I am just beginning to explore getting into cruising, am newly retired, and
want to cruise on the waterways of the Pacific Northwest doing regular
overnight cruises for two people and occasionally 4. I have a boat budget of
about $50,000. Any recommendations as the best boat to buy would be
appreciated. I am open to new or used and will moor the boat at my local
marina. From the reading I have done so far I know I want a craft that is
first seaworthy, then reliable, and reasonably comfortable.

Thanks very much.

H. David

In article ,
H. David wrote:
I am just beginning to explore getting into cruising, am newly retired, and
want to cruise on the waterways of the Pacific Northwest doing regular
overnight cruises for two people and occasionally 4. I have a boat budget of
about $50,000. Any recommendations as the best boat to buy would be
appreciated. I am open to new or used and will moor the boat at my local
marina. From the reading I have done so far I know I want a craft that is
first seaworthy, then reliable, and reasonably comfortable.

Thanks very much.

How much experience do you have with sailing (I'm assuming) and/or
cruising? There are lots of good quality boats out there for well
under $50K. Mono or multi interest? How much time do you want to spend
fixing or updating equipment/sails?

Just a few questions.... :-)

--
Jonathan Ganz (j gan z @ $ail no w.c=o=m)
http://www.sailnow.com
"If there's no wind, row."

If the total budget is $50K, I'd put aside $15K of that and begin by
assuming $35K ... or so ... to pay for the boat itself (assuming you're not
financing).

"H. David" wrote in message
...
I am just beginning to explore getting into cruising, I have a boat
budget of
about $50,000.

Sorry, I meant power boating and I have no experience either with power or
sailing.

"H. David" wrote in message
...
I am just beginning to explore getting into cruising, am newly retired, and
want to cruise on the waterways of the Pacific Northwest doing regular
overnight cruises for two people and occasionally 4. I have a boat budget
of about $50,000. Any recommendations as the best boat to buy would be
appreciated. I am open to new or used and will moor the boat at my local
marina. From the reading I have done so far I know I want a craft that is
first seaworthy, then reliable, and reasonably comfortable.

Thanks very much.

H. David

Sail or motor? Overnite from where to where? Seaworthy as?
Lots of different water in the PNW.
Gordon


"H. David" wrote in message
...
I am just beginning to explore getting into cruising, am newly retired,
and
want to cruise on the waterways of the Pacific Northwest doing regular
overnight cruises for two people and occasionally 4. I have a boat budget
of
about $50,000. Any recommendations as the best boat to buy would be
appreciated. I am open to new or used and will moor the boat at my local
marina. From the reading I have done so far I know I want a craft that is
first seaworthy, then reliable, and reasonably comfortable.

Thanks very much.

H. David

Thanks for the reply. To answer your questions, Motor; overnight from Port
Ludlow to destinations reachable within a day of motoring; and relatively
seaworthy for the class of boats she is in.

"Gordon" wrote in message
...
Sail or motor? Overnite from where to where? Seaworthy as?
Lots of different water in the PNW.
Gordon


"H. David" wrote in message
...
I am just beginning to explore getting into cruising, am newly retired,
and
want to cruise on the waterways of the Pacific Northwest doing regular
overnight cruises for two people and occasionally 4. I have a boat budget
of
about $50,000. Any recommendations as the best boat to buy would be
appreciated. I am open to new or used and will moor the boat at my local
marina. From the reading I have done so far I know I want a craft that is
first seaworthy, then reliable, and reasonably comfortable.

Thanks very much.

H. David

On Fri, 22 Jul 2005 10:26:25 -0700, "H. David"
wrote:

I am just beginning to explore getting into cruising, am newly retired, and
want to cruise on the waterways of the Pacific Northwest doing regular
overnight cruises for two people and occasionally 4. I have a boat budget of
about $50,000. Any recommendations as the best boat to buy would be
appreciated. I am open to new or used and will moor the boat at my local
marina. From the reading I have done so far I know I want a craft that is
first seaworthy, then reliable, and reasonably comfortable.

Thanks very much.

H. David


You said in a later post that you are looking for a power boat. I
am thinking you will be boating in Puget Sound and maybe north into
Canada. It is all pretty protected. Most boats are seaworthy enough
for the Sound. Find a boat large enough to be comfortable. The larger
the boat, the greater the cost; for mooring fee, for fuel, for
haul-outs.

Other things to consider:

Gasoline is explosive and I consider it dangerous. Fire is the
greatest danger. As a blue-water cruiser, I would not buy a boat with
a gasoline engine. My 85 hp diesel engine pushes my 16 ton hull at 6.5
knots burning about 1.5 gallons per hour. At 5 knots, it uses about 1
gallon per hour. I know twin-engine skippers that burn 20 gallons per
hour or more. What can you afford? If you want to speed around, get a
ridged-bottom inflatable with a 20 hp outboard for a tender (dingy).
Or carry a small Boston Whaler with an outboard.

Think of your ground tackle (anchor, anchor rode, cleats, mooring
lines) as the most important system. It is second to the hull in
importance. Ground tackle keeps you safe and lets you sleep at night.
Always use oversized anchor with chain. I use an all-chain rode and a
66 pound Bruce anchor. Install a good electric windlass and use a big
anchor. When you install the windlass, replace all your cleats with
bigger cleats. In a storm, you will be happy you did.

