mrming
Well-known member
Another vote for the Gib’Sea / outboard. Any idea if there is vinyl headlining? If present, it’s often omitted from the photos of French boats from that era because the foam backing has disintegrated and it’s hanging down.
According to info it’s a solid grphull and the deck is sandwich.If we go in that direction a more detailed investigation will be needed before we say yes,the first visit was a wet day but no sign of leaks in windows etc……and we need to unscrew the cabin sole to look at the bilgesAnother vote for the Gib’Sea / outboard. Any idea if there is vinyl headlining? If present, it’s often omitted from the photos of French boats from that era because the foam backing has disintegrated and it’s hanging down.
Steve,
We had a GibSea 242 until 3 seasons ago, and indeed it was our first boat which we kept for 2 seasons. We learnt alot from her with our typical voyages being from Poole either down to Weymouth or round to somewhere in the Solent.
In terms of the negatives - being a relatively small and hence light boat we did get thrown around quite alot which meant for some fairly uncorfortable passages occasionally. Under engine in anything apart from calm waters we found her a problem, the reason being because the engine being an ourboard was enclosed in the port locker. Being left of centre meant that whenever the boat heeled to starboard whilst under engine the outboard had a tendency to lift out of the water hence impacting our already slow speed considerably (an inboard engine wouldn't have had this problem).
When we came to sell her, what we'd found as a reason to buy her was in most people case a reason not too. I'm referring to the open plan layout below decks. Great for space, not so great for privacy and hence it took a fair bit longer than we'd expected to sell her and at a far lower price than we'd hoped.
We knew the limitations engine wise when we bought her, but being from a dinghy background had decided that an engine wasn't that important. Whilst I still agree that sailing boats are for sailing, I will also admit that there are times when you just want to turn the key and get the engine going.
My summary to you would be to think about how important the engine is to you - not having a great one is a great aid to building sailing skills! Also, how long would you plan to keep her bearing in mind our experiences of selling one.
Best of luck and feel free to fire me an email to my inbox if I can help.
Richard
At this juncture I have two boats more or less the same size but a good few years difference and one with an inboard and one with a outboard.On e of my dilemas is the new boat has the outboard and is real quite suited to sailing in the rías if I am honest….Gibsea 242…….the other is a Jennaue Sangria a yacht with pedigree and capable of more daring adventures.Logic says go with the Gibsea but my heart inclines towards the Sangria that has the old ya mar diesel inboard……any thoughts on this dilema
Thanks for another point of view.There are two versions our one is a fin keel the other a drop keel that is not so stableI don't want to be a party pooper but I would go for the Sangria and get the engine rebuilt - there are still parts available AFAIK. It's a heavier boat than the Gibsea and perhaps better for your sailing area .... that Gibsea offset engine may cause you problems.
GibSea 242 as a First Boat
.... but more to the point, get on with it! - time and tide wait for no man!![]()
Either could be OK.
Personally, I lean to the Sangria - something about the style (inside and out) and spaces, cockpit, plus I value an inboard, plus it's a significantly larger boat - but I think that given
- the main use you are likely to make of it;
- that it has an old inboard engine that likely give you grief sooner or later, and perhaps eventually need replacing, and you are somewhat scared/mystified by motors, and it would cost at least the €5k price difference to replace the motor;;
- it will be less easy and valuable to sell on when the time comes;
you should almost certainly get the Gibsea 242.
It will be perfectly capable of some more adventurous cruising, should you want to do that. (You would just need to make minor adjustments to what and how you do it, as you would for any boat.)
You will relatively easily be able to sell it on if after a while you realise you really want/need something different (something you won't know until you've been back on the water a while again).
An important consideration is what your heart/gut is telling (a) you, and (b) your missus about either boat.
The most important consideration though, probably, is that you get yourself a boat, any boat, and get out on the water before it's too late. (Even if it's only to discover you don't really want/need a boat any more, you need to get it out of your system).
Now get on the blower to that broker before someone else snaffles it!
. . . the deck is sandwich. If we go in that direction a more detailed investigation will be needed before we say yes,the first visit was a wet day but no sign of leaks in windows etc……
. . . and we need to unscrew the cabin sole to look at the bilges
We have a meeting with our gestoría to establish the legal side as it is registered in Luxemburg.Almost every modern boat's deck and/or coachroof is a sandwich. The alternatives are beams, taking up valuable space and complicating construction, or extra thick GRP, adding weight (in the wrong place) and significant cost. I imagine boats of the age of the GibSea will use inert plastic foam in the sandwich, rather than balsa and its risk of rot if there are leaks. A sandwich deck/coachroof is something to be checked, but not something to be particularly worried about.
