Best 24-27 ft cruising boat for under £5k?

[steve yates]

Looking a little further ahead, particularly as it seems to be a buyers market and only going to get worse for sellers of older boats; what would be good boats to look out for in a year or so's time to buy At between £3-£6k for a reasonably good condition one?
I want offshore seaworthiness and to be looked after in rough seas/high winds and have standing room for 6' and bunks slightly longer., and good stowage space. My girlfriend wants to feel safe in the cockpit, a decent double berth, a Sep toilet and room for 4.

I've seen some very keenly priced Hurley 24/70's lately, and decent seeming jag 25's seem to have an asking price of 7k, so potentially could be had for 5 from the right seller.

What would you guys be considering with these criteria?

Thx.

 

[Judders]

Halcyon 27, Folksong, something like that. It's a tight budget.

Do you want to be sailing for £5k or is that just the purchase price?

 

[ballyabroad]

Slight bias here, but a Sabre 27 falls within budget and spec. I've been out in some right carp and it hangs in there well. Built like a proverbial brick privvie and weighs 3T so pretty docile in a blow. Plenty of room down below and the bilge keel flavoured ones make half decent beach caravans! Enough berths theoretically for 6, but 3 is less like camping in 2 man tent.


An active owners association sabre27.org.uk/

If you look through through the galley mine is the first one on the list. I've also had a Jag 25. Not quite so tough nor roomy, but it will just fit on a trailer. I'd take the Sabre Offshore, but not quite so convinced by the Jag.

 

[Sandy]

I am bias, a Mirage 28, but you will be very, very lucky to get one at that price.

 

[steve yates]

Judders, yes sailing. I don't mind sorting out some bits and pieces, and maybe doing a paint job. And I appreciate there will always be stuff to sort at that price, but no projects. I want to sail boats, not work on them ashore.

Camelia, yes there is that. But I will keep my existing little boat, to stay on the water, so I can afford to shop around and hold out for a great deal.

 

[obmij]

Judders, yes sailing. I don't mind sorting out some bits and pieces, and maybe doing a paint job. And I appreciate there will always be stuff to sort at that price, but no projects. I want to sail boats, not work on them ashore.

Camelia, yes there is that. But I will keep my existing little boat, to stay on the water, so I can afford to shop around and hold out for a great deal.

Steve,

Best of luck in your search - there are great deals out there, BUT if you see one be prepared to move very quickly to secure it.

Holding out doesn't really achieve much, although you may see a lot of boats.

 

[Bobc]

I would recommend that you keep saving until you have 10k.

 

[{151760}]

Sadler 25.

 

[Bru]

£3k to £6k isn't going to get you a boat "in reasonable condition" at that size bracket unless you're lucky

It will get you a boat alright but you'll be spending several grand on it PDQ

Around £9k however opens up the market enormously and for that sort of money you could be looking at any one of a number of models of boat in a ready to use condition needing nothing more than routine annual maintenance

 

[Lyndsey Doyle]

Good afternoon, you will easily find an excellent Hurley 24/70 well within your budget, I had one for about 3 yrs, 90% living aboard, cruised UK, France Belgium and Holland.
They are tough little boats, and there is an informative owners website, with a for sale section (no membership required).
Enjoy the sun LD

 

[derekgillard]

I learnt to sail on a T24 there were about 300 made on the East Coast. We cruised the West Country CI and France and she never let us down. I think they were all fin keel

My second recommendation would be the Sadler 25 if you could get one for the money.

Good Luck

 

[Bobc]

I would recommend that you keep saving until you have 10k.

Sorry, let me quanify this (sounded a bit rude didn't it).

As Bru says, it's unlikely that you'll find a "good" boat for that money. You're likely to get something that either needs a new motor, new sails, re-rigging, new upholstery, etc. My first boat cost me £6.5k back in 1992, and I still ended-up having to spend another £2k or so getting it to a reliable state.

With a budget of £10k, you'll be able to buy something that works, which is what you really want for your first boat.

 

[lw395]

A half share in an Impala?

At this price level, it's a case of finding any boat you believe can do what you need in your total budget, it is about the individual boat, not the average Sabre or Hurley or whatever. Look at anything and everything that might do the job, try to price up your total spend to get it sailing as you want it.
Good Luck.

 

[lw395]

Couple of Strider cats just out of budget....
http://www.sailingcatamarans.com/index.php/pre-owned-boats

 

[Mataji]

Can't believe nobody has mentioned the Westerley Centaur yet. I've seen several advertised around that price.

 

[Judders]

A decent nic Sabre 27 at £5k sounds awesome.

 

[{151760}]

If you go to the Yacht Market and search for Trident 24, there's one comes up in Cowes. It looks pretty good from outside. It floats, anyway, which is a good start!

 

[ballyabroad]

It does happen. One went for £2.7K the other week, but that looked as though it needed a few £ spent to bring it up to standard.

This one is at £5k currently.
http://r.ebay.com/ns8q2a

 

[Bru]

It does happen. One went for £2.7K the other week, but that looked as though it needed a few £ spent to bring it up to standard.

This one is at £5k currently.
http://r.ebay.com/ns8q2a

Been on and off the market for some considerable time now that one.

No date on the sails, no indication of how old the standing rigging is, the original Volvo 2002 is an issue (expensive spares, hard to repair) and with the best will in the world it's not the most enticing interior I've ever seen on a yacht

If you want a really decent Sabre 27, you'll need double the money at least - and by decent I'm talking one with a modern diesel, rigging and sails all renewed within the last ten years or so. As it happens, if we ever find Bigger Boat ....

 

[ballyabroad]

All good news. First to offer £10k then gets mine! Brand New Main with stackpack (7 days old). Beta 25 with brand new never used gear box, new shaft and bearing. Rudder just been rebuilt, fresh antifoul and all good to go.

Please form an orderly queue!