You think boat shopping is hard? Try from New Zealand. Set me on a better course!

[Hooky]

Hey fellow cruisers and small-bank-account enthusiasts,

I'm after some corrective punishment from the more informed, better educated and all-round experienced group of sailors that you all seem to be.

My question is: Should I head to Europe or La Paz (for arguments sake), or suck it up and get something local? Looking to get something sooner and maintain, learn and liveaboard and work while I save.

The Preamble:
Planning to go cruising in 2025, sailed a bit here in NZ. Owned a 21ft Pelin Caribou for a few years. Also floated around on an Uncles homebuilt Ferro 36ft for a few summers. Had the dream for decades, now finally doing something about it. I'm handy, can fix shit Electrical, Mechanical and Woodical.

What I'm after:
Looking for something 36-44ft. Hoping to not have to solo, but am prepared to. Budget is around the 50-80k USD mark, although that would really eat into the actual monthlies if I hit the top end, so looking to spend more time sailing, not selling it a few years later with regrets.

The Predicament:
Looking at what is available here, compared to elsewhere in the world is frustrating, depressing mostly. The selection is tiny, the value is terrible and I'm unsure of how to progress. Talking amongst many local FB groups many are lamenting the lack of stock, it's noticeably smaller, and of course the quality of what's left. COVID has definitely had an impact, both on people buying boats for all the reasons of elsewhere, but also because all the Cruisers up and left when borders opened, or didn't make it here at all and, there is a big lag in the boats on the way here. This was always a good jumping off point for many Cruisers to get out of the game after a couple of big passages so there was a consistent supply of boats available. Those days are gone and seem many years away now, if at all.

I mean just check our biggest marketplace for boats under $100k NZD ($61,000 USD)

Trade Me

www.trademe.co.nz

Here's a couple that I've had my eye on:
A 1980 40ft Mummery, Grp over Kauri. $130,000 NZD!!! ($80k USD)

Trade Me

www.trademe.co.nz

A 1989 Bruce Clark 43, GRP. $149,000 NZD ($92k USD, seriously!)

Trade Me

www.trademe.co.nz

At this stage, I'll probably go for the Morgan 34! At a reasonable (?) $39,000, $24k USD, seems like a bargain!

Trade Me

www.trademe.co.nz

Compare this with what's available in French Polynesia, where most Cruisers seem to have stopped:

Used Sailboats for sale in French Polynesia - YachtWorld

Find used sailboats for sale in French Polynesia. Offering the best selection of boats to choose from.

au.yachtworld.com

What do you reckon guys? Hit me with a big dose of reality.

 

[hdra]

If you're willing to travel and fix up a boat, there are lots of deals to be had in places where dreams go to die - French Polynesia, Shelter Bay Panama, Hawaii. I'm sure there are other spots, but those three are reliably good spots to check - are you planning to quit your job when you buy the boat and go live abroad immediately, or do your plans require you to continue staying in NZ/making an income while working on the boat? Glad that this Atlantic Posse fucker who posted seems to have stopped shilling for their rally, and is now just shilling for their brokerage...

 

[Steam Flyer]

Hey fellow cruisers and small-bank-account enthusiasts,

I'm after some corrective punishment from the more informed, better educated and all-round experienced group of sailors that you all seem to be.

I like this guy. I vote we help him.

Regarding near vs far selection/value... have you totted up the cost of travel to these exotic climes? You're a lot closer to Tahiti than I am but it's not an inexpensive place to visit. Also not an inexpensive place to keep a boat, if you shop there make sure you're not also buying a packet of unpaid bills.

That Morgan is a great boat for it's size but that size is a LOT smaller than the others. The smaller the boat, the greater the adventure and it's also going to be considerably less expensive to keep up. I happen to like shoal draft boats and pulling into little places; it can be a safety factor when you have a much wider choice of anchorage too. There's another discussion here about how 40ft seems to be a price break-point for slips, if you can find a 39 1/2 footer that you like as well, you'll be much better than with a 41.

As mentioned above, the fix-it-up question is a major issue. Regardless of what sellers say, no boat is in perfect condition. Every boat is ready to start a round-the-world voyage if you don't look carefully and/or your standards are low enough.

