First time buyer. Does this old boat look like a money pit or a decent starter?

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enki-42@reddit

"On a trailer for years" is a pretty big red flag all on it's own. "Inspecting the Aging sailboat" is a good reference for this sort of thing with lots of very practical and easy to read advice but I think it's very likely this is going to be a frustrating starter boat.

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permalink_child@reddit

Don’t sweat the details. If you think you will use it and it is less than $500, buy it, give it a good scrubbing, and enjoy. Then in two years time when you realize you never use it anymore, dump it for $600 on the next sucker.

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alex1033@reddit

For a complete beginner, there are two options: 1. Hire a surveyor, they'll tell you. For many old boats the survey cost adds too much to the deal. 2. Inspect another 20 old boats like you were buying them and you meant it. You'll recognize some patterns and get some experience. Things will look clearer. Most of the boats from the 70s are black holes. Most of the cheap boats too.

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priusjames@reddit

There is truth in this. As you walk around the other boats, the owners will start making excuses for the problems and you’ll learn the kind of problems that exist. Point at things that look odd or different (scrapes, dense, blisters, soft spots in fiberglass, rust on the keel, broken stays… whatever) as you walk around and they will probably tell you about each one and whether it’s a unique to that boat or something that happens to all boats. “ that happened when my nephew Billy smacked into the rocks” “ that’s called blistering… All old fiberglass boats have blisters like that” (BTW, don’t believe when people say this, but go look it up and see if all old boats have blisters for instance) “ the keel doesn’t fit all the way up into the trunk because…”

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dasreboot@reddit

Post some pics

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elvismcsassypants@reddit

don’t need pics…it’s a money pit

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priusjames@reddit

My thought exactly!

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priusjames@reddit

Is it a boat? It’s a money pit. No snark intended.

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Waterlifer@reddit

While prices vary regionally and condition plays a role, we are at the point locally where a 1970s trailer sailor has, by itself, negative value. If the boat is sold as a package that includes a trailer and an outboard then the combination will sometimes be worth money. The main problem this poses is that it leaves you without a good exit strategy, unless you have someone locally who will cut up boats and take them to the dump for a reasonable fee. Due to differences in environmental laws this can vary widely depending on where you are. My advice would be to look for a newer boat even if you have to pay more for it. Typically the problems with 1970s boats are going to include: \- deck leaks at all stanchions, winches, chainplates, cleats, bow eye, etc. \- leaking windows \- winches for which service parts are unavailable \- problems with whatever moving keel or centerboard mechanism is present Typically you will have to replace the lifelines, standing rigging, running rigging, and sails to get a reliable boat that performs well, but that's on any older sailboat.

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pdq_sailor@reddit

All boats get old... We redid our deck and rewedded every bit of hardware so no leaks. Winches... we have spares for... our fixed keel is properly torqued and bedded.. New dyneema life lines, new running rigging, new boom, new mast with new rigging (OEM is a spare), new Genoa furling, two spare rebuilt engines, full compliment of all obsolete deck hardware - most of it is impossible to obtain. New sails... You see I would not touch a new production boat as they are deeply compromised in terms of materials, design, and construction not to mention performance.. Our boat has not simply been maintained in like new condition it has been massively upgraded and no new boat has its level of functionality and systems. It may be old but it has ALL new networked instruments, modern lighting, inside and out, additional lighting - every locker and mechanical space, full new AC and DC electrical systems, things like an electric head, refrigeration, heat pump, dishwasher, new hardwood cabin sole, new upholstery, refinished interior, custom dining table, new custom rudder... and a whole lot more... So there are old boats.... and then there are properly maintained old boats.. Thing is ... there are very few boats like ours that are available for sale and if it were available for sale .. no one would like the price... The brand new boat next to us at $400K I would not trade ours for even... he is sweating his back side off one day and asked if we have air conditioning. I had to bite my lip after saying yes we do... Another fellow who has a far more expensive Dufour at over 50' asked if we had a dishwasher on our boat... The guys in the J105 fleet who know exactly what they are doing wonder what is going on when we pass them... Every year our boat gets closer to perfection... There is nothing wrong with an old boat if its been properly cared for..

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pdq_sailor@reddit

We own a 1974 sailboat... It's very well maintained and used frequently. Soft decks is a big deal if the boat has an inner deck liner as access for repair is a problem that requires refinishing the deck... if there is no inner liner the repair can be done from inside and its not a big deal to do... The biggest hurdle you face is insurance for an old boat and you really need it...That typically requires a survey and surveys are not cheap... Second biggest hurdle are spare parts because many of them are totally obsolete in terms of hardware.. This was such a concern I purchased a derelict sister ship and wrecked it to obtain a full inventory of spare parts for our boat and I was meticulous.. hinges, hasps, stanchion bases and stanchions, castings, toe rails rub rails, and much more.. I have an entire hardware store for our boat.. in terms of spending more than the boat is worth... Capital expenditures are a fact of boat ownership and repair, maintenance and upgrades are normal and yes they can easily exceed the "value" of the boat however they preserve function and a functional boat that serves you well means it does not need to be replaced.. I take this a bit over board but the fact is our boat though old is very reliable... and so the program it is on has been proven to work long term. We have had this boat in our family for close to fifty years and its perfect..

