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Time to do lots of homework on purchase

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by mykgrant, Nov 29, 2012.

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  1. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Wiring, absolutely. Parts/systems are generally cheaper to buy/fix and simpler and easier to find. Exterior Maintanence, much easier (much less s/s, no teak, etc). They also tend to be more functional in having organzed storage for many things. I would also say the Searay's generally have less monthly maintanence than an Azimut
  2. carelm

    carelm Senior Member

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    Some other things to consider:

    1. Is the slip included with the purchase of the boat? If not, do you have a slip lined up?

    2. Does the marina where you plan to store the boat allow liveaboards? Based on your requirements you would need this.

    3. What amenities does the marina you select have, ie, cable tv, shore power, waste disposal, laundry etc?

    Good luck in your search.
  3. chesapeake46

    chesapeake46 Senior Member

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    Speaking just for myself, I don't think I could have a boat to live on and entertain only.

    I would have to run her and prolly run her often so economy and seaworthiness play a part.

    I have never been to the west coast & have no idea of S.F. bay conditions but I do agree with you that a house boat might not be the best choice.

    Good luck. I will live vicariously through you as I do through all those here who enjoy living aboard. :p
  4. CapLady

    CapLady Senior Member

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    Back in Ft. Lauderdale!
    There is a 2004 48' Cranchi 48 Atlantique asking $259,000 in Ca looking for offers. If you got it near your price that would be a great deal.

    I've done a lot of deliveries on those boats in the past. Been in seas even with my head while on the bridge with no problems at all. If I were in your place I'd give that one a look. They're pretty nice boats in that price range.
  5. PacBlue

    PacBlue Senior Member

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    You won't find a better boat for the area than a Navigator 46/48, proven and reliable systems, the Volvo's will be reliable and efficient, you'll have your own master S/R, huge bridge with plenty of room for a real tender and these boats will take their owners from Puerto Vallarta to Alaska without a problem.

    They should have plenty available in the Northwest that have already been fitted with diesel furnaces for those chilly SF summer evenings ;)
  6. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    3126's are fine motors now, with all of the updates. They have a lot of torque and they run well. Early on before they got all of the bugs worked out of them, mostly from leaking aftercoolers, they were problematic. I ran a '98 45 searay SB to St. Croix back in 2006 with them, the owner then racked up a ton of hours in the time he owned it.....With 2500 hours, they had never had any issues to speak of.
  7. AlfredZ

    AlfredZ Senior Member

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    Hi there,

    The only liveaboard marina in the bay area downtown will be peir39, the waiting list is soOOooOOoo long! not to mention that it is not a good place to liveabord at, wind and swell are the main reasons, continuous fog and sealions noise are some other reasons. Some yacht clubs have empty liveaboard spots reserved for members, so if you are willing to be a club member, this might be your fastest choice to get a place.

    You can search for liveaboard boats that are for sale, this will be your second fast choice, BUT, this will add to your cost, since liveaboard docks are a rarity, and check if the lease is transferable with no extra charges, some marinas will charge you for transfer and might increase your lease.

    Also keep in mind that your boat will be checked for quality as a liveabord and your ability to be a liveaboard in terms of keeping up and keeping clean, you might be refused or requested to fix, update or upgrade certain things in your boat to get the approval. Then check the cost of facilities, like pumpout, potable water, electricity, wifi to stay connected to YachtForums, cable, etc. It is for sure higher at this part of the city. Not to mention that if you have a car, you might as well sell it! parkings are so hard to find and your best bet will be on public transport.

    My opinion: (Are you willing to commute or travel longer times to work?)
    Go to the east bay (Oakland, San Leandro, Alameda), or go north to Sausalito. You will still have long waiting lists, but more boat options if you want to do it fast and better weather once you are on. South towards San Jose or San Rafael is also a better option an easier to get. I personally would go to the east bay, very nice boating communities there and will be in a constant good company and a closer access to the delta if you wanna boat up back home on the weekends.

    Now the boat choice, I bet you got many good options from the guys here, I might just add, look at the boats in the marinas, specially liveaboards, you will notice that they are mainly "puff boats", classic looking motor yachts, and trawlers (mainly nordic tugs, american tug, and similar boats and I personally favor Nordic), sport fishing boats are not that many and are mainly used by serious fishermen that go beyond the gate. Trawlers, specially in your size ranfe and if you are not after speed, will be a great choice having a great space and storage and easier to maintain, they also have nice beams and nice weights for stability. If you want a sport fishing boat, sea ray will sure be the best choice in terms of your year/price range, if you are willing to go older, I would think of a Hatteras either a SF or MY which might be older but bigger in size and space and more of a boat.

    Wishing you all the best in your quest.

