Found a boat to buy

[backinblue]

Hoping we can get into NS by end of May even if we have to Quarantine on boat. Hitch a ride from friends or family to the border rent a car if we can leave it in NS. The boat is in Chester probably two days to Maine. We will take minimal provisions plus sleeping bags and then get the boat ready in Maine to head down the coast to Oyster Bay. First season we will just do short trips. Then next year hopefully up to Lake Champlain. Possibly the Erie Canal. I have biked the canal from Buffalo to Albany. Not sure if this boat can make the trip. Any suggestions or holes in our plans please give input.

That's a pretty big delivery trip. Make sure the boat is mechanically sound and up to date on all maintenance items and points of failure like water pump impeller, filters, belts, etc. Also, make sure your GPS has all the maps needed for your route.

Your boat should certainly be capable of a trip to Lake Champlain. It's the opposite of my delivery trip, started on Champlain and ended in Long Island Sound, north shore. It's probably an easier trip than NS to Oyster Bay. My boat is an MS Pilot 355 (aka 31). I'll be happy to share more info when you need it. Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.

 

[Steve Jackson]

Well here it is a month and half later, and I will be flying to Florida to look at the boat. Looking at flights to St Petersburg/Tampa area where the boat is it is located I found that I can save about $300 flying to Orlando rather than St Pete/Tampa. It is about a two hour drive, but that isn't bad. Have a good surveyor lined up, a short haul to check to bottom, and we will see if it all works out.

 

[Comodave]

Hope it all goes well. Good luck.

 

[jimfrens]

Wait until you see the taxes, car rental fees, and tolls in the Orlando area and that $300 savings disappears quickly.

 

[Helmsman]

Best of luck to you!

 

[backinblue]

If $300 is a significant amount of money that someone is worried about, maybe boat buying should not be a priority right now.

 

[Jeff F]

Hoping we can get into NS by end of May even if we have to Quarantine on boat. Hitch a ride from friends or family to the border rent a car if we can leave it in NS. The boat is in Chester probably two days to Maine. We will take minimal provisions plus sleeping bags and then get the boat ready in Maine to head down the coast to Oyster Bay.

I think this is going to be more challenging than you might imagine. Entry to both Canada and NS is highly restricted right now, and it doesn't look likely to get easier before summer. You should expect a strict 2 week quarantine if you're allowed in. That means no shopping or provisioning during that time.

I also wouldn't minimize the trip from Chester to Maine. Maybe it's two days in perfect conditions, but you may find yourself sitting in a fishing port waiting out weather. I'd allow for at least a week. It's all open ocean travel, cold and foggy much of the time, and lots of current around the southern tip of NS. Not always smooth sailing.

I'm not sure I can offer any constructive solutions. I'm in Ontario and planning a summer cruise to NS, but restrictions to intra-provincial travel may quash those plans. NS has been pretty successful with managing COVID through strict provincial border controls since last spring, and that's going to continue well into 2021. They take this very seriously.

 

[Roger L]

I have the option of having the boat delivered to Maine. Not my preference but it’s an option.

 

[Steve Jackson]

My plans right now, if I buy the boat, is to go back in March and start cruising my way to the east coast of Florida, either through Lake Okeechobee or around the south tip of Florida. I hope to make Norfolk, by June, after taking my time cruising north on the AICW. I need to fly home in early June for my Mother-in-laws 103 year young birthday and the arrival of my first grandchild. My plan is to find a safe dock to leave the boat, fly home, then fly back and spend the summer cruising the Chesapeake area. From my reading there is a lot of beautiful areas to see all over the Chesapeake and I'm sure it would keep me very busy until late Oct. Then I'm looking at putting the boat on the hard for the winter, return home, and plan to do the loop in 2022. I hope by then that Canada/US border will be open like normal and I will be able to enjoy the loop cruise.

It all depends on the boat, condition, survey, and sea trails.

PS:I look for savings on airfare as I would rather spend money on the boat then flying back and forth.

 

[backinblue]

My plans right now, if I buy the boat, is to go back in March and start cruising my way to the east coast of Florida, either through Lake Okeechobee or around the south tip of Florida. I hope to make Norfolk, by June, after taking my time cruising north on the AICW. I need to fly home in early June for my Mother-in-laws 103 year young birthday and the arrival of my first grandchild. My plan is to find a safe dock to leave the boat, fly home, then fly back and spend the summer cruising the Chesapeake area. From my reading there is a lot of beautiful areas to see all over the Chesapeake and I'm sure it would keep me very busy until late Oct. Then I'm looking at putting the boat on the hard for the winter, return home, and plan to do the loop in 2022. I hope by then that Canada/US border will be open like normal and I will be able to enjoy the loop cruise.

It all depends on the boat, condition, survey, and sea trails.

PS:I look for savings on airfare as I would rather spend money on the boat then flying back and forth.

pretty ambitious plans. What is the boat? Best of luck!

 

[Steve Jackson]

A Prairie 29 with a Perkins 4-236 engine

 

[Steve Jackson]

Well soon I will have a some pictures to share. YES I finally bought a boat. I bought JOURNEY a Prairie 29, hull #7. The reason I decided on this boat is because it has the gear that I want including the Perkins 4-236 engine. Just purchased it Tuesday and Wednesday I had to fly hone to finish up a few things. Hope to be underway by the end of March from St. Petersburg to the other side of Florida then headed north. This is the start of our GREAT LOOP, although we are going to stop in the Chesapeake area for next winter after spending the summer in the Chesapeake cruising. Hopefully by 2022, Canada will again be open to cruise.

