We have been looking to add to our boating options

[zipper]

I have mentioned in a couple of other threads in the last month or so, that we are looking for a 30+ft. Sailboat to spend weekends out on the lake. We do not want to bring a tent along in our AR230, so something to sleep 4-6 would give us enough room to hopefully stay married having already survived 26yrs. We recently had surveyed an ODay 31 which had a wet core and needed re-bedding of all stays, shrouds, travelers, stanchions etc. As well as a boat full of electronics that did not work and a water heater that tripped the whole dock finger when turned on...sooo on to the next few choices. Upon searching this morning, I came upon this one. 1981 Yamaha Boats 33 Racer/Cruiser for sale - YachtWorld I was surprised to learn that Yamaha made and imported sailboats to the US for a couple of years. This one is too far away for me, so our search continues. Nice looking boat for the price if it surveys well.

 

[zipper]

Thanks @Bill D, I know most people here are jet boaters besides a few outboards and the occasional I/O or cabin cruiser, but we will be keeping the 07 AR230. Its in good shape, low hours (at least it was before we bought it) and most importantly low maintenance. We are both looking to keep learning new things, and the skills needed to sail fit right in. Just learning what sailors call all the different parts of their boats is challenging. The season is nearly done here, boats are being pulled, so developing MY sailing skill will wait until spring. But I will try to learn everything I can this winter while on the hard. We have inquired about another, slightly newer boat, just under the yacht length requirement, this next one is a 1990 Beneteau first 32s5 with the shallower winged keel. It a real nice fractional sloop. This is not the exact one, but here is a link.http://www.sailboatlistings.com/view/9882 this one is/was down your way. And a link to the specs. https://www.boat-specs.com/beneteau/first-32s5-wing-keel I really hope this one surveys well. We just spent $1000 for the last survey and short haul to realize I do not want to do all the work that the boat needed. Pisses me off that he advertised it as "meticulously" maintained. B.S. Oh, BTW the ODay surveyed "Fair" and valued at $9k less than asking price.

 

[Bill D]

My wife and I are seriously considering retiring aboard (in many years, lol) so this is a topic of interest for me. I've started browsing different types of sailboats, and looking at the pros and cons of each. That Benetau looks like a nice vessel. There's a ton of them out in the world, still running 20+ years later.

Our dream is a 40-50' catamaran, but they're way expensive. Lol

BTW, Fairhope is one of my favorite places down on the gulf. Great little town.

 

[zipper]

@Bill D A 40-50' Cat would be our dream live aboard also, nice choice. We have seen quite a few on the Lake this summer in the 40' range, and one at our marina maybe 35-38'. Willow points out every one she spots. I am not a sailor, yet. Although we both come from a long line of them. We figure that we would learn/hone our skills on a smaller craft for a while. And then move up in size in 5+ years. I know the running joke around here is "Buy your second boat First". And I guess we are doing that as we started out looking at 28-30' boats. I know 32' is not much of a jump, but the prices of the Beneteau's are much higher comparatively. So something larger and more "blue water" rated in our future for sure, but until we feel comfortable taking the training wheels off, we will sail a smaller monohull that has the comfort we expect for entertaining or weekend/overnight outings. Longer outings would require our retirement and on a farm that usually means selling. The Sugaring operation on the farm has allowed us alot more time to be on the Lake during the summer vs. milking sheep&cows and cheesemaking. But we do keep a small herd for lawn/field mowers that have minimal needs. As the saying goes...Old sailors never die/retire, they just get a little dinghy.

 

[PEARCE]

Boy @zipper , that's disappointing to hear about the O'Day. Even more disappointing that you had to spent your good money to find that out. Let's hope you find a good match for you and your first mate.

We are in active pursuit of our next cruiser since we lost our last one in July. We found what we like and have had it surveyed. It has a few issues and we're now in negotiations with the seller on who's gonna pay for what. The usual process. We know he's ready to sell and is willing to work with us to get it done. The good thing is we're moving into our offseason so we're not in a big hurry to get things fixed and move into this boat. We're too busy to even think about going to the lake lately anyway. Once we do have it we will use it almost year around. I'll post some pics as well!

 

[zipper]

@PEARCE Yes it was disappointing. But better we know now than later. It looked good on the surface, but when the surveyor dug into it, a rats nest of problems surfaced. The middle section of the rudder pegged his moisture meter and most likely would pop if it freezes. Drilling holes and allowing to drain like this one, not the ODay, is an option that I am not willing to buy into. Allowing your batteries to look like this, says a lot about how "meticulous" the rest of the boat is. I mean yes, I could clean it up with terminal strips and heat shrink, but in the end both ODays we have looked at had wet cores...Done looking at ODays. Going to look at a Beneteau First 32s5 tomorrow in New York. If it looks good, we will have another survey done, should be less this time, no short haul to pay for. Fewer problems with them, although the rudder can have issues as with this one we saw today.Looks like this one suffered an illision. But overall it is a good cruiser/racer in the length we are looking for. Good Luck to you with your purchase and thanks for your reply.

