the loads imposed on it. This is probably a deal buster. 2. Mast and standing rigging If you see corrosion around a mast at the deck or keel, it’s probable that the mast is also corroded internally. This could be a deal buster unless you intend to replace the mast and rigging and the purchase price reflects this. Corroded and cracked rigging terminals require immediate replacement and probably indicate that the rigging is coming to the end of its life. This need not be a deal buster, as replacement of the standing rigging on a used boat is a good idea, and a local rigger will tell you how much it will cost. The price can be negotiated to reflect this. 3. Sails and running rigging Worn sails and running rigging (halyards, mainsheet, headsail sheets etc.) are easily replaceable. This should not be a deal buster if the price reflects the condition. 4. Engine A worn or poorly maintained engine is a red flag and could be a deal buster. Have the engine checked by a diesel mechanic before you hire a marine surveyor. Diesel engines are expensive to buy and expensive to repair. Poor engine access is usually difficult to improve upon without major internal furniture modifications and could be the reason for a poorly maintained engine. If access is really difficult, this could be a deal buster. 5. Deck hardware Apart from winches, most deck hardware is relatively inexpensive and easy to replace. Worn winches, especially headsail winches, are costly to replace, but probably not a deal buster. If in doubt about the winches, have one stripped down by a technician and checked for wear. The anchor windlass, if fitted, is another costly item to repair or replace. How To Buy A Used Sailboat 8 www.sailingmates.com 6. Electronics Most electronics are outdated after 5 years and are of no value unless the owner manuals are included in the sale. They are expensive to repair, especially if old. You should count on replacing most of the electronics if you need them. Outdated electronics are not a deal buster. 8. Interior layout Apart from color schemes and cushions, interior layouts are very difficult and expensive to alter. For instance, you’ll find it difficult to increase the number of berths, or alter the dining arrangement. If the interior just does not work for you, it’s probably a deal buster. 9. Electrical installation Rewiring a boat is expensive and substandard wiring is dangerous. If the wiring looks like a rats nest it’s probably not up to marine standards. Probably not a deal buster, but get a quote from a marine electrician for rewiring and include the cost in your negotiations. 10. Tanks Fuel, water and holding tanks are expensive to replace and could require a major dismantling of the interior to install. Corroded tanks could be a deal buster if replacement means removing bunks and bulkheads to get them out. 11. Cockpit layout Minor changes to the cockpit layout are reasonably easy to accomplish, but major rearrangement of the sail controls, helm position and cockpit seating could be difficult and expensive. However before you walk away from the deal, talk to the owner - there might be a very good reason for the present arrangement. You’ll probably want to replace or recover the cockpit cushions anyway. Look for large cockpit drains that drain directly overboard with no bends. All cockpit lockers need gaskets on their lids, secure catches and drains in the bottom draining overboard, not into the bilge. The fuel locker must vent directly overboard. Cockpit seats should have good back support and you should have somewhere to brace your feet when the boat is heeled. If an inflatable dinghy is included in the sale, be aware that these dinghies last about 5 years before they require replacement. If the boat has an outboard motor you need the owner’s manual and tool kit. How To Buy A Used Sailboat 9 www.sailingmates.com Your action plan Here’s an action plan I’ve used. You can follow this plan, or modify it as you see fit. 1. Decide on the type of boat you want. 2. Decide on the amount of money you want to spend 3. Research the internet boat classifieds. There you can filter the boats for sale by length, price and location. Buy the boat trader magazines to get the web site addresses of dealers near you. Talk to your local brokers. What you’re trying to do is to find the typical range of prices for the different makes and models you’re interested in. See the Resources section for the URL’s of some boat classifieds. 4. Make a short list of the boats you want to look at. Try and find boats close to you that you can inspect. They don’t have to be for sale, as you only want to look at them. 5. View at least one example of each boat. Does it look pretty to you? You’ll never be happy with a boat that you think is ugly. 6. Check the internal layout of each boat. Are there sufficient berths? Is there enough headroom? Will the internal and cockpit layout work for you? 7. Eliminate all boats that fail items 5 and 6. Now you can get down to the real task of finding your boat. Your initial inspection It’s relatively easy to inspect a boat being sold through a broker. All you need to do is arrange with the broker for an initial inspection where you’ll have a general look at the boat and decide if it’s worth spending the time doing a preliminary survey. You can usually arrange with the broker for the boat to be at the dock for this inspection. The general condition of the hull, deck and interior will tell you if this boat has been looked after. Your first impression is usually the right one. If the boat looks neglected on the outside, you can be pretty sure the parts you can’t see are also in bad shape. In this case you should proceed with caution - if at all. However, if the boat looks like it has been well cared for and the asking price is reasonable, you can arrange a time to make a preliminary survey. Expect to spend at least 4 hours on a preliminary survey - longer if the boat is out of the water. If the seller is a private owner, you will have to arrange a mutually convenient time for your initial inspection. The boat will probably be on a mooring. Once again you should trust your initial impressions. If the boat looks well cared for and the asking price is realistic, you can arrange to make a preliminary survey at a convenient time. How To Buy A Used Sailboat 10 www.sailingmates.com Your preliminary on-water survey Your preliminary survey may be limited to what you can inspect at the dock or on the mooring, but at least you will know if you want to proceed to a full marine survey. Before you start, you need to get your inspection kit together. This should comprise: · · · · · · · A digital camera with flash A small tape recorder or note book and a flashlight A medium sized screwdriver with a plastic handle to use as a hammer A wad of soft cloth A small sharp screwdriver or other pointed tool A mirror on a stick – like a dentist’s mirror A magnifying glass In most cases, your preliminary survey will be done on the water, in which case you cannot inspect the condition of the underwater hull, rudder, keel or thru-hull fittings. However, even with just a preliminary in-water survey you’ll be able to eliminate all those boats that have been so poorly maintained that they have either “deal buster” faults or the asking price does not reflect the cost of repairs Starting with the parts you can inspect, the most important/expensive/probably deal buster faults are: 1. Keel bolts Check the top of the keel bolts in the bilge. If the keel bolts are of bronze, they should be exposed. However if they are of stainless steel, the head of the bolt plus the nut should be totally covered in epoxy resin to stop corrosion. If the bolts are stainless steel and exposed, any rust is a warning sign. If they are covered with resin and rusty, this is an even greater warning sign. Stainless steel corrodes in stagnant sea water. It’s called crevice corrosion and can occur in the bilge water of a boat, or at any point where the sea water is de-oxygenated (i.e. stagnant) If resin covered keel bolts are showing rust it indicates that the sea water is probably getting to the bolts through the hull-keel joint, which means that the bolts could be corroded all the way up. The only way to properly inspect the keel bolts is to remove the keel – an expensive exercise – and as the bolts are cast into the keel, replacement could mean recasting the keel. A less expensive option would be to install secondary keel bolts between the existing ones, but you would still have to solve the leaking hull-keel joint problem. Corroded keel bolts are a deal buster. How To Buy A Used Sailboat 11 www.sailingmates.com 2. Water and fuel tanks Check all metal tanks for signs of corrosion. Open the access panels in the tanks and feel inside as far as you can for signs of corrosion. Use your flashlight and mirror to see as far as you can. Corroded tanks are a real problem. Any metal tank, be it of stainless steel, mild steel or aluminium, will corrode. And the usual place for corrosion to start is underneath the tank where it sits in the supports. Getting tanks out of the boat for repair could prove a major problem. You may find you have to remove a significant part of the furniture to get to the tank. Also you may find that the tank won’t fit through the companionway because during construction many tanks are installed before the deck is attached to the hull. Removal of the fuel tank may require removal of the engine in some cases. All in all – probably a deal buster. 