Oh I hate it when you guys do this. I end up wasting too much time looking at all the other boats for sale too

Sorry about that Toph. Even though I now have what I believe is the perfect yacht for me, I still keep looking at the market to keep up to date and confirm my dream.

When I do look at yachts though, my search criteria is quite narrow. This stops me getting sucked into pipe dreams and going off on tangents.

I don't think there are as many bargains in the market place as there were a few months ago.

Several Compass 29s and Cavalier 28s for sale. Having recently done a short trip on a Compass 29 and having been on board a Cavalier 28, I think I would be buying a Cavalier 28 rather than a Compass 29.

I love you guys posting these boats for sale. It will be me getting one ...one day I hope. Thanks for doing it!

Ramona said...
Its an excellent buy. Sister ship to mine with a slight variation to the fit out. Looks like she has been a harbour racer all her life and with a tidy up and some shopping off eBay to update some deck gear she would be a great boat. No way you can compare a Currawong with a Compass 29. The Compass is very cramped inside in comparison. I was baby sitting a Northerner 28 for a few weeks and I would jump on my boat afterwards each day and it was a palace in comparison. The Currawong is a lot narrower too than other halftonners of that era.

I thought that post would drag you in Ramona.

By the looks of it, as you say, she seems to have been a bay or harbour racer. If that is the situation one might assume the hull and engine have had fairly light use but the rig would need a good looking at.

From one of the photos it looks like she has a truck load of sails that come with her.

I was not comparing Compass 29s with the Currawong 30, just saying there are quite a few of the Compasses for sale and only a few Currawongs for sale. That is a market statement on designs in itself.

Before I bought Second Wind I was looking exclusively at late 70s early 80s IOR design yachts such as the Currawong, S&S Savage Defiance, Santana (Peterson) 30s, Knoop 30s and others with a heavy leaning towards the Peterson 30 due to my having owned a Peterson yacht in the past.

Doug Peterson was a very clever designer who played the IOR rule to the max which resulted in winning yachts that were also excellent FAST cruising yachts.

Alan Wright and Laurie Davidson, both Kiwi designers of good repute, each said forget the racing rules, we will design good fast cruising yachts.

You have to hand it to the Kiwis. They know yachts.

If someone who knows what they are about buys this Currawong for less than $10,000, they will have brained it.

It is the current bargain.

whiteout said...
$12,000 is very cheap but you need to look at the cost of repair if you want to sail it anywhere other than enclosed waters.

I think you would be hard pressed to spend more than 2 grand to get her up to ocean going standards. Epirb, decent VHF radio. Sew up a stackpack/lazyjack set up. Spend a few bob on scrapers and varnish. The door to the heads/shower seems to be missing. Mostly its just grime. Boat has probably just been day sailed all its life. That bulkhead varnish will never be much good but it wont effect sailing performance. Md7a engine will probably last another 20 years. "New" ones are only $2250. Built in 1979 its most likely Baker built or by his foreman.

Another good buy on eBay at the moment, Jonathon has a mint Tophat for sale.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Top-Hat-25ft-mk2-fiberglass-full-keel-production-ocean-sailing-yacht-No-Reserve/390865536317?_trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20131017132637%26meid%3D7737022084168463908%26pid%3D100033%26prg%3D20131017132637%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D281363585821

I'm at a loss to understand how anyone (certainly anyone as sensible as I thought you were, Ramona) could say that a 1979 boat that looks that filthy and unkempt in the photos could say that someone could get it ocean-worthy for under $2K. Boats look five times as good in photos. A boat like that has had maintenance neglected for a decade or more, is my guess. A few long-term leaks are on view - what is not visible? Maybe I'm wrong, but there's no description of it's state except, "As is, where is" which to me is a warning sign. No indication of the state of the seacocks, rigging, windlass, plumbing, electrics, anchor chain, or even the sails. You'd guess the hull is sound but you shouldn't make any assumptions.

What I have learned is that there is nothing as expensive as a cheap boat. It would cost a lot to get this thing going, is my guess. Of course, it depends on your standards. But ocean-going? The bolts on the windows sticking out 10mm for a start - not just for how dangerous those are but as an indication of what other safety issues have been overlooked over the last 35 years.

I just wouldn't want anyone reading this forum to get the wrong idea about the costs involved in a 'cheap' boat like that. Glad Toppie checked it out.

Rodge

I would have no hesitation in buying her. You have to remember that in 1979-80 these were the quality yachts that professionals bought, my vessels first owner was a doctor. The peasants bought Endeavour 24's and 26's, Hood 23's, Tophats and the more wealthy Compass 28's and 29's in kit form or hired the moulds for the Swanson 32. These were the large boats. They were built by Baker [ignore what the ad says] and the layup is excellent. No leaks as the keel is encapsulated and real Blakes seacocks are used. The only water entering would probably be down the keel mounted mast sail track [mast and boom the same sections as mine].The Volvo md7a are actually a real marine engine [flywheel on the front] and fully reconditioned ones are $2250. This one allegedly starts first go.

While I have no idea of the age of the rigging and whether its a twin spreader rig or single it does have a headsail furler and an adjustable backstay.

So to be seaworthy and legal to be offshore in NSW it needs an Epirb, VHF radio and a flare kit in date. That leaves about $1400 for secondhand two speed self tailers off eBay and perhaps cushion material and acrylic canvass to sew up a self stacker/lazy jack system and you would still have enough left over to buy the makings for a self steering windvane.
My yacht had a long and successful racing career with 5 Hobarts, 3 Lord Howe races and she was not all that tidy inside either when I bought her. The interior had sailing instructions and all sorts of notes written about the interior. Lots of acetone and a few hours scraping back the teak trim and a tin of marine varnish and she will be good for another 30 years.


Now if it has a folding propeller that would seal the deal. I'm thinking it's a deceased sale.