What do you all think?

[MTStringer]

As I said, just curious, about the grounding, actually. Kind of thing I used to discuss with my uncle, the navy vet. Nothing he couldn't fix or rig. Unfortunately, he went in this fall for knee replacement and didn't come out. If you don't already have an infection, just visit your local hospital, odds are one will find you. But, that's best left for another thread. And, for what it's worth, I think I like the wooden boat better, as well.

[American Patriot]

I'm sorry to hear about your uncle

Even us tough old vets get got eventually.

Yeah, go through the whole EMP thread and ask questions there about the grounding, I'll try to explain any thing you don't understand.

Looks like someone made an offer on the boat yesterday morning or Tuesday evening....

The steel boat is more, plus gonna take more money to outfit it.

I've got a line on a third one that is in Belize. Already outfitted and ready to go. Costs a bit more. Talking to my financial adviser, she is saying go for it.

I'm working with a broker too to see if he can look at paperwork and such for me since the boat is in a foreign country.

I'm still interested in the Shalamar (the older, blue and green boat) if that deal falls through.

However, if the one in Belize is better prepared.....

[MTStringer]

Don't wish to hijack the thread, Rick, so simply thanks. We all got our time, I understand that, but he was 84 and good enough to consider knee replacement for improvement of life quality, wasn't his time to go.
damn infection got him, and it came from the hospital, not outside in the real world where we live. Ain't right.

As for boats, Belize sounds like a nice place to finalize a deal.

[American Patriot]

Yeah. Dunno what's gonna happen.

[American Patriot]

Ok... different boat. 40' Fiberglass vessel. 80% outfitted, price is right. The first one was apparently sold and the second one needs probably way more work and refitting than I have the time, inclination and money to do. Needs to be pulled from water, cleaned and bottom painted, the rudder needs some repair work done, and some electronics are out (about 2k to replace/fix the parts, about 4.5k to replace outright). Only major issue right now - Boat is in Belize. That's not MUCH of a problem, but it's big enough I have to consider this carefully. Belize is a stable country, used to be British, but is a Parliamentary type place with a bit of a military ruling class. So unless stuff hits the fan should remain stable for the time being. Cheaper to leave the boat there than sail it back to the US and pay twice the storage cost too. Comments? Suggestions? Ideas? Thanks folks

[American Patriot]

BTW no brokers want to "work with me" unless I'm willing to drop about 200K. Found that out the hard way. A bait and switch asshole I contacted. "We will work with ANYONE to help them fulfill their dreams" in their ad. Wrote him. Was nice and happy to work with me

Told him where the boat was, and a few other things. Guy comes unglued on me and tells me that no way he'd assist me. He was expecting me to spend at least 100k because DAMN he just don't have time for penny ante stuff.

(a boat selling for 100k will net a 10% fee to a boat broker or $10,000 USD. A boat going for 30k only gets them a nice total of 3k. Just not worth the effort. Not at all).

Someone pay me fucking 3k for helping them find a boat, I'll take it.
Asswipes.

[Kosciuszko]

40' Fiberglass vessel.

I would not shed any tears over it. A good ocean going (or even lake Earie-ready) boat should be at least 44-46', unless you like living in a saltshaker. Keep on looking. It is tough to find what you need for less that a quarter (plus the cost of bringing her up to date).

http://www.networkyachtbrokers.co.uk...ner-03103.html

[American Patriot]

I would not shed any tears over it. A good ocean going (or even lake Earie-ready) boat should be at least 44-46', unless you like living in a saltshaker. Keep on looking. It is tough to find what you need for less that a quarter (plus the cost of bringing her up to date).

http://www.networkyachtbrokers.co.uk...ner-03103.html

No... not really Kos. Boats much smaller can cross the oceans.

I'm looking at a 35-40 foot vessel. There's no reason to go bigger, bigger is not necessarily better, nor more seaworthy.

In fact, smaller boats and larger boats have similar qualities if they are seaworthy.

I'm not concerned. I'm looking at several boats - and none of them are going to be quite perfect but they will make due for what I want.

[Kosciuszko]

I'm looking at a 35-40 foot vessel. There's no reason to go bigger, bigger is not necessarily better, nor more seaworthy.

My friends that I sail with have recently sold their 36' to a Canadian businessman in Vancouver and purchased a used 44' yawl in San Francisco. They plan to sail it to England this year from the East Coast.

Considering all things you need on the boat to sail it across the pond to Europe, you may not be able to fit it into anything less that 44'. For examle: 100 gallon diesel tank to give you the range of 500 nmiles, 100 gallon tank of H2O, marine Isuzu diesel, plenty of accessible and well ventilated storage, enough headroom for 6'4'' in case you decide to invite some tall friends to come along, etc. It is tough to fit all of it into 35 feet. 46 footer better handles choppy waters.

Therefore go with 46', have it blessed and baptized by a reputable pastor, put a few St.Benedict's medals in the hull and the engine compartments (nail one to the mast as well), nail the "Blessing Against Storms" to the wall of the galley, and you will be ready to tackle Atlantic storms.

P.S. Blessing prayer has to be very specific with reference to lightning and hurricanes as well as good enough to lift your boat if needed out of water at least 3 feet and then float it in the air to safety!

