365 vs 424?

[jpendoley]

Wayne, congratulations! We are on the hunt too. First we need to peel the bottom of our 365, so no rush. If you need an orientation to the Maine coast-we are standing by. Will be interested to hear how you both like the 424
Jim

[Jordan]

I've been busy, but saw on the blog that you picked one up. I'll come in with my congrats. I'm actually on the tri rail passing you guys right now on our way down to Hollywood.

[SVJourney]

Soooo.... Plan #28.   
The 424 fell out after survey.  The boat was just too damaged to be worth it to us.  We got a purchase price of $26K and it would have taken $21k worth of gear and services to get it cruise ready.  That price is with Dana working at West Marine and getting employee discount and us spending a lot of time in the yard doing our own work.  It would have still needed topsides and deck paint and new toe rails even after all that.  The owner had painted it with single part poly 12 years ago and it is now just white powder.  The toe rails were worn past the screw heads and had been bashed and broken against a dock at some point.

There is a silver lining though....
One of our cruising friends heard we were looking and decided that they were going to quit sailing, sell their boat, and buy a trawler for the sunset years.  Sooooo... we got an accepted offer on a 1987 45' Gulfstar Hirsch.
https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/hirsch-45-gulfstar
More than we wanted to spend, but the boat is totally sweet and loaded with more gear and spares than we could ever want.  Now we just need to get a survey and haulout and get-a-cruisin. 
We won't make the Bahamas by 1 Feb like we wanted to, but should be soon after that.  The boat is in Jacksonville so we will shakedown on a run down the Florida coast before crossing.  Fingers crossed!

I did go through the 424 with a fine toothed comb during survey.  For a 365 lover, you would see a lot of the same designs.  For instance, the head and shower and cockpits share the exact same molds.  It was rigged and plated the same but bigger.  If I could have found one that wasn't a basket case, I would have bought one.

We did look at a couple real nice 365s.   The one in Ft Meyer is super sweet and only needs standing rigging and sails to head out.  I just couldn't get the missus to agree to go out in a 36 foot boat again, even after the financial savings and the safety of handling for a smaller boat and rig.

I can definitively say that there isn't much out there for sale right now.  Covid and Utube have sent the masses looking for sailboats fer sure.

[Jordan]

I believe Dana's exact words were "I wasn't up to committing to spending the next five years in 150 square feet again."

And of course I read that one right after I congratulated you. Good layout on that gulfstar. Spade rudders freak me out though.