Howdy, I'm a tall ship sailor and sail bum, looking to share some experience

Aleksi

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There was some cruiser motto, I forgot most of it but the important bit is just "go now"
Go small, go simple, go now. The pardey's.
It is the only way to go sailing cheap, IMO. It's way cheaper than scavanging abandonned boat. Done it to. But I now live on my 27 footer and with a bit of DIY and not much money, am able to maintain her ship shape.
Go now, learn and earn as you go. You can go very, very far just coastal cruising to get to now the things of life at sea, wich sound very attractive but many a young traveler has given up with this lifestyle when tried out in real life (being boat owner is very, very different of just hitching a ride here and there. Thousand time more instructive, thousand time more a pain in the ass).
 

Junwe

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Go small, go simple, go now. The pardey's.
It is the only way to go sailing cheap, IMO. It's way cheaper than scavanging abandonned boat. Done it to. But I now live on my 27 footer and with a bit of DIY and not much money, am able to maintain her ship shape.
Go now, learn and earn as you go. You can go very, very far just coastal cruising to get to now the things of life at sea, wich sound very attractive but many a young traveler has given up with this lifestyle when tried out in real life (being boat owner is very, very different of just hitching a ride here and there. Thousand time more instructive, thousand time more a pain in the ass).
Hello, wish you're having a fantastic season. i am looking at a Catalina 30 tomorrow and am a little anxious. i've only ever owned one boat, an o'day25. 4he Caralina 30 is selling for 3800$ and if the sailor has been honest with me, i will buy her tomorrow and then sail her to nyc to liveaboard and sail. It's been a few years since i took to the helm but i want to return to the water. i have to start all over again, i'll be alright, are you familiar with ny harbor?
 

Aleksi

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I'm not familiar with your harbor sorry. Catalina 30 is a decent boat, depending on your program. 3800 is very cheap. Did you check it out good before buying ? Or are you planing a major refit ? Very cheap is not always the cheapest option.
 

Junwe

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I'm not familiar with your harbor sorry. Catalina 30 is a decent boat, depending on your program. 3800 is very cheap. Did you check it out good before buying ? Or are you planing a major refit ? Very cheap is not always the cheapest option.
i looked at her, inspected and noticed leaky ports and re bedding work, a paint job but she has a main and a Genoa. The engine an atomic 4 cylinder started right up, marine head is direct discharge but there is good water pressure. The stern rail is broken and the fore deck is soft. i paid 2000$ and will sail with the vendor when i move her to a closer marina for a haul out. The work needed not including haul out/yard storage is affordable and i can fix it myself. i can weld and re bed a couple of stanchions and some hardware. It came with a auto helm, GPS, food, dirty laundry, radar detector and a solar panel. She's roomier than my old o'day25 but not fast which is alright with me. i haven't sailed in a decade and am excited to bring her home. i will live aboard eventually, trying to find a yard that will allow me to work on her.
 

Junwe

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Forgot it came with a curler for the genoa, never used one before, looking forward to it. i'm convinced the price was fair for what i got. Hoping to sail south after the work and some winter sailing, i'm a little anxious but she floats and the engine is working, all paid but far from me, i just want to sail
 

Aleksi

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Congrat's man, you got yourself a sailboat. It looks like you know what you are doing and have the diy skills to beef her up. The things I would pay special attention to is the flexing foredeck, not a good sign although quite comon on cored decks whith leaky deck fittings.
It takes a little trial and error to get use to the roller furler. I got very frustrated at the begining, but now like it very much. Here are few advices :
Usually they do not like to much tension, meaning forget the winch on the genoa halyard, hoist just with hands. Make sure you have good tension in your backstays.
The most important thing is the angle the halyard pulls on the swivel up there. If this is not right, it will jam, 100%. It can be very easy to adjust with the halyard passing in a pulley simply lashed (strongly) to the desired height at the top of the mast. If this isnt clear ill try to take pictures of my masthead.
Don't roll it under tension, it will eventually destroy the forestay (and of course you don't see it).
Never, ever, ever, use a winch to roll your genoa. You will break something.
If it doesnt roll by hand, something is wrong, figure it out.
If you cant roll it and it's completly unrolled, you can drop it and figure out the problem once at anchorage.
If its jamed half rolled (or unrolled), then you can't drop it. Untie the genoa sheets and motor in several 360. Not ideal but better than having a big canvas stuck up there in a blow.
On a broad reach, simply open wide the main sail, it will blancket your genoa and you can furl it easely.
My two cents. Once again, congrats for your boat !
 

Junwe

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Congrat's man, you got yourself a sailboat. It looks like you know what you are doing and have the diy skills to beef her up. The things I would pay special attention to is the flexing foredeck, not a good sign although quite comon on cored decks whith leaky deck fittings.
It takes a little trial and error to get use to the roller furler. I got very frustrated at the begining, but now like it very much. Here are few advices :
Usually they do not like to much tension, meaning forget the winch on the genoa halyard, hoist just with hands. Make sure you have good tension in your backstays.
The most important thing is the angle the halyard pulls on the swivel up there. If this is not right, it will jam, 100%. It can be very easy to adjust with the halyard passing in a pulley simply lashed (strongly) to the desired height at the top of the mast. If this isnt clear ill try to take pictures of my masthead.
Don't roll it under tension, it will eventually destroy the forestay (and of course you don't see it).
Never, ever, ever, use a winch to roll your genoa. You will break something.
If it doesnt roll by hand, something is wrong, figure it out.
If you cant roll it and it's completly unrolled, you can drop it and figure out the problem once at anchorage.
If its jamed half rolled (or unrolled), then you can't drop it. Untie the genoa sheets and motor in several 360. Not ideal but better than having a big canvas stuck up there in a blow.
On a broad reach, simply open wide the main sail, it will blancket your genoa and you can furl it easely.
My two cents. Once again, congrats for your boat !
Thanks, i am more concerned about engine parts failing because of age and use. i didn't get the hours on the engine other than a windless 3 day sail the previous owner mentioned. More than likely there are thousands of hours on her. Nevertheless it starts right up and sounds good. i'm familiar with vintage Japanese motorcycles and have rebuilt a couple of motors under 1000cc. The atomic 4 is new to me and it is unfortunate the hours weren't logged. She sails and i trust the vendor has been honest. The main needs work, might have to make one before next summer. i mentioned i could fix the foredeck and the vendor told me it isn't worth it, there are no leaks in the v berth and the wood or balsa core is gone. Feels like a trampoline, i think i can fix it, looking into it, i loved the o'day25 i lived aboard in nyc hoping this upgrade to the Catalina 30 will be more fun, did i mention she's a tall rig?
 

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