The Prayer or Blessing Against Storms
(found on page 28 Pieta Prayer Book)

At each '†', make the Sign of The Cross

Jesus Christ a King of Glory has come in Peace.†
God became man,† and the Word was made flesh.†
Christ was born of a Virgin.†
Christ suffered.†
Christ was crucified.†
Christ died.†
Christ rose from the dead.†
Christ ascended into Heaven.†
Christ conquers.† Christ reigns.†
Christ orders.†
May Christ protect us from all storms and lightning†
Christ went through their midst in Peace,†
and the word was made flesh.†
Christ is with us with Mary.†
Flee you enemy spirits because the Lion of the Generation of Juda, the Root David, has won.†
Holy God!†
Holy Powerful God!†
Holy Immortal God!†
Have mercy on us. Amen!

[American Patriot]

My friends that I sail with have recently sold their 36' to a Canadian businessman in Vancouver and purchased a used 44' yawl in San Francisco. They plan to sail it to England this year from the East Coast.

Considering all things you need on the boat to sail it across the pond to Europe, you may not be able to fit it into anything less that 44'. For examle: 100 gallon diesel tank to give you the range of 500 nmiles, 100 gallon tank of H2O, marine Isuzu diesel, plenty of accessible and well ventilated storage, enough headroom for 6'4'' in case you decide to invite some tall friends to come along, etc. It is tough to fit all of it into 35 feet. 46 footer better handles choppy waters.

Therefore go with 46', have it blessed and baptized by a reputable pastor, put a few St.Benedict's medals in the hull and the engine compartments (nail one to the mast as well), nail the "Blessing Against Storms" to the wall of the galley, and you will be ready to tackle Atlantic storms.

P.S. Blessing prayer has to be very specific with reference to lightning and hurricanes as well as good enough to lift your boat if needed out of water at least 3 feet and then float it in the air to safety!

Thanks for the advice, however, I am not sailing to England (from the WEst coast no less) and I'm planning on spending an inordinate amount of time chasing Black Beard and Morgan's Ghosts.... Therefore a 40' boat for me and the wife - which is about the max size I can handle will be fine. And it will be a full keel, shallow draft, ketch if I can find one - most likely with forward roller furling sails.

I can single hand the boat that is in the image for my avatar (and have). However - I don't want to do it often. And I only have one crew member besides myself.

The PRICE of putting the boat in a slip is exorbitant for anything above 40' so I will not be going that size, unless I find a damned good deal. My budget is limited to buying an older, used vessel in the range of 35-40 feet. Anything above that is wasting money. Anything smaller than 35 is not enough space for crossing the Atlantic.

Anything bigger than 40' in a blow is going to be difficult for me to handle alone and impossible for my wife to handle alone during her watch....

[vector7]

United States Navy selling its Oliver Hazard Perry FFG class frigates — ‘no reasonable offer refused’

• May 21, 2014 10:20PM

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Cold War warrior ... the United States Navy’s fleet of FFG frigates is looking for a new home. Source: Supplied
EVER wanted to own your own warship? Now’s your chance to light the fires and kick the … erm, lifesavers. The US Navy has several up for grabs, “no reasonable offer refused”.

The cold-war era guided missile frigates may be difficult to find a mooring for, but one would certainly turn heads.

And the prices are rock bottom, supplier-direct, bargain basement great-big deals. Yes, used warship salesman US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel is literally giving them away.

And don’t think you’re getting a discontinued line: The Oliver Hazard Perry FFG class is still in use in navies around the globe — from Australia to Spain, Bahrain to Taiwan, Turkey to Egypt.

Each one is 4100 metric tons of lean, mean fighting machine.


All class ... HMAS Sydney during a recent exercise. The US Navy is selling off its copies of these warships at “bargain basement” prices. Source: Supplied

There is one catch: They only come in grey.

If you have the proper papers, you can probably even get one with its guns and missiles still attached. If not, the provision of the full-sized helipad and undercover parking space for two choppers should still impress.

But you’ll have to be quick.

Given the popularity of these ships, this deal can’t last long.

Taiwan has already been spotted giving the vessels the once-over, as has Thailand and Mexico. Out of the 11 ships on offer, only three don’t currently have an offer on them.

So how much could one of these babies sell for?


Clean lines ... the FFG class frigates have been a common sight on the world’s oceans for the past 30 years. Source: Supplied

Well, each ship was worth about $200 million in 1978 dollars when they were first delivered (roughly $700 million in today’s terms). Since then they’ve undergone considerable depreciation and covered an impressive number of miles.

With all the optional extras removed (such as the towed sonar arrays, aircraft-tracking radars and 76mm cannon), the price is expected to be low. Very low.

In the hands of new nations these ships are likely to be stripped for spare parts to keep others running, though some have indicated they want to upgrade them to full combat capability.

But buyer beware: As the Royal Australian Navy discovered with the purchase and conversion of two US tank landing ships in the 1990s, there is no refund if the goods don’t live up to expectations.

Make sure you check for rust. Carefully.


Blast from the past ... a cutaway model showing the interior of the FFG frigates. Source: Supplied

[American Patriot]

Naw... too much overhead to maintain it. LOL

[Malsua]

It'd be fun to roll into port with it.

[American Patriot]

Would NOT be fun to pay the diesel bill though! LOL

I think I saw a sign saying diesel was close to 4 bucks a gallon. That's in the states, it's closer to 6 in foreign ports.

[Toad]

Can you imagine trying to dock that puppy with a 2 man crew! LOL

I'm curious if they will also hook you up with replacement parts when they're needed, and what the typical yearly maintenence cost tallies up to. I just see $$$ pouring into that boat left and right.

[Ryan Ruck]

Bunker oil is cheaper if you use it to hijack a tanker.

[American Patriot]

lol @ Ryan.

It's got the guns, right? LOL

Toad they say "A boat is a hole in the water, into which you throw money".