SmallCraftAdvisor.com

This has nothing to do with starting a motor without a pull cord but it does concern the July - August issue.

In the four years or so I have been an avid reader of SCA the boat review at the end of the issue has been about boats most of us could own. I will have to say that the J-70, while I am sure an excellent boat in its fashion, is not a boat I am going to run out and buy tomorrow, or even next year!!. I see three shortcomings that would preclude me (and I believe most of us on this forum) from seeing this boat as a must have item. One is the launch and retrieval time of FOUR hours. You would spend more time launching and recovering the boat than you would actually sailing it since its not really a cruising boat. Secondly, it appears to be far more of a race boat than anything else and finally the boat at $65,000.00 is just far too cheap for any of us to waste our time with (Sarcasm noted)

Yes, its fast, yes its the latest technology but I would rather have the Sandpiper 555 of Michel than this boat.

That's my opinion anyway.

lustyslogger wrote:This has nothing to do with starting a motor without a pull cord but it does concern the July - August issue.

In the four years or so I have been an avid reader of SCA the boat review at the end of the issue has been about boats most of us could own. I will have to say that the J-70, while I am sure an excellent boat in its fashion, is not a boat I am going to run out and buy tomorrow, or even next year!!.

While this is likely true enough for most of us - who can say that in seven or eight years the GoFast types won't be unloading these and we gunkholers might not be interested then? It looks like a fun 22 ft daysailor; and there are a LOT of J/22 sailboats at my local NY Finger Lakes.

Perhaps there are other considerations. If Craig can pick up the J Boat account as advertisers it may be a huge help to SCA.

One of my favorite sailboats we have owned was a Thistle 17 (1964 version) that we bought in the early 90's in very sad shape and I refurbished. This, at the time it was introduced, was cutting edge and didn't have a scrap of excess weight anywhere. Lots of work to sail but what a thrill!



I really liked the looks of the Presto 30 that was being advertised in SCA for several years . . . until I priced one. Hokey Smokes! I see there's a used 2012 model on Yachtworld.com currently for $139,000!!!!

Charlie P. (NY) wrote:

lustyslogger wrote:This has nothing to do with starting a motor without a pull cord but it does concern the July - August issue.

In the four years or so I have been an avid reader of SCA the boat review at the end of the issue has been about boats most of us could own. I will have to say that the J-70, while I am sure an excellent boat in its fashion, is not a boat I am going to run out and buy tomorrow, or even next year!!.

While this is likely true enough for most of us - who can say that in seven or eight years the GoFast types won't be unloading these and we gunkholers might not be interested then? It looks like a fun 22 ft daysailor; and there are a LOT of J/22 sailboats at my local NY Finger Lakes.

Perhaps there are other considerations. If Craig can pick up the J Boat account as advertisers it may be a huge help to SCA.

One of my favorite sailboats we have owned was a Thistle 17 (1964 version) that we bought in the early 90's in very sad shape and I refurbished. This, at the time it was introduced, was cutting edge and didn't have a scrap of excess weight anywhere. Lots of work to sail but what a thrill!



I really liked the looks of the Presto 30 that was being advertised in SCA for several years . . . until I priced one. Hokey Smokes! I see there's a used 2012 model on Yachtworld.com currently for $139,000!!!!

Different strokes for different folks. And I don't mean to imply that these boats don't have a place in the boating world. After all, innovation has a way of both creeping into the boats most of us can afford and become cheaper at the same time. I remember when J-24's were selling new for $10,000.00 and the boat's ad was to buy one for your high school student rather than a car because it would teach him more and also keep him out out trouble. At the time I bought a Bayliner Buccaneer 22 for under $4000.00 (early 1980's). I also know I bought a 2003 Triumph Bonneville for around the same price while Harley's were going for $20,000.00 plus. Its all a matter of priorities

Well, I guess I am just an old codger who has reached the "I remember when..." stage. I picked up a copy of Sail magazine over the weekend and there was a 14 foot boat with a "sail-away" price of only $39,500.00 if fiberglass and only $69,000.00 if wood. I also saw a Herresoff 12-1/2 at the Annapolis Boat Show for $45,000.00. I guess I am just really really really out of touch with with new boats cost !! I will say this however, in 1963, the year I started sailing, the median income in the United States was $6200.00. A Cal 40 was $1000.00 a foot or $40,000.00. Today the median income is $52,000.00 or approximately 8.3 times higher. I saw a 41 foot boat listed in Sail for $550,000.00 or approximately 15 times higher than the Cal 40.

So, don't pay any attention to me anymore.

LOL! I have a friend who builds sailing canoes.. and when I saw a wooden kayak for sale for $50,000.00 I cut the article out of the magazine to send to him in amazement... But, I never sent it. I realized I had no idea if that was the going rate or not? Maybe he sells his boats for the price of a small house in Atlanta in 1985? Please don't shut up Lusty. There is joy in being old codgers together on the porch yelling at the kids to get off our lawn!

My current sailboat (a 1986 17 ft Mud Hen bought used) cost me outright just about what the annual upkeep and dockage was for our 34 footer!

And we get more use out of the easily trailered 17 footer!

I also have the joy of having it at hand so I can futz around with the fiddly bits and get additional enjoyment out of it just sitting on it in the driveway. I've been splicing eyes in the lazyjacks - and I had forgotten how satisfying a nice tapered splice is when you finally get one to come out properly.

It isn't hard at all to drop a LARGE wad on a sailboat. That has always been the case. But it is also possible to always find a low priced sailboat. You just have to be willing to invest time if you aren't willing to invest currency.

I spent $200 on my first car and drove it for three years. "You kids get off my lawn!"

Friends with SCAMPS wrote: There is joy in being old codgers together on the porch yelling at the kids to get off our lawn!

You too??????

A cold glass of ice tea (with sugar and lemon of course) in one hand and a bullhorn to make sure they hear you in the other!!!

It just doesn't get any better than that.

Heck no. Jim Beam and a pellet rifle.

Charlie P. (NY) wrote:Heck no. Jim Beam and a pellet rifle.

You could put your eye out!! Or even worse it could ricochet and come back and put a hole in your bottle of Jim Beam

To each his own! My little Sandpiper became mine for 6000$ in 2005. ( They were priced a little high at the time) Divide that by the years passed and we have an idea about an affordable cost of sailing. OK!... Mari-Bell is not Mirabella V!...
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