 

[swatski]

Watching.
(And learning)

--

 

[Bill D]

@zipper It sounds like you guys have a good idea what you are looking for and what you like. It is unfortunate that you had to dump $1k to find out the boat was a dud, but hat is money well spent. A good marine surveyor will know exactly what to look for and help you invest well. While our dream is lofty, we will likely start along the same lines. A 32-38' monohull to cut our teeth.

I look forward to following your search. Keep us informed!

 

[Bennie]

Thanks @Bill D, I know most people here are jet boaters besides a few outboards and the occasional I/O or cabin cruiser, but we will be keeping the 07 AR230. Its in good shape, low hours (at least it was before we bought it) and most importantly low maintenance. We are both looking to keep learning new things, and the skills needed to sail fit right in. Just learning what sailors call all the different parts of their boats is challenging. The season is nearly done here, boats are being pulled, so developing MY sailing skill will wait until spring. But I will try to learn everything I can this winter while on the hard. We have inquired about another, slightly newer boat, just under the yacht length requirement, this next one is a 1990 Beneteau first 32s5 with the shallower winged keel. It a real nice fractional sloop. This is not the exact one, but here is a link.http://www.sailboatlistings.com/view/9882 this one is/was down your way. And a link to the specs. https://www.boat-specs.com/beneteau/first-32s5-wing-keel I really hope this one surveys well. We just spent $1000 for the last survey and short haul to realize I do not want to do all the work that the boat needed. Pisses me off that he advertised it as "meticulously" maintained. B.S. Oh, BTW the ODay surveyed "Fair" and valued at $9k less than asking price.

@zipper - that is about 15-20 min away from my house. Great looking boat! Let me know if you decide to come down and take a look at her. If I'm home I'd be happy to show you around the area a bit. If you are looking to stay aboard for any extended amount of time may I suggest something bit longer (closer to 38-42ft). The size of this one is great for weekending or to go island hoping. But you'll want more room if it's more than just two of you.

Happy hunting!! Enjoy you new adventure. Our jet boats are fun but nothing beats the relaxing feeling of the engine off and only the sounds are of the water lapping the haul and the rigging slapping the mast.
(sniffle --- I miss sailing)

 

[zipper]

@Bennie Thanks for your reply and your offer. We/I have chosen the 32'er as an entry level into sailboating. I have a lot to learn about sailing, only power boats for 50+ years, and starting with something smaller should be more forgiving than starting with a 40'er. The plan is to size up in about 5-6 years, or sooner, once we are confident in handling this one. I like your suggestion of a larger hull and can understand how boats can get small when you are trying to put up supplies for extended outings or just having a few friends on board. Believe me, we would love cruising in a 40-45'er, but until we literally learn the ropes, the shorter hulls are what we are looking at. We just need to find a good one that is not a POS. The newer boats 10-15yrs. old are pricey, and I would hate to ding the crap out of it. So 20-25ish y.o. with a higher quality manufacturer is our current goal. I will make it down to Alabama someday, I do have relatives down near the Gulf in Summerdale.

 

[Bennie]

We/I have chosen the 32'er as an entry level into sailboating.

Absolutely!! My personal sailing experience is from 28 - 34 footers. And man are they fun!!

I only spoke from a 3rd party observation watching other sailing friends stay/live aboard. They couples stated that a mid 30 was the tightest they'd go -- and you better "really love each other".

For a weekender and getting to understand the fine points of working the sheets you are definitely getting into the right size. imho
Please send pics when you do get your new baby!

 

[zipper]

Today, we went over to check out the Beneteau First 32s5 just north of Plattsburg N.Y. at Treadwell Bay. We took the ferry over from Grand Isle Vt. to Cumberland Head, 25 knot winds straight up the lake from the south. Whitecapped with 5'+ rollers breaking over the bow of the ferry. Ya, I got wet taking this pic. Arrived at Treadwell Bay Marina, pretty nice place, to look at this BS mod of the jib furler cutout. Why do people do this?I don't know, gonna knock a few K off the offer because of it, if we do. The only other real concern in my inspection was a little bit of wear on the cast iron keel Otherwise on the surface, the boat had wear expected of a 1990 boat The hull looked good, interior was pretty good, clean bilge with a little bit of teak refinish needed. We still have one more Beneteau to look at later this week. This one would be acceptable at the right price. But I will leave that up to the survey.

 

[PEARCE]

@zipper I'd be concerned about the rigging too. Has it been replaced or not. Being a 1990 boat I would hope so. That's one hell of a hack job on that jib furreler. Why?

 

[zipper]

@PEARCE The rigging looked good to my novice eye. I asked the broker about it as I had not seen the type used on shrouds on the other boats we have seen. They did not consist of wire rope but as a solid SS rod type material from the turnbuckles up to the mast/spreaders. The broker, from Bruce Hill Yacht Sales, who races S2's, says it is common on racing boats. "Standing Rigging". More aerodynamic.
If we decide to make an offer after we view the other Beneteau later this week, it will be contingent on the outcome of the survey and sea trial. And that could be a while as most Marinas that Haul out close mid October around here. The boat is on the hard and winterized. So we will need to talk with the broker about all the details, accepting our potential offer/s, deposits, escrow, contingencies, etc. The Sailboat season here is ending. BUT we will still be using the Yamaha, going out tomorrow, trailering until November. I do not want to rush this, or look too eager. This boat has been for sale for a while.

