Should I buy or walk

[IRENE]

Derik,

I understand your thinking about newer/fewer projects.

We bought a 2011 40' trawler last December, she had 1375 hours on her. Over the months after purchase, I was amazed at the number of things that needed attention on what I feel is a "newer" boat. For example, we had leaks in many systems, including a through-hull requiring a special haul-out. Today, I am putting in thousands of dollars worth of batteries. There was no sign of neglect, or much wear and tear. I sure have learned some things, and I try to do as much as possible myself. I am glad to have done it, and would do it again.

Certainly, continue with your due diligence and balance your findings with what you want. More expense or newer won't necessarily lessen the headaches. Even a new boat will have myriad issues during commissioning.

Best Wishes

 

[dhays]

Congratulations Derik!

My guess is that the things you were concerned about (right so) before purchase will seeon be eclipsed by the inevitable surprises. As Irene mentioned, that happens with a boat of any age.

 

[Donsan]

As one fellow poster was fond of saying "Everything on your boat is broken, you just don't know it yet'.

Congratulations!!!

 

[Derik]

So I take possession on Oct 3rd or 4th. I had a real up and down experience with the purchase and the latest was that I couldn't get insurance that would allow me to keep it in the water, due to the survey. He had 46 items of concern, most were minimal like no Hazardous Waste Plan, but a few he didn't explain well and it sounded as if the boat was a heap. Like thru hull being corroded.. well it was above the water line!

I was offered Insurance and will finalize it tomorrow. It was good getting a picky guy for the survey for negotiations but then really stressed me out trying to find Insurance afraid I would have to dry dock the boat at 179.00 a day until all items were fixed.

 

[High Wire]

... afraid I would have to dry dock the boat at 179.00 a day until all items were fixed.

That’s insane money! $8-12/foot/month in Florida.
Add finding a new haul out location to your to-do list.

 

[Derik]

Here are some more CA numbers for pre purchase here in San Diego. engine survey 700.00 Full boat Survey 740.00 Haul out 516.00. They will deduct the haul out amount from the bottom paint if I use them in the next 90 days which is 1400 - so 884.00 for bottom paint which i thought was pretty good.

Slip 875.00 a month! Plus electricity.

Then Jerry Brown puts a "use tax" on the boat at 8% of the sales price and SD County puts a property tax on it at 1% annually.

 

[Derik]

I forgot about the Title Transfer at 570.00 ! So if you buy a 40,000 dollar boat you need 5,000 to cover all costs not including the slip or any work.

Welcome to the wonderful Republic of CA.

 

[Donsan]

I forgot about the Title Transfer at 570.00 ! So if you buy a 40,000 dollar boat you need 5,000 to cover all costs not including the slip or any work.

Welcome to the wonderful Republic of CA.

But the weather is sooooo nice!

Enjoy your BOAT! (Break Out Another Thousand) Hope they don't tax you on the fish you catch.

 

[Seevee]

Derik,

We are bad enough in FL, but come on down, will save you thousands! CA sounds brutal! I could never live there regardless of the weather.

 

[FlyWright]

Derik,

We are bad enough in FL, but come on down, will save you thousands! CA sounds brutal! I could never live there regardless of the weather.

Fear not. NorCal is not SoCal. I have a covered slip with power and water in the brackish waters of the Napa River/Mare Island Strait for $10/ft...$357 for a 35 ft slip.

 

[sdowney717]

Here are some more CA numbers for pre purchase here in San Diego. engine survey 700.00 Full boat Survey 740.00 Haul out 516.00. They will deduct the haul out amount from the bottom paint if I use them in the next 90 days which is 1400 - so 884.00 for bottom paint which i thought was pretty good.

Slip 875.00 a month! Plus electricity.

Then Jerry Brown puts a "use tax" on the boat at 8% of the sales price and SD County puts a property tax on it at 1% annually.

My uncovered slip is $120 per month for my 37 foot boat, includes free electric and city water, but that is a good price here. Typically more like $150 to $200 a month for a slip, depends on the marina, some are like resorts. I prefer the barebones marinas.
An example, a haulout at Marina Cove (not my marina) is $200 per month or $8 per day, $400 to haul it wash and block it up. But Belle Isle in Hampton costs about 50% higher for same service.

