First Boat Help

[Mancmunky]

I am looking for my first real boat after a year of small dinghy sailing, I dont have a massive budget but I reckon£2000 - £3000 should get me something to escape to every other weekend. the problem is every boat that I have looked at is being sold because its rubbish. other than making sure i get a survey any pointers/advice on buying my first boat?

ta in advance

 

[poter]

If you can stretch your budget a little then you could pick up a Westerly GK24.
have a look on the boat sales on
http://ybw.yachtworld.com/

good luck

poter

 

[Mancmunky]

Budget up to hilt at £3000,

I am looking for a trailerable boat around 18-20ft that I can weekend on with the kids, 3/4 berths (cant afford mooring fees as well as the kids)

Any boats to avoid? horror stories welcome.

 

[Bajansailor]

Here is a search I did on Boatshed for boats around 22', with a median price of GBP 2,600 :
http://www.boatshed.com/dosearch.php?for...&newboats=0

The Westerly 25 is probably a bit tired, and needs some work re asking price of 2k.
The Halcyon, 2 x Sea Wyches, and Express Pirate all look interesting.
VicS on here is the chap to talk to re Sea Wyches - he has one.

And here is a search on Yachtworld for boats 18' - 24', between GBP 2 -3,000 - and it came up with 15 :
http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listing/c...ddedSelected=-1

Happy searching, and good luck!

 

[Impaler]

Have a look here
http://www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk/php/b...p;Submit=Search
Seahawk would probably be ideal...

 

[PeteCooper]

Hunter Europa is a super boat - 19ft long, sleeps 4 cosily and sails brilliantly. The earlier Hunter 19 which is very similar - different coachroof crossed the Atlantic. I had a fin keel Europa, and loved it. Being a fin keel actually makes it easier to tow/reverse as all you see at eye level is the keel. There are a lot of tatty ones about, but find a good one and you would like it a lot.

 

[Dyflin]

Some nice trailer sailors here

 

[retsina]

The Mirror Offshore is an excellent small Yacht and is trailable. Mine is for sale; if you want more info let me know

 

[goldscoter14]

I have a Snapdragon 23 that is a great boat. You can prob pick one up within your budget. They are lovely boats to sail and have a decent amount of room. They were built by Thames marine and are very solid. They have a nice combination of a swing keel with a long stub that give them good directional stability but still make them trailerable. I might even be selling at the end of the summer if your still looking...

 

[ghostlymoron]

You could consider a Leisure 17 - these are sturdy little boats. Well within your budget. Some are for sale on www.boatsand outboards.

 

[Evadne]

Sadly I can't recommend any Elizabethans, the cheapest 23 on our brokerage page is about the same as I paid for my 29 in 1985, just under £6k. At that price you are, as I was told back then, looking at the end of the market where spiders and moss come as standard. But nothing that a day's work with scotchbrite and Mr Muscle can't clear. The Swift 18, Anderson 22 and Foxcub are also good, solid boats worth considering. There are lots of rubbish boats, but also a lot of good but neglected ones. Keep looking.

 

[m1taylor]

I have a lot of fun out of trailer sailers costing less than £2k. My current 17ft trailer sailer cost £1k and I am well pleased with her. The trick is to get the right one for you first time around, as at this price they will always cost you something, just in general improvements, maintenance and cosmetic changes. It's a buyer's market in my experience - more boats under £3k at any one time than buyers, so never pay the asking price unless the boat is absolutely the best of the bunch, and even then haggle away! It won't be worth paying a surveyor at this price, so you will have to do the assessment yourself - so make sure you look very carefully in the bilges, in lockers and under benches/berths and check that any wood or steel frames are ok, because it will be a major hassle if not. Any rot or corrosion in frames or keels - walk away as there are plenty more. Check standing rigging - it cost you several hundred to replace these! And check the sails - again, quite expensive if they are no good.

 

[landlockedpirate]

I think you could just about get a Leisure 20 (Big sister of the 17). Safe and easy to sail but not the quickest boat around. Great accomodation for the size and comfortable for a family.

There is 1 for sale here. Its asking price is over budget but an offer of 3K seems fair at this time of year (and its not too far from you).

 

[Avocet]

You might just get an Evolution 22 for that. They're trailable and very fast in calm water. Lift keel so they dry out flat on a beach (once you've remembered to lift the log impeller)! Quite a lot of space down below because they're so beamy.