3. The engine If you know how to read it, the engine can tell you a lot about its past history. Every oil stain, every patch of peeling paint and every rust stain tells a story. Check for oil stains both underneath and on the sides of the engine. Any stains underneath the engine probably indicate leaking oil seals and any stains on the side of the engine indicate a leak in the valve cover gasket. Replacing the oil seals is a major exercise. The engine would probably have to be removed from the boat. Rust stains at the head – block joint could mean a blown head gasket. Check the oil for any milky look that would indicate water in the oil. Rust stains elsewhere usually indicate water seal failure in pumps or leaking freeze plugs in the engine. Peeling paint anywhere except the manifold probably indicates an overheating problem at some stage. If the engine looks poorly maintained, or if there are any signs of an overheating problem, you should have the engine fully checked out by a qualified marine diesel mechanic before you have a full marine survey. 4. Deck Decks on most sailboats are cored to save weight and increase strength. This core, which can be balsa, plywood or foam, is sandwiched between the top and bottom laminate and gel coat skins and bonded to both forming a strong, lightweight structure. Over time this bond can fail and the deck will lose much of its strength and rigidity. This failure is usually due to water getting into the core from leaks in the deck. To test if this bond has failed you should jump hard on the deck, cabin top and cockpit of the boat and listen for any tell-tale crackle and feel for any unusual flexing. How To Buy A Used Sailboat 12 www.sailingmates.com To check the extent of any bond failure, tap the deck with the plastic handle of your screwdriver. Any dull sound indicates a bond failure. Keep tapping in a pattern to find the extent of the failure. If you find bond failure in only a small area of the deck, a repair is possible if the core is not rotten. However failure over a larger area means the core needs to be removed and replaced and a new laminate and gel coat installed. This could cost more than the boat is worth, and is definitely a deal buster. 5. Internal layout Check the number of bunks. Ideally you don’t want to have to fold down the dinette every night to sleep all the crew. Bunks should be at least 24 inches wide and preferably more than 70 inches long Check the headroom and ventilation in the galley and toilet. Check the stowage and counter space in the galley. Check that the sink is deep and preferably near the centerline of the boat. Check that the swing of the stove is adequate. Check that there are sufficient hand grips to move about the cabin safely at sea. Check that there are no sharp corners on countertops or furniture Check there are no water, fuel or holding tanks under the berths in the forward cabin. These will upset the trim of the boat, and because of the heavy motion in this area while at sea, they could become loose. Try and imagine what the layout would look like when heeled at 30 degrees. Do all the lockers have heavy catches? Could you get up the companionway steps at a 30 degree heel? Is there adequate access to the engine for routine maintenance? Can you get to all the injectors if you have to bleed the engine? Can you change the oil and fuel filters easily? Can you change the oil easily? Remember that it is very costly to modify a layout extensively. Unless the internal layout works reasonably well for you it may be a deal buster. 6. Mast and standing rigging You should check the general condition of the mast and rigging early in your inspection. Stand in front of the boat and look at the spreaders. They should be cocked upwards so that they bisect the angle the shroud makes as it goes over them, and they should be at the same angle each side. Sight up the sail track on the back of the mast - it should be straight. If it isn’t, the mast is not properly tuned and you’ll need a rigger to fix it. Check for corrosion on the mast at the keel and where the mast comes through the deck. Any external corrosion here probably means the mast is also corroded internally. Any pitting or bubbling around fittings on the mast is a sign of corrosion due to poor installation of the fittings. These fittings will need to be removed and refitted with proper separation of dissimilar metals. Serious corrosion around the gooseneck area could be a major problem due to the heavy loads in this area. How To Buy A Used Sailboat 13 www.sailingmates.com Brown stains on rigging terminals indicate that the wire inside the terminal is rusting. This can create enough pressure to crack the terminal and release the wire. Any brown stains on rigging terminals or wire rigging would indicate that all the standing rigging on the boat is suspect and probably due for replacement. Wrap your soft cloth around each stay and shroud in turn and run it up the wire as far as you can. Any broken strands will snag the cloth. Broken strands indicate wire that needs replacement. If you find one shroud or stay with broken strands you can safely assume that all rigging of the same age is due for replacement. Buying a boat with poor rigging, as long as the price reflects the cost of re-rigging, can be a good idea. You can re-rig the boat immediately and sail it with confidence. 7. Electrical installation Check the electrical wiring for poorly installed additions to the original installation. All wiring should be tinned boat cable. Beware of any household type wiring. All wiring should be #12 gauge or thicker. Small diameter wiring can heat up when current is carried and become a fire hazard. Check as many connections as you can. They should all have crimped or soldered ends. All cable runs should be as straight as possible and properly supported. If the boat appears to have a multitude of additions to the wiring of doubtful quality you should be aware that although small repairs can be easy, major rewiring will be expensive because the wiring will run behind furniture and headlining and access for installation will be difficult. If in doubt get a quote from a marine electrician. Electronic equipment has a useful life of about 5 years. It is of no use unless you get the owner’s manuals. 8. Seacocks Inside the boat all thru-hulls should have proper seacocks attached to them. Seacocks, be they of bronze or Marelon are built to operate in a marine environment and will give years of service if properly maintained. Seacocks need only a quarter turn of the handle to go from full open to close and it is obvious from the handle position if the cock is open or closed. All seacocks should have a soft wooden taper plug tied adjacent to plug the thru-hull if the seacock should fail. Unfortunately, many boats have gate valves instead of seacocks. Gate valves are unsatisfactory firstly because they are not made to operate in a marine environment and can fail without warning and secondly because you cannot tell by looking at them if they are open or closed. If you find a gate valve (as illustrated at left) on a boat, it should be replaced with a seacock immediately. You should also increase the vigilance of your inspection as no knowledgeable owner would have gate valves on a boat. How To Buy A Used Sailboat 14 www.sailingmates.com 9. Smelly toilet If the toilet area smells, you can assume that either the toilet itself, the toilet hoses or the holding tank is leaking gas. If the smell is very offensive you can bet the present owner has tried to fix it and failed. You may need to consider a new toilet, possibly of a different make. You can test the toilet discharge hoses and the holding tank vent hoses by rubbing them with a clean rag and smelling the rag. Any odour on the rag indicates that the hoses are permeable and require replacing. Should you find that the holding tank is porous and the cause of the smell, check how easy it will be to remove it