New Toy

[Russ Sylvester]

Well I did it. Two-foot-itis bit me and I scratched.

After almost two years of searching and looking at hundreds of boats, I finally found just the right one. It's a 1980 O'Day 23 MkII. Even the admiral gave the thumbs up early in the checkout, which was a complete shock to me. Friday we will put the deposit on it and close shortly after that. With luck I will be bringing it to the new slip as early as next week.

The beauty of it is that this boat is turnkey. The guy kept such good care of it that the only things needing fixing (right now) are little tidbit cosmetic things. It sleeps four, has a pullout galley, enclosed head and a huge cockpit. Came with everything including handheld VHF, GPS, anemometer and outboard. New mast, new mainsail, complete bottom job less than a year ago and all new running rigging. He's even kept up with the brightwork.

The down side to all of this is that Opus MUST go. My boat budget (which is now all shot to hell) cannot afford slip fees for the new one AND storage charges for Opus. Check the classifieds for an update.

I've got pictures and will try to get a gallery set up here today.

Edited to add attached pictures. See an old dog can learn new tricks!

[attachment over 4 years old deleted by admin]

[Craig]

Russ,,,,, Plastic? The horror, oh the horror....

She looks nice. Have you sailed her much yet?

[Russ Sylvester]

Yeah I know, plastic. I tried a whole bunch of ways to find space, money, etc to build another wooden boat but just couldn't make it go. I still hold the dream (and the plans) for a kayak in the future.

Have been on it but it was just too rough to go out. We've been getting these really fast and heavy storms coming through the last several days. During one storm earlier this week NOAA reported a period of 66 strikes per minute. Glad I wasn't out in that. Hoping to take it out for a shakedown on saturday

[Frank Hagan]

Its hard to sell a home built wooden boat. You may be able to donate it to the Sea Scouts or a similar organization, and take the tax deduction (assuming you already itemize deductions ... and with that second "floating home" you probably do).

[Mike Pennington]

Nice looking sailboat Russ,

A different boat for each condition, I say. You should be able to scare yourself pretty good in that one. Do they have Gap insurance for boats? In case one of those storms comes visiting. :shock:

Green with envey,

Mike

[Craig]

We are getting the same stuff up here. It rains on the way to work, looks OK all day, then rains like hell just as I am wanling out to the truck. Thats siummer in Florida.

[Greg Luckett]

When I decided to find myself a boat a few years ago the first one I really liked was an O'day 23 with a saildrive, trailer, well fitted out for $3600. My wife was discouraging me so I delayed and lost out on a really great deal.

Soon after I purchased a Catalina 22 for twice the money and not as well fitted out. The good side is that after that experience my wife simply roles her eyes and says "do what you must think is right" when it comes to boats. Of course, she still won't let me spend the mortgage money even though we could live on a boat.