Ya, that was quite a hack job, I believe the furler was replaced and dummy needed better access or maybe it was bigger than the other one. Many of these boats had the furler below deck, allowing the foot of the sail to be lower to the deck. Being a fractional rig, the fore stay does not go to the top of the mast, means the jib is smaller and lowering the furler allows for more sail, Racers rigging, but he could have done a better job. I will have to clean that up and seal the edge of the fiberglass. Might try to come up with some kind of boot to keep the water over the bow from getting in the anchor locker.

 

[Britboater]

If they can hack the jib furler, what else have they butchered. Even at a discounted price I think I'd walk away.
The thing with sail yachts, they are built to be sea worthy, meaning sometimes your on your own and you need your equipment to be top notch, otherwise your just waiting for trouble.

 

[zipper]

@Britboater Thanks for your reply. There will be more inspection/questions about the jib furler cutout hatchet job. The actual mounting of the furler to the bow appeared "factory" and was visible thru the anchor locker. This was the only part of the boat that caught my eye causing me to say WTF! Any final sale will be contingent on a marine survey and sea trial, done by the same surveyor that found all the issues with the ODay. The sea trial would be done by the surveyor Capt. Stan Walker, the seller or his agent, and us as observers. We do have others to look at first so it may never come to that. The boat was sailed this summer although I don't know how much, but the current owners gear still occupies the lockers in the cockpit and cabin. Depending on how motivated the seller is, the strength of the Canadian dollar, one might be able to get this for much less than asking price. But you are right, no one wants to be caught in an emergency because of a piece of junk.

P.S. upon further investigation, the furler mounted below deck, on this boat, is not a factory install. Looking at the pictures in the original add from Bruce Hill Yacht Sales,aka YachtWorld, the furler is clearly above deck...On to look at the next one.

 

[zipper]

'I know, I know, I have been warned to move on and we may just do that, but there are some things I would like answered first. Call me stubborn, but I don't like being fed a load of crap. Venting! Besides this is a nice boat other than this.
The poor quality of the cutout for the below deck jib furler, I know it is not something Beneteau would let leave the factory. The owner tells the broker that it is factory, who tells us the same. Smells of sheep $hit. The broker told Willow, my wife, that he took the pictures for the add in the spring of 2016, so the boat has been on their site on/off since. Well those pictures show this For those of you that know sailboats, the jib furler drum, is the black object that appears near the middle of both pictures on the forestay. It it rolls up the jib/genoa around the forestay when not in use. Well its above the deck in these pictures and below the deck in that nasty cutout. It appears someone is not truthful. Heard a lot of denial until Willow sent him these pictures, I guess he was not opening my attachments. He changed his tack and all of a sudden he was going to look into it. We have many opinions from the folks at sailnet.com on this. I don't like being lied to, and I intend to find out who is. To what end? who knows. I'm calling the bluff. All this can be repaired/restored. The broker said the owner is getting a divorce and is motivated to sell. Thinking about making a ridiculous low offer. just trying to find out the real story first. But it is all still contingent on a favorable survey and sea trial. New to sailboats but I was not born yesterday. Can't wait to hear the next story. I know I know move on, but now I want to know.

 

[TS4811]

http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1983/O'Day-39'-3128529/DRUMMOND-ISLAND/MI/United-States#.WbkpoEEpCEc

I went the other way. From a 45' catch rigged blue water sailboat to a jet boat SX210. A friend sent me this listing. Looks like a sweet boat. Good luck!

 

[zipper]

@TS4811 That ODay certainly looks nice on the surface. Although a little bigger than we are looking to enter into sailing with. My problem is...We have looked at 2 ODays, a 1985 31' and a 1984 34', both surveyed fair. we paid for the 31' survey, another prospective buyer for the 34' a month ago. There were too many "wet boat" issues needing re bedding of everything on deck as well as a long list of other stuff. The 31's asking price was $21k, surveyed for $12. When we saw the 34' add it was $25k, reduced to $22.5k. After the survey it was taken off the market, again because of being a "wet boat". So we are trying to move out of the 80's and into the 90's. I know they will all need work, bottom repaint, re bedding of deck fittings, etc,etc,etc. And I have never been afraid of hard work, but at the same time I would like to enjoy sailing, maybe we should just crew for others for a while. We just do not want to buy into something like this Catalina, rotted to the core. This scares the hell out of me.
We will be a 2 boat family, keeping the Yamaha, I know her issues inside and out and how to remedy them, with help from this Forum. A lot of much needed fun still to be had.
Back to the 39' ODay, it is priced right for a 39-40' boat, but I am boat shy of any ODay now after spending $1000 for a boat we did not want to buy. Thanks for the link though.

 

[TS4811]

Understand, there are also some pretty nice Tartan, Cal and C&Cs. Buying a freshwater boat out of the Great Lakes should definitely be considered. You will not believe the difference.
You might also consider S2.

Fair sailing!