DaySailer.org Forum

Greetings!

Firstly, thank you SO MUCH to everyone who contributes to the discussions on this forum. The wealth of knowledge is such an amazing resource!

I've been lurking for a while now, while looking at local sailboats around me. I've been looking for something towable, fun, but capable of carrying my family (wife, & two kids - 11 & 5) in relatively stable fashion, and a DS seems like it checks all those boxes. I've taken a few sailing lessons by myself, and completed ASA 101, but I'm a complete newcomer when it comes to boat ownership. Just looking to test the waters on lakes until I/we get comfortable, then maybe venture out to coastal waters. But the main thing is to introduce my wife & kids to the joy of sailing & on-water adventures.

A recent Facebook Marketplace listing popped up a few days ago & my wife gave me the green light to check it out! Seeing what the experts here think of it before pulling the trigger:

The DS came from a deceased family member who had it in the water as recently as last summer. It came with two bags worth of sails (looked like two sets, plus a cover), two booms, two rudders/tillers, a registered trailer, & a 4.5hp Evinrude. No major damage that I can see. Some patchwork on one location on the gunwale and down at the bottom of one of the benches. Some scrubbing needed. And potentially a missing plug for the bilge. All in, they're asking $800 for everything, which seems more than fair.

At that price with no structural damage you should be getting good value. I assume mast is straight and boom and rudder are present.

You may run into some smaller repairs or you may find that you'll want to upgrade/modify the running rigging or replace the sails later, but it doesn't look at first glance like you're overspending for what you are getting.

If you've been reading along here, you would know the typical things that everybody runs into. And I assume you're good with that.

Good luck and lots of fun on the water.

Yes, $800 is a great price, assuming nothing funky is a'matter. AS GL pointed out, go over the hull carefully, make sure spars are straight and you have a working rudder/tiller, roll it around on the trailer a bit and make sure no horrid squealing or other signs of trailer trouble. Any of these issues can be fixed of course, but it's all about how much sweat you want to put in right now vs later. I'm totally discounting the outboard, cuz i hate the things. But if you get a chance to give it a test run (a 55-gallon drum filled with water), then do so. Other than those obvious potential money/sweat costs, looks like a great boat, grab it!

Now, about that '80s paint job.... me and my orbital sander want to have a word

Tom