Save-A-Boat - The Forum for Plastic Classic Rebuilds!

Hi All,


I have a couple who crews on my boat during race season who are interested in purchasing a sailboat. They moved to the Williamsburg / Gloucester Point, Virginia area over the winter with the intention of crewing on a club racing boat, meeting other boaters, getting a feel for sailing the lower Chesapeake Bay, and then buying a cruising sailboat. They have now done everything except pick out the boat they want to buy. I've given them a couple boat ideas myself but I thought I would put the question to the group. Here's the criteria...

1. 50 K purchase price ( this leaves them 10K to outfit the boat after purchase ).

2. 34 to 40 feet in length.

3. No racing, only cruising.

4. A shoal draft or centerboard boat would be nice as getting around the Chesapeake can be a bit tough with keels over 6 ft.

5. The wife likes the looks of more classic looking cruising yachts but hates double enders.

6. They are mostly retired so there is, at least, the possibility of taking the boat to the Caribbean a few years down the road.

7. They don't mind trucking in a boat from anywhere in the USA so pretty much any boat model ever made is available to them.


Given the above criteria, what boat would you buy?


George Jones
C&C 40 "Delphinus"

I'm assuming they want a boat that is in generally sail-away condition. I'm also assuming that the 50K is a top end, and that boats of lower price are in the running.

That said, what is their threshold for work (particularly cosmetic stuff)--specifically for having it done? There are so many good boats that might need some cosmetic sprucing up.

Of course the first thing that comes to mind given your criteria above is the Allied Seabreeze. The key here is the shoal draft. There are several of these currently available, right in the basic price range. Most are a little tired, but not too bad.

Tartan 34C is another that comes to mind.

How "classic" of appearance do they like? What about more modern classics, like Sabres? The Sabre 34 MK I is a nice boat and can be found in that price range, and some had keel-centerboards.

Pearson 35 (another centerboarder) is another possibility.

I'm sure I'll come up with some more, but this is what I can think of right now.

Tartan 34C is another that comes to mind.

While looking at Tartans, how about the Blackwatch http://www.tartanowners.org/models/bw/b ... lery.phtml

Hi again all,


The boat needs to be in pretty good shape. The husband has told me he's not looking for a project boat. Cosmetic work should be "ok" though. The 10K is for stuff like some new electronics, new life jackets, maybe a new sail, new flares, charts, new bottom paint, etc. I had also suggested the Tartan 34 and the Allied Seabreeze. They have told me they like the looks of some of the Morgan's from the early 80's too. Like you guys I think something in the 34 - 36 foot range could be had in pretty good shape for 50K, especially as the season moves along towards Fall. I'll mention the Sabre, Pearson, and Blackwatch to them as well.

I also suggested to them that the Great Lakes region is a good place to hunt for used boats as it's all fresh water and a really short season. I certainly have been happy with the C&C40 I trucked down from Lake Erie. If I remember correctly it was only $2500 for packing, trucking, and unpacking the boat down to Gloucester Point, VA. The boat was still in fantastic shape even though it was 25 years old. The old Yanmar 3QM30 engine only had 930 hours on it too.

I look forward to hearing any other suggestions that might be out there too. Thanks again for the input.


George Jones