Newbie on my way to Vancouver Island

Along the lines (& price) of a Ranger, why not look at Cutwater? Big following in the PNW. Some friends of mine just picked up a fairly new and lightly used one, well equipped, for $200k US.

Are you planning to live aboard in Washington and travel to Canada in the summer, or spend most of the year in Canada? I ask that because there are tax and cruising permit issues that can come as a surprise. Best to research this before making a decision on where you will purchase a boat and where it will be kept. We were surprised that both Washington state and BC Canada have enforcement folks walking the docks looking for violators.

Did the same thing about 8 months ago Jim. From back in Alberta I found the whole concept of buying a boat confusing. So many brands, models, etc that I was constantly changing my mind. What I did was write down what I wanted from a boat rather than what boat I wanted and turned that list over to a broker. The broker in turn made some suggestions - a big one was how to accommodate my large dog who was going to be my #1. I wanted a fly bridge but obviously the dog was not going to be able to climb a ladder to get there. Settled on a 41' Canoe Cove and couldn't happier. It is important to get a good broker - one who will find you a 'best fit' boat rather than just a boat, even if that means a private sale and not getting a commission. If you're interested, I'll forward my brokers number.

I agree with Herdboss. Sometimes it is best to re-evaluate based on wants and needs.
I suggest making lists. What features or attributes are MUST HAVES, what are nice to have, and also importantly, what DO NOT WANT.
These lists are built after carefully considering how you are planning on using your boat. Eg.. alone or with regular guests. Short trips both in terms of distance and time or?? Year round or summer only? Speed important or not? Fuel cost important or not (often fuel costs actually work out to be a small cost compared to the overall costs of boat ownership)? You get the idea.
Then once you have a very good idea of what features are must haves and don't want, you can examine what you think right now to see if it fits well, or what other brands/models may work better. Obviously you have a budget, but purchasing cost turns out to sometimes not be as important as your overall comfort and use coupled with ongoing operating and maintenance costs. Also when examining a boat, also consider access for repair and especially maintenance. Some boats are almost "horror" shows when it comes to that.

As far as Cutwater goes, I have heard some negative things, so I advise you (if considering them) to take a careful look and investigate a bit prior to deciding one way or the other. Probably holds true with most boats.

Conrad said:

200' + if you have a partner...

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So, you've met my partner...

One suggestion is to check out any recent edition of the Powerboat Guide. Here's a link with lots of choices https://www.google.com/search?q=boo...rome..69i57.9888j0j1&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 (Sometimes it can also be found in libraries.)

I often recommended this book as a broker to clients who were in the early stages of fleshing out their needs and wants vs. what was available, most practical, affordable, etc. Once you've made some of these decisions you can then find a broker and give them specific info on what you're looking for. They may even be of assistence in finding waterfront land for you.

Good luck!

Here's one in Squim from the classifieds that is relatively low cost, local, looks Bristol, and would be practically the least loss of anything so far. Maybe give it some thought?

https://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s9/cream-puff-restored-25-skipjack-cruiser-sequim-wa-58648.html

PS How's the move going?

REO said:

Are you planning to live aboard in Washington and travel to Canada in the summer, or spend most of the year in Canada? I ask that because there are tax and cruising permit issues that can come as a surprise. Best to research this before making a decision on where you will purchase a boat and where it will be kept. We were surprised that both Washington state and BC Canada have enforcement folks walking the docks looking for violators.

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The original poster is from Ontario, Canada. Not an issue to have a boat in BC.

Reading through, almost every sentence and especially post 13, I think of Sayward.

North, away from crowds, cheap dirt rentals, near enough to Campbell River and the rest of the island is exploreable by road, albeit some long days. Live in a small apartment or rented trailer while you get to know the locals, who will be most helpful getting you acclimatized. I know a dozen who would immediately embrace you and your chosen lifestyle. Small adequate “marina.” Down side? Johnstone Strait winds, either none or big.

I see no real disadvantage to the Ranger, in today’s market. Get one, figure out how it suits or doesn’t and move up in a year…or not. Those things will always draw fans.

https://www.sayward.ca/our-community

I didn’t see a budget, so…
https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/2017/ranger-tugs-r-23-3847318/
https://www.grandyachts.com/our-inventory/used-boats-for-sale/?boat_id=7863146
https://www.pacificboatbrokers.com/used-boats-for-sale/PF5618/tollycraft-sport-sedan.asp

Or cruise this site for some really interesting alternatives, which might get you thinking.
https://www.pacificboatbrokers.com/Index.asp

Lots more good advice! and an update

Thanks everyone for all the advice, I am making some progress, sort of.

First, I spent a week driving across Canada and am now in Vancouver, so I can more easily see actual boats for sale in person.

I'll be test driving a Ranger in a week or two, as soon as I sort out a place to live (that's a whole other big decision process).

One thing I have been doing is calling marinas all over to get on waiting lists and see if they have any slips available, plus costs etc. Not making much headway there...that could be a big deciding factor of where I end up, which is looking more like Nanaimo or North of there, despite the fact I have a family member with a condo I can rent in Victoria, which would be a nice situation. IF I could get a slip in that area.

I was really hoping I would get to see the Emma B which was for sale, but unfortunately for me it has sold. It was probably about perfect for my needs, although the potential maintenance issues scared me a little. I did talk to both the former owner and the broker, but I just couldn't pull the trigger without seeing the boat in person, and I didn't make it in time. I did get my second Vax though, which was a big reason for my delay getting out here.

One thing I will clarify, I can see myself doing a lot of cruising the first year, but I am really very interested in finding a waterfront lot to build a home on (I have done it before, I like the challenge).

So if I find that lot or fixer upper, I would be spending a lot more time on land, while you guys anchor in front of me and wave as I slave away.

