OK...talk me out of a Helmsman 32' sloop
 

Couple of friends are going thru a divorce. Last bone of contention is a sailboat. They decided to sell it and split the proceeds. Asked if I wanted to buy it.

I've sailed some small boats...I'm talking Hobie cats and the like.

I can get an essentially free slip 3 blocks from my house. The boat interior was nicely restored two years ago. Its neat with a salon, v-berth, galley, head etc. Yarmar diesel inboard. Sails are tired but serviceable...I ain't worried about racing it.

Am I crazy to purchase this to use as a stabbin' cabin?

FWIW...it has been sitting idle for over a year pending the divorce settlement.

And they're offering it to me at an insanely low price IMO. Likely bghecause they bith know I'll let them use it from time to time.

sounds more than right..
free slip..
good price..
you've sailed...
it's close by..

Rika

Is this what you're talking about?

Senorita e

Looks like fun.

32' is a good size boat, manageable alone but can carry 4 or 5 pass. the helmsman boats seem to built in Sweden or Germany, so probably good quality. Check out the condition of the equipment. It probably needs a haul out, read money. the costs of ownership can add up quickly.

It does sound like you can get into it painlessly. will the dock rate stay so low? Do you like puttering around the docks and doing projects. Do you like sailing?

May be some good bars on the waterfront. Its a mostly male world, a bit better than motorsports tho.

Cheers Richard

Where are the pics?

on the bad side, the womens like boats and sailing and weekends on the water. get more womens i'm told.



On the plus side I'm told the happiest days with a boat are the first day you own it and the first day after you sell it.


Of course, I'm just a gloomy gus, nice looking boat!!! (if that is the boat)

Looks like fun. I'd still get a survey, I've been through a POS boat and dont wish that on anyone.

Yup...that's its exact twin.

Only reason I'd talk you out of it would be so I could buy it. Seriosuly. I've been wanting to upgrade.

I'd snag it if I were you and you're not afraid of the maintenance. Only way to buy a boat is used.

Stabin cabin Ha, crack me up!

I've looked at it and it needs cleaning up since it hasn't been used in over a year...I've actually been out on it once when they were together. They would tell me if they new of any problems. Have the keys to iy and will maybe try to crank the engine. Hell....if it runs under power I may never raise the sails...lol.

Its on nice sized reservoir lake that can be shallow in spots ...I think it draws over 6' so you have to be careful.

Does $3K sound like a deal? They're tired of paying yacht club dues, insurance, etc.

As far as bars on the reservoir, that's where I can get the free slip...friend of mine runs it. He's actually asked if he could go in partners with me on it.

Yes

What year? What comes with it?

On the surface that sounds smoking. Numbers that low make me want to inspect deeply, but the fact you're buying it from a known entity decreases the pucker factor.

Everything they used to sail it. I think its a late '70's-early '80's.

$3k?

Like many of us I'm sure you've spent a lot more and gotten a lot less out of it.

Write the check.

LOL...the price of entry is not what concerns me. Its what I got to pay to play that worries me.

I would pop on it. A boat is "a hole you shovel money into" but this sure sounds like a good deal.

I'd get a survey unless you want to use it only as a floating cabin. Even then, you'll get a better idea of what it would take to bring it up to a standard you would choose. And with a survey you can find out if there are any hull problems (blisters) or problems with the deck (soft spots, bad chainplates, etc.) How are the sails?You'll spend at least another $3K to get a replacement set new. Does it have roller furling? How is the standing rigging? Has it been serviced at all? Any fraying or other issues with the rigging? What about instruments? Do you care about instruments? Also, check the engine and how easy it is to service. Replacing sailboat engines are normally not a lot of fun. Again, $3k is a steal if the boat is at all well-equipped.

If it gets too unmanageable I guess I could part it out on eBay and scuttle the hull in the middle of the lake...lol

A survey is a definite. Sails are tired with a patch or two that I recall. No roller furling. Rigging seems to be fine on cursory look. No instruments really other than compass/radio/etc tht I recall when I was on it...not reaally important in this pond as the sailing area is probably 4x4 miles....alwys in sight of the shore.

Like I say...I would be used for little more than a weekend cabin that I could walk to.

For 3k just make sure it doesnt sink and enjoy it. The engine could be worth that much.

So....what do u guys think about partnering with a friend on this endeavor?

3K? A nice Boston Whaler can cost that. With a free slip I'd buy that in a heart beat. At 3K you could remove the keel and masts and pull the thing around like a travel trailer.

How cool would that be?

Jim, I know you've got the 3k...

Partnering with a friend will just shorten the life of that friendship...

