Bimini Babe 0 Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 Best advice I can give is don't rush it. I spent months pissing off brokers (well, one in particular... sorry Tony) by looking at everything they had available in my budget (and often outside as well...) before I eventually settled on a completely random one-off boat that a mate of a mate just happened to be in the first stages of thinking about selling. Was it the right choice? I'm still not sure, but for better or worse, I love her, and after months of window-shopping I knew a hell of a lot more about what I really wanted. And after 3 years of ownership, I know infinitely more than that. Aside from not rushing... Get on board lots of different boats Take a mate with you who knows boats Get a survey Make sure you get a good motor (mine cost $15k to replace. Ouch.) Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 Hey BB a crap motor will make you into a good sailer! Link to post Share on other sites
Bimini Babe 0 Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 Hey BB a crap motor will make you into a good sailer! For some I guess. But for me? Quite honestly it made me into a non-sailor, because at that stage, having done bugger-all sailing, I simply didn't have the confidence in my sailing abilities to want to take the boat out without the 'safety net' of the motor. Having a decent motor means I use the boat a lot more, and would be happy to take her places I wouldn't have before, in weather I wouldn't have before, with less crew than before. In short, having a decent motor has made me into a better sailor! Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 Yes its reassuring to just turn the key and know its gonna go. Expensive lumps they are but love that security. Yours must be sweet now! Link to post Share on other sites
smithy09 50 Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 Hey John B, I'm trying to be helpful here! Practical. Showing the wisdom of my years etc. In the end, I got a shortlist, fell in luv anyway and bought a yacht/class that was 3rd on my preferred list. But she was Ssssooooooo pretty......................... And I'm still in love. And poorer. But I don't fecking care I'm glad I'm not the only one! Great thread! Link to post Share on other sites
John B 106 Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 Heh heh, yeah, considering I've had 2 boats over 29 years and the last one I was in lust with for 15 years before buying it... maybe we're saying the same thing afterall. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 So therefore based on the above posts: If I have the prettiest Farr 1104 in existence, It is a blue, hull gold, striping and grey deck and antifoul colour to stand out on a mooring, There is a newish motor and 3 bladed folding prop to get you home at over 6kn in 30kn, The maintenance programme has satisfied the toughest surveyors points, It is proven to be easily sailed short handed, The cruising interior is in great condition, The race record is impressive without being overawing, The experienced and flexible partnership mean low buy in, low ongoing costs and shared maintenance responsibilities Why is my 1/3 share in Revolution still not taken up????? All Enquiries welcome. View P10 Westhaven. 0274 754 169 Jono Link to post Share on other sites
idlerboat 116 Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 ...Jono...probably because it is a 1/3 rd share ! some may like the idea, but im selfish and want to be master a commander of my vessel. I can see the merits of sharing given usage and costs, but having a shared "vision" and mutual tastes would be important for a syndicate to work.. Link to post Share on other sites
ScoobaGurl 0 Posted May 13, 2012 Author Share Posted May 13, 2012 I have a soft spot for Davidson 28s, but there are many other similar sized boats out there. By all means take a good look at H28s, but don't ignore other similar sized boats. Look at lots of them .... the more the better. Look at so many boats you're sick of it ... and then look some more. By that stage, you'll be looking past the pretty and giving the systems and set up a close inspection. You'll know a good one from a bad and you'll be better informed about what you like and what you don't. Take someone with you who knows more about boats than you do and ask them lots of questions .... but don't listen to them when they tell you what you want ... it's invariably what they THINK you want (or need). Finally getting round to digesting all this information ...... only on the second page but really like what you've said here ........ am on leave for a couple of weeks and am going to start looking ..... and looking ...... and looking as you've suggested, am plugging all suggestion into a spreadsheet and weighting them for importance and will fine tune as I go. Am really fearful of making an emotional buy as this is something I KNOW I can’t afford to do. So far as personal preference goes I want first to cruise not race, I understand the importance of racing and am doing that through the RYC in the 3 handed Winter series, for me the ultimate aim is the 5yr goal of cruising the South Pacific as a competent sailor. I want to be able to eventually sail her by myself locally as far as Great Barrier and surrounds (the one I buy now .... 5yr goal will definitely be a bigger one) and I want to be able to dive off her with relative easy. Am realising this is going to be a journey and not a quick fix so watch this space and many thanks for the advice. have many more pages of advice to go ....... Link to post Share on other sites
ScoobaGurl 0 Posted May 13, 2012 Author Share Posted May 13, 2012 Ummmmmmmmmmmmm you guys remember a posting about wanting to go back to Pitcan Island, H28 go cat1 and more than oneh as done it Yep correct remember the 'Pitcairn' posting ..... this is still in the goal plan and NO this will not be the boat that takes me there or anywhere significantly offshore but this will be the boat that I get to know as well as a lover and learn to sail like it’s the only thing in the universe that’s keeping me alive ........ then I plan to upgrade and build on that knowledge before heading off ..... hopefully not alone but definitely as competent as I can get myself to be in the next 4yrs Link to post Share on other sites
