Looking at a CD 28

[shavdog]

Good luck....In your situation and what you are looking at...the survey is the best money you will spend...don't leave home without it...have fun

[2tocruise]

We bought our CD28 last summer and have been more than happy with her. She's a great boat! Big enough to be a "real" boat yet small enough that you can still manhandle it.

I'd highly recommend a survey, it made our decision process so much easier being able to see all the boat's problem areas ahead of time. (which in our case wound up being very few). Keep in mind though that most surveyors do not do an indepth engine survey and if you think the engine is suspect you might want to invest in a seperate mechanical survey from a marine mechanic. I'm sure the surveyors in your area can recommend a few.

Good luck

[Dixon Hemphill]

Go for it! I bought this same model several years ago and believe it was a very wise decision. Alberg's designs are proven to be seaworthy and long-lived assuming the previous owners took reasonable care of them.

Plan to spend some money and time fixing up the boat to your specifications but this is part of the fun of owning a boat. And as the others have suggested, get a survey but don't be discouraged if the surveyor finds some problem areas. Analyze each one carefully and then decide if you can afford to any correct serious faults. Not every "problem" the surveyor lists has to be corrected. In my case I just painted over gelcoat cracks that were cosmetic rather than unsafe.

What type/model engine does the boat have?

[Steve Laume]

The survey is a great educational opportunity. Not only will you learn what is currently wrong with your boat, a good surveyor will be able to tell you what problems you might expect in the future. Be there when the boat is surveyed and ASK QUESTIONS. At under 10 K you are not doing a survey to be able to beat the guy down on price but know what you are faced with and identify any possible deal breakers. You should feel very good about giving the surveyor and the current owner your money after an educational day spent with a knowledgeable surveyor, Steve.

[Neil Gordon]

Invest in the survey, then divide the surveyor's comments into sections:

1 - Must fix to be seaworthy
2 - Mostly cosmetic and can do over time

Then further divide:

A - Do it yourself
B - Pay someone else

A CD28 for $10k is pretty much a good deal if it floats and you're handy enough to fix what's wrong. But get a survey so you know what you're dealing with.

[Harold H.]

I used a surveyor named Pete Wells when I bought my Cape Dory 30 at Merritt Island. 321-632-2840

He conducted a very thorough survey that gave me a lot of confidence in my purchase.

Good luck! The CD28 is a fantastic boat.

[Russell]

I made a counter offer and the owner was agreeable but without the survey. If I wanted to go with the survey I would have to go with the asking price and put 10% down.

I would walk away based on this alone. Letting you buy the boat for less money if no survey is done screams foul to me. The survey costs the owner absolutely nothing, if he is enticing you to buy it sans survey then he is hiding something and/or trying to take advantage of a newbie boat buyer who may not be seeing how bad of shape the boat really is in (which a surveyor will easily point out).

Lots of good boats out there to be bought, dont be lured in on price alone, it can be a very expensive mistake.

[Neil Gordon]

>>I made a counter offer and the owner was agreeable but without the survey. If I wanted to go with the survey I would have to go with the asking price and put 10% down.<<

He either has something to hide or he (and probably you) know that the survey will come up with something that causes you to want to renegotiate the deal.

Depending on the price difference, of course, I'd probably pay the price and put the 10% down. Just be sure the contract is subject to a survey acceptible to you. That's always an out.

If there's more wrong with the boat than you contemplate and/or can fix within your budget, you can pass. Otherwise, you can try for a lower price.

It's seems to me that good CD 28 Hull is worth something in its own right. So I keep asking myself what is a foundation worth to me...

>>The Engine is the MD7. It starts right up. I would like to motor the 70 miles north on the ICW to get her home. But starting right up and motoring for 15 hours is two different things.<<

The only thing likely to go wrong motoring for a long time is that dirty fuel will clog the filter. No fuel, no go. Go for the cost of a good tow boat service and you'll sleep better.

>>I'm darn near tempeted.<<

Do it, but have it surveyed first.

[sgbernd]

In my experience, the survey cost a bunch of money, turned up a bunch of small stuff that didn't really matter (old flares, cracked hoses), and missed a few big things (like a soggy core problem) which surfaced soon after the purchase. After owning her for 9 years, now, I don't know if a survey was worth it or just psychological "hand holding". On the other hand, you may want insurance to stay in a marina which will likely require a recent survey, so you might as well bite the bullet now.

I don't know your experience with previous boat ownership, if you owned and maintained one before. If you don't have much experience, maybe you have a sailor friend who will help if you supply the beer.