Just wanna throw out a couple of things to consider. I'm a novice, but I have sailed/crewed over 50 times over the years on the St. Johns river and ocean regattas from Jax to St. A on an older 30'er. Who's gonna "crew" with ya...and I'm not talkin' "stabbin mates" :). An experieced sailor can certainly handle one like that "solo", but I sure couldn't (docking, etc., much less sailing it) and the novelty will soon dissapate for many/most after just a few trips out. Since you're looking for a "stabbin cabin" are there nice marina facilities? Certainly not all, but most females will "tire" of an older head/galley pretty quickly unless they share your "passion". Puttering around a land locked reservoir would bore me after a short time. I've been chest deep in the water on several occasions to push off sandbars (don't know what one would do solo or with a novice female at the helm). $3K sounds like a $5K 911 to me...but you got nuthin' to lose, so go for it!!!

ps: I considered buying the 30'er many years ago (my best friend then sold it to another longtime friend) and moving it to a landlocked reservior here in NC, but quickly came to my senses. A friend with a sailboat is a HELLUVA lot better than owning one :). .They're also labor intensive and money pits even if the entry fee and marina costs are nil. Take a look around at the boats docked in the marinas...many never leave the docks as a boat that isn't maintained is a rolling snowball and a royal PITA.

LOL...keel is not removable to my knowledge. And it weighs something like 10K lbs. not counting the trailer. But I can see pulling in to an RV campground and dropping a rope ladder of the side.

KC...you've hit the nail on the head with my concerns. As far as crew I have 2 very good friends who are very accomplished competition sailers. They think it is a steal but wnt me to go into it with my eyes wide open. Both are more than happy to get me up to speed. Both said they would jump on it except they both already have multiple boats.

As far as marina facilities it would be moored most of the time at my friends waterfront bar. While there are no showers its a 3 minute bicycle ride to my house.

A boat near a bar might not be the wisest idea.... Just sayin....

Not if you chain and padlock it to the pier...and throw away the key.

It'd be fun and a good reason to wear your pirate outfit more than once a year...

You going to start stockpiling handtools and cellphones?

A friend of mine bought a houseboat, and within the first year had dropped like 4 phones in the water, several hundred dollars worth of handtools, etc....

I keep meaning to drag some scuba gear out and go see what all I can recover...

For 3K I'd jump on it. A boat that size could go for 15K. Any idea what her rating is?

Just occured to me....this is where we would moor it. Kinda an omen, eh?

http://pelicancovegrill.com/default.asp

No idea on the rating. In this economy/area if in perfect shape its probably no more thn a $10K boat. But if you look at $4K for sails, another $2K to have it lifted from the lake, transported to boat yard and bottom checked out/reapaired, $1K for misc stuff at a minimum, etc ...you're getting close to having more than its worth into it if you purchase it for $3K. Sort like every Pcar is a $20K proposition....whether you pay $5K for one or $17K for one.

Fixed it for ya...

Sorry for the reality check, but that's a mighty small reservior for a boat that size imo. I'd suggest a smaller motorized cabin cruiser (or a pontoon party barge) for your stated purposes imo...they're all p-magnets :).

Just a short bike ride from home. nice set up. I would keep the title to myself, joint ownership can be tough. Bring in your friend as chief crew. toss him a set of keys for the use of the slip. sounds like a nice addition to Pelican cove!

Cheers Richard

Random thoughts:

If it flies, floats, or fornicates you're better off renting.
Boat means break out another thousand.
Don't go into as partnership on a boat with a friend unless you really need another enemy.

No need to apologize. I've already thought exactly of everything you mentioned and many more draw backs.

You're right...small rez and the pontoon boat is derigeur here. A 32' sailboat is almost the biggest toy in the water sailboat wise. There are a couple of 36 footers and one guy who lives on a 48' that never moves. And then we have the gold chain crowd of gus with 40" cigarette triple engined offshore boats (nuts on this sized water although they can go 25 miles upriver really fast). Boats here are cheap cheap cheap...especially larger ones. But a$6K pontoon or a $8K cabin cruiser might be more apropos...or better yet befriending an existing owner. lol

OTOH I went out last night with a young blonde paramedic who is a very experienced sailor who just moved here 3 weeks ago...maybe perfect combination as a first mate. lol

This. That 4 miles you can sail around in that reservior is going to get boring awfully quick. Especially if you can't water ski or wake board behind the boat. I looked at the satellite views of that reservoir, and it doesn't look all that scenic for cruising around on a sail boat. We have a cabin on Lake of the Ozarks. That lake is 92 miles long with 1100 miles of shoreline. That is the kind of lake you need with a large sailboat.

There is a reason they want to sell cheap and it's not because they are your friends.

Keep in mind that the more "stuff" you have, the more "stuff" you have to take care of...