 

[Helmsman]

Congratulations! Sounds like a great adventure. Looking forward to pictures.

Well soon I will have a some pictures to share. YES I finally bought a boat. I bought JOURNEY a Prairie 29, hull #7. The reason I decided on this boat is because it has the gear that I want including the Perkins 4-236 engine. Just purchased it Tuesday and Wednesday I had to fly hone to finish up a few things. Hope to be underway by the end of March from St. Petersburg to the other side of Florida then headed north. This is the start of our GREAT LOOP, although we are going to stop in the Chesapeake area for next winter after spending the summer in the Chesapeake cruising. Hopefully by 2022, Canada will again be open to cruise.

 

[backinblue]

Nice boat. Big for its length. Must be pretty old for hull #7 I'm guessing. What year? Any major refits needed/planed before your long journey?

 

[Steve Jackson]

I do plan to do some work on the boat before we set off. There is some major painting that needs to be done and will start on that when I can. There are few mechanical and safety items that I plan to make sure are done right, but some other things can wait.

 

[Jeff F]

Congratulations. That's a great small loop boat.

 

[Comodave]

Congrats on your new boat. Have lots of fun with it. Photos???

 

[PNK]

Steve,
I had never even heard of the Prairie trawlers back when I was looking, but after your posts I looked them up, and they seem to have a lot of features and space for their size. Because of when they stopped manufacturing they are older than boats I was looking at, so I am wondering about your experience; how did the survey go, and once you were able to be on the boat did you feel it pretty much met your expectations? Now I would be interested in the 36...
Good luck with it, and have fun with the Loop planning, as well as the trip!

 

[Steve Jackson]

I did do survey with a surveyor that was highly recommended on this forum. We hauled the boat and did the bottom as well as spending about six hours doing the rest of the boat. I did Ok on the price, partly because of no broker and the painting work that needs to be done. There are a few mechanical problems, some I found and some the surveyor found during his inspection. Those will be addressed before I leave, and there a few things I will have done at a yard, when I layup for the winter. Wife and I are talking about time away with her mother at her age, but are still thinking of making it to the Chesapeake this year and wait until next year to do Canada or to Long Is. Sound and up to Maine. Depending on what happens we will do one or other next year. Lots to see and do on the east coast area.

I'm headed back to the boat in 1.5 weeks to start on the projects then me wife will fly to met me, and we will get moving

Thank to all of you that encourage me, we are looking forward to cruising and think the boat will fit us prefectly.

 

[GoneDiving]

Boats are very pricy right now, but the boat I have found looks a bit inflated, but not what I see on YCHTWORLD prices, I may just wait and see if when fuel pricces go up, boat prices come down.

I was lucky enough to buy during the dip. Here prices fell as jobs and the economy collapsed at the start of the shutdowns. Now it's near impossible to buy a vessel as people cant/won't fly so are turning to the water. Anyone who wants a popular model needs to act fast and bring a fat wallet.

I wouldn't suggest throwing money away but I'd hate to miss out on my ideal vessel for 5 or 10%

 

[backinblue]

I don't see fuel prices changing enough to affect boat prices.

 

[Steve Jackson]

Well I pulled the rigger and bought the boat. I di get the Prairie 2, looks to be a great boat, although it needed some work. Doing that now and hope to leave St Petersburg, FL. next week. I have been here for two weeks working every day, and my wife joins me next Monday.

 

[High Wire]

Congratulations on the purchase. You are in a great area to do shakedown runs. If you get stuck on anything, post the problem here.

 

[rgano]

Where headed from St Pete

 

[rgano]

Well I pulled the rigger and bought the boat. I di get the Prairie 2, looks to be a great boat, although it needed some work. Doing that now and hope to leave St Petersburg, FL. next week. I have been here for two weeks working every day, and my wife joins me next Monday.

And where to from St Pete?

 

[High Wire]

And where to from St Pete?

I think he said Chesapeake Bay via ICW

 

[Pete Meisinger]

Here is an option which will give you plenty of nice cruising and save a pile of money and worry this winter.

Head north on the ICW make it as far as Lake Michigan for the winter layup. Most marinas on Lake Michigan are way cheaper than East Coast, safer, conscientious and a shorter flight back home. Shop rates are around $100 an hour compared to maybe twice that in the big East coast cities.

I can make some recommendations if you are interested.

pete

 

[Steve Jackson]

I am leaving out of Gulfport Municipal Marina and will head towards Sarasota the first day. Looking forward to getting underway and away from all the prep work and painting. I have to go back home in June for my mother in laws 103 year young birthday. A wonderful lady, also my son and daughter in law are making me a grandpa for the first time in late June. want to go to Calif. for the big event. So our plan is to make it as far as we can towards the Chesapeake Bay area, leave the boat there and return in Aug to continue cruising. We then plan to spend a couple of months cruising that area before putting the boat on the hard for the winter, and return 2022 late March or April. Get the boat ready and continue on the loop. Hope Canada is open by then. We aren't in a rush, but I feel like I'm aging out of boats in the not so distant future.

All advice is appreciated.

 

[rgano]

Give a shout if you are running through Panama City. The city marinas hereabout are destroyers but "Marina de Gano" has been rebuilt can support a couple of trawlers. Photos post Michael and now.

 

[kokopelliTim]

Steve!
Welcome to the Prairie family!
So happy for you.


I have owned my Prairie 29 for 3 years (bought it from a fellow TF dude) and love it all the time. Of course always things to do to bring it up to modern usage after 40 years....but well worth the effort


Please begin a thread in the Prairie listings area so we can follow you and watch your adventures!


All the best.


Tim