:eek: Duly noted, Paul...especially in light of the fact that I have a 911 and 2 motorcycles torn apart in my garage.:eek:

I just looked up the reservoir and it looks as big as the reservoir I used to sail / race sailboats on north of Atlanta (Lake Lanier). It's even better in that it's not chock full of islands and isthmuses like Lanier. What I can't tell is how much of Dueller's local reservoir is deep enough for this boat he's considering.

JD, you are coming here to get talked out of buying a 32' toy sailboat?

You are not looking for www.responsibleadvice.com by any chance, are you?

Lanier is probably a lot deeper I'd bet...a 6' draw sounds like a lot for further south imo. My buddy's has a 3.5' min (adjustable keel) and MS is a lot like Fl...shallow I suspect. Ya know when you drive across the St. Johns river on I-95 or I-295 and see that big ole river...one can walk with yer head out of the water over a large portion of it (outside of the channel) depending upon the tide...ask me how I know :).

I've owned and lived on both of my boats. One was a sport fish and the other was a 36' sailing sloop. We made Ft. Lauderdale our home port. Boats are expensive, very expensive. There is something to be done on one every day in the maintenance department. The worst is to let them sit at the dock and use them as a floating bar. The diesel fuel gets cruddy, water tanks get sediment, I could go on and on. The worst, and this happened to me and my wife. We moved back to Indiana in 1991, had a small ski boat. Took it to a lake that we use to think was a large body of water. Took one lap around the lake, looked at each other and asked, "what do you want to do now?' Took the boat out of the water and never launched it again. Once you've been on the ocean everything else doesn't compare. IMHO. If the lake it's on is small and shallow, you'll get board very fast. Just my two cents. Remember a boat is a hole in the water you throw money into, or I am the captain, I sit on the rail and write checks!

The reservoir (ross barnett) is larger than 4X4...that's the area that would be suitable for this boat. Beyond that range you begin to get into shallows, stumps, low bridges etc. Looking at the map myself its probably navigable on something like 4x 7 miles and 12 to 45' deep. I don't think its as big as lanier.

There is an active sailing community (for this area) with weekend regatta's 9 months out of the year. I'm not really interested in racing...just lazy sailing.

Her's the link:
http://therez.ms/

Fixed it... ;)

Jim, we still need a pic to properly appraise this situation...not the boat silly, the blond :)!

surrender the booty, wench!

fixed it again....

Dueller, I happen to be an experienced open water sailor and I still have a 22' sailboat as well. The boat you are considering could possibly be a good buy, but I would not put that one on a lake smaller than L of Ozarks or one of the great lakes. On that lake it would be about as much fun as driving an 18- wheeler from the lake to your house all the time.

Yeah...most of my serious sailing friends race J24's and that seems to be a hoot. But....it does appear comfy to just float around on and party.

I know nothing but the "hole in water" anology...

But that boat is "One bad muther... shut your mouth"

;):cool::D

I have some good sails if you need to replace the sails on the boat now

IMHO, I would flip this thing. If I lived further from the lake I would probably purchase it as a floating cabin to use on the weekends. You live too close... Next I would consider a survey and possibly pull this thing and put it in some salt water. Possibly as a intercoastal cruiser. I think that it would be better used in this manner. But living so close to the bar and going in partners really doesn't sound like it could end well. If I just wanted a place to crash after having one too many then go ahead and write the check yourself, tell your bud he is free to use in exchange for the mooring assistance in maintenance. In a few years sell it and double/triple your $$$.

Any idea how many owners have simply "walked away" from sailboats worth a LOT more and left 'em to Marina owners (instead of paying up)...a bunch. My buddy's probably got the proverbial $20K in his by now, and he told me that's exactly what he would do if'n he got laid off a couple of years ago.

ps: Hold out Jim...I bet they'll "give" it to ya eventually when they can't unload it :)

Surveyors are for banks, Most will not commit to what is really right or wrong,- and will have you sign all sorts of exoneration papers so they can dodge any blame if there is something wrong..(That they missed)
Now, why did you hire them?
LOL
Usually what they find you can do the same quite EZ...Thats where i put MOST surveyors,. NOW every area has a couple of good ones..but most are just a wast of money...they end up telling how well the silverware tray fits, and all about the fire extinguisher .
You can hull the boat, ck damages, Loose keel bolts, bottom paint, Rudder bngs and the like as good as they will.
Glass boats - ck for blisters and "HOT' lay ups, loose chain plates, zinks, Keel GRD

Heck yes! Buy that thing!