for repair or replacement. You may need to dismantle some furniture to get it out. 10. Doors and furniture that don’t fit If you find cabin doors that don’t close properly and other furniture that doesn’t quite fit you should suspect that the interior of the boat has changed shape somehow. Possibly a bulkhead has become detached from the hull causing the distortion in which case a repair is relatively simple if access is not a problem. But changes in the shape of a boat’s hull can also be caused by the loads on the hull due to the tension in the stays and shrouds. The stays and shrouds are trying to pull the sides and ends of the boat upwards and if the mast is stepped on the deck it is trying to push the deck of the boat downwards. Distortion due to mast compression can be cured by strengthening the deck beam below the mast, adding a stronger compression post under the mast or beefing up the bulkhead supporting the mast. However, If the boat’s shape is being distorted by rig tension it is probable that the hull is not strong enough for the rigging loads. This would be a definite deal buster 11. Toerail and deck fittings You should only be able to see a thin layer of bedding compound under the toe rail and deck fittings if they are properly installed. If you can see a bead of bedding, check it carefully. If the bead has been applied after the fitting was installed, you can be fairly sure that there is or has been a leak from the fitting. A bead of caulking along any portion of the toe rail means a past or present leak. The only sure way to fix this is to remove the toe rail, remove all the existing bedding material and caulking and refix the toe rail with new sealant. However, to remove the toe rail you’ll need to remove the interior trim to get access to the hull – deck joint bolts – not an easy operation. If you see a bead of caulking around a deck fitting you must investigate whether there is any water penetration into the deck core. You can do this by tapping the deck around the fitting with the plastic handle of your screwdriver. A sharp sound indicates an undamaged core, while a dull sound will tell you that water has penetrated into the core. You can determine the extent of the damage by rapping the deck around the fitting until you get a sharp, crisp sound indicating an undamaged core. How To Buy A Used Sailboat 15 www.sailingmates.com Plywood cores are more likely to be damaged by water penetration from a badly installed fitting. Balsa and foam cores tend to resist the penetration of water better. If there is no water penetration into the deck core, removing and refixing deck fittings is not a difficult job – as long as you can get access to the fixing bolts under the deck. If the core is balsa or foam and there is minor core damage, it is possible to drill holes through the top of the deck into the core to allow the core to dry out. After the core is dry, epoxy is injected into the core to bond the core to the external laminates. This is not a job for an amateur. If the deck core is plywood, it is likely the core is rotten. This means a major repair and is probably a deal buster. 12. Cracks in the gelcoat Gelcoats generally last about 10 years before they start to show signs of cracking. The gelcoat is really only a cosmetic cover to protect the fiberglass laminates below. It is brittle and will crack if any serious loads are applied to it. There are several different patterns of gelcoat cracking that you may observe when surveying a boat. Widespread eggshell cracking, or crazing, is usually caused by a gelcoat that is too thick to respond to the temperature differences the deck is subject to. If widespread it is usually only a cosmetic problem that can be fixed with an epoxy filling and polyurethane top coats. Crazing over a small area is probably due to the deck flexing in that area. This area will need reinforcement before any repair work is started. Parallel cracks usually indicate that the deck is “hinging” or bending at the cracks. You may find this crack pattern where the deck sits on a bulkhead below, or along the joint of the deck and the cabin sides. Also look for this crack pattern at the joint of the cockpit sides and cockpit sole. If the deck is hinging, you will need to reinforce the deck underneath and possibly widen the bearing area in the case of bulkheads. Cracks radiating from a point, or starburst cracks, are usually found around poorly installed staunchions. In all cases the staunchion will need to be removed and refixed with proper backing plates to spread the heavy prying loads they are subject to. Anywhere you find gelcoat cracks be sure to check for core damage with your screwdriver handle. 13. Interior leaks Water entering the boat through leaks in the deck poses two significant problems. 1. Fresh water in the bilge will cause rot in any timber it comes in long term contact with. The bottom of plywood bulkheads and timber furniture is the most likely areas of damage. 2. Both sea and fresh water can damage the deck core as they seep through the deck. How To Buy A Used Sailboat 16 www.sailingmates.com Seawater and rain leaking into a boat is also uncomfortable and depressing. You should check inside the boat for any signs of leaks. These can be as obvious as a damp headliner or bunk cushions to as subtle as marks in the dust made by old water leaks. Remove part of the head lining if you can and check for corrosion in the fasteners of any deck fitting that showed extra caulking in your deck inspection. Check around portlights and hatchways for signs of water leaks. If you find a deck fitting showing signs of corrosion on its fastenings under the deck, go back and check the core around the fitting for water penetration. Similarly check for water damage to the core around any portlight or hatchway that appears to have leaked in the past, or is leaking now. If the core is damaged, it will need to be repaired and the fittings rebedded. Depending on the extent of the damage, this could be a deal buster. Check the bottom of the bulkheads for rot. Use your small sharp screwdriver and see if the wood at the bottom of the bulkhead is soft. But don’t damage the boat. A repair to the bottom few inches of a bulkhead is not a major problem, but if a whole structural bulkhead needs replacement, or there is extensive rot in the furniture or cabin sole, this could be a deal buster. This is about as far as you can go with the boat in the water. If the boat is out of the water, you’ll be able to conduct the following dry survey. How To Buy A Used Sailboat 17 www.sailingmates.com Your preliminary dry survey If the boat has passed your in-water survey you may wish to have it hauled to complete a dry survey. However, you may feel that the cost of hauling out and cleaning the bottom is not warranted for a preliminary survey and decide to proceed to a professional survey at this point. I would recommend you get a marine deisel mechanic to check the engine before you proceed to a full survey. You can make the following checks yourself if the boat is out of the water. 14. Hull fairness This check is best done in strong sunlight or with the aid of a strong light source. It also helps if the hull is wet. You should stand in front of the boat looking aft and move slowly to one side, keeping your eyes on the retreating “horizon” of the hull. If you’re using a light source you’ll need a helper. They should move the light source so that it reflects on the hull at the “horizon” and “washes” the hull at that point without dazzling you. You are looking for flat spots or bulges in the hull and any change in texture or color in the gel coat. Repeat the process on the other side of the hull. Any flat spots or dips in the hull or a change in the texture or color of the gel coat should alert you to the possibility of collision impact where the laminate has been damaged and been poorly repaired. Repairing the old repair is not difficult unless internal access is a problem due to bulkheads and internal furniture. Humps or mounds in the gel coat could be a repair that was not properly done. A slight hump at the internal bulkhead positions is not uncommon, and if only slight is probably of no concern. If the hump at the bulkhead position is significant, it is probable that the hull is “hinging” over the edge of the bulkhead. This could lead to failure of the laminate and cracking of the gel coat. To rectify this problem you may have to remove the bulkhead, trim it down and refit it - an expensive exercise because internal bunks and other furniture may need to be removed to get access. Watch for any hollows in the hull at the chainplate positions. This indicates that the hull is being distorted by the tension in the shrouds. In