Take the Coast Guard Auxillary course on boating safety. You'll learn
about lights, rules of the road, navigation, locking through to Lake
Union, and general safety.

Go to marinas. Ask another boat owner to walk through with you. Look
at the boats and think about what you want. Talk to people that own
boats and ask them what they like and don't like. You might be
surprised that glass boats have less maintenance than steel. learn
about zinc, bottom paint, marine heads, shorepower, knots, et c.
Go to boat shows. Walk onto sailboats as well as power boats. If I
were staying on Puget Sound, I would probably have a power boat. You
will get some ideas from every boat you see. There are lots and lots
of boats in your price range. Take a little time.

If your budget is really $50k, think more like 30k for a good, used
boat and 10k to make it how you want it. In the end, the repairs /
refits will cost twice as much as you plan.

Skipper wrote in
:

Go to marinas. Ask another boat owner to walk through with you. Look
at the boats and think about what you want. Talk to people that own
boats and ask them what they like and don't like. You might be
surprised that glass boats have less maintenance than steel. learn
about zinc, bottom paint, marine heads, shorepower, knots, et c.
Go to boat shows. Walk onto sailboats as well as power boats. If I
were staying on Puget Sound, I would probably have a power boat. You
will get some ideas from every boat you see. There are lots and lots
of boats in your price range. Take a little time.


Excellent advise. You need to hang out with the boaters and find out what
it REALLY takes to buy and keep the thing afloat. B-O-A-T means Bring Out
Another Thousand. That $50K is a drop in the bucket as to what it really
costs.

Get acquainted with the guys at the docks. Crew on a few boats until you
learn how to handle them. Get the feel of being "at sea", even if it's
only in the harbor. Help them work on their boats to see what it's going
to be like working on yours. It's NOT the romantic, rosy, peaceful picture
of laying back most people think it is. Even if you hire everything done,
at amazing expense, you'll still be working very hard to keep it running
safely. It simply falls apart, piece by piece, just sitting at its dock.
Constant repairs are necessary, even if you don't use it much. Things grow
on its bottom that must be cleaned off by a diver. Filters constantly clog
from things pumped into it to cool it/heat it. Fuel decays just sitting
there, clogging their filters. Batteries need tending. It also helps if
you're a plumber, carpenter, electrician, engine mechanic.

You'll find all this out hanging with the guys on the docks. Befriend
them. Some are very friendly. Others are like hermits and the reason they
have a boat is to be isolated from other humans. Except for the hermits,
if the guys on the docks find out you are willing to HELP them work on
their boats, a great learning experience for you, even if you only hand
them tools while they are contorted into odd shapes in the bilge, demand
for your friendship goes way up. I have 4 boats belonging to out-of-town
owners to play with. I gave up the idea of owning one long ago. It's lots
more fun buying at 4X retail from West Marine on someone ELSE'S credit
cards...(c;

Well, gotta go to the marina. One of my dock buddies wants me to find out
why his lights don't work on his Jolly rib boat, this morning. During the
"Sea Trial", we'll probably end up at some waterfront bar for lunch. That
will take hours as we move from the restaurant into the bar....(c;

Life is GOOD...enjoy!

--
Larry
3rd Mate, Deck and Engineering
S/V "Lionheart"
(Why do they all call me "captain"? It's not MY fault!)

I advise people in your situation to take a boating course and rent for a
while. See if you and the family like boating. There is more to it than just
driving a boat around.
If you want to get a feel for maintainence, make friends with someone who
owns a boat similar to what strikes your fancy and help him/her work on that
boat. Change the engine oil, paint the bottom, clean the bilge. For some,
the personal satisfaction of a job well done; for others, a living
nightmare.
The second group usually gets sick of $70/hour bills for services and sells.
MMC

"H. David" wrote in message
...
I am just beginning to explore getting into cruising, am newly retired,
and
want to cruise on the waterways of the Pacific Northwest doing regular
overnight cruises for two people and occasionally 4. I have a boat budget
of
about $50,000. Any recommendations as the best boat to buy would be
appreciated. I am open to new or used and will moor the boat at my local
marina. From the reading I have done so far I know I want a craft that is
first seaworthy, then reliable, and reasonably comfortable.

Thanks very much.

H. David

David -

If you haven't received an informative response yet, you should check
out DiscoverBoating.com. The site is set up to help answer questions
for people who are new to the boating world. If the answer is not on
the site they have a "Discover Boating Guy" that you can e-mail who
will answer your questioin directly.

Hope this helps.

Dan

H. David wrote:
I am just beginning to explore getting into cruising, am newly retired, and
want to cruise on the waterways of the Pacific Northwest doing regular
overnight cruises for two people and occasionally 4. I have a boat budget of
about $50,000. Any recommendations as the best boat to buy would be
appreciated. I am open to new or used and will moor the boat at my local
marina. From the reading I have done so far I know I want a craft that is
first seaworthy, then reliable, and reasonably comfortable.

Thanks very much.

H. David