buying an F25
Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2009 1:20 pm
Hi all,
I am a F30/32 owner (Bagatelle is located in the Bahamas) but am looking to get a boat for cruising Lake Ontario (I currently sail a 24' Shark here but want something larger for mainly single-handed cruising). There are various reasonably-priced alternatives in the 25-28' range that look attractive (CS27, Aloha 8.2 or 8.5, Ontario 28, Mirage 27, C&C 27), but I am also constrained by my marina--not much dock space for a boat with more than an 8'6" beam. It turns out that the F25 fits the bill, and there is one for sale not too far away. But I know nothing about the boat, and fear that there may be some key parts that have gone missing and are hard to get. And I am not sure from the documentation I see online whether all F25s are the same; some mention "round mast" others that the mast swivels, etc. Some have staysails, some not (presumably just using the gunmount spinnaker as a headsail), etc. And the posts I see suggest that upwind sailing may not be good.
After learning the ins and outs of the F30 over 10 years, I don't want to get into a major new learning experience and problems refitting an older boat! Since I live in Canada importing parts from Rhode Island will be especially costly and time consuming.
I would appreciate some honest advice (no sales jobs)!
Paul
F30/32 "Bagatelle"
I am a F30/32 owner (Bagatelle is located in the Bahamas) but am looking to get a boat for cruising Lake Ontario (I currently sail a 24' Shark here but want something larger for mainly single-handed cruising). There are various reasonably-priced alternatives in the 25-28' range that look attractive (CS27, Aloha 8.2 or 8.5, Ontario 28, Mirage 27, C&C 27), but I am also constrained by my marina--not much dock space for a boat with more than an 8'6" beam. It turns out that the F25 fits the bill, and there is one for sale not too far away. But I know nothing about the boat, and fear that there may be some key parts that have gone missing and are hard to get. And I am not sure from the documentation I see online whether all F25s are the same; some mention "round mast" others that the mast swivels, etc. Some have staysails, some not (presumably just using the gunmount spinnaker as a headsail), etc. And the posts I see suggest that upwind sailing may not be good.
After learning the ins and outs of the F30 over 10 years, I don't want to get into a major new learning experience and problems refitting an older boat! Since I live in Canada importing parts from Rhode Island will be especially costly and time consuming.
I would appreciate some honest advice (no sales jobs)!
Paul
F30/32 "Bagatelle"