this case the hull is not strong enough to withstand the rigging loads and this is definitely a deal buster. Any cracks in the gel coat, especially just aft of the bow or at the bilge, indicate that the hull is not stiff enough and is flexing when bouncing through heavy seas and falling off waves. The hull can be stiffened quite easily by laminating new stringers to the inside of the hull as long as access is not a problem. However if the laminate or core has been damaged under the cracks it will need to be replaced and the repair could get very expensive. Check for water penetration here by rapping on the hull with the handle of your screwdriver. Any dull report signals laminate or core damage. Repair to gel coat cracks where the laminate has not been damaged is relatively easy. How To Buy A Used Sailboat 18 www.sailingmates.com 15. Thru – hull fittings Every boat has several thru-hull fittings. At a minimum there is the raw water intake for the engine, the sea water intake for the galley sink and the sea water intake for the toilet, but there can be several others on a larger boat. Thru-hulls are usually bronze, but can be Marelon. Every thru-hull should be fitted with a seacock. Bronze thru-hulls must have a bronze seacock and Marelon thru-hulls must have a Marelon seacock. Each of these fittings can be a problem in several different ways. The bedding to the thru-hull fitting can break down and allow water into the core of the hull. Scrape off the antifouling and check the bedding for cracks. Use your screwdriver handle to rap the hull around the fitting to test for water damage to the core. Scratch the metal ring of a bronze fitting – it should be yellow. If any bronze fitting shows a pink tinge to the metal, the zinc in the bronze has leached out and the fitting is now brittle and must be replaced. 16. Hull – keel joint Ideally you should not be able to see this joint although a hairline crack in the sealant is acceptable. If the joint is pronounced, and especially if it weeps water you can be fairly sure that the keel bolts are standing in stagnant sea water and if they are stainless steel they are probably corroded. If there is serious separation of the keel from the hull you should suspect that the keel bolts have stretched or broken, probably due to a collision or grounding of the keel. As stated before, any investigation or repair to keel bolts is very expensive. 17. Osmosis Osmosis, or hull blisters, or boat pox shows up as small humps in the bottom paint. A small number of blisters on a hull can be repaired by removing the bottom paint and antifouling, grinding out the blisters, allowing them to dry and then repairing the hull with epoxy coatings If you find hundreds or thousands of blisters on a hull you have a deal breaker. The repair needed is extensive and expensive. 18. Water leaking from the hull After the boat is taken from the water and left for a few hours, check for signs of leaking water or any dampness at the hull-deck joint or the bottom of the keel, skeg or rudder. If you find water leaking from the hull-deck joint and the keel bolts are stainless steel, you should immediately suspect that the bolts are corroded internally. This could be a deal breaker. Water leaking from the bottom of the keel or skeg is not such a problem unless the keel is mild steel or the ballast is iron. Holes can be drilled in the bottom of the skeg or keel and the area allowed to drain and dry. The holes can then be sealed. However you still need to discover how the water got there in the first place. How To Buy A Used Sailboat 19 www.sailingmates.com Water leaking from the bottom of the rudder poses a more serious problem. This water could have corroded the steel structure inside the rudder that supports the rudder stock. Damage to this structure is expensive to repair as the rudder must be cut open to get access to the structure. This could be a deal buster 19. Loose rudder or prop shaft Check the vertical alignment of the rudder by holding it on the centerline and sighting it against the mast. Check the side play in a rudder by trying to move it side to side. in the case of a spade rudder any significant movement means the bearings are worn. You will have to remove the rudder by dropping it from the hull to replace these bearings. This may mean lifting the boat by means of a travel lift, and could get expensive. A skeg or transom hung rudder with gudgeons and pintles is easier to remove. However you might find that the gudgeons and pintles are custom fabricated for the boat and might be costly to replace. You should lock the helm over hard to one side and then try to move the rudder from side to side from below. Any play in the rudder at this point probably means the internal structure of the rudder is damaged. The rudder will need to be cut open to repair this damage. Could be a deal buster Take hold of the prop and try to move the prop shaft side to side and up and down. Any significant play in the prop shaft means the bearings are worn. Worn bearings usually also indicate that the shaft alignment is faulty. To replace the bearings you will need to remove the shaft. Make sure that this removal is not impeded by the rudder or skeg. To realign the shaft you may have to replace worn engine mountings. You need a qualified expert to do these repairs and it could become expensive. Get a quote before you proceed with the purchase of the boat. Could be a deal buster. That completes the investigation required for a preliminary survey. The object of the preliminary survey is to find the best boat amongst the several that you have shortlisted. In most cases you won’t complete a survey on a boat because you’ll find a deal buster problem early in your investigation. You’ll probably only complete the survey on the boat you eventually make an offer for. And when you do make an offer, make sure that it is in writing and subject to an engine survey, rigging survey, marine survey and sea trials, the results of which are to your satisfaction, not the surveyors or the sellers. Now download a copy of the Initial Inspection Checklist and the Preliminary Survey Checklist and go out and find your next boat How To Buy A Used Sailboat 20 www.sailingmates.com 40 cruising sailboats that you can afford Are you looking for a safe, stable, affordable, blue-water or coastal cruising sailboat for you and your partner with room for a couple of small children? Here's a list of older boats that meet my guidelines for a good cruising sailboat. They're all proven sea boats, they have a draft of less than 1.5 meters (5 feet), they have tiller steering, they are of fiberglass construction and are reasonably available on the used boat market. Among these boats you'll find a range of boats from cruiser/racer designs to traditional, heavy boats more suited to comfortable cruising in heavy weather far offshore. Your initial choices amongst these boats will depend on the type of sailing you intend to do. Most coastal cruiser designs are not really suitable for heavy offshore work but are more than satisfactory for shorter cruises closer to shore where more facilities are available. That said, there have been many intrepid voyages, including circumnavigations, made in cruiser/racer designs. At 25 to 32ft overall, you're going to have to accept some compromises. Headroom is one. Many of these boats do not have full standing headroom. On long voyages this can become a serious problem, but for a short coastal cruise, or a weekend trip on the lake, the lack of headroom is less of a problem. These boats can be relatively inexpensive, and if the purchase price reflects the condition of the boat you will get many years of sailing pleasure at a very reasonable cost, assuming you have the time and inclination to make the repairs and improvements that these older boats will probably require. You can get some idea of current prices for these boats at the following sites. Nada Guides: http://www.sailboatlistings.com/ If you don't have the time, inclination and expertise to do the upgrade work, then my heartfelt advice to you is to find a boat that has already been completely restored and pay the premium in the price. I know from personal experience that having a partly restored boat sitting on the marina or in your yard is a deeply unsatisfying experience. You feel you should be working on the boat every spare minute and it's hard to enjoy any other relaxation until the boat is finished. So my advice? Pay the price, get on the water as soon as you can and go sailing. Falmouth Cutter 22 - LOA: 30’6” LOD: 22’ LWL: 20’10” Beam: 8’ Draft: 3’6” Displacement: 7,400 lbs. Ballast: 2,500 lbs encapsulated lead. Heavy traditional design pocket cruiser. 