Closing on Windsong

I apologize for lack up updates recently, especially as I am in the process of buying Windsong. It has been a very turbulent time in the past few weeks getting everything together to close on the boat and getting ready for vacation. My wanderlust takes me back to Costa Rica tomorrow for a week of beautiful surf, food, countryside and friends. I've been to Costa two times before and each time was amazing, good enough to go back a few times I guess! So if all goes well I'll have a write up of the trip when I come back for your enjoyment.

So let me catch you up on what has happened so far with Windsong. I went to look at the boat a few weekends ago as mentioned in a previous post. I had to drive a little over two hours to the big bend area of Florida to see it in Inglis. I had never seen this area of Florida at all, so it was a treat to do some exploring. It is a very "old" Florida, very nature oriented and not very populated. Little historic towns with a lot of retirees looking for some quiet on the waterways. So anyways...I meet up with the broker, Jim, at the sellers house to check out the boat. He keeps it on a dock at his house which is on a canal a few dozen meters away from the Withlacoochie river, near where it dumps into the Gulf of Mexico.



I had studied the boat intensely on the internet so I knew what to expect when looking around it. My first impressions were neutral, no worse or better than I expected. Coming into it I knew of a few things based on picture observations and discussions with the broker: the running rigging needs replacing, the inside needs cleaning and a little TLC, most electronics are old and either not functioning (radar) or just needs a modern upgrade (gps, vhf, autopilot), the engine runs fine and only has 900 hours on it, and everything else resembles what a well aged 34 year old boat should look like. I confirmed everything listed there and added a few more things to the list of necessary repairs/upgrades. Initially I noticed that the anchor chain is pretty rusted and corroded, warranting replacement. The standing rigging, sails, mast and booms all looked in decent condition. I carefully inspected the rigging for cracks and corrosion. So just from a topside perspective, once the anchor chain/rode and running rigging are replaced, it should be in sailable condition. The deck was very clean, no soft spots, and all hardware was bedded tight.

The only other areas of major concern were inside. I was a little taken aback by the condition of the insides especially because the topsides were quite clean (he had the boat pressure washed). Luckily, most of it is just dirt which can be easily cleaned off the bulkhead (I wiped some away with my thumb and found it to be bright white underneath!). The vinyl headliner is coming off and the foam underneath it is deteriorating, so that will need work. There is some old wall paper in areas that will have to come off too. The insides are made of holly and teak, which will need some cleaning and varnishing. But once the place has a good scrub down, it should look real nice. The insides are massive compared to the 30'-32' boats I have been on! The cabin size of those were just below a good comfort level, this cabin is well beyond.

I of course inspected every nook and cranny. I found a few areas where leaks had happened, but could easily trace them to things like a poorly bedded stanchion, or where some other deck fitting will need rebedding. The bilge was dry, however, and with the many inches of rain that have fallen on the boat, I was confident it wasn't taking on much rain water.

The initial look through left me with no more excitement than I came in with, it actually dampened it all (I was buzzing the previous night). The reality of the project in front of me hit, and it was a lot to think about. The broker began the pressure telling me about the offers has had on the boat, and that there are others waiting in line to look at it and put an offer on it. So if I wanted it, it was now or never. He gave me until Monday to decide before he gave it to the next guy. He liked me, liked my enthusiasm and energy, and wanted to sell it to me. I came to like Jim, he is a legit guy and fun to talk to. I don't know how much of everything he said was just sales talk, but a lot of it seemed to ring true, especially the interest in the boat. If you remember, I had tried to look at it before but someone had already put an offer on it. Things didn't get finished, so I had a second chance. I didn't want it to slip through, because finding a boat this big in my price range would be a miracle that I might not see again in my boat buying time. Here are the pictures from the first trip out there kicking the tires. I wish I got more, but I was so busy just staring at stuff I got distracted:













































So I went home and did some more research on everything I saw that concerned me. After spending the evening on the internet, I decided I would go back the following day to check it out again. I had a few more concerns about what I saw, and needed to clear those out of my head before I decided on anything. When I went back with a little more knowledge on its issues, things started to look better actually! I noticed that the big things that need to be done are actually not that big of a deal, and that a weekend of cleaning will make the inside look spectacular (relatively). I triple checked everything on the boat to make sure I was satisfied. I went home to think about my decision and eventually called the broker with my offer. I won't mention any dollar amounts until it is fully closed on.

My offer was accepted and the very next day we we had a signed contract! Once the contract was signed, I needed to sign the "Acceptance of Vessel", which stated that it is satisfactory to all my requirements. We did a sea trial on it the next weekend to make sure the engine ran well and it is a functioning boat. I didn't anticipate any problems on the trial, and it was actually a fantastic afternoon on the boat. We rode up the river to the inlet and back again, a total of about 10 miles and 2.5 hours on the water with the engine running. It purred like a dream! Along the way I noticed the MASSIVE fish in the water near where the salt and fresh water converged. Redfish and Snook 3 feet long+ were just chilling in the water as we rolled by. I cannot wait to get my fishing rod out there. I had brought my camera to take more pictures of the boat, but as I took the first shot I realized I left my memory card at home, oh well. I a couple from my phone though, here we are on the river:



The sea trial went great, so I accepted the vessel. I needed to scramble to secure financing and eventually got that done through USAA. While they were very easy to get the loan with, but were kind of a pain in the to get the money sent to the right place. Where they could just wire the money into the broker's escrow account, they send a check in the name of the seller to my address...who knows. But I have the check now, and with my paycheck today I have enough to pay the balance, sales tax, and registration fees. The boat is a U.S. Coast Guard registered vessel, which is a great thing to have when traveling internationally. Unfortunately, to renew it it requires a documenting company who charges $450 to get it done, or I could do it myself and save a little money. I decided to just go with the company to get it all done quickly, they handle the title, lien, and registration stuff too. It hurt to pay, but I needed to get all of this done before I left for Costa Rica so the faster the better.

That is where I am right now. I am hesitant to say that I have the boat because it snit fully closed on yet. But it is 90% done, so I can get excited, and excited I am! One of the major influencing factors in buying the boat is the fact that the seller is letting me keep it at his dock for as long as I need to make the boat seaworthy. Keep in mind that you typically pay around $10-15 a foot per month for marina storage, so this is saving me a lot of money each month I have it there. I definitely computed that into the costs. He is even offering me a room and bathroom to stay at while I work on the boat there! He is a really nice guy who lives there alone while his wife is starting a business in Alaska. He is slowly trying to sell everything so he can get up there, but taking his time in this economy. Very chill guy who will be nice to hang around and gain knowledge from as I work on the boat.

I return from Costa Rica next weekend, and the following weekend will be spent at the boat doing inventory and cleaning it as best we can. There are a ton of spare parts, manuals, charts, tools and things I need to inventory to see what it has and what condition everything is in. I'll then come back the next weekend and start to work on things like the running rigging. Hopefully I can get all of the work done by the end of summer and have it ready to cruise down the West coast. I plan on stopping at a DIY boat yard to have it hauled out and to work on it throughout the winter on the hard, bringing it up to safe condition for a long passage. I plan on eventually bringing it around Florida to the East coast, but it will need to be safe to make the journey. Hopefully by this time next year the boat will be close for me to use on weekends!

Once I accepted the vessel I put a big order in to Amazon.com for a bunch of new books. Most of the books I have describe the "whats" in terms of boats and cruising, now I need the "how to's". Such as marine diesel engines, electronics, mechanics, rigging, navigation, etc. I used recommendations from the previous books I read, and they all seemed to converge on a similar set of authors for the definitive books. Most of them have already arrived and I have begun my studies. It feels like I am back in school, but for something I want to study more than anything I have encountered previously. Hopefully I will really be able to plow through the books while in Costa Rica with some relaxation time. Here are the books I just added to my library:

The Cruisers Handbook of Fishing - by Scott and Wendy Bannerot: This book was available to me early online through an option with Amazon, easily one of the best books I have gotten for sailing. I am learning so much about fishing my brain is ready to pop. I can't wait to try it out.

Cruising with your Four-Footed Friends. The Basics of Travel with your Cat or Dog - by Dianna Jesse: Basically I plan on getting a dog in the next few years. I want to be educated on my decision to hopefully pick the right breed for a boat companion.

Coastal Navigation using GPS for Sail and Power - by Frank Larkin: This book goes into detail with easy to understand language to completely cover chart navigation and integrating GPS into the mix. While I learned the basics of navigation through my courses and more by reading the American Practical Navigator (a little tough to read honestly), I could use some more advanced teaching to learn how to use the GPS for course plotting.

Marine Diesel Engines: Maintenance, Troubleshooting, and Repair - by Nigel Calder: I came into this with only basic knowledge of engines. I plan on becoming a pretty good amateur mechanic though this process. This is apparently THE book to get down and dirty with the engine. I've been enjoying the read and really appreciate the knowledge it is giving me.

Adlard Coles' Heavy Weather Sailing, Sixth Edition: Pretty much the definitive book on the subject. Everyone recommended it.

Don Casey's Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual: This will be THE book to help me get this boat in great condition. It contains six of his time honored books:

Don Casey’s Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual combines six core volumes into a single, utterly dependable resource that answers every frequent question, explains every major system, and helps you keep your boat and its components shipshape.

More than 2,500 clear and detailed illustrations guide you step by step through every procedure. Casey’s technical virtuosity, his user-friendly explanations, and Peter Compton's diesel engine expertise make even the more complicated repairs and improvements easy to understand. This must-have guide saves you time, money, and grief as you learn the fastest, easiest, most effective ways to:

• Evaluate the condition of your boat or one you’re about to purchase
• Repair structural damage to your fiberglass sailboat
• Improve or repair your sailboat’s electrical system
• Troubleshoot, maintain, and repair your boat’s diesel engine
• Put a professional-looking finish on your boat’s hull, deck, spars, wood, and trim
• Make and repair sails, sail covers, dodgers, awnings, sailbags, and bimini tops

So I have the money and the signed closing documents that I plan on sending out today. Hopefully when I return from my trip, the boat will be all mine!!! All of this was pretty stressful leading up to this trip, so hopefully I can actually relax once there. I think a few perfect waves will do me just fine.

Check out the waves there today, swell on the rise...






hell yes

38' Downeaster Cutter

I'm smitten on this boat a bit. It is a 1975 38' Downeaster Cutter. It is at the top of my range, they are asking $25k. But it is one of the biggest, and toughest looking boats I have come across in my price range. Judging from the photos, it could use some work; although it looks well rigged to go anywhere. Here are the specs from the ad:

Additional Specs, Equipment and Information:

Builder/Designer

Builder: Downeaster Designer: Henry Morschiadt

Dimensions

LOA: 38' LWL: 29.5 Beam: 11' 8" Displacement: 19,500 Draft: 5' Bridge Clearance: 48'

Engines

Engine(s): Diesel Engine(s) HP: 50 Engine Model: Yanmar

Tankage

Fuel: 90 Water: 100 Holding: 14

Stern.

Cabin Entry

Helm

50hp Yanmar Diesel

Bowsprit and Anchor

Topside

Mast

Bunks and setee

Accommodations Forward Stateroom, Convertible bunks portside in salon Convertible dinette, and starboard aft 3/4 berth. This vessel will sleep 7. Seafrost refrigeration with engine mount and 110V compressors Diesel cabin heater 3-burner LPG stove

Sails & Winches 1 mainsail with cover 1 roller furling jib with attached cover 3 #8 Lewmar winches 1 staysail with cover 2 #25 Lewmar winches

Cockpit & Helm Stainless Helm with Tiller backup

Navigation & Electronics 1 Alpha 4404 autopilot 1 Raytheon 1200 radar 1 Garmin GPS 50 1 Ritchie 5” compass 1 Garmin GPS 120 1 Raytheon VHF

