Hello from a lost noob on Vancouver Island

Hello, I basically know nothing about boats other than what I have managed to learn on the internet. I am looking to buy a boat asap maybe but it has to be the right boat. I am quite poor but have about $100000 fun money for this venture. I have an interesting story and looking for a lot of advice.
I am looking for maybe a 30 - 36 foot cruiser the one I have my eye on now is a Ugggh 1996 Bayliner 3587.

more info

I started reading New Member Orientation and realized I needed to give more info I was trying to be brief, my mistake.

I am a 61 year old lone male and like it that way.
I am somewhat disabled, we can get into that if you wish.

The boat I seek is for I dont know exactly what yet but either to cruise the local islands, liveaboard or just as a man cave docked at a local marina.
Fun money is to be enjoyed, perhaps wasted. If I lose $100k once I wont cry.
Wrong attitude perhaps but you dont know my story. I am not reckless or dangerous in any manner but I have no fear and I dont take life seriously anymore.
The boat I want is a low maintenance twin diesel minimum of 350 Hp total. Reliable, not a ton of hours. I dont want a lot of speed but I dont want to crawl either. 20 knots sounds maybe about right.
Please help , all responses matter. Thank you

Greetings eh?
Welcome aboard. The very first thing I might suggest is put aside the ASAP for a bit and take your time in your search. Finding the "right" boat might take longer than you expect.
Nothing wrong with a Bayliner IMO. Horses for courses.
Enjoy the chase and get a GOOD marine survey

$100,000 fun money and "quite poor"?


Ugggg to a Bayliner when self described as "quite poor"....????


Please remember there are a lot of boat owners here that could only afford a lot less and some with all kinds of financial backgrounds own Bayliners...even being their first choice.

Thank You, advice taken

Thx, advice taken

Welcome

So these folks ran a Bayliner 4087 all over BC, putting on over 4000 hours. This should give you an idea of the adventures you can have with that boat.

https://mvdirona.com/2010/01/bayliner-4087/

The 3587 is the same boat, I believe, without the cockpit. They were offered with gas and diesel power.

Good Luck

One thing you should rethink is the twin diesel and 20 mph cruise speed. Read th thread about trawler vs express. Especially cruising mostly alone and at your age, SLOW DOWN, you will be glad you did. Go with a single diesel.

pete

Welcome aboard. Have a lot of fun with your search.

Welcome. Camber River is a great home port for access to some of the most beautiful cruising on the planet. I'm jealous! Have you looked at the Bayliner 3488? Most have the twin Cummins 250HP and a decent layout for the size. With a "somewhat disability" it may help to have a open cockpit style boat for dock access rather than a aft cabin. I looked at a 3488 with a friend awhile back. The main drawback I saw was very skinny side decks for accessing the bow, which swayed him to purchase a 36' Lindel instead.
Happy Hunting!

Thank you , looking forward to an adventure

twin diesel is a preference , nothing locked in stone. 8 knots sounds like a perfect cruising speed but I dont want to be stuck at that speed, maybe I am thinking it wrong

Good luck with your boating plans! Are you going to be running single-handed? Definitely think about access on and off the boat . I think a cockpit and door off the helm are both important, the cockpit being #1 on the list.

Regarding 20 knot “reasonable” speed, I have a few observations:
1) even with Diesel engines you are going to be burning a lot of fuel. Slow down and see your economy improve!
2) in my opinion, running at 20 knots in wood-strewn BC waters can be quite tiring if you are going to be the only operator. Back to comment 1, you get a lot more time to spot logs at speeds close to hull speed (around 7-8 knots for that length, I think).

Welcome aboard, Salty Dawgg!

As you likely already know, there is a lot you don't know... LOL However, that does not mean you can't literally "dive off the deep end" and have a wonderful, grand, and fulfilling adventure. Look at LOTS of boats, talk to lots of folks, and have FUN!

Hi Salty,
Welcome to the Forum from just south of you!
I agree with Sue (Spinner). Listen to her, especially regarding single handing which she does all the time.
My NT 37 burns 2 gallons of fuel per hour at 7-8 knots, but if I "crank it up" to 14 knots my fuel goes to about 17 gallons per hour (that's about $83 per hour vs. less than $10 per hour at hull speed!). Partially submerged debris is very common in this area, and having a chance to see it so you might avoid it, goes down the faster you go. Log strikes can be dangerous, and also can be expensive even if not dangerous.
I also recommend a single engine boat over twins, especially if you are "on a budget". With twins you have twice the maintenance costs and potentially twice the repair costs compared to a single.
Anyway, just my opinion.

Rather than buying the wrong boat why not take some lessons and charter a boat or two to experience what it s all about and perhaps learn what features you might prefer in a boat. The company below is well known and in your area.

Anacortes Yacht Charters

Also might find charters and instruction here.

https://www.vancouverboatshow.ca/

Welcome!
Campbell River is a beautiful area for a boater. I would echo the advice you have received so far.

I have been a pleasure boater around your area on and off for nearly 50 years, with my boating ranging from live aboard through weekend social and guest on friend’s boats.

Take your time. You are in a perfect area to walk the docks and chat with owners. Most of us can’t resist dropping whatever makes us look busy to talk about our boats, other boats, and boating life. Probably even show off our boat to someone truly interested. Your stated range of interests is still too wide to zero in on a specific size or style of boat.