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Far_Dentist4880@reddit

If it's been sitting on a trailer for years and nobody has done any repairs or even tried to sail it, you'll need to spend far more on getting it ready to sail than you pay for it, even if you pay $1, and it still will be worth very little at the end. But you could spend thousands on a fabulous holiday and that will be worth nothing in monetary value afterwards either. Just the memories and the photos and the connections you made. Sometimes it's about the journey, you know?

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Ok_Copy_5690@reddit

“Old boat“. Didn’t even have to read further. Answer is yes. If you’re handy and want a project maybe. Otherwise skip it

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Sam_Sanders_@reddit

> Also is there a point where free is still too expensive LOL yes

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RedditIsRectalCancer@reddit

You 100% will spend more than the boat is worth. Every boat suffers from this.

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Adddicus@reddit

They're all money pits.

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Blue_foot@reddit

A long time ago I bought a laser on a trailer for $800. Sold it 10 years later for $800. Other boats I lost a lot of money in my ownership.

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Adddicus@reddit

How much did you spend on it during those ten years?

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IndyBananaJones2@reddit

If it's your first boat, definitely don't buy anything with known structural issues (soft decks, bulkheads, chain plate issues). For a boat from the 70s that can fit on a trailer, a survey is going to be substantial portion of your costs but it's probably worth doing. Free boats usually aren't worth the money, unless you know what you're doing to fix it up. The most important question to ask yourself is - do I want to fix up a boat, or do I want to go sailing (and eventually fix a boat).

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carnalasadasalad@reddit

The way to look at it is that you will always spend more than it’s worth. You get a free boat, you put $2K into it, you still have a boat with zero resale value. That’s just how old boats work.

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e1p1@reddit

The shortest answer is of course, all boats are too expensive, or money pits. But if you match the boat to your situation, the intrinsic and existential benefits make it worth it. So the question of putting more money into it than it is worth, is irrelevant really. Any task or skill you learn for upkeep or repair becomes a money saver for down the road. And if you enjoy that sort of thing, you enjoyed the task, and there is a value to that that might be more important than money. If you just want to sail, and there's nothing wrong with that, maybe join a club and sail their boats. If you wait long enough, you can always find older boats that have had most of the refurb and upgrades work done to them, and are being sold due to age, health, change of lifestyle. Most boat owners know they will never recoup the money or time they put into it. It can make one feel like a vulture buying a boat like that for super cheap, but I've also known owners who were quite happy to give away a very nice old boat to someone hoped would enjoy sailing and fixing it. Have fun figuring it out!

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uznhov@reddit

I am a beginner too so not sure how helpful or valid my opinion is. In my area VA Beach U.S there are plenty of used boats to choose from so I looked for a while and changed my mind a couple times. I decided to start with an 86 Gloucester 16 for $2k . It was able to sail from day 1 but I did paint the bottom and swing keel before I put it in the water. Then wanted a better motor than the trolling motor that it came with so spent another $2k on a new 5hp mercury. I am learning a lot and enjoying the boat now instead of a project. My 2nd choice was a catalina 22 various years. I don't get enough free time so I wanted something that was sail ready.

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Ilostmytractor@reddit

Educate yourself on YouTube. Find a professional marine surveyor nearby. The time and money you spend now will comeback tenfold.

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duane11583@reddit

A boat by definition is a money pit Boat is an acronym break out another thousand Boat is known as a hole in the water in which you toss money endlessly There is a great flowchart that helps you decide to buy a boat or not here is a link to that chart https://my2fish.wordpress.com/2017/09/21/sail-boat-buying-flowchart/ Same for a motorcycle https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=838142729722846&id=100044700241811 And one for buying a horse https://www.facebook.com/YellaPonyCustoms/photos/literally-no-excuses-this-christmas-just-buy-the-horse-famwwwyellaponycustomsets/1181947380609928/

First time buyer. Does this old boat look like a money pit or a decent starter?

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25 Comments

enki-42@reddit

permalink_child@reddit

alex1033@reddit

priusjames@reddit

dasreboot@reddit

elvismcsassypants@reddit

priusjames@reddit

priusjames@reddit

Waterlifer@reddit

pdq_sailor@reddit

pdq_sailor@reddit

Far_Dentist4880@reddit

Ok_Copy_5690@reddit

Sam_Sanders_@reddit

RedditIsRectalCancer@reddit

Adddicus@reddit

Blue_foot@reddit

Adddicus@reddit

IndyBananaJones2@reddit

carnalasadasalad@reddit

e1p1@reddit

uznhov@reddit

Ilostmytractor@reddit

duane11583@reddit

Sinn_Sage@reddit