Yes, but that can wait. It's unlikely to reveal anything significant. It's not a reason to delay. If you have decided you want whichever boat you need to make an offer pronto subject to survey (whether that's a professional one, or just a more detailed inspection/assessemtn by yourself, and preferably a knowledgeable chum). You can then look under the floorboards as part of that survey.
I don't want to be a party pooper but I would go for the Sangria and get the engine rebuilt - there are still parts available AFAIK.
.... but more to the point, get on with it! - time and tide wait for no man!![]()
We have a meeting with our gestoría to establish the legal side as it is registered in Luxemburg.
Úntl we see the gestoria it’s on standbyThat registration surely can't be a major problem, given Luxembourg is in the EU, and it is an EU produced/certified boat. Make an offer subject to resolution of the transfer of registration to Spain (plus survey). The details can be sorted out later.
If you are seriously interested, then you need to signal that to the broker/vendor without delay, and find out whether it is still actually available and whether you can agree on a price.
The only issues re registration are presumably whether (a) there is a significant cost attached to it, and (b) what is the most practical way of making the transfer (e.g. is it faster, easier, cheaper for the current owner to effect the transfer before transfer of ownership to you).
O ye of little faith ...I think it would be a big mistake - and money down the drain - to get the engine of this age and type rebuilt. Either replace with a modern engine, or live with it as it is, assuming it's functional.
If it's not in reasonably functional condition, then Wansworth needs to either replace the engine (by a professional) at the outset and factor that into the price offered, or walk away.
Absolutely.![]()
Dismantling the upper part of the engine confirms the diagnosis. Piston, connecting rod and piston ring must be replaced. The cylinder head can be saved and goes to a specialist for rework.
New parts are ordered. Despite its age, we found the spare parts without any difficulty. Yanmar has maintained production of spare parts for blocks built more than 40 years ago.
Replacing it with a new engine required a budget of around 9,000 euros, excluding the costs that would have arisen from changing the engine bed. The repair of the Yanmar cost less than 3,000 euros.
As mentioned, this is the market value of a comparable second.hand engine. But we now know the history of our engine and that gives us peace of mind.
O ye of little faith ...
'Wir haben unseren Innenbordmotor neu gebaut, anstatt ihn zu ersetzen'
Translated from original German article ....
We have rebuilt our inboard engine instead of renewing it ...
Finished engine ...
View attachment 167421
.. of course it is up to @Wansworth to decide if it is something he could do. .... but it is certainly possible at a reasonable price. This engine was rebuilt in April 2023.
I couldn’t even think about doing it……..I can check the oilO ye of little faith ...
'Wir haben unseren Innenbordmotor neu gebaut, anstatt ihn zu ersetzen'
Translated from original German article ....
We have rebuilt our inboard engine instead of renewing it ...
Finished engine ...
View attachment 167421
.. of course it is up to @Wansworth to decide if it is something he could do. .... but it is certainly possible at a reasonable price. This engine was rebuilt in April 2023.
At the rate you're going, you'll be too old and decrepit to sail a boat anyway before you get your arse into gear.Now get on the blower to that broker before someone else snaffles it!
IndeedAt the rate you're going, you'll be too old and decrepit to sail a boat anyway before you get your arse into gear.
Or is this whole thing just a fantasy to occupy a less than inspiring retirement?
That was meant to be tongue in cheek but, actually there is a decision to be made. Do I really want a boat, or have I just convinced myself I do?
Come on then, get one of them bought so we can move on to giving you dubious advice on how to fix it.Indeed![]()
Yes,that is adirectionTo play devils advocate ......
It can be quite liberating to change your plans, and accept that goals you set yourself are not actually what you want to do any more.
I am about to give up my motorbike even though I love the thing - the reason being that I didn't end up using it nearly as much as I hoped - and I didn't do all the tours and road-trips I envisaged either.
My other half sold her Ducati Monster a few years ago because she never recovered her confidence after she was knocked off the bike. A car turned across her, she ended up in hospital with a broken wrist, and the driver got prosecuted - heavy traffic in Munich center at around 50 kmh.
As she no longer rides bikes, mine has been used less and less - but it took me a long time to admit to myself that I was never going to ride it round all the mountain passes in Europe, and I ought to let the dream go. We did try a few long trips after the accident but it just wasn't the same.
Good memories though ... and time to move on. Bike will go up for sale in the spring.
You do seem to be shying away from actually taking the plunge, so perhaps ask yourself - Do you really want it? ... and if not, think of all the other possibilities that you could spend your time and money on.
5 figures could get you well invested in pretty much any pastime you fancy ...