Seamaster 23 - what should I be looking at?

[dombuckley]

For a local surveyor, either look at the websites of The International Institute of Marine Surveying or the Yacht Designers and Surveyors Association.
www.iims.org.uk
www.ybdsa.co.uk
Even better ask for recommendations from the members of the local sailing club.

Costs: minimum £10 per foot (any less, they're unlikely to be a professional, carrying insurance costs). Depending on how many there are in the area, you should find someone around the £12-13 per foot mark fairly easily, so budget on about £300.

 

[bobdoughty]

Fantastic information. Thanks very much everyone!

 

[Bajansailor]

To all Seamaster 23 owners - I have a copy of the Builder's catalogue from 1974, complete with some nice photos (B & W) and specification sheet - if you would like a scanned emailed copy, please PM me with your email address.

 

[moondancer]

I would agree with earlier posters. Buy the best you can afford and then a bit better. Far cheaper than having to spend a fortune upgrading bits and pieces and the cost range from best to worst of a 70s / 80s 25 footer is only 5K to 7K. It would cost far more than 2K to get the 5K boat up to the condition of the 7K boat - if that makes sense.

The other thing I would say - and this is a very personal view - is that I have seen many people who say something like 'sailing performance is not realy that important'. Then after a little while sailing get incredibly frustrated sailing a bathtub that won't go to windward properly.

I think the seamaster doesn't do that badly compared to a Snapdragon, which must be the worst sailing boat in the World, but I would go for the Hurley if you can live with the lack of headroom.

 

[warrenmarkus1]

I have a '71 lift keel Seamaster 23, and apart from the lift keel, the only extra things I would check are the stanchion mountings - they did not use backing plates that were big enough, and the window sealing/condition - which may have perished after so long. Everything else is pretty standard, and should be checked like on any other boat: lower rudder mounting, sea cocks, etc.
They may not sail very quickly, but they have a massive amount of space down below, and one gets the feeling the boat will look after you, if that makes sense. A good family boat, and ideal for gentle pottering. Which is handy 'cos my GF gets twitchy at anything more than 1.9999Deg of heel. You get a lot of boat for your money. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif