Hi to all

Still trawling the net seeing what is available

What are your thoughts on this one

http://www.boatsonline.com.au/boats-for-sale/used/sailing-boats/sailmaster-845-kan-walker-grp-herreshoff-h28-sloop/127635

Regards Don

I guess it is advertised for $32,500 but they are probably expecting to get in the high 20's

It condition in the photo's seem to be better than average and the only thing it doesn't have that i would like is a furling headsail

Does anyone know roughly how much it would cost to put a furler on to it and i assume the headsails would have to be altered to suit

The problem with looking interstate is the time and cost involved in going to look at something that might look good on the net but not in real life and if i bought interstate getting it down here

I looked at this one www.boatsalestas.com.au/sail-monohulls/sailmaster-845-eureka/133520/ the other day that is advertised for $29,500 and it is a bit tired looking and the one for $32,500 looks a lot better value out of the two of them with a more usable cabin layout because it doesn't have a V berth making the main cabin area a fair bit longer

Regards Don

claverton said..

Looks like a very clean boat but as LooseChange alludes to, price is everything. It's a buyers market, not a sellers.

Why not keep an eye out for boats on the market in Melbourne? That would certainly open things up a lot for you in terms of choice and price, and I doubt you'd have too much difficulty encouraging someone experienced to help you deliver it.

Your quite correct. That Mottle is cheap because the mooring fee per year in Port Philip and surrounding areas are so expensive. Its a lovely boat. When I sold my quarter tonner I had a buyer come up from Melbourne to look at it. He was keen but when he realised the annual mooring fee was going to cost him more than what I sold her for he withdrew. He sent me a check for $200 for my time!!!!

I like the 'glass H28s. Not the fastest boats about but seaworthy. Some about with quality gear and fit outs. Some also with a low entry fee.

Well to start, it may be difficult to find cassettes for the stereo?

Seriously though, I question the positioning of the thru-hulls for the head. They are asking to be kicked into potentially breaking off. Rerouting would be a pain but I would consider trying to box them in or look at the very best fitting you can get to ensure a stray kick doesn't ruin your day.

Check out this website for some really good info on the way a thru-hull should be done:

www.pbase.com:443/mainecruising/replacing_thruhulls

You can get furlers for hanked headsails, not sure how much they cost or how good they are. Or, you can DIY:

www.rlyachts.net/tips-furler.asp

I would also budget standing/running rigging replacement.

Being an estate sale, I would offer something truly ridiculous; unless the heirs are into sailing!

It's going to need money spent on it for sure and that will be you, not the broker nor the heirs!

Looks pretty good Don, from the photos anyway.

Lots more room than the spacesailer 24 or 27, which I thought were good suggestions, as good as a compass....

And you can ask our opinions all you like, but you have to like/love/live with it!

Get a good survey is the best idea, out of the water, and if they don't find anything that's a deal breaker, get it anti fouled at the same time.

I woul suggest rigging would be around 4-6K depends on how much you can do yourself, or if you have any sailing mates that can help with that aspect, if the budget stretches, get the furler at the same time. Furler could be around 3k including modification to sails.

You could do the furler down the track. They are convenient, but we sailed without them for a couple of hundred years. And the forecasts are so good these days, that you can choose the right sail for the day. I like my furler because it gets the sail out of the boat and off the foredeck when anchored overnight.

Motor does look good, but for a broker to say it "presents as new" is a stretch in my book. That many hours, and that age of metal around salt water will never ever present as new again! Be great if you get another 5 -7 years.

That's my 2cents, knowing that any boat of that age will require maintenance the price should reflect this, and I agree with the above.....don't be afraid of making a low offer.

Good luck
Rick

$4-6K for new rigging? I suspect that may be slightly optimistic. If rigging is a lot more than 10yrs don't even think about not replacing it straight away. I got a quote (Sydney) a while ago for new standing rigging, furler and most of the running rigging converted from wire to spectra halyards for a Farr 1020. I can't quite remember the number but I know it was a hell of lot more than $10K...

Nav instruments another major expense if yacht hasn't already got them ... I'm talking depth, speed log, & preferably masthead wind (direction & speed) instruments running on NMEA 0183 or 2000; these are expensive to buy & install. Of course these aren't compulsory like rigging but it means a boat without them is a lot more expensive (at the same price) than a boat with them.

Check it's got full set of nav lights, including deck and masthead.

The other money pit is re-doing the electrics if they've got any age on them. It's these expensive big ticket items that need to be factored into the purchase price of any boat you're considering. Oh, sails of course another big ticket item...expensive! Not just main and headsail, but light wind and downwind sails as well. Add new standing and running rigging and full set of decent sails onto the purchase price and see how the number changes!

If you're going to get a survey obviously don't use one recommended by the broker.

claverton said..

$4-6K for new rigging? I suspect that may be slightly optimistic. If rigging is a lot more than 10yrs don't even think about not replacing it straight away. I got a quote (Sydney) a while ago for new standing rigging, furler and most of the running rigging converted from wire to spectra halyards for a Farr 1020. I can't quite remember the number but I know it was a hell of lot more than $10K...

Nav instruments another major expense if yacht hasn't already got them ... I'm talking depth, speed log, & preferably masthead wind (direction & speed) instruments running on NMEA 0183 or 2000; these are expensive to buy & install. Of course these aren't compulsory like rigging but it means a boat without them is a lot more expensive (at the same price) than a boat with them.