Mechanical & Electrical 5 12 V SG-29 sealed gel cell batteries in three banks 2 35 amp 115V shore power cords 1 35 amp splitter 1 Westmarine 40 amp multistage battery charger 1 50 amp to 35 amp reducer

So far so good! I did further research and found the following article on it. Check out the link for more pix and diagrams. I love the description:



DOWNEASTER 38

"Designer Henry Morschladt
Newport Beach, California
Builder Down East Yachts Inc.
700 E. Alton Avenue
Santa Ana, California 92707

LOA 38 ft. 11.58 m.
LWL 29 ft. 8.84 m.
BEAM l1 ft. 10 in. 3.61 m.
DRAFT 4 ft. 11 in. 1.50 m.
DISPLACEMENT 19,500 lbs. 8,845 kg.
BALLAST (encapsulated lead) 8,000 lbs. 3,630 kg.
SAIL AREA (cutter rig) 665 sq. ft. 62 sq. m.
ENGINE Faryman diesel (24 hp; 32 hp optional)
FUEL 90 gals. 340 liters (Note this should read 75 gals - CP)
WATER 50 gals. (100 gals. 190 liters (380
optional) liters optional)
CONSTRUCTION Fiberglass hull and deck; aluminum
fuel tank; stainless-steel water
tank; aluminum spars

The Downeaster 38 was conceived by Bob Poole, a Maine sailor transplanted to the West Coast, as a "classic cruising yacht utilizing modern materials and technology where they belong while retaining the traditional features of the fine early cruising yachts of Down East." Himself experienced in fiberglass yacht construction as an executive of Columbia Yachts, Poole commissioned Henry Morschladt, a young California naval architect who specializes in cruising sailboats, to come up with a suitable design. The result is a straightforward, common-sense boat that will evoke a nostalgic twinge in those who remember what sailboats used to look like. The Downeaster 38 is no greyhound of the sea, but in the long run a friendly shaggy dog makes the better companion for many of us, and for such people the 38 or something like it may very well be the right boat.

The Downeaster 38 is a larger boat than its overall length would indicate since the waterline length is 29 feet and the beam is nearly 12 feet. A ballast displacement ratio of 41 percent, together with the large beam, means that the 38 will stay on her feet despite the shoal draft of just under five feet. Three rigs are available: cutter, ketch, and schooner. All seem well proportioned and easy to manage, though the sail plan in each case is rather on the scant side. The basic sail area of the schooner can be augmented to a greater extent than the other rigs by setting a 498-square-foot gollywobbler between the masts or even a 727-square foot "gollyaker" (a balloon jib set from the main masthead), but it seems a shame to be obliged to use such clumsy sails in light airs on a cruising boat. Still, when the wind pipes up a bit. all three versions of the Downeaster 38 ought to perform merrily without imposing any' stress on their crews. There are a few items in the sail plans I don't particularly like-for instance, the angle of the mainsheet in the cutter and the pin rails in the shrouds of the ketch and schooner-but these are easily corrected.

The interior of the 38 is conventional in outline and well thought out in detail. The forward cabin sports a double berth. The starboard side of the main cabin has a pilot berth outboard of a settee and the port side can be arranged either in the same way or with a settee that converts to a double with a shelf over it. The galley has a double sink near the centerline, a desirable feature, and opposite is a fixed chart table and a quarter berth.

Construction specifications seem high, with the laminate to Lloyd's requirements. Seacocks on all through-hull fittings below the waterline, a steel back-bone in the rudder, and so forth. Sand set in a polyurethane adhesive is used for nonskid deck surfaces in place of the customary molded patterns that are invariably slippery when wet. Mr. Poole clearly cares about his customers. Another welcome item is the provision for hand-starting of the engine in an emergency. Wheel steering is standard, as are two independent batteries. Lots of options are available, of which some really ought to be part of the standard boat: an emergency tiller, the grounding of the rigging for lightning protection, a set of metric tools and a spare-parts kit for the German engine, dorade ventilators, and grab rails in the interior. Still. as production boats go, the Downeaster 38 is better in this respect than most, and on the whole. designer and Builder are to be congratulated on their work."

