This is an experiment. I am curious about sailing on the cheap. I’ve sailed on the expensive for may years. $800 dollar a month boat payments, $2,000 a year insurance payments, $5,000 a year yard storage payments and the list goes on.
Let’s add in all the gear that a new sailboat requires….
- Canvas. Yes, overlooked and not discussed. Kinda like a few other things when I was growing up.. A good dodger will run $2500. Bimini $2,000. Covers, connectors etc. just add a few more $1,000.
- Ground tackle. Another think about it later topic. Minimum two anchors, one has to have a Rocna (IMHO), and a secondary anchor. Also a lunch anchor plus rhode is a must.
- Autohelm. A giant expense and serious pain the ass. On my Dufour 36 I installed it myself. I spent a lot of time going to the fabricators for the installation plates that I designed and installed. also the wiring, the installation of the fluxgate compass, etc. Plus this unit cost me $2,500 bucks. Ouch. Needed though in a big way. I cruised the Bahamas using it and was happy every day.
So, a new boat is exciting and all, but I’ve done that and gone there and back. The boat was sold a few years ago as I wasn’t using it and the $400 a month yard charges were adding up. Also, even though the boat is sitting on the hard, it needs maintenance. Woodwork needs oil, decks washed, covered etc. Mold problems and moisture buildup in the cabin etc.
I’ve since bought a Falmouth Cutter 22 on a trailer. At the time it seemed like the ideal choice. However, 1.5 years later it’s been a ton of work. Not only that I dropped it off at a boatyard in Oriental to have new lifelines installed, tabernacle and grab rails all around. That took them A DAMN YEAR!!!
Meanwhile while at the yard my finished teak wore away, moisture got into the boat from a leaking deckbox bolt and caused all the painted surfaces in the boat to get surface mold. Not the end of the world as I cleaned it all off and am planning on repainting them as well as refinishing all the interior woodwork.
Anyway I’ve spent at least 10K on the FC22 getting her back to a reasonable condition. There is a lot left to do however. And here is where is gets interesting.
I decided to purchase a bargain basement Eastward ho 24. This boat is a heavy displacement full keel “Motorsailor”. They come sloop or cutter rig. The boat that I bought has a factory bowsprit so it’s meant to be a cutter, although it’s missing the inner forestay and was being used with a 130 Genoa instead.
The boat price was $2,950. That includes almost everything you will need to go cruising. I’m not saying you will sail to Tahiti like this, but basically the boat is good enough to sail the Bahamas and Florida without problem as equipped.
The experiment is can I get this boat cleaned up and cruise ready for a total of $5,000? The major factors are the engine. A raw water cooled Westerbeke 20HP 2 cylinder motor. Rather simple but hasn’t run in years (the boat was on the hard for the last three years).
The motor will need fluids, filters, diesel tank cleaning, fuel line replacement etc. When it’s up and running I will ascertain if it needs rebuilt injectors/injection pump.
This boat needs canvas as well. Fortunately, at the Marina at Smith Mountain Lake where I will be keeping her (while not cruising) there are maybe forty derelict boats just floating there ready to sink. Many have nice Bimini frames and canvas. So, I’ll see if I can salvage some of those. I’ve already obtained a lot of things from the floating wrecks (they are ready to be hauled and destroyed) that will aid me in my “cheap” cruising goal.
I think with today’s market there is no need to spend too much on a boat. The prices have fallen drastically. A great boat in great condition will still demand a good price. But there are so many “older” classics that are almost free it’s amazing. Granted no one wants to spend money on a wreck with no return. But, for 5K I think that it will be worth it.
Not only that, I can park the Falmouth Cutter 22 in the barn and give her the attention she deserves without “rushing” it. Meanwhile I’ll have a sturdy little motorsailor to take me to the Bahamas in the winter.
One comment about motorsailing. When I cruised to the Bahamas from Oriental, I used the engine every day. All day on the ICW and most days in the Bahamas. Why? Myself and lots of other cruisers(especially those with families) would wait for the “weather window” between fronts to take the next hop. One french family from Montreal told me that they would wait for the winds to be less than 15 knots and the seas to be under four feet before going.
This means that most hops will most likely be under power as the wind will be very mild. The moral of the story is have a good engine and use it! I don’t mind. I’m getting older and I don’t have to have the rail buried and eat beans everyday.
A few photos of the Falmouth Cutter 22 followed by the Eastward Ho 24.
Tell me what you think!
Falmouth Cutter 22
Eastward Ho 24
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