5’11” headroom under short cabin trunk. Expensive. http://homepage.mac.com/rwsailor/fc/fc.html http://www.samlmorse.com/?a=fc_home http://www.capegeorgecutters.com/FC22/index.html Cape Dory 25 - LOD: 24’10” LWL: 18’ Beam: 7’3” Draft: 3’ Displacement: 4,000 lbs. Ballast: 1,700 lbs. Sail area: 264 sq. ft. 846 boats built 1972-82. Has an outboard well in lazarette. Headroom is limited to about 5’. http://www.capedory.org/specs/cd25.htm How To Buy A Used Sailboat 21 www.sailingmates.com Cape Dory 26 - LOD: 25’11” LWL: 19’3” Beam: 8’ Draft: 3’7” Displacement: 5,300 lbs. Ballast: 2,400 lbs. Sail area: 304 sq. ft. Alberg design. 78 were built 1984-88. Most have an outboard motor. 5’11” headroom. http://www.capedory.org/specs/cd26.htm International Folkboat 26 - LOD: 25’1” LWL: 19’8” Beam: 7’5” Draft: 3'11" Displacement: approx. 5,000 lbs. Ballast: 2,750 lbs. iron. Sail area: 258 sq. ft. Many different versions built 1967-85. Inboard and outboard engine versions. Over 3000 built worldwide. High ballast ratio. Cramped accommodation http://www.ifboat.com/indexe.htm Pearson Ariel 26 – LOD: 25’7” LWL: 18’8” Beam: 8’ Draft: 3’8” Displacement: 5,120 lbs. Ballast: 2,300 lbs. lead. Alberg design. Outboard motor well in lazarette. Active owners association. http://pearsonariel.org Bristol 27 - LOD: 27’2” LWL: 19’9” Beam: 8’ Draft: 4’ Displacement: 6,600 lbs. Ballast: 2,575 lbs. internal lead. Sail area: 340 sq. ft. Alberg design. 337 built 1966-78. Outboard motor well in lazarette. Atomic 4 inboard optional. 5’10” headroom http://www.bristolowners.org/index.html Cape Dory 27 - LOD: 27’1” LWL: 20’ Beam: 8’6” Draft: 4’ Displacement: 7,500 lbs. Ballast: 3,000 lbs. Sail area: 365 sq. ft. General Alberg design. 227 built 1976-84. http://www.capedory.org/specs/cd27.htm Tartan 27 - LOD: 27’ LWL: 21’4” Beam: 8’8” Draft: 3’2” with board up, 6’4” board down. Displacement: 7,400 lbs. Ballast: 2,400 lbs. S&S design 700 built 1961-79. Shoal draft of 3’2”. Headroom 6ft. http://www.tartanownersweb.org How To Buy A Used Sailboat 22 www.sailingmates.com Cape Dory 28 - LOD: 28’1” LWL: 22’2” Beam: 8’10” Draft: 4’ Displacement: 9,000 lbs. Ballast: 3,500 lbs. Sail area: 404 sq. ft. Alberg design. 389 built 1975-84. 6'2" headroom. Most had 15-hp Volvo diesels. http://www.capedory.org/specs/cd28.htm Pearson Triton 28 - LOD: 28’6” LWL: 20’6” Beam: 8’3” Draft: 4’3" Displacement 8,000 lbs. Ballast: 3,019 lbs. Alberg design. 700 built Plentiful and affordable http://www.pearsontriton.com/ Westsail 28 - LOD: 28’ LWL: 25’ Beam: 9’7” Draft: 4’4” Displacement: 13,500 lbs. Ballast: 4,200 lbs. Sister to Westsail. 32 Excellent heavy weather boat. http://www.westsail.org/ Columbia 29 - LOD: 28'6" LWL: 22'6" Beam: 8' Draft: 4' Displacement: 7,400 lbs or 8,400lbs on Mk11 models. Ballast: 3,120 lbs. early and 4,100 lbs. on MKII. Sail area: 382 sq. ft. Sparkman & Stephens design. 300 MKI and MKII versions built 1962-67 Outboard well and inboard engine options. 6' headroom. Outboard well versions available. http://www.columbia-yachts.com/c-29.html Cal 30 - LOA: 30' LWL: 24'6" Beam: 10' Draft: 4'6" Displacement: 9,600 lbs. Ballast: 3,500 lbs. lead. Lapworth design Atomic 4 gas inboard was standard. http://www.sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_ID=864 Cal 30 Review Cape Dory 30 - LOA: 30 2" LWL: 22'10" Beam: 9' Draft: 4'2" Displacement: 10,000 lbs. Ballast: 4,000 lbs. Sail area: 437 sq. ft. cutter. Alberg design. 363 built 1976-86. Tiller or wheel steering available. http://www.capedory.org/specs/cd30.htm How To Buy A Used Sailboat 23 www.sailingmates.com Pacific Seacraft 31 - LOA: 31’10” LOD: 30’6” LWL: 24’2” Beam: 9’10” Draft: 4’/4’11” shoal option/standard full keel. Displacement: 11,000 lb. Ballast: 4,4000 lb. external lead. Sail area: 485 sq. ft. sloop, 600 sq. ft. cutter. Crealock design. Excellent boat Expensive. http://features.boats.com/boat-content/2000/08/cruising-expert/ http://www.pacificseacraft.com/html/ps31.htm Pearson Vanguard 32 - LOA: 32'6" LWL: 22'4" Beam: 9'3" Draft: 4'6" Displacement: 10,300 lbs. Ballast: 4,250 lbs. internal lead. Sail area: 470 sq. ft. Phil Rhodes design. 400 built between 1963-67 6' 4" headroom Atomic 4 inboard http://www.pearsonvanguard.org/ Westsail 32 - LOA: About 40' including bowsprit and boomkin. LOD: 32’ LWL: 27’6” Beam: 11’ Draft: 5’ Displacement: 19,500 Ballast: 7,000 lbs. Sail area: 629 sq. ft. William Crealock design 830 built 1971-80 6' 2’’ headroom. Heavy, slow in light airs. Watch for home finished kits http://www.westsail.org/ Contessa 26 / Taylor 26 - LOD: 25’6” LWL: 21’ Beam: 7’6” Draft: 4’ Displacement: 5,400 lbs. Sadler design. Built in Canada as the Taylor 26 Proven circumnavigator. 1983-90 boats the best choice. http://www.co26.com/ Nor’Sea 27 - LOA: 31’ LOD: 27’ LWL: 25’ Beam: 8’ Draft: 3’10” Displacement: 8,100 lbs. Ballast: 3,100 lbs. Lyle Hess design One of the larger “trailerable” offshore cruisers. http://www.norseayachts.com/norsea27.php Pacific Seacraft Flicka 20 – LOA: 24’ LOD: 20’ LWL: 18’2” Beam: 8’ draft: 3’3” Displacement: 6,000 lbs. Ballast: 1,800 lbs.Sail Area: 250 sq ft. Bruce Bingham design 434 Flickas from 1978-94. 5’11” headroom. Slow in light winds. http://www.flicka20.com/ How To Buy A Used Sailboat 24 www.sailingmates.com Bristol 24 - LOD: 24’7” LWL: 18’1” Beam: 8’ Draft: 3’5” Disp: 5,920 lbs. Ballast: 3,000? lbs. internal lead. Sail Area: 296 sq. ft. 726 boats built 1969-83. Outboard or inboard diesel option. 6’ cabin headroom. http://www.bristolowners.org/index.html Bayfield 25 - LOD: 25’ LWL: 19'8" Beam: 8' Disp: 4,300 lbs Draft: 2'11" Ballast: 1,500 lbs. Sail area: 240 Sq. Ft. Full keel shallow draft. 6' headroom. Slow in light airs. http://sailquest.com/market/models/bayf25.htm http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bayfieldyachts/ Cape Dory 25D - LOD: 25’ LWL: 19’ Beam: 8’ Draft: 3’6” Disp: 5,120 lbs. Ballast: 2,050 lbs. Alberg design. 184 built 1981-85. 5’11” headroom. http://www.capedory.org/specs/cd25d.htm Pacific Seacraft 25 – LOA: 26’3” LOD: 2’6" LWL: 21’ Beam: 8’ Draft: 3’3” Disp: 4,750 lbs. Ballast: 1,750 lbs. Sail area: 250 sq. ft. Henry Mohrschladt design. Double-ended cutter built mid to late 1970's. Headroom 5 feet. 8 HP Yanmar inboard http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PS25/ Vancouver 25 - LOD: 25' LWL: 21'8" Beam: 8'6" Draft: 3’10” Disp: 7,380 lbs. Ballast: 3,000 lbs. Robert Harris double ended design. 80 built early 1980's. Full keel. 6ft headroom. http://www.angelfire.com/art/2by4/Boats/DolphinFromSailingCanada.jpg Columbia 26 - LOD: 26'4" LWL: 19' Beam: 8' Draft: 4' Disp: 5,200 lbs. Ballast: 2,300 lbs. lead. Sail area: 321 sq.ft. 700 boats built 1963-69. 6'1" headroom http://www.columbia-yachts.com/c-26.html Morris Frances 26 - LOD: 26’ LWL: 21’3” Beam: 8’ to 8’2” Draft: 3’10” Disp: 6,800 lbs. Ballast: 3,500 lbs. Chuck Pain design. Also called the Morris 26 or Victoria 26. 6’ headroom. High quality construction, Expensive. http://frances26.org/reviews.html http://www.janice142.com/BoatInfo/Frances26/ Voyager 26 - LOA: 30'5" LOD: 26' LWL: 21'3" Beam: 8'3” Draft: 3'4" Disp: 6,600 lbs. Ballast: 2,650 lbs. Daniel Avourer design Double ended cutter. Full keel shoal draft. Quality build. Diesel inboard. Rare http://www.sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_ID=4664 How To Buy A Used Sailboat 25 www.sailingmates.com Westerly Centaur 26 - LOD: 26’ LWL: 21’4” Beam: 8’5” Draft: 3’ Disp: 5,500 lbs. Sail area: 294 sq. ft. 2,500 built 1969-80. Twin keels. Can stand upright in shallow water. Slow and poor windward performance. http://www.boatus.com/jackhornor/sail/WesterlyCentaur26.asp Albin Vega 27 - LOD: 27’1” LWL: 23’0” Beam: 8’0” Draft: 3’10” Disp: 5,070 lbs. Ballast: 2,020 lbs. Per Brohall design 5'10" headroom 4 berths Fast ocean cruiser http://www.bluemoment.com/boatreviews/vegareview.html Pacific Seacraft Orion 27 - LOA: 30’ LOD: 27’ LWL: 22’2” Beam: 9’3” Draft: 4’ Disp: 10,000 lbs. Ballast: 3,800 lbs. Sail area: 445 sq. ft. Henry Morschladt design. 6’1” headroom. Wheel steering but could convert to tiller. http://www.msogphotosite.com/MSOG/pdfpage/orion27bro.pdf Vancouver 27/28 - LOD: 27’ LWL: 22’11” Beam: 8’8” Draft: 4’3” Displacement: 8,800 - 8,960 lbs. Ballast: 3,500 lbs. 6’4” headroom. Robert Harris design. Built in British Columbia 1973-88 Built in UK by Northshore Yachts as the Vancouer 28. http://www.boats.com/news-reviews/article/pocket-voyager Bristol Channel Cutter 28 - LOA: 37’9” LOD: 28’1” LWL: 26’3” Beam: 10’1” Draft: 4’10” Disp: 14,000 lbs. Ballast: 4,600 lbs. Lyle Hess design. Currently built at Cape George Marine. Classic design. Quality construction. Expensive & heavy. Rare. Review http://www.capegeorgecutters.com/BCC28/index.html Cheoy Lee Offshore 28 - LOA: 28’ LWL: 22’ Beam: 9’2” Draft: 3’6” with centerboard up. Disp: 8,000 lbs. Sail area: 377 sq. ft. Bill Luders design. Full keel with centerboard. Inboard diesel http://www.cheoyleeassociation.com/offshore28.htm Shannon 28 - LOA: 32 ft Beam: 9’6” Draft: 4’3” Disp: 9,300 lbs. Ballast: 3,600 lbs. Sail area: 470 sq. ft. 6' headroom. Walter Shultz design cutter. 