Craigslist boats

I love Craigslist. It has replaced ebay for me and I have had a lot of success on it buying, selling and even taking advantage of arbitrage. Naturally I have been keeping up with boats for sale on Craigslist. Every morning I check up on the local listings and will look all around Florida every once and a while. Some people on the cruising forums suggest that if a person is selling on Craigslist, they are probably hiding something or it will be a problem. I disagree, and there are ways to handle it in the first place. Of course, any boat I seriously look at will be surveyed stem to stern by a professional before I put a dime on it. If the Craigslist seller refuses to allow a survey, then I know I should move on.

That being said, here are a few boats out there on Craigslist that I am keeping bookmarked. This first one is a 1981 Crocker 33' that is custom built for $20,000:

Custom Crocker Cutter: Will go anywhere you want >>> 1981-Solid built fiberglass cruising cutter 16,000 lbs. displacement. 36' LOA w/o boomkin and bowsprit, 4.5' Shallow draft for the Carribean waters yet able to go off shore.....if you are! Beam 11.8', good cruising mahogany interior with full galley and a true nav station. The iron jenny is a 24hp. Westerbeke diesel w/100hrs. total time. If you are familiar with West Sail and a Bristol Channel Cutter then you can picture The Crocker Cutter. It is Built as solid or more so than the West Sail and the wine glass hull resembles the Bristol Channel Cutter, but larger inside and out and uses the same rig! Core sample of the hull are 1 7/8" solid hand laid fiberglass and epoxy! This boat has over $100k in materials alone and thats in the 1980's dollars. Also comes with ground tackle and many spares. Currently stored as seen under shelter which is included. Solid Glass Hull-no wood in hull. call for more details.

Boat description makes it seem just like what I'm looking for. It's on the hard too so it would be easy to look at all around. Definitely going to check this one out.

This next one looks real good, and there is a separate ad it links to with more pictures. Everything on it looks great, I'm just curious about the displacement and how that centerboard keel handles. I need to look up centerboards more. There are some Pearson 35's I've seen for sale with centerboards and I've been warry. Can anyone chime in with some advice? I guess my question would be how the centerboard models handle differently than deep full keels.

This boat is an able cruiser sailed from Nova Scotia to Puerto Rico. Ted Brewer design, Cutter Rigged with Center Board Draft (Dn 6'6" Up 2' 10"), Year 1983, Beam 10' 8", Tabernacle Mast with mast steps, Bowsprit, Wheel Steering, Bottom Painted 3/2009. Low price to sell fast, an excellent deal at $14,500.

Equipment: Upgraded Yanmar GM3 Diesel Engine 1993 low hours; New Transmission 1994; New Stainless Steel Rigging; New Prop 3 Blade 3.2009; 3 Anchors-Bruce, Plow, & Yachtsman; New Sail Covers; New Jib; Autopilot; 3 Burner Propane Stove; Propane Refrigerator; Cabin Heater; 3 Bilge Pumps and many extra engine parts.

More Pictures are available at: www.sailboatlistings.com/view/12415

Here is another centerboard model going for dirt cheap right now. It looks real nice so I wonder what the catch is. It looks a little light, but possibly sea-worthy:

THIS FINE CRUISING SAILBOAT MUST BE SOLD NOW TO HIGHEST BIDDER!!! Reserve is $5,000. / "Buy now" is $10.000. Nimble 30 sailboat: shoal draft /centerboard, double ended cruising sloop. Very well built, green hull with tankbark sails

Yanmar 18 hp diesel, large fuel & water tanks. Roller furling genoa. 7 bronze opening portholes, 3 hatches, CQR anchor with bow roller and anchor locker. Head with holding tank, shower. Full headroom. Full galley with pressure and manual water, filters, 3 water tanks, 4 burner propane range with oven and good stowage. Auto pilot, depth finder, new VHF, and many recent upgrades and improvements. Much more equipment and features, including hand carved teak dolphin figureheads on the bow!