No, no, no - the boat doesn't count in with that stuff because it doesn't go in the garage. :D

Dueller - the last year or two has shovelled alot of junk your way. I think that this should be your well deserved Christmas present to yourself. Go for it!

angela

Thanks angela....like the way you think.

Going out to take some pics for you guys.

Makes sense to me... I just bought "half" of my friend's sailboat. We found we were always helping each other out getting our boats rigged in the spring, and wrapped up in the winter, and half the time we sailed together on one boat or the other. Just made sense for us to split a boat vs maintaining two.

some pics
 

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1322789932.jpg


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1322789964.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1322789994.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1322790013.jpg


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1322790041.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1322790061.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1322790082.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1322790113.jpg


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1322790144.jpg

The friend and co-owner stopped by.

Even tho' it hadn't been run in over year, I checked all the accessories for grins. Bilge pump, interior/running lights all came on, stereo works....so.....I turned the engine on nd it fired right up.

hmmmmm.....

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1322791091.jpg


She looks a little to happy to be possibly without boat. Maybe I'll foolishly attribute that to it being the final thing to clear up before divorce is final....yeah...that's why.

Park it at the dock next to the floozie bar.....take it from there.

Love the name of the boat......definitely rendezvous with destiny!

OK, now that we've failed to talk ya out of it, buy the dang thing :). Seriously, I'd partnership with a friend on something like that it a heartbeat in your circunstance. Nice and beamy and looks a LOT like the one I've spent many awesome days and nights on. You'll have a blast with it...

Need more incentive?http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1322824378.jpg

What are you, hard of heron?;)

Just buy the darned thing, party on it for a few years. Scare yourself a couple of times sailing on the res and be glad you finally got rid of it in 60 months.

Typical boat experience.

Best
Les

Well, had a long visit with the female half owner. We went thru all of the systems and she was candid that the boat really needs to come out of the water for bottom maintenance. No known problems but she said she would feel better better doing that rather than risking selling me some unknown problems or a pig in a poke. But how do we deal with that expense and how does it affect price. Pulling it and minimum bottom maintenace will be at least $2K I bet.

Therein lies the dilemma. Do I buy it bottom sight unseen and play with it a season casually sailing as is or do we pull it and have a look see? I'm sending an experienced sailing bud to look over rigging and mechanicals etc to give me his opinion.

My wallet's not deep enough for that!:D

Bet you can rent it.....

Yeah but pulling out of the lease agreement early can be expensive...

Being a non sailor, I would suggest hiring a scuba diver with a marine flashlite who has boat inspection experience. Big bucks but less possibly than no inspection. As they say a boat is a place to pour money into. Is my idea practical - cheaper than hauling the b....y thing out of the water?
Cheers!

ditto above...
 

A lot cheaper to rent it overall. No fuss no muss. Walk away after u r done!SmileWavy

Have a buddy who is a rescue diver coming in over the holidays and may get him to do it. Quite honestly a survey, especially out of water, survey is probably too expensive on this small a purchase.

Not to scare you out of it Jim, but do yourself a favor and get a marine survey on it. Sailboats can have a lot more hidden issues then powerboats.

Agreed!!

Pull the boat, Jim.

Cracks in the Gel-coat, seals around the shaft, etc. can only be spotted out of the water.

Here in Maryland, it is $20 bucks or so a foot to yank a boat and put it on blocks, which I recommend highly.

Baseline the thing BEFORE you buy it.

From the pictures, there is a whole lot of work that needs to be done to get the wood right, above the waterline up to speed, etc. Hire a pro to tell yo what needs to be done.

What you'll save in engine, fuel tank (old gas and I bet the blond owner never heard of Stabil;)), old piping and tubing repair, etc. is worth the price of admission.

I've got most of my own dive equipment, and I know what failures look like... ;)

If ya need my services just let me know... I'll be out of school soon. :D