 

[Hooky]

If you're willing to travel and fix up a boat, there are lots of deals to be had in places where dreams go to die - French Polynesia, Shelter Bay Panama, Hawaii. I'm sure there are other spots, but those three are reliably good spots to check - are you planning to quit your job when you buy the boat and go live abroad immediately, or do your plans require you to continue staying in NZ/making an income while working on the boat? Glad that this Atlantic Posse fucker who posted seems to have stopped shilling for their rally, and is now just shilling for their brokerage...

Plan to liveaboard in my current job while saving and sailing locally.

That brokerage has the worst website around.

 

[hdra]

Plan to liveaboard in my current job while saving and sailing locally.

That brokerage has the worst website around.

That seems to make a strong argument for buying locally - pretty much anything you buy overseas (and FP is probably closest, unless there's a good used boat market in Australia) is going to need some level of work before you could sail it home, and that + passage time is pretty significant to being able to keep a job...

 

[Excession]

That Morgan looks lovely and would be 50% more here in OZ. The market here is so tight I'm looking at boats in North America.
Anyone want to be a buyers broker for local to them boats?

 

[Hooky]

I like this guy. I vote we help him.

Regarding near vs far selection/value... have you totted up the cost of travel to these exotic climes? You're a lot closer to Tahiti than I am but it's not an inexpensive place to visit. Also not an inexpensive place to keep a boat, if you shop there make sure you're not also buying a packet of unpaid bills.

That Morgan is a great boat for it's size but that size is a LOT smaller than the others. The smaller the boat, the greater the adventure and it's also going to be considerably less expensive to keep up. I happen to like shoal draft boats and pulling into little places; it can be a safety factor when you have a much wider choice of anchorage too. There's another discussion here about how 40ft seems to be a price break-point for slips, if you can find a 39 1/2 footer that you like as well, you'll be much better than with a 41.

As mentioned above, the fix-it-up question is a major issue. Regardless of what sellers say, no boat is in perfect condition. Every boat is ready to start a round-the-world voyage if you don't look carefully and/or your standards are low enough.

Thanks man, I appreciate the vote!

Tahiti is a $600usd one way trip from here. Passage time is 17-22 days. Cyclone season is Mid Nov to March/April, doesn't leave a big window for prep and provisioning between now and then.

I really like the idea of that Morgan. Shallow boats always makes me think of the time i spent plunking around in trailer-sailers, pulling up to beaches and anchoring in real close. Fun times! I'm also torn by the fact that I'm also 6'4 and being bent over in that cabin doesn't spark joy. Not so fun times.

I'm not really after a fixer upper. There's an endless number of threads discussing the merits of that decision. And, I just want to sail. However, I love the idea of maintenance though. Really like getting my hands dirty and boat work is appealing to me. Also, I'm wanting to spend a few years learning and living with the boat so that I can crawl around it blind in a bellowing gale and still tell the difference between my asshole and elbow.

 

[Hooky]

That seems to make a strong argument for buying locally - pretty much anything you buy overseas (and FP is probably closest, unless there's a good used boat market in Australia) is going to need some level of work before you could sail it home, and that + passage time is pretty significant to being able to keep a job...

Seems to be the same in Aussie. Fiji also. FP is about the only place with anything interesting.

 

[Hooky]

That Morgan looks lovely and would be 50% more here in OZ. The market here is so tight I'm looking at boats in North America.
Anyone want to be a buyers broker for local to them boats?

Seems like an opportunity to ship a few over this way!

 

[Fleetwood]

I'm also looking for a boat in NZ (different reason) and am finding very little that isn't old or needs a lot of work (same thing!)
NZ prices are at least 10% higher than in Oz, and as its a bigger market there seems to be more available, but I don't want to sail one across the ditch!

 

[Hooky]

I'm also looking for a boat in NZ (different reason) and am finding very little that isn't old or needs a lot of work (same thing!)
NZ prices are at least 10% higher than in Oz, and as its a bigger market there seems to be more available, but I don't want to sail one across the ditch!

What are you looking for?

 

[Fleetwood]

~35ft, <20 years old, sailaway. A few months cruising in NZ. Sell it when we're done.

 

[Hooky]

~35ft, <20 years old, sailaway. A few months cruising in NZ. Sell it when we're done.

Nice, sounds like an awesome plan!

Seen anything you like?

 

[Fleetwood]

Nice, sounds like an awesome plan!

Seen anything you like?

Only 2 - one was crap when I got to look at it, the other looks OK - we'll see...

 

[Cisco]

Earlier this year somebody gave Panama a ginourmous enema and the number of boats that were pumped out into the Pacific was truly remarkable. I imagine the market will be back to normal in the western Pacific soon enough and there may even be a glut in the short term.
My advice - you being a kiwi and all - would be to buy offshore and keep her offshore.