30 Nimbles often sell in the $40,s... this is a greaty opportunity to get a great little cruising boat for a fraction of the usual price!
This boat has been well loved, but unfortunately must be sold immediately!!!

Another banging deal here. Lots of recent major refitting, good price, good looking sea worthy boat.

1972 Rawson sailboat, just back from a cruise and ready to go...
This year, she had:
new standing rigging, built by Mack Sails (1/09)
bottom paint (1/09)
new head & plumbing (1/09)
new exhaust hose (1/09)
new starter & house batteries (1/09)

Comes equipped with:
AirX wind generator, still under warranty
Simrad 30 autopilot, tiller steering
Raymarine depth sounder
VHF
Propane stove, oven
GPS
Revere Offshore Liferaft (6 person, new in 2007)
Vetus 33HP diesel, runs strong
Plenty of storage, roomy liveaboard

She has a double spreader rig with removable inner forestay and running backstays for a Cutter Rig, if you choose
All sails are in good condition
This is a sturdy, overbuilt fiberglass offshore sailboat with a cut away forefoot full keel 5'draft.

Frodo!

I reaaaaaaallly like this boat. It is a 1977 Gilden Hind Terry Erskine 31' located in Green Cove Springs, the same as the Alberg. Very close to me, and it looks pretty solid. It is a wee bit expensive, but not out of range and looks to need minimal upgrades. I found a lot of good info about the design and there a lot of positives. This boat in particular is name Frodo, and this appeals to me being a Lord of the Rings nerd and all :) I love the overall look of it too.

Description:

"NEW PRICE Fantastic minicruiser, reported to be a blue water go anywhere boat. Reported by owner to be excellent condition. Owner has replaced alternator, has spun fuel and is having bottom painted. Has steel plate bildge keels, monitor self steering wind vane, windless,sails reported excellent, Famet rollerfurling, Auto pilot,GPS, Nexus wind speed, depth, remote control cockpit, was a liveaboard came up from the Caribbean in 02. Well cared for.!!!!!!!!!!!Hurry won't last!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Erick's Comments: Obviously I highlighted the key words that let me know this boat is worth a thorough investigation. Also came from the Caribbean, the area I plan to cruise first off with this boat.

Builder/Designer

Builder: Golden Hind Designer: Maurice Griffins

Dimensions

LOA: 31' Beam: 9 Displacement: 12000 Draft: 3'8" Ballast: 4100

Engines

Engine(s): Lister-Petter Engine(s) HP: 20 Cruising Speed: 5

Tankage

Fuel: 20 Water: 60 Holding: yes

Comments: Good numbers. Nice, shallow draft. Decent storage.

Accommodations
Large V berth and storage forward, head, settee, table, galley, nav station.Attractive teak interior, lots of storage every where!Great pocket cruiser, go anywhere.

Galley Sink, manuel water, alcohol stove, icebox, storage!!!

Electronics VHF, autopilot, windvane, depth, knotmeter, stereo,GPS

Electrical 3 new deep cycle batteries, solar panels, 12 volt

Deck 3 anchors, twin anchor rollers, Famet roller furling, fenders, off shore life jackets,Hi speed manuel windless, extra Jerry cans, lines, chain, Sails: Main, jib, new zincs, primary 2 speed Anderson self tailing winches,

Additional
Curtains, extra tiller, clock, Barometer, 2 whale gusher pumps, 1 electric bilge pump, wind instrument package, Whisker pole, gin pole. dodger, sun fly. 108 amp alternator, Spares!!! Great boat hurry won't last!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Erick's Comments: Everything looks great. Lots of good equipment, interested to see the condition of it all. Looks set up for the kind of use I have in mind. Would probably need a bit of upgrading, but survey would see exactly what.