    Cheers,
  8. karo1776

    karo1776 Senior Member

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    Charter it First

    Dear Newbie:
    Charter what you most desire before making a purchase... and better yet charter several options before pulling the trigger.
  9. carelm

    carelm Senior Member

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    You may want to try the following marinas to get further information:

    Marina Village- Marina Village Yacht Harbor
    Grand Marina- Welcome to Grand Marina : The Bay Area's Premiere Marina Community
    Alameda Marina- Alameda Boat Storage, RV Storage, Commercial Office Space, Alameda Oakland Estuary, California, San Francisco Bay Area - Alameda Marina
    Oakland Marinas- Almar Marinas
    Fortman Marina- FORTMAN MARINA

    These two yacht clubs also have their own marina-

    Oakland YC- Home | Oakland Yacht Club
    Encinal YC- Encinal Yacht Club
  10. PropBet

    PropBet Senior Member

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    Also check down in Redwood City. There is a marina down there that is live aboard friendly. WE have friends who live in Novato, work in SJ, and split their time in RC through the week.
  11. mykgrant

    mykgrant New Member

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    You guys area awesome! Thanks for all your feed back. I wish I could respond to everyone personally but just don't have the time. So I guess I'll have to settle for a group hug...LOL.

    I have a pretty good sized spreadsheet started on all of the Marinas in SF, the South Bay, Oakland-Alameda and can still expand my search north and south, if necessary. I am able to find slips available and liveaboard arrangements at this time but the closer you get to SF, the less likely that you can find a slip. The South Beach Marina, for example, has a 10-15 year wait depending upon the size of slip needed. Amazing! In the Bay area I read somewhere that most slips have services but that they are limited to 10% of the number of slips that can have a liveaboard permit and they are not transferrable. The liveaboard permit costs between $250 and $650 per month and varies by Marina which is why there are growing number of "sneak-aboards." I'm exploring the Yacht Club options as well, especially if I can have someone else prepare my meals during the week!

    Great suggestion on chartering a boat(s) and for the suggestions on other boats to check out. Thanks again. Keep your suggestions coming!! I really do appreciate the help.
  12. carelm

    carelm Senior Member

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    Try the Point San Pablo marina if you don't mind mingling with pirates.:D It's a bit off the beaten path but from what I've read it's pretty rad.
  13. mykgrant

    mykgrant New Member

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    Thanks. I'll check it out. I've been known to have a few pirate tendencies! I heard that the Marina in Richmond is very nice as well although I'm trying not to get too far from the City so that I limit my commute and bridge tolls during the week.:)
  14. mykgrant

    mykgrant New Member

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    I got a chance to be one during one of the Giant's World Series games. I think it was a 46. Absolutely a beautiful boat. So far, none have shown up in my price range sort on Yacht World. How would you compare quality of a Navi to a Carver and/or SeaRay? Thanks.
  15. PacBlue

    PacBlue Senior Member

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    I see Yachtworld has a 48 Navigator in Isleton for $229K. It's a buyers market. never know what the take home price would be :)

    As far as quality goes, when you want to talk about accessible and reliable systems, the Navigator will hold it's own against the Carver and SR, albeit without as glossy as an exterior. Remember, beauty is only skin deep, as they say.....Go in the engine room on a Navigator, you can actually put your hand on everything that will need to be serviced. The materials used in construction on the Navigator are = to or better than the other two. If you have some more questions PM me I will go into more detail. In my opinion, the Navigator would be considered over-built compared to the two.

    If the price for a Navigator is a bit too high, look at a Bayliner 4588/4788. Similar layout with the exception of the Master Fwd. They have almost a cult group of boaters who love them, and I have a few friends who used them successfully as live aboards as well.

    I personally would not touch an older used Hatt MY that has not been kept bristol, as it will $$Nickel and $$$Dime you to death.
  16. CaptGDunz

    CaptGDunz Member

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    I didn't read all the posts above but I recently delivered a 2000 Carver 456 MY for and with a guy to Toronto that lives aboard year round and works downtown minutes from his marina. The bridge was hard enclosed and had heat and AC. A perfect CONDO for him and his needs. Well with in your budget and a great place to hang your hat. No need to buy a Caddy if it's never leaving the garage.
  17. mykgrant

    mykgrant New Member

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    You are right on track. I"ve been looking at the Carver Mariner and the Voyager. I'd like a small cockpit for some light sport fishing and the salon at the same level for entertaining as well as easier ingress-egress. Personally I don't like the exterior of the Mariner as well as the V'ger. They both have dual helms and in talking to others on the board here I'm not sure that giving up the floor space and having redundant electronics (and maintenance costs) is necessary for me. I think that got me to a Sea Ray so far...LOL:confused:
  18. mykgrant

    mykgrant New Member

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    I'm with you bro. The only Hats that fit in my budget are just too old. I don't know much about the Navis but I was really impressed at the layout. I'll take a look at the 4588/4788 too.

    Thanks/MG
  19. RER

    RER Senior Member

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    Beware of water intrusion on old Bayliners with cored hulls... and soggy bottoms.
  20. mykgrant

    mykgrant New Member

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    Thanks. I pretty much stay away from anything with a soggy bottom. :eek:From my old waterskiing days I'm not much of a fan of Bayliners anyway.