ScoobaGurl 0 Posted May 13, 2012 Author Share Posted May 13, 2012 If it's any help, don't rush. It's winter coming up anyway so take your time. I, being the anal sod that I am, put a spreadsheet together when I was looking at my first keeler. Had columns for length, number of berths, must haves (in my case roller furler, decent motor and walk thru transom), type of engine, number of hours, hull type (timber/glass etc) etc etc. More columns than I could shake a stick at! Best piece of advice is to TAKE YOUR TIME.............then research, get expert advice when you get close to a decision, get a survey, buy her, fall in love with her, sail away. ....... have only just got to this post ........ so far I'm an emotionally anal ...... or anally emotional ........ spreadsheet coming on real good Getting the message that the 'emotional' component is important ....... was trying to figure out how I was going to keep this strictly logical ...... errrr that’s just not gonna happen aye! Feeling a lot better with each page of your advise and opinions I go through ...... Link to post Share on other sites
ScoobaGurl 0 Posted May 13, 2012 Author Share Posted May 13, 2012 So therefore based on the above posts:If I have the prettiest Farr 1104 in existence, It is a blue, hull gold, striping and grey deck and antifoul colour to stand out on a mooring, There is a newish motor and 3 bladed folding prop to get you home at over 6kn in 30kn, The maintenance programme has satisfied the toughest surveyors points, It is proven to be easily sailed short handed, The cruising interior is in great condition, The race record is impressive without being overawing, The experienced and flexible partnership mean low buy in, low ongoing costs and shared maintenance responsibilities Why is my 1/3 share in Revolution still not taken up????? All Enquiries welcome. View P10 Westhaven. 0274 754 169 Jono Thanks Jono .....but like I said I want to know my boat like a lover ....... I don't share!! .... let alone with 2 others P.S I've sailed on your boat .....she's lovely ...... I really just to play with myself err I mean by myself Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 Shamelessly pushing my books for sale in the classifieds - sorry. However the Dashew books are a must read for cruising and yachts I reckon, whether you're starting out or not. Advice, opinion and the results of many hard learnt and expensive lessons. No doubt arguing about his boats, etc, will start a love him or hate him thread here. Everyone is going to make mistakes, no matter who or how experienced, the sea is hard on mistakes and boats are just plain expensive on the wallet no matter how good or well maintained. The idea, I think, is to minimise them. Read everything you can get your hands on, sail as many boats as possible and learn from other peoples stuff ups, you'll find plenty of good people to steer you through the worst and expensive on this site. Good luck with the boat shopping. Wheelhead Link to post Share on other sites
Battgirl 23 Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 Solo sailing adds another aspect to your boat search as some are easier to handle shorthanded than others. Any boat you check out you would also need to ensure you can do the necessaries with the gear provided ie sail raising, lowering adjusting, anchor set and retrieval or you could be up for spending on gruntier gear and winches are expensive little devils. As others have said already, take your time. Its what you don't know that can catch you out. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 I've found it for you! Boat name is Cracka. It is a Kevin Lidgard 31 footer, owned by a very good boatbuilder, recent Cat 1, has the expensive desirable extras like a cockpit bimini, and plenty faster than a Lotus 9.2 or D28. And the owner has 2 boats (just bought a 39 foot big sister) so going cheap (ish). So, not too big, not too slow, in good condition, well set up for cruising, and good provenance. And not too expensive. It's currently in Westpark so not too far away either. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 Excellent boat, definitely go check it out. Link to post Share on other sites
Farrari 4 Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 Would it be this one by any chance? http://www.tradeaboat.co.nz/View/Used/LIDGARD-31-SLOOP-1978/20544.aspx?Ne=1&N=4294966458 Link to post Share on other sites
Bimini Babe 0 Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 I do a lot of diving off my boat and quickly found diving from a small yacht is not the easiest! However, an inflatable dinghy is absolutely invaluable - real easy to chuck the gear into the dinghy and gear up there, and super-easy to climb back into from the water, even still partially geared up, then just transfer all gear from the dinghy back up to the boat. Link to post Share on other sites
Terry B 71 Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 Unless it's been bought & sold a few times that I'm not aware of, it's been on the market for a lloooong time. GET IT SURVEYED!!!!!! Link to post Share on other sites
aroma 0 Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 don't prowl here much nowdays but heres my 5 c worth was told by several people including several brokers you will step on to a boat and fall in love then buy her warts and all. I am guilty try not to buy one at the other end of the country it cost quite a bit to get her home I had new sails on the way,engine after I got her home and had never sailed before buy what you want,when you want as you will putting you cold hard cash up front not everyone in the background and enjoy your purchase and good luck Link to post Share on other sites
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