gooch wrote:
I know a common problem with the Cal is a soft deck and I have a whole
list of things to be aware of on both of these boats. I am trying to do
my homework and not jump into anything too quickly.


Looks to me like you're doing a great job so far.

Have you checked in with either boat's class associations in your area?
You haven't mentioned being interested in racing, but one way to make
darn sure a boat is *really* in shape to be sailed is if it is raced
regularly. For your purposes, you don't care if it's a winner


I am not dead set on either of the boats I mentioned at this point. I
am open to suggestions on other candidates. I have done quite a bit of
research and they both seemed to meet my criteria well.


Some other racer-cruisers you might find in that size/price range which
would probably suit your purposes as well... maybe a tad better... but
certainly worth looking at:

(in no particular order and not all-inclusive):
Ericson, Pearson, Tanzer, Precision, S2, Dufour, Beneteau

There were literally thousands of different boatbuilders over the past
40 years trying to fill this market niche. The more you check out, the
better your chances of finding a really good one.



I was not aware that I shhould be looking at boats that much above what
I want to spend. My impression was that I should be looking at 10%
above what I want to spend.

Nah, go for the gold. First, lots of boats are way way overpriced by
owners who have unrealistic market expectations. Second, as long as you
don't look exclusively at boats that are twice as much as what you can
realistically offer, you're still digging in the right mine.

Also you might look at boats a tad bigger, and forestall two-foot-itis.
A 27' or 28' will cost only a tiny bit more and offer surprising
expansions in comfort & performance.


... I have looked at the prices for a slip and
they seem to vary greatly in this area from dirt cheap to astronomical.
I amthinking I will not go to either extreme and concentrate on a
convienient location.

That's a good approach IMHO... the closer the slip, the more you'll use
the boat.

...I have not looked too much at insurance but I
have heard that it is generally pretty cheap (relative to other
locations) for sailing in the Bay mostly due to the soft bottom
conditions.

It varies according to what kind of coverage you get. You can certainly
get the minimum (although I'd recommend at least $1 mill liability),
just understand that this will leave you largely self-insured ie your
loss is your loss. The liability is very handy when people want to sue
you, the insurance co will send a good lawyer to help you keep that
million bucks in their pocket.

engsol wrote:
As usual, Doug offers good advice. The only thing I would add
is to purchase Practical Sailor Boat Buying Guide. The second
is to make yourself your own surveyer. Not to replace the 'real'
surveyer, which you'll need for insurance, but to to catch things
the surveyer will miss.

As to price....Doug is again dead on. When I was shopping for my boat,
I was amazed at the number of boats listed at $15-20K, but the owner
would let it go for $7k. As true with a lot of things, boats are worth what
someone is willing to pay.

Uh, thanks Norm... how much do I owe ya
If we're going to the library, let me add a recommendation for study
material: Ian Nicholson's "Surveying Small Craft." By far the best guide
to the nitty-gritty of evaluating a boat's construction & condition.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King