SeeBoertjie 0 Posted December 8, 2023 Share Posted December 8, 2023 Hi everyone, My partner and I have recently been bitten by the yachting bug and have started looking at budget keelers. However, we soon realized we are out of depth when it comes to knowing what to look for. Our initial goal is to sail around locally, we are based in Tauranga, and perhaps spend a night or two on the water when the weather is nice and we have gotten some experience under our belts. We are both pretty new to the sailing world having only really spent about a few months sailing on and off so far. Based on what some of the members have posted here we are considering a previously loved budget keeler between $10-15K such as an Alan Wright Nova/Tracker or a Salthouse 25. Having said that, my experience with second hand yachts is very limited and I would greatly appreciate it if anyone can give me some advice and/or tips as to what to look/ask for when viewing a potential boat to buy in terms of making sure that it is in a reasonable condition and wont cost an arm and leg two months down the line to fix up because some rusty nut was missed by my ignorance during a viewing. Again thanks for any advice! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jon 360 Posted December 8, 2023 Share Posted December 8, 2023 Get it surveyed And get it surveyed 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
aardvarkash10 960 Posted December 8, 2023 Share Posted December 8, 2023 tauranga harbour is pretty shallow everywhere. Consider actual draft. A bilge keeler would suit there really well. Jon has said it first - survey. you will need one for insurance anyway, and you will need insurance for a marina berth or a mooring. For a cheap as chips option, Raven 26. Lots of other choices though. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SeeBoertjie 0 Posted December 8, 2023 Author Share Posted December 8, 2023 Thanks Jon and Aardvark for the advice, much appreciated for a newbie like myself. Any idea on what a survey typically costs these days? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Zozza 293 Posted December 8, 2023 Share Posted December 8, 2023 9 hours ago, aardvarkash10 said: tauranga harbour is pretty shallow everywhere. Consider actual draft. A bilge keeler would suit there really well. Jon has said it first - survey. you will need one for insurance anyway, and you will need insurance for a marina berth or a mooring. For a cheap as chips option, Raven 26. Lots of other choices though. 100% Raven 26. Cheap, Safe, good headroom, an ideal learner keeler Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ballystick 72 Posted December 8, 2023 Share Posted December 8, 2023 Davidson 28s are pretty good value and there's a few around Tauranga. Surveys are around $1000 depending on length plus lift fees. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
eruptn 95 Posted December 9, 2023 Share Posted December 9, 2023 On 8/12/2023 at 4:34 PM, SeeBoertjie said: Hi everyone, My partner and I have recently been bitten by the yachting bug and have started looking at budget keelers. However, we soon realized we are out of depth when it comes to knowing what to look for. Our initial goal is to sail around locally, we are based in Tauranga, and perhaps spend a night or two on the water when the weather is nice and we have gotten some experience under our belts. We are both pretty new to the sailing world having only really spent about a few months sailing on and off so far. Based on what some of the members have posted here we are considering a previously loved budget keeler between $10-15K such as an Alan Wright Nova/Tracker or a Salthouse 25. Having said that, my experience with second hand yachts is very limited and I would greatly appreciate it if anyone can give me some advice and/or tips as to what to look/ask for when viewing a potential boat to buy in terms of making sure that it is in a reasonable condition and wont cost an arm and leg two months down the line to fix up because some rusty nut was missed by my ignorance during a viewing. Again thanks for any advice! Don’t over look getting a trailer yacht to learn on…a lot cheaper option for a first boat. Can sail the harbour or nearby Rotorua Lakes. Keep it simple when starting out…. 1 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
aardvarkash10 960 Posted December 10, 2023 Share Posted December 10, 2023 ^this is good advice. A larger ts (thinking Nolex 22 or 25) is big enough for two people to be comfortable, and the retractable keel means you can navigate most areas of the Tauranga Harbour. Also big enough to explore outside the entrance - across to Mayor Island, or up the Coromandel coast. The option of sailing on the Rotorua lakes or Taupo is also a good thing. And a trailer boat has storage and maintenance advantages, balanced somewhat by the maintenance of the trailer itself. and your tow vehicle. 1 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ballystick 72 Posted December 10, 2023 Share Posted December 10, 2023 Trailer boats are great for Tauranga Harbour, we had a Farr 7500 for our first boat, very roomy and safe. We had amazing adventures around the harbour and close by islands such as Karewa 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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