60 built by Shannon Yachts of Bristol, R.I. since 1978. Expensive. http://www.spinsheet.com/used-boat-reviews Alberg 29 – LOD: 29'3" LWL: 22'3" Beam: 9'2" Draft: 4'7" Disp: 9,000 lbs. Ballast: 4,000 lbs. Sail area: 416 sq. ft. Alberg design. Limited numbers built in the 1980s. 6'2" headroom. Not many on the market. http://www.twentynine.ca/ http://www.alberg.ca/alberg29.shtml How To Buy A Used Sailboat 26 www.sailingmates.com Bayfield 29 - LOA: 29’ LOD: 27’6” LWL: 21’9” Beam: 10’2” Draft: 3’6” Disp: 7,100 lbs. Ballast: 3,000 lbs. Full keel provides shallow draft for this size boat. Most boats have wheel steering. http://sailquest.com/market/models/bayf29.htm Bristol 29 - LOA: 29’2” LWL: 22’8” Beam: 9’2” Draft: 4’6” Disp: 8,400 lbs. Ballast: 3,350 lbs. Sail area: 402 sq. ft. Halsey Herreshoff design. 169 built 1966-71. Fixed keel and centerboard versions available. http://www.bristolowners.org/index.html Alberg 30 - LOA: 30’3” LOD: 30’3” LWL: Beam: 8’9” Draft: 4’3” Disp: 9,000 lbs. Ballast: 3,300 lbs. Sail area: 410 sq. ft. Alberg design. 750 built 1962-84. Masthead rig. Atomic 4 gas inboard, http://www.alberg30.org/ http://www.sailingmagazine.net/component/content/article/526 Rawson 30 - LOA: 32'6" LOD: 30'6" LWL: 22' Beam: 9' Draft: 5' Disp: 12,500 lbs. Ballast: 5,000 lbs. Sail area: 565 sq.ft. William Garden design. 250 sloops built 196084. 6'3" headroom http://www.sailnet.com/forums/buying-boat-articles/19539-through-cracks.html How To Buy A Used Sailboat 27 www.sailingmates.com Selecting a "Weekender" A guide to selecting a trailer sailer This is what you need to consider when looking for a trailer sailer. How big a boat do you need? Trailer sailers come in all sizes from 12 feet long up to a top limit of about 26 or 27 feet. When deciding on the size of boat you should be looking at, don’t fall for the mistake of thinking about the boats at the top end of this range. In almost all cases, boats over 25 feet long will be too big – unless you’re always going sailing with 3 big, strong men. The criterion for selecting a trailer sailer comes down to how big a boat can you: 1. 2. 3. 4. Rig and launch safely with your usual crew Tow safely behind your vehicle Store when you’re not sailing Afford Smaller boats (16 -20ft) are easy to tow and require less effort to launch and recover. However you need fairly good weather to really enjoy sailing these small boats and headroom can be a problem for taller sailors. They’re also a lot slower than their larger sisters, so your cruising range will be much less. Larger boats are able to withstand heavier weather, are faster and more spacious. However, they are more difficult to tow, launch and recover and need a larger vehicle to tow them. Also you need to check your state’s maximum load width you can tow without a special permit. In some states it’s 8’0’’ and in others it’s 8’6” If you’re looking for what I call a “weekender” as distinct from a “daysailer”, that is, a boat for a couple plus 2 small children that you can cruise for 4 - 5 days on protected water I believe the “sweet spot” is about 22 feet overall with a displacement of about 2400lbs. It is no surprise that the Catalina 22 series is the most successful trailer sailer ever sold. The only exception would be a water ballasted boat such as the MacGregor 26 which can dump over 1,300 pounds of water ballast before you retrieve it. However water ballast is not as good as iron or lead ballast and you will generally find a water ballasted boat is more “tender” than a conventional ballasted boat. How big is your tow vehicle? Obviously the size of boat you can consider is determined by the size of your towing vehicle. All cars and trucks are registered for the maximum weight they can tow. This weight is total towing weight and includes the weight of the trailer. The capacity of your tow vehicle will determine how big a boat you can handle as far as transport is concerned. All vehicles have a maximum tow load determined by the manufacturer. A medium sized SUV could have a tow rating of 3,500 pounds. You should check under what conditions this figure is valid. If it’s the tow weight along a straight smooth road, you need to seriously consider if the clutch is up to the strain of pulling this weight up a launching ramp. And if you consider that a trailer can weigh up to 40% of the boat it carries, add for an outboard motor (say 50 pounds) plus all the equipment you need on a boat (sails, stores, anchors, gas bottles, bedding and other sundry equipment – say 250 pounds) you quickly come to the conclusion that the heaviest boat you can consider is about 2,400 pounds. How To Buy A Used Sailboat 28 www.sailingmates.com Of course, much of this equipment can be carried inside your car while towing, but it’s all likely to be aboard when you haul the boat out of the water and up the ramp – just when the load on the clutch is greatest. To check the tow capacity of your vehicle go to: www.trailerboats.com/towrating or www.campinglife.com/towratings These ratings are usually for towing on a level highway and to be able to tow this maximum load the vehicle usually has have an automatic transmission and be fitted with a factory fitted towing package. This package may consist of a special transmission oil cooler, a bigger engine oil reservoir, heavier brakes and possibly heavier suspension. If you tow anything close to this weight without a tow package you could find that your insurance is invalid. General “rules of thumb” To estimate the sailboat maximum displacement that you can tow behind your vehicle: Max. boat displacement = max vehicle tow capacity X 0.7 So a vehicle with a tow capacity of 3500lbs could tow a boat with a displacement of 3500 x 0.7 = 2450lbs To find the tow capacity required for a boat of a given displacement: Vehicle tow capacity = boat displacement X 1.4 So to tow a boat of 3000lbs displacement you will need a tow capacity of 3000 x 1.4 = 4200lbs In all cases you should check with the vehicle manufacturer regarding the towing capacity of your vehicle and be guided by their recommendations. Your trailer And a properly set up and maintained trailer is vital for the safety of the rig and ultimately the safety of you and your family. In every case I strongly recommend you take your boat and trailer rig to a professional trailer mechanic and have him go over the rig setup with you to ensure the rig is safe. It goes without saying that the trailer must be rated to carry the total towing load, but there are several other considerations to be taken into account. Firstly, the trailer hitch must be rated for the tow load. Hitches are classified according to their tow capacity. Secondly, you may need a “load equalization” hitch to spread the tow load. Many vehicle manufacturers state that a load equalization hitch is required to tow their maximum allowable load. Thirdly, the “tongue weight” that is the percentage of the weight of the trailer carried on the towing hitch, must be correct. If the weight on the hitch is too low, the trailer may sway dangerously from side to side when towing on the highway. If there is too great a weight on the hitch, when the vehicle is under brakes the trailer can force the rear of the tow vehicle downwards and lift the front of the vehicle thereby losing steering control. Fourthly, trailer brakes are often submerged in salt water. Brakes are vital and they must be in perfect working order at all times. Talk to your trailer mechanic about proper maintenance of your trailer brakes. In other words, spend your money on fixing your trailer before you fix your boat. How To Buy A Used Sailboat 29 www.sailingmates.com What type of keel? Of the three main keel types - fin, twin bilge and lifting – the fin keel is not really suitable for a trailer sailer and twin bilge keels are not very common. So we’re left with a lifting keel as the best solution. A lifting keel is one which either swings or lifts up inside the boat. A boat with a lifting keel has its maximum weight close to the road which gives the most stable towing arrangement. Lifting keels also allow the boat to be launched and retrieved in shallow water. A swing, or pivoting keel is sometimes put forward as the best solution because if the keel pivots, it will pivot when the keel hits the bottom and no damage will be done to the hull and keel trunk. This is true, but sailing a swing keel boat without locking the keel down in some way, except in very protected waters, is very dangerous. If the boat is knocked down by a heavy gust of wind, the boat can heel over to the horizontal or more and you could have your keel slam back into the trunk, damaging the trunk and almost guaranteeing a capsize. A properly locked down and secured swing keel is a perfectly safe solution. A vertical lifting keel with a bulb at the bottom may well be the best of all worlds for a trailer sailer. Weight can be placed low in the fin for stability and yet the boat can sit low on its trailer when the keel is raised. Having most of the weight in the bottom of the keel improves stability dramatically, and a properly profiled fin can provide significant lift and much improved windward performance. What about raising and lowering the mast? Any mast longer than about 20 feet will probably need some system to raise and lower it. There are many systems used by the trailer sailer fraternity and each model of boat will have a system devised by the owners which can usually be found on the owners association web site. Ask the seller of your boat to show you how he does it. Some other personal preferences opening ports in cabin large, watertight forward hatch self draining cockpit 2 full size berths plus forward V berth no dinette tiller steering bridge deck at companionway, or fixed washboard decent winches for headsails and mainsail cockpit long enough to sleep in no traveler across cockpit (so you can sleep in it) space for a good size cooler vented locker for gas bottle all sail controls within reach of the helmsman kick-up rudder keel retracts completely into the hull strong owners group, web site, forum How To Buy A Used Sailboat 30 www.sailingmates.com 30 trailer sailers that appeal (in no particular order) An explanation of the specifications LOA = Length Over All, ie the total length of the boat LWL = Length at Water Line, ie the length of the boat where it sits in the water Beam = Maximum width of the boat Draft = Depth of the boat with the keel up and the keel down Displacement = The weight of the boat as stated by the manufacturer Ballast = The weight of the ballast in the boat as stated by the manufacturer SA = Area of the mainsail plus the area of the headsail SA/D = The ratio of the sail area to the displacement of the boat. A higher ratio = more power.. Design = Name of the designer Built = Years in which the model was built O’Day 22 LOA 24’0”, LWL 18’11”, Beam 7’2”, Draft 1’3”/5’0”, Displacement 2283lbs, Ballast 800lbs, SA 196 sq ft, SA/D 18.1, Design Raymond Hurst Assoc, Built 72-83, Centerboard or shoal keel options http://www.sailnet.com/forums/oday/ O’Day 222 LOA 23’0”, LWL 19’7”, Beam 7’11”, Draft 1’8”/4’8”, Displacement 2200lbs, Ballast 800lbs, SA 207 sq ft, SA/D 19.6, Design Raymond Hurst Assoc, Built 84-88, Updated and faster O’Day 22 http://www.sailnet.com/forums/oday Jeanneau Tonic 23 LOA 23’8”, LWL 20’4”, Beam 8’2”, Draft 2’3”/4’6” Displacement 2945lbs, Ballast 1086lbs, SA 243 sq ft, SA/D 18.9, Design Phillipe Harte, Built 85-95, Fin keel option http://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/archives/jeanneau-tonic-23/tonic-23.htm review O’Day 26 LOA 27’6”, LWL 21’7”, Beam 8’0”, Draft 2’6”/6’0”, Displacement 4800lbs, Ballast 1850lbs, SA 280 sq ft, SA/D 15.7, Design Raymond Hurst Assoc, Built 84-86, maxi TS, good boat, http://www.sailnet.com/forums/oday How To Buy A Used Sailboat 31 www.sailingmates.com Balboa 20 LOA 20’5”, LWL 17’5”, Beam 7’1”, Draft 1’9”/4’0”, Displacement 1700lbs, Ballast 450lbs, SA 182 sq ft, SA/D 20.5, Design Lyle Hess Built 68-77, first fiberglass boat by Lyle Hess Very successful Review Catalina 22 Mark I LOA 23’0”, LWL 19’4”, Beam 7’8”, Draft 2’0”/5’0”, Displacement 2250lbs, Ballast 550lbs, SA 212 sq ft, SA/D 19.1, Design Frank Butler, Built 69-99, Most popular trailer sailer ever. Built in UK as Jaguar 22 and in Australia as Boomeroo 22 http://catalina.sailboatowners.com/ http://www.catalina22.org/ Catalina 25 LOA 25’0”, LWL 22’2”, Beam 8’0”, Draft 2’2”/5’0”, Displacement 4150lbs, Ballast 1550lbs, SA 270 sq ft, SA/D 16.7, Design Frank Butler, Built 79-87, Swing or fin keel and several different internal layouts and rigs available. http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/ http://catalina.sailboatowners.com/ Catalina 250 LOA 25’0”, LWL 19’4”, Beam 8’4”, Draft 2’0”/5’0”, Displacement 2290lbs, Ballast 550lbs, SA 205 sq ft, SA/D 18.9, Design Catalina, Built 94-present, Swing, wing keel and water ballast . http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/ http://catalina.sailboatowners.com/ Catalina 22 Mark II LOA 23’10”, LWL 21’3”, Beam 8’6”, Draft 1’8”/5’9”, Displacement 3600lbs, Ballast 1200lbs, SA 268 sq ft, SA/D 18.3, Design Catalina, Built 2000-present, Updated Mark I with simplified layout. Strong owner group. http://catalina.sailboatowners.com/ http://www.catalina22.org/ How To Buy A Used Sailboat 32 www.sailingmates.com O’Day 25 LOA 26’7”, LWL 21’0”, Beam 8’0”, Draft 2’3”/6’0”, Displacement 4400lbs, Ballast 1525bs, SA 270 sq ft, SA/D 16.1, Design Raymond Hunt Assoc. Built 75-83, Big, good quality boat. Strong owner group. http://www.sailnet.com/forums/oday/ Com-Pac 19 LOA 20’1”, LWL 16’4”, Beam 7’0”, Draft 2’0”, Displacement 2000lbs, Ballast 800bs, SA 196 sq ft, SA/D 19.8, Design Bob Johnson. Built 79-2002, good quality boat. Excellent starter boat http://cpyoa.geekworkshosting.com/forum/index.php http://www.com-pacyachts.com/ O’Day 23 MkII LOA 24’2”, LWL 19’6”, Beam 8’0”, Draft 2’0”/5’0”, Displacement 3500lbs, Ballast 900bs, SA 235 sq ft, SA/D 16.3, Design Raymond Hunt Assoc. Built 77-85, good all-round boat. well built http://www.sailnet.com/forums/oday/ Com-Pac 23 LOA 23’10”, LWL 20’2”, Beam 7’10”, Draft 2’3”, Displacement 3000lbs, Ballast 1340bs, SA 206 sq ft, SA/D 19.2, Design Clark Mills. Built 79-present, no centerboard, good quality boat. Optional inboard engine http://www.com-pacowners.com/ http://cruisingresources.com/Com-Pac_23--3 http://www.boatus.com/jackhornor/sail/ComPac23.asp Santana 2023 LOA 23’6”, LWL 20’7”, Beam 8’6”, Draft 1’2”/5’4”, Displacement 2880lbs, Ballast 1300bs, SA 240 sq ft, SA/D 19.0, Design Steve Schock. Built 94-2001, water ballast, large double berth aft http://bbs.trailersailor.com/forums/santana/index.cgi http://cruisingresources.com/Santana_2023 How To Buy A Used Sailboat 33 www.sailingmates.com Hunter 22 LOA 23’3”, LWL 18’4”, Beam 7’11”, Draft 1’11”/5’0”, Displacement 3200lbs, Ballast 1300bs, SA 220 sq ft, SA/D 16.2, Design Cortland Steck. Built 81-85, light construction, fin keel available http://hunter22.net/?page_id=7/hunter-22-sailboat-forum/ Reviews Balboa 23 - Aquarius 23 LOA 22’8”, LWL 21’2”, Beam 7’11”, Draft 1’1”/4’7”, Displacement 2280lbs, Ballast 815bs, SA 213 sq ft, SA/D 19.7, Design Barrett-Miller. Built 69-80, safe cruiser, beachable http://hunter22.net/?page_id=7/hunter-22-sailboat-forum/ Reviews Hunter 23.5 LOA 24’0”, LWL 21’5”, Beam 8’4”, Draft 1’11”/5’6”, Displacement 3000lbs, Ballast 1000bs, SA 236 sq ft, SA/D 18.2, Design Hunter. Built 92-97, water ballast http://hunter22.net/?page_id=7/hunter-22-sailboat-forum/ Reviews Seaward 23 LOA 24’6”, LWL 20’7”, Beam 8’4”, Draft 2’1”, Displacement 2700lbs, Ballast 900bs, SA 240 sq ft, SA/D 19.8, Design Nick Hake. Built 89-2003, fixed shallow keel, wheel steering available http://groups.yahoo.com/group/seawardsailboats/messages/397 http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_id=3168 Sirius 22 LOA 24’10”, LWL 19’8”, Beam 7’11”, Draft 1’4”/5’0”, Displacement 2100lbs, Ballast 525bs, SA 203 sq ft, SA/D 19.8, Design H Vanderstadt. Built 85-88, fixed keel available http://forums.sbo.sailboatowners.com/forumdisplay.php?f=128 Sirius 21 LOA 22’2”, LWL 18’9”, Beam 7’11”, Draft 1’4”/5’0”, Displacement 2000lbs, Ballast 525bs, SA 203 sq ft, SA/D 20.5, Design H Vanderstadt. Built 76-85, above average quality build, unsinkable http://forums.sbo.sailboatowners.com/forumdisplay.php?f=128 How To Buy A Used Sailboat 34 www.sailingmates.com San Juan 21 MkII LOA 21’6”, LWL 17’0”, Beam 7’0”, Draft 1’0”/4’0”, Displacement 1250lbs, Ballast 400bs, SA 190 sq ft, SA/D 26.2, Design Don Clark. Built 75-88, lightweight flyer, large race fleets http://www.sanjuan21.net/ http://www.sj21fleet1.org/ http://www.sj21class.org/ Ericson 25 LOA 25’5”, LWL 20’10”, Beam 8’0”, Draft 2’0”/5’0”, Displacement 5400lbs, Ballast 2500bs, SA 265 sq ft, SA/D 13.8, Design Bruce King. Built 72-78, Heavy, well built cruiser, maxi trailerable http://ericson25.com/ http://pacificnorthwestboating.com/2008/11/10/ericson-25-sailboat/ Freedom 24 LOA 25’11”, LWL 21’6”, Beam 8’3”, Draft 1’10”/6’0”, Displacement 3250lbs, Ballast 1350bs, SA 302 sq ft, SA/D 22.0, Design Tripp Design. Built 94-96, good quality fast, light boat http://www.freedomyachts.org/viewforum.php?f=48 http://www.cruiserlog.