 

[Cisco]

If you're willing to travel and fix up a boat, there are lots of deals to be had in places where dreams go to die - French Polynesia, Shelter Bay Panama, Hawaii. I'm sure there are other spots, but those three are reliably good spots to check - .......snip

Many boats for sale in exotic locations aren't the result of dead dreams. Some people have the plan to sail and sell at destination - after maybe a few years sailing at that destination esp the SW Pacific/NZ. Those are the boats to look for.

 

[Jono]

Fulmar - the Farr 38 at NZD 75k is probably the one to get in NZ at present around this size. New motor, furler etc and big tidy up done.
And they sail nicely.
Look on Trade Me

 

[Sailbydate]

Hey fellow cruisers and small-bank-account enthusiasts,

I'm after some corrective punishment from the more informed, better educated and all-round experienced group of sailors that you all seem to be.

My question is: Should I head to Europe or La Paz (for arguments sake), or suck it up and get something local? Looking to get something sooner and maintain, learn and liveaboard and work while I save.

The Preamble:
Planning to go cruising in 2025, sailed a bit here in NZ. Owned a 21ft Pelin Caribou for a few years. Also floated around on an Uncles homebuilt Ferro 36ft for a few summers. Had the dream for decades, now finally doing something about it. I'm handy, can fix shit Electrical, Mechanical and Woodical.

What I'm after:
Looking for something 36-44ft. Hoping to not have to solo, but am prepared to. Budget is around the 50-80k USD mark, although that would really eat into the actual monthlies if I hit the top end, so looking to spend more time sailing, not selling it a few years later with regrets.

The Predicament:
Looking at what is available here, compared to elsewhere in the world is frustrating, depressing mostly. The selection is tiny, the value is terrible and I'm unsure of how to progress. Talking amongst many local FB groups many are lamenting the lack of stock, it's noticeably smaller, and of course the quality of what's left. COVID has definitely had an impact, both on people buying boats for all the reasons of elsewhere, but also because all the Cruisers up and left when borders opened, or didn't make it here at all and, there is a big lag in the boats on the way here. This was always a good jumping off point for many Cruisers to get out of the game after a couple of big passages so there was a consistent supply of boats available. Those days are gone and seem many years away now, if at all.

I mean just check our biggest marketplace for boats under $100k NZD ($61,000 USD)

Trade Me

www.trademe.co.nz

Here's a couple that I've had my eye on:
A 1980 40ft Mummery, Grp over Kauri. $130,000 NZD!!! ($80k USD)

Trade Me

www.trademe.co.nz

A 1989 Bruce Clark 43, GRP. $149,000 NZD ($92k USD, seriously!)

Trade Me

www.trademe.co.nz

At this stage, I'll probably go for the Morgan 34! At a reasonable (?) $39,000, $24k USD, seems like a bargain!

Trade Me

www.trademe.co.nz

Compare this with what's available in French Polynesia, where most Cruisers seem to have stopped:

Used Sailboats for sale in French Polynesia - YachtWorld

Find used sailboats for sale in French Polynesia. Offering the best selection of boats to choose from.

au.yachtworld.com

What do you reckon guys? Hit me with a big dose of reality.

That Mummery 40' is a real honey, @Hooky . Just get rid of all the COTB and maybe that hard dodger and she'll be a lovely boat. Price isn't too. bad. Maybe a tad high. Haggle - she's been on the market a while. All the best with your search.

 

[Fleetwood]

The Mummery is >40years old. I think you have to expect that everything on a boat >~30yrs old is sus: electrical (incl.wiring), plumbing (incl. thru-hulls), mechanical, etc, and should be replaced before extended cruising. My experience...

 

[Cisco]

The Mummery is >40years old. I think you have to expect that everything on a boat >~30yrs old is sus: electrical (incl.wiring), plumbing (incl. thru-hulls), mechanical, etc, and should be replaced before extended cruising. My experience...

Dunno, some owners keep all that stuff up to scratch. My boat is 36 yo and in my ownership for 28 years - pretty much every thing has been replaced in that time, much of it twice or more - I'm on my third cooker f'rinstance. The boom is original as is much of the MD17D

Both the Mummery and the Morgan seem to have led active lives and been well cared for.
Big diff to a 20yo AWB /marina queen in Florida.