Possible?

[SAMYL]

The East Belfast YC is a great club with many very experienced people there to help you.

But as carl170 says do not buy the first one you look at, shop around and try to work out what you really need and what you need it for rather than what you fancy. Try to do some actual boating/sailing on other peoples boats to see whether you want a yacht or mobo.
Once you decide on what type of boat will suit you take your time and explore the market. Sometimes a "wanted" add in the Telly, Gumtree.co.uk or buyandsell.ie will unearth a bargain which may not have been advertised for sale before. (a good way to source just about anything!)

Finally and most importantly, when you find the boat of your dreams take someone knowledgable along with you to sus it out before parting with your readies.
Best of luck.

[Lakesailor]

.

I'm hoping in a boatyard that a bit of chinese whispers goes on about boats going as well. great believer in fate at times, think the right boat is out there.

Be pro-active. Visit all yacht clubs, creeks and moorings. Ask people you see. There are always boats for sale that are not openly advertised. Or the "I think Tom was trying to sell his, don't know if he got anywhere" type of conversations.

Scruffy is no problem, worn out is expensive, so check everything like a surveyor would (but don't use a surveyor, not at the rock bottom end of the market).
Even if it's only £500 if the vendor tells you there are sails, look at them. That could save you over a grand if they are OK. If he says the motor works but won't demonstrate, assume the worst.
If there is a trailer get a trolley jack and check wheel bearings and brakes.
At your end of the market outboards are much cheaper to maintain than inboards with less likelihood of expensive repairs.
Do winches actually work, does a lifting keel lift, can you inspect the mechanism, is the rudder and it's bearing sound,( better with a transom hung rudder for cheapness)?
You are looking for the one item (or basketful) that will unexpectedly cost you a couple of grand to fix.

I've done it this route a few times and once I needed a new main, which on reflection I could have sourced secondhand.

If you enjoy a bit of fiddling about it's great fun.

[carl170]

There was another good book I bought, called "surveying a fibreglass boat" by Henry Mustin. That helped me avoid a couple of large errors!. Unfortunately, I concentrated so much on ensuring the hull and keels were sound, I paid no attention to the cabin/cockpit, and ended up grinding out all the rotten stanchion, mast plywood backing plates, and deck supports (which were covered in grp). Removing and replacing all of these took about six months of weekend and evening work, which meant the first season was lost.

As someone has said, make sure you take someone along who knows about boats. Buy some books (cheap second hand books easy to find on the net), read up on and have a checklist (in my opinion , the most important thing). Any replacement parts needs for a boat are expensive!

Regards

Carl

PS I have no connection with any bookshops!

[Seajet]

A grp boat with a wooden interior gives total scope for a simple rebuild. If you go for one of these, you'll end up with a super boat, either rewarding to own or profitable to sell on.

As Lakesailor says, using an outboard makes much more sense at this size - much cheaper to buy, spares are far cheaper, and above all you can take it home to work on.

An outboard in a well is the best of all worlds in the size range around 18 -25'.

www.anderson22class.co.uk

If you look on e-Bay you can get a cheap old one of these begging for a good home and new lease of life; if even remotely interested, be sure to look at the various sections of the website.

I am constantly being asked by people who want a good example but can't find the time or meagre skills to do up an example which might require work; selling on is not a problem, to put it mildly !

[cimota]

if someone could bring me down to earth here and a bit of experience/realism.. lol

Can't provide any realism but happy to provide muscle/extra hands/company just for the experience. I'm a willing novice and I'm only over at Stormont so no distance away.

[playford]

well looks like I've sorted a boat.

my dads picked me up a 26ft westerly centaur over in liverpool from his sailing club over there, in good shape apparently apart from some of the deck needs work but he reckons a good weeks tidying and she'll be ready to sail over to belfast.

full sails, engine running etc.

Then its really just me tidying up the inside as I go.

He's a good lot of experience working on boats and has his VHF licence etc, but I'm thinking I may get on a day skipper course/vhf course asap.

I'm wondering whether to just have it in carrick marina now and split my time between the boat and my gf's place. mooring fee's and a monthly train ticket to belfast wouldnt be too bad and theres only really me going to be on it.

[playford]

right im getting confused as to the boat, its 26ft and a sailing boat, apparently made by island plastics, IP23? could also be an IP 24 I think, but an ip23 looks right from description.

is this it?

http://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/...190542&image=1

anyone any more pics this is all I can find online?

[Even Chance]

Thats an IP23 hull alright. Very popular as wee fishing/pleasure boats. Ive seen a few motor-sailers before, but this looks like its more like a real yacht.
Either way, it will do the job nicely.

[Even Chance]

Wait a minute tho.
You said you were getting a Centaur. They werent made by IP.
Is it a centaur or an IP your getting?

[playford]

My dad always has boats on the go, now I know he had a 26ft westerly so thought it was that turns out im wrong! he must be keeping that for himself!

its apparently 26ft, made by island plastics and and mentioned bow, so must be this one then? Think I need to get over to liverpool asap or get some pictures at least.

see theres this.. but very different.

http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listi...United-Kingdom