Check it's got full set of nav lights, including deck and masthead.

The other money pit is re-doing the electrics if they've got any age on them. It's these expensive big ticket items that need to be factored into the purchase price of any boat you're considering. Oh, sails of course another big ticket item...expensive! Not just main and headsail, but light wind and downwind sails as well. Add new standing and running rigging and full set of decent sails onto the purchase price and see how the number changes!

If you're going to get a survey obviously don't use one recommended by the broker.

Not wishing to get into any arguments, if you want to get a full mast service, including painting, all new exit blocks and sheaves, and every bit of running rigging replaced, new wiring up to the mast head etc etc whilst the mast is out of the boat, yes it will cost you more than 4-6K. However, if you just need the standing rigging replaced on a boat that size....(as the comment was made that it was thought to be original, which I doubt) 4K would go pretty close. I think of my own ability when thinking about these things, and I wont pay a rigger for doing my running rigging as I do it all myself, at my age I still go to the masthead and replace my sheaves and mast head light bulb, run my own halyards etc and buy stuff in bulk online.

and the mast does not have to be pulled just to do the standing rigging as it will quite happily sit there held up by halyards whilst you are getting the stays made up.

A farr 1020 is a much bigger boat that would attract a higher cost for obvious reasons.

with regard to electronics, just for cruising around your own backyard, a good VHF and depth sounder are all you really NEED, the rest are luxuries on a boat that does not go to sea on a regular basis. My Ipad and Iphone have great programs that I have been using for a few years, a local chart, beacon to beacon, is fine for just a weekend up the broadwater or down to yamba.....and I don't need a wind instrument to tell me I am overpowered and it is time to reef. A good look at the forecast will give you an idea of what sail you will need on the day.

And as Ramona says, the mast mounted winches aren't much fun sailing 2 up!

Not sure about the retro bit with the sounder. Yes they have been around for awhile. "Flasher" sounders are simply A scopes that wrap around. An A scope shows what's underneath the boat now, where as a lcd screen generally shows history, what you have just been over in the centre of the screen. The very leading edge is similar to an A scope but most people just look at the depth read out. That Royal will be Japanese made too. Nice piece of kit.

The way this vessel is set up at the moment you will have to have someone at the mast or on the foredeck any time there is a sail change or a reef needs to be put in or shaken out. This is fine for some people but may wear thin with the better half or even when sailing by your self. Notice the harnesses in the photos, they are for sail changes.
To convert to a slab reefing system that can be done totally from the cockpit and a headsail furler will not be cheap. Two speed self tailers will be a good update and win you a few browny points.

I agree, if there is just two of you it is much safer to be able to raise the main from the cockpit, particuarly in rough weather. Also to make thing easier self tailing winches would be a good inestment.

I have always pulled the main from the mast base.....best spot to hoist. A sounder in vision from the cockpit is the only way I would travel.

claverton said..

Agree, much prefer main halyard at the mast rather than the cockpit for shorthanded as long as you have reefing lines and topping lift there as well. Spinnaker halyards to the cockpit.

Also agree. The act of putting the halyard through a 90 degree turning block reduces mechanical advantage by I think 50%.

What gauge halyard do you guys have on your main? Currently the boat I purchased has something that I would use on a dingy, pretty small size and I'm worried about it breaking under load. Should the main halyard be wire or rope?

Hi Ramona or anyone else familiar with this type of sounder

I imagine the sounder displays depth by a needle or something moving around the dial with it using the inner or outer scale (depending on what range you have selected) and sets off a alarm if it drops below a preset depth but how does it indicates if a fish goes past it (how does it not think it is a peak on the seabed)

Regards Don

We went and had a good look over it today and it was pretty much as per the photo's

The only things that obviously in need of repair is the luff of the mainsail is torn in one small section and the luff rope looks sun effected at this point,the toilet plunger is stiff to operate and leaks past the shaft seal and there is a lot of green corrosion on the skin fitting where it attaches to the ball valve for the toilet water inlet

The next thing to do is to get it out of the water,wash it down and have it surveyed

If the report comes back ok we will go from there

Regards Don

we had our standing rigging replaced recently on a 27 footer, all wires replaced, no sheaths on mast replaced, new Furlex furler cost 4k

This pretty much comes back to what was mentioned earlier. You have to identify what your after in a yacht and what it's going to be used for. I reckon your aiming for a boat to day sail and occasionally race with your wife as crew, spend the occasional weekend aboard etc. The main criteria is going to be a boat that's pleasant to sail, handy sized and above all have that view as you row away feeling. You row away home and look back at your yacht and think, damn that bloke designed a good boat!
The H28 is based on the Herreshoff 28 which has been around for a very long time and built all over the world. Originally a wood yacht and when built in 'glass they kept the weight. I have never sailed one but looked at them. I would put them in the same category as a Northerner 28/Compass28/29. They sail ok but not fast, I have only sailed a Northerner. They have a similar long keel set up. Not much good trying to go to windward in fresh conditions, especially with a slightly furled headsail. 25 knots of wind and some slop and you wont be happy.
The weight is not a problem. Take a bit to get going in the light stuff but will carry some momentum. Motion in a seaway will be much more pleasant than the Spacesailer. Ballast ratio will be about 50:50 with I think lead encased in the fibreglass keel so there will never be any leaks from there. This boat will be very durable. Check out the H28 sailing association for like minded sailers.

To my mind and I am of course biased, a 70's/80's half tonner is more suitable.