That's just one more reason i was thinking a smaller boat might be more suitable. I won't be full time cruising forever. And reliability is key, as I will be using the boat as my transportation to get supplies (I mean groceries, tools etc., not barge loads of lumber).

So the saga continues, but I am learning a lot and have really narrowed my focus. Looking forward to seeing a testing out a few boats in person in the very near future.

I'll be sailing around the Gulf islands this weekend on a friend's old sailboat. I think it will convince me I need new, and bigger.

Reminds me of a saying I've heard repeated about the "Great Loop"; "go small and go now!"


Congrats on making your way west, best wishes on putting together your program!

We lived in Sidney , just north of Victoria for several years. Van Isle marina and the city marina in Sidney are great. Most likely both have a waiting list. There was a scheme to build a dry marina near the town where boats could be stored and launched as needed. That could be an option until you get everything fixed up. I don't know if that facility was ever built.

Port Sidney

Reo: Port Sidney would be perfect, as I could rent my nephew's condo nearby.

I have been in touch with the marinas there and am on a few wait lists. Van Isla did mention the possibility of having the boat hauled out, which has some advantages and disadvantages of course.

It may or may not suit my needs...it might also end up being my only option the way things are going.

Which leads me to consider buying a trailer for whichever boat I end up with, and hauling it out myself and storing it somewhere.

Definitely not my preference, but unless I have some success in the next 6 months finding a slip, it might be my only option.

Later next week I will be exploring Nanaimo and North by car, and will see if I think I like it there and if I can find a slip somewhere.

Nothing is easy!

REO said:

We lived in Sidney , just north of Victoria for several years. Van Isle marina and the city marina in Sidney are great. Most likely both have a waiting list. There was a scheme to build a dry marina near the town where boats could be stored and launched as needed. That could be an option until you get everything fixed up. I don't know if that facility was ever built.

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There are a number of marinas in the Sidney, North Saanich area, including the red rail in Tsehum harbour.

VanIsle has a "yacht park" on the hard and Port Sidney is owned by the Mill Bay Marine Group, not the Town of Sidney.

Yacht Park. What a great name.
Seriously, Sidney is a beautiful small town. Well worth considering. Maybe you will have a better chance of getting a slip at Vanisle if you are in their yacht park. We kept our boat at Vanisle and they have good facilities for live aboards.

Hey LakeMJim!

How did your efforts work out? You had a lot on the plate, move, boat and marina shopping, entirely new community. Curious to hear how you are now enjoying your new aquatic playground. Drop us a note if you would.

update

Funny you should ask!

Just this week moved into my nephew's condo in Victoria. I was travelling for a few months in South America and just got back.

I'm settling in and getting to know the area.

I was looking into getting a much larger and more expensive boat (the new Nordhavn 41 really looked good to me) but when I enquired the price had shot up and they told me delivery would be 2025. That's just not going to work for me.

Just as with property, it seems like not the best time to be buying a boat, so I think I will be sticking with my Ranger 27 OB order that is due in April.

It might not be the most cost effective thing to do, as I am pretty sure I'd like to move up to more of a trawler that I could spend months at a time on, but there just doesn't seem to be much available at a reasonable price. I figure I'll learn a lot on the Ranger and eventually trade it in for a larger Helmsman or Nordhavn or something similar when the time is right.

I figure that will be 2 or 3 years from now, which is fine. It should help with my learning, slip availability and insurance to start with the smaller boat.

I'll keep looking and now that I am settled on a location, I can check out available boats more easily.

I'll also be looking into whatever courses I can take to improve my skills.

Everything looks a lot easier now that I am settled and no longer living out of motels, hotels and friends' spare bedrooms.

Outstanding! Couch surfing has it merits however they do expire. Congrats on getting settled and appreciate any efforts you might choose to keep us abreast on your explorations.

An opportunity to move up has just arisen, I'm a little torn, I think it's the right thing to do, but I'm a little afraid to make the leap...I have some thinking to do.

Phoned my brother half-hoping he would talk me out of it, but he was enthusiastically for it.

Decisions, decisions...

LakeMJim said:

An opportunity to move up has just arisen, I'm a little torn, I think it's the right thing to do, but I'm a little afraid to make the leap...I have some thinking to do.

Phoned my brother half-hoping he would talk me out of it, but he was enthusiastically for it.

Decisions, decisions...

Click to expand...

Move up in delivery time of your Ranger or move up in boat size?

Both.

I could get a slightly used boat available now that is quite a bit larger, and more expensive of course.

The move up in size makes perfect sense. It would be much more suitable for what I want to do.

It's only the cost that has me hesitating.

It's really just a question of 'do I want to spend that much?'

found a slip!

Quick update

I ultimately decided against moving up to a 31 footer. My original plan of learning on a 27 footer and then in a few years moving up to something substantially bigger (36 to 42) remains and I think it's the right way to go.

After calling all the marinas in Victoria and Sidney and nearby, some for the 2nd or 3rd time, I got lucky.

I found a slip in a marina that is largely liveaboards and houseboats, but which had one slip the right size that was not liveaboard eligible, which is what all their waitlisters require.

So I ran over the same day and reserved it, even though I don't need it until Spring.

A couple of other marinas made great suggestions as to other possibilities, such as going transient for a few months and then getting a permanent slip, and I might eventually do that to get a slip nearer Sidney.

But for now, I have a slip minutes away from my rental condo in Victoria, so I can't complain.

Now I can relax and start planning on what I will need to outfit the boat, whether to get a kayak or dinghy (heavily leaning towards kayak atm) Fun stuff like that.

Nice way to start off the New Year.

Happy New Year and thanks to all who helped with good advice.