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: I've sailed dinghys to 27 footers for years but never owned a boat. I'd like to spend around $7K for a good cruising boat for the Chesapeake Bay. I'm thinking of a 25 - 27 footer and probably one of these makes: ODay, Catalina, C&C, Pearson, Columbia. Others?? Makes to avoid? I need basic advice. Is it realistic to expect to get a good boat for this price? How do I know a boat is sound? What is the typical annual maintenance cost for a boat like this? Thanks in advance
Jim
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Jim: Great, having your own boat is the way to go in my opinion. I have owned many over the years and sailed out of the Chesapeake Bay about 12 years ago on a Chesapeake 32 for the Florida Keys....(still here)I have restored many boats and had my own business for years doing yacht carpentry and repair so I have had the opportunity to see the good bad and the ugly so to speak.
My suggestion would be to:
#1. Decide what your sailing activities will be like and what you expect the boat to do. I.E. Are you going to primarily race, cruise the Bay on the long weekends or just do daysailing?What are the chances that you may want to take longer trips on the boat, over one week? What might your significant other consider important, if applicable. Not to be sexist, but most women will give a boat MANY extra points if it has an enclosed head, for example.
#2. Your budget...You already have that covereed.
#3. How much are you willing or able to work on the boat?If you have the ability to work on a boat and the willingness there are some great deals out there on boats often referred to as "classic plastics". Pearson and Columbia both have some wonderful older boats that are in this catagory. Thes usually were built in the sixties or seventies but are still very solid and reliable boats. These also tend to be boats that are very seaworthy and much more forgiving to sail than a high performance racer.
#4 What can you afford to spend on the boat on a monthly basis? There is going to be slip rental, yearly haulout and bottom painting, winterizing (maybe). Lots of folks race the frostbite series up there.If you have some place in mind to keep the boat already, is it going to put draft restrictions on your choices? Having cruised a boat with a three foot six draft and one with a five foot draft I can assure you that the extra foot and a half makes a big difference when you are looking for an anchorage in some of the rivers and creeks on the Bay.Do you have to get under bridges?Go to a web site called Carls Sail calculator and compare boats you are interested in. http://www.image-ination.com/sailcalc.html This website already has many of the boats that you may be looking at in the database. If it does not have one you are looking at you cnan enter the info on the boat and then compare them.
You are in the best place I have ever seen to be looking for a boat. Make use of the internet and compare boats that are for sale.There are many websites listing boats. Some have searchable databases such as Soundings Online.Many brokers have listing online. Go to the yards and look at boats. Talk to brokers and let them know what you are looking for once you know.( If you are really sure about what you want tell them) KEEP NOTES, on the boats that you are considering such as price, Interior layout options, engines, etc. Make a list of the attributes that are important to YOU and include those things in your notes on each boat for comparison purposes. Once you know the boat you want watch all the internet sites for the perfect boat. If it is a long way away from you keep in mind shipping or delivery cost. If it is on the Bay it might give you an opportunity to take a great weekend getaway. I bought my first sailboat in Deltaville Va. and sailed her back up to Annapolis the first time I sailed her. GREAT TRIP!
E-mail me if you have more or specific questions and best of luck.