There is a very pricey place for a haulout nearby to my marina. Uses a railway, costs $100 per day or $50 if you have a slip there, but monthly slip is $100 with no electricity unless you run an extension cord. And that place is an old small and messy, when I was told their cost I made no comment, but inwardly thinking how absurd

 

[jimisbell]

When I saw slip prices here in So Texas I purchased three canal lots with a 75 foot bulkhead for $25,000, fifteen years ago. Those lots are now worth $200,000 and I still have a free slip where I keep a Gulfstar 36 and a Mainship 34. I even had a person interested in buying the lots with an easement, to me, of the entire bulkhead for free for lifetime. The neighbor offered me his 75' bulkhead for $50 a month.



Even if you count taxes as slip expense, they only cost $1200 a year and the Gulfstar is a rental slip at $180 a month. Covers taxes and mowing and electric and some spending money.

 

[Derik]

Crazy, price differences throughout the country. I have 10 more years in Southern CA and then I will probably sell the boat or move it to the PNW but certainly not Seattle. I am thinking that Vancouver Wa maybe a good place to keep the boat.

 

[dhays]

Crazy, price differences throughout the country. I have 10 more years in Southern CA and then I will probably sell the boat or move it to the PNW but certainly not Seattle. I am thinking that Vancouver Wa maybe a good place to keep the boat.

Big difference between the Columbia River and Puget Sound. Both are nice, but very different.

 

[OldDan1943]

Derik,

We are bad enough in FL, but come on down, will save you thousands! CA sounds brutal! I could never live there regardless of the weather.

There are so many reasons not to live in Calif.

 

[Airstream345]

Big difference between the Columbia River and Puget Sound. Both are nice, but very different.

This is good perspective. You can find lower cost slips in Puget Sound, just away from Seattle and Lake Union. For comparison: we're in a covered slip on Lake Union for $11/ft + electricity. It's a very basic marina, but it's covered and low rent and easy. Up north, some uncovered slips are $8/ft. You can even buy your slip in a few (condo) marinas.

If (when) we get a larger boat, we'll likely move up north to Oak Harbor or Anacortes or one of the island to take advantage of not only the cheaper moorage but the access to the San Juans, Gulf Islands, BC and such. Of course, we'll be moving entirely of Seattle at that time as well so we'll chose a marina based on where we live (unless I can convince my better half to live aboard by then).

 

[Derik]

I love the San Juan Islands! One of the many things the PNW has over CA especially up north is all that inner water to explore! I grew up fishing and crabbing up there around Friday Harbor.

 

[Papa Charlie]

I forgot about the Title Transfer at 570.00 ! So if you buy a 40,000 dollar boat you need 5,000 to cover all costs not including the slip or any work.

Welcome to the wonderful Republic of CA.

Don't forget the Luxury Tax that the state will add to the Property Tax. Same thing they added to Airplanes. Not a lot but just another hit.

 

[Papa Charlie]

There are so many reasons not to live in Calif.

I grew up in Tillamook Oregon but found myself in SF Bay Area for 30+ years after college. So glad to get out of CA, we have sworn we will never go back. Love the boating of the Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands, but retirement will be without the boat and back to the Oregon Coast. Not sure where we will end up but Washington is nothing more than a Northern version of California, increasing taxes like the monarchs of old. Eventually, WA will have a state income tax to add to the list. I know they say it won't happen, but this government is tax drunk, filling their pockets and giving a ton away to the homeless and drug addicts.

Very sad situation here. But that is what they do, get people dependent on their contributions then they have to keep them in power to maintain their income. Sounds a lot like the pusher on the street corner to me.

 

[Derik]

Yeah with my family and friends in Washington I hear that a lot. "a smaller version of CA" but I think it will take maybe 50 years for it to get as bad as CA plus you don't have the droves of people flocking there for the freebies like we do in CA. Simply too cold I guess. Or maybe you do but on a much smaller scale.

 

[Seevee]

Fear not. NorCal is not SoCal. I have a covered slip with power and water in the brackish waters of the Napa River/Mare Island Strait for $10/ft...$357 for a 35 ft slip.

Al,

That's pretty reasonable. Still would not live in CA. (or NY for that matter). Just too much government in those states.

I'm pretty happy in FL, fairly reasonable, boat all year and my snow shoveling costs have been close to zero for the past few years.

Just too many people here.

 

[Pack Mule]

We have a 50 ft covered slip $300 a month . Tennessee State Park . We don’t need one this big but it came open and has a great view plus I can float the dinghy along side the boat and we have room to grow