used_sailboats

Cheoy Lee Shipyards of Hong Kong has been a commercial builder since the early 1900s and is one of the first molders of fiberglass boats in Asia. Production of fiberglass boats began in the early 1960s and continues today, although the company-like many big yards around the world-has turned its focus toward commercial ships and the mega-yacht market. Looking at the line of 78- to 100-plus-foot yachts catering to Far East millionaires and billionaires, it is clear that any concerns about what would happen to Cheoy Lee when Hong Kong reverted to China were way off target.

The Marshall Sanderling 18 retains the catboat’s traditional appeal as well as a viable interior. Racing fleets keep interest alive.

A top-quality production boat, proven as an offshore passagemaker - with a few bits and pieces that cause concern.

This 1981 Bill Shaw design is a late-IOR racer/cruiser.

Boat buying is an exciting, maddening exercise that can test the tolerance of even the most patient sailor. Most of the maddening part has to do with trying to ferret out a boats problems before buying it-and making the problems your own. Hiring a professional marine surveyor can be expensive when youre looking at multiple boats, so save yourself some money-and potential heartache-by learning how to examine a used sailboat, from stem to stern and mast to bilge. Practical Sailors DIY survey how-to details common problem areas (like engines and rigging), what issues are easy to remedy, and what red flags you should walk away from.

Buyers looking for a good used sailboat should ask themselves, When is a bargain really a bargain? The time-tested Pearson Rhodes 41 is one of the most popular boats on the used-boat market. They have a strong following, and an aging Pearson 41 with a previous owners accumulated TLC is one of the smartest buys among used boats. The Pearson 41 is a modest draft sailboat with a lean, long overhang and real sea berths. It features a solid fiberglass hull with encapsulated lead ballast. The low-aspect sailplan, which relies on a big genoa to boost horsepower. The Pearson 41 has an easy motion and enough functional space to qualify as a good inshore or offshore cruiser. It makes an excellent DIY candidate. Most of the 50 Pearson Rhodes 41s, built from 1961 to 1968, are still around today and have a cult following, making it one of the most sought-after used boats.

Boat buying is an exciting, maddening exercise that can test the tolerance of even the most patient sailor. Much of the maddening part has...

While C&C did not invent the racer/cruiser, the Canadian-based company has remained dedicated for two decades to the concept of the dual-purpose boat. With the notable exception of a few pure cruisers-the relatively low-performance Landfall 35, 42, 43, and 48-a racer-based cruising boat (the Landfall 38), and a real oddball (the Mega 30), most C&Cs have paid at least lip service to contemporary trends in racing boats.

Still going strong after more than 35 years, the Bill Crealock-designed Cabo Rico 38 is much admired for its strength, seakeeping ability, and teak joinery work. While the original beauty was out of reach of the average cruiser, the recession has put enough of a dent in this market that some attractively priced boats are popping up now and then. With the molds for this popular boat in limbo, it could well be that the only Cabo 38s well see in the future are those that are out sailing today, and this shouldnt hurt their value.

The early 1970s was the heyday of the Tartan 30' racer/cruiser. In all, no less than two dozen boats of a similar size and type were introduced in just three years, many of them to become highly successful among sailors eager for the performance and amenities of big boats at a modest price. Among the most noteworthy and enduring of the 30-footers from this era has been the Tartan 30.