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=11152 http://www.sailnet.com/forums/boat-review-purchase-forum/8959-freedomsailboat.html Tanzer 22 LOA 24’7”, LWL 19’9”, Beam 7’10”, Draft 2’0”/4’0”, Displacement 3100lbs, Ballast 1500lbs, SA 222 sq ft, SA/D 16.7, Design Johann Tanzer. Built 70-87, fin keel available, strong owner group http://www.tanzer22.com/ http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_ID=301 San Juan 23 LOA 24’4”, LWL 19’3”, Beam 8’0”, Draft 1’1”/4’9”, Displacement 2700lbs, Ballast 960bs, SA 238 sq ft, SA/D 19.6, Design Don Clark. Built 76-89, fin keel available, strong owner group, race fleets http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sanjuan23/ http://www.sanjuan21.net/ How To Buy A Used Sailboat 35 www.sailingmates.com Ericson 23 LOA 23’7”, LWL 19’6”, Beam 7’11”, Draft 1’11”/5’11”, Displacement 3200lbs, Ballast 1250bs, SA 265 sq ft, SA/D 19.5, Design Bruce King. Built 68-79, Many different rigs and keels available Ericson Yachts Reviews Pearson 23 LOA 23’10”, LWL 20’0”, Beam 8’0”, Draft 2’4”/5’2”, Displacement 3000lbs, Ballast 1200bs, SA 229 sq ft, SA/D 16.2, Design Bill Shaw. Built 83-85, Quality build, fin keel available http://pearson.sailboatowners.com/ Cornish Crabber 24 LOA 29’3”, LWL 20’3”, Beam 8’0”, Draft 2’5”/4’8”, Displacement 4600lbs, Ballast 600bs, SA 265 sq ft, SA/D 17.6, Design Roger Dongray. Built 74-present, Quality character boat, variety of rigs available, slow in light airs http://www.cornishcrabbers.co.uk/ http://www.cornishcrabbers.org/ Irwin 23 LOA 23’0”, LWL 18’6”, Beam 8’0”, Draft 2’3”/5’9”, Displacement 3200lbs, Ballast 1500bs, SA 255 sq ft, SA/D 18.8, Design Ted Irwin. Built 68-75, fast boat, mediocre quality build http://cruisingresources.com/Irwin_23 http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_id=369 http://www.irwinyachts.com/ Dehler 25 LOA 24’11”, LWL 21’10”, Beam 8’3”, Draft 1’4”/4’3”, Displacement 3245lbs, Ballast 1650bs, SA 253 sq ft, SA/D 20.1, Design Vanderstardt. Built 85-89, water ballast or lifting keel http://www.dehlerowners.co.uk/ http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_ID=239 How To Buy A Used Sailboat 36 www.sailingmates.com Precision 21 LOA 22’3”, LWL 17’4”, Beam 8’3”, Draft 1’9”/4’8”, Displacement 1875lbs, Ballast 600lbs, SA 203 sq ft, SA/D 21.4, Design Jim Taylor. Built 86-present, quality build weekender http://www.precisionboatworks.com/ http://bbs.trailersailor.com/forums/precision/index.cgi http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_ID=3647 Irwin 25 LOA 25’3”, LWL 20’6”, Beam 8’0”, Draft 2’8”/6’8”, Displacement 5000lbs, Ballast 2200lbs, SA 302 sq ft, SA/D 16.5, Design Ted Irwin. Built 68-75, A maxi TS, keel version option http://www.irwinyachts.com/ http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_ID=4677 Precision 23 LOA 24’3”, LWL 20’0”, Beam 8’6”, Draft 1’11”/5’4”, Displacement 2450lbs, Ballast 850lbs, SA 248 sq ft, SA/D 21.8, Design Jim Taylor. Built 85-present, good solid small boat Review http://www.precisionboatworks.com/ Com-pac 25 LOA 28’2”, LWL 21’0”, Beam 8’6”, Draft 2’6”, Displacement 4800lbs, Ballast 1900lbs, SA 278 sq ft, SA/D 15.8, Design Hutchins. Built 95-present, wheel steering, inboard diesel options, heavy Reviews Review http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_ID=3021 Seaward 24 LOA 24’11”, LWL 22’2”, Beam 8’3”, Draft 2’0”/3’6”, Displacement 3100lbs, Ballast 1100lbs, SA 247 sq ft, SA/D 18.6, Design Nick Hake. Built 84-88, well built, well appointed boat http://bbs.trailersailor.com/forums/seaward/index.cgi http://groups.yahoo.com/group/seawardsailboats/messages How To Buy A Used Sailboat 37 www.sailingmates.com Hiring a Marine Surveyor Before you hire a surveyor check with your finance company and insurance company to find out if they have a list of acceptable surveyors. Otherwise you could pay for two surveys Also, get a list from the seller of all equipment, sails etc. included in the sale plus their date of purchase. Also the date of last engine rebuild, last rigging replacement, last antifouling and last life raft inspection in the case of a racing boat. This helps the surveyor and will help you work out what equipment is due for replacement Questions to ask your surveyor before you hire him. Are you a certified surveyor? American certification is issued by National Association of Marine Surveyors (NAMS) and the Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors (SAMS) www.namsurveyors.org www.marinesurvey.org United Kingdom certification is issued by Yacht Designers and Surveyors Association and the International Institute of Marine Surveying www.ybdsa.co.uk www.ims.org.uk Australian certification is issued by the Australian Institute of Marine Surveyors www.aimsurveyors.com.au Do you carry Professional Indemnity Insurance? What experience have you had surveying this type of boat? Have you done any sailing on a similar boat? What won’t be included in the survey? Engine? Mast? Do you dye test rigging terminals? Will you go up the mast? (Many won’t, they’ll tell you to hire a rigger) How much will I be able to assist in the survey? (Insist you accompany the surveyor) On the day of the survey, arrive early and clean out all lockers (make sure you put all items back as they were). Remove all sails, sheets and braces, bunk cushions etc. to outside of boat. Check that the cockpit sole is not screwed down. If it is, remove the screws. If the surveyor is to survey the engine make sure it’s not started before the survey. Try out every piece of equipment on the boat yourself to find out if it works or not. Costs of a marine survey Survey cost – usually paid by purchaser. Check with your local marine surveyor for a current quote Haulout costs – usually paid by purchaser. Check with a few local marinas for current coats Engine survey – paid by purchaser. Check with a local marine deisel mechanic for a quote. Rigging inspection – paid by purchaser. Check with a local rigger for a quote. Hull cleaning costs – paid by negotiation. Check with a local marina for costs. In the United States you can get a good idea of the price of most sailboats on the Nada Guides web site. Just fill out the series of questions on the boat you’re looking at, and the software on the site will give you a purchase price. www.nadaguides.com Remember however, the price of any boat is still exactly what a buyer will pay for it. How To Buy A Used Sailboat 38 www.sailingmates.com Online sailboat resources Some US web sites to check when searching for your boat www.boats.com www.ablboats.com www.sailboattraderonline.com www.buy-a-boat.com www.boatus.com www.sailboatlistings.com www.sailboatowners.com www.firstboat.com www.allaboutboats.com www.boatbrowser.com www.boatmartusa.com www.boattraderonline.com www.sailboats4sale.com www.usedboats.com Some UK web sites to check when searching for your boat www.networkyachtbrokers.co.uk www.yachtcouncil.com www.yachtworld.com www.boatworld.com www.theyachtmarket.com www.aboard.co.uk www.boatmatch.com www.yachts.apolloduck.co.uk www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk www.uk.yachtworld.com www.yachtsalesuk.co.uk www.boatsforsaleuk.co.uk www.yachtsnet.co.uk www.ybw-boatsforsale.com Some Australian and New Zealand web sites to check when searching for your boat www.boatpoint.com.au www.boatsonline.com.au www.traileryacht.com www.yachthub.com www.yachtandboat.com.au au.yachtworld.com www.sydneyboats.com.au Some useful sites to find sailboat reviews and specifications www.cruisingresources.com/Boat_Finder www.jibslist.com/boatreview.aspx www.sailboatdata.com http://www.image-ination.com/sailcalc.html www.nadaguides.com/Boats/Sailboats www.sailnet.com/boatchk/index.php www.sailingmagazine.net/boats/boat-test-index How To Buy A Used Sailboat 39 www.sailingmates.com Now it’s time to go out and find your own special pre-loved sail boat. She’s out there you know - just waiting for you to find her. Right now she’s sitting on her lonely mooring, feeling a little unloved. Her last master may have found a new love. A bright, shiney new love with a sexy bottom and glamorous topsides. But she still has lots to give. She loves fun times and she’s looking for a new master who’ll play with her and make her feel wanted again. Please don’t disappoint her. But before you go, go to www.sailingmates.com and register for our free Sail Boat Owner’s Tip Of The Week. Then in your mailbox every week you’ll get practical, hands-on tips on how to maintain, repair, cruise and race your boat from the yachting experts. You’ll also qualify for charter membership of our soon-to-be-launched membership site for sail boat owners Welcome to the great sailing fraternity! Peter Reuter
© Copyright 2024