Slow down your speed range! 4 of the 5 boats I have owned were slow, low powered, rugged displacement boats. The 5th was a twin engine planing hull, and the only one I regret buying. 8 knots would be my maximum, not my minimum speed. I spent a lot of time on a friend’s twin 210hp 41’ planing boat, usually based in CR in the summer. For the first year or two he cruised at 14 kts or so, and was constantly on pins and needles as the slightest bit of flotsam was potential disaster, it would literally suck driftwood you had avoided under the side of the hull into the prop. Remember when you admire all that water rushing out the stern in the wash, it had to rush into the prop from ahead too. He constantly fretted about fuel range and while he was anything but poor the cost was shocking. For the next 15+ years on the same boat he cruised at 8 or 9 knots, relaxed and enjoyed the journey, and refueled when it was conveniently available.

There are life circumstances, and geographical areas where speed is unquestionably a good or even essential thing, but your goals and geography don’t sound like it’s a necessity.

My comfort zone is a rugged, low powered single Diesel with a propeller deep down protected by a long keel.

Take your time and enjoy the ride, both in acquiring, and using your boat. You are dead center in a boating geography that is the envy of most of us!

My biggest reason for twin diesels is that we have strong currents , even whirlpools in desolation sound , dont I need power?

My suggestion is budget $80,000 for the boat and the remaining $20,000 for updating and repairs that will pop up quickly if they don't already exist. You can get something decent for $80,000.

You don’t need twins because of tides and currents. You go through the various tidal rapids at slack current for reasons that don’t include making way against the current. Tip: get a copy of the current year’s edition of Ports and Passes for tide and current information from Olympia, WA through Glacier Bay, Alaska.


There are many, many opinions (and posts) about twins vs single engine engines, but the one that I have seen most for having twin engines is the question of having an operable engine should one fail.
That risk can be mitigated by attention to fuel quality and good maintenance practices, in my opinion.

Salty Dawgg said:

My biggest reason for twin diesels is that we have strong currents , even whirlpools in desolation sound , dont I need power?

Click to expand...

Over a hundred years of commercial fishermen going out at all times of year, in all weather, would suggest that not only are twins unnecessary, they are actually a liability. Fishermen spend big money to get the job done, but only if it benefits them.

Salty,,
Like Sue said, you don't need 2 engines or even big engines to go through any of the rapids in these waters. I used to own a 37 foot sailboat with a 29 HP engine and we went through almost all of the various rapids along the BC coast and had no issues.
Just an example. I am not saying a 29 HP engine is good for a powerboat, but good friends have a 60 foot full displacement powerboat and they have a single 145 HP engine that has powered them all over the BC coast, Alaska, Haida Gwaii, West Coast of Vancouver Island, etc.

Spinner said:

Tip: get a copy of the current year’s edition of Ports and Passes for tide and current information from Olympia, WA through Glacier Bay, Alaska.

Click to expand...

You don’t need to buy anything to research tides or currents in your area. Here are the currents, tides in same website. https://www.tides.gc.ca/eng/data/currents/2021#vol6
Bill

Yes, you can look them up from the official source, and then print or save to your cell. I wouldn’t depend on cell reception in desolation sound. Personally though, I find it’s much easier to flip open the coil-bound book...

Pete Meisinger said:

One thing you should rethink is the twin diesel and 20 mph cruise speed. Read th thread about trawler vs express. Especially cruising mostly alone and at your age, SLOW DOWN, you will be glad you did. Go with a single diesel.

pete

Click to expand...

On the other hand, I am a bunch older than the OP, and I don't want to go anywhere under planing speed. I did my decades in the slow mode, and now I enjoy this speedier boat probably employing it in ways the OP seems to want. While mine is too small for his needs, and Mainships are thin on that coast, a 34 Pilot might appeal and with its low silhouette could be shipped across country relatively cheaply.

Lots of luck with the search, and I hope we hear about the results. This could be another Adventures of Sylphide.

I'd say get an easy to acquire local boat and see what it is like. Your first boat is rarely the 'right' boat long term. Searching for a boat can be fun and a good learning experience.

As you are a lonesome wolf get the smallest boat that seems just big enough to you.

Salty Dawgg said:

My biggest reason for twin diesels is that we have strong currents , even whirlpools in desolation sound , dont I need power?

Click to expand...

Our GB32 is a single Lehman 120 that makes a max 8kts down hill and wind astern. Seamanship and planning is preferable to speed. And double engines is double cost....for everything. Think about taking it slow and easy. It also takes longer to get into trouble that way ?.

Salty Dawgg. I'm fairly new here also and have recently purchased a 1979 Tollycraft 30' Sedan to get back on the water. It's big enough to live on, is a pretty seaworthy boat and I can handle it by myself. I have twin 120hp Volvo diesels and accepted the higher maintenance, but intend to cruise in the 10 Kt range for both enjoyment and fuel economy. Ironically, I'm already thinking about a bigger boat a couple of years in the future.
What gave me the bug to get back on the water was watching U-Tube videos of people in the Puget Sound area. Those below have boats of various sizes, but the videos explain why they are on the water, their adventures and what they hope to do. Many people start out with one idea, or boat, and evolve into another completely different perception, and boat.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBiguozH2oA217lkkj04mvg
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGiFYRcx8AuaqKLu0t4fFgw
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBuu61aa6cZurJQSWptMfQw

Happy hunting
Chas

Oh, One more thing for you to consider..

Wealth is relative. Stating you have 100G for this project indicates you are not "poor". Lots of people are out there on the water for a lot less, myself included.

Also stating you have $100G does not mean you need or even want to spend it all on a boat. Do lots of research, ask lots of questions. You will be able to find a really nice boat for half that amount. Also you will be able to find a really, really nice boat for twice that amount.

Beyond that, I'll stick with my original response, "Slow Down".

pete

Hi Salty; PM me if you like.