In any case, I'd recommend you plan on spending the better part of the day on your own with a check list. Lots of sources are out there for what to look for on old sail boats. Go thru each structural item or working system, methodically, and convince yourself it is serviceable (or not) and take notes. If you take your time and understand what you are looking for, I believe you can do a reasonable job and if you subsequently pay for a survey, you can ask him to check out any questionable items you found.

For example, I recommend you run the engine under load (in forward gear at cruising speed) for a good while (more than 30 minutes). If the temperature gets warm but not hot, it doesn't smoke, catch fire, make bad sounds, stall, refuse to restart, drip oil/fuel/water, show water in the oil, etc., it is probably just fine and you just tested it more extensively than the surveyor did.

Good luck. I love my CD28 and trust you will as well. She has her issues but it is hard to find a sweeter mannered little cruiser.

Steve Bernd

[GB]

Your the buyer. It's your money. Do not let the seller dictate the conditions of the sale, PERIOD. There are a million used boats out there. If you capable of doing the survey your self and the price is right and you understand the financial risk of missing something than go for it. Otherwise structure the deal on the survey with refundable deposit. Like someone mentioned earlier, most insurance companies will require a survey.

Oh, did I mention there is a million used boats out there (buyers market, always buyers market, always buyers market).

You seem to have fallen for this boat, if it is not the right one you will fall for the next one (I've been to this dance).

GB

[Dixon Hemphill]

I agree entirely with GB, don't let the seller dictate the terms and it is best to get that survey. Your insurance man will most likely demand one.

If the boat appears seaworthy with hull and rigging in good shape AND the engine does operate satisfactorily I suggest you buy the boat. If these criteria are not met, wait until the next CD shows up for sale. There are sevaral on the market at all times.

[oldragbaggers]

Just a side note to the comment about the CD28 hull being worth something in its own right. It certainly is, but that is not the big question. We have rebuilt, stem to stern, 3 old boats and have 2 more sitting in our yard that are in the works, so we have a little bit of experience in this area. Here is what we have learned; the hull has value, sure, but what will it take in terms of time, money and effort to turn that hull into a safe sailing machine? If you buy a hull for $10K and have to spend another $10-15K to make it into a really sound, safe, enjoyable cruiser (and this is easier to do than you might think), I can tell you that for less than the $20-25K you would end up spending you could absolutely find a CD28 that is in sailaway condition and you won't have lost all that sailing time building on something instead of feeling the wind in your face.
We just got a beautiful deal on a CD28 this past weekend, a 1982, in absolutely great condition that didn't cost us much more than what you are contemplating spending on this fixer. Sure it needs sprucing up, cleaning, brightwork, etc. and since we plan to retire on it and go cruising in 4 years we will replace sails and rigging and upgrade or service other systems between now and the time we leave, but we can go sailing this summer and putter with those things in our own time. And even if you bought a new or near to new boat those items come due on a periodic basis if you keep a boat for any length of time.
Of course if you are looking for an education in boat maintenance/repair and are not concerned about how fast you get out there, this might be just the thing. We have learned so much on our old boats and we wouldn't trade that knowledge for anything.
Good luck with your decision and with whatever CD28 you decide to buy. This is our 3rd Cape Dory and we are absolutely convinced that you can't find a better boat.
(Sorry I rambled.)
Becky

[oldragbaggers]

Hi John,
I just wanted to put a little bug in your ear about a Yachtworld listing in Lake Texoma, TX. The boat is listed for $17K. We called the broker a few weeks ago and he told us it has been listed for over 1 year and that the owner is very anxious to sell. He thinks it could be had for $12K. Of course we were suspicious about why it has been for sale for over 1 year and if he really would be willing to take $12K, why has it not sold, that being such a great price for any CD28 is reasonably good condition.
In the pictures on the listing the boat looks extremely clean. It appears to be mostly original (right down to the upholstery). But we like that. We tend to shy away from boats that have been modified a lot. Lance asked the broker, "if you were buying this boat for yourself, what do you think needs to be done?" The broker did mention a few things, but they seemed to be relatively minor and I don't really remember what they were at the moment. Of course, the boat could have issues that the broker is not aware of, or maybe he just "couldn't remember" some things. At any rate, he said the engine runs well.
We passed on it because first we would have the expense of a trip to Texas to look at it, and then we would have to ship it to Maryland. We reasoned that after figuring in that cost, we could probably find a boat local for the same or less since this area is so rich in Cape Dorys. Which, fortunately, we did.
Just FYI
Becky

[barfwinkle]

Hello

I looked at this boat at least twice. She is an older model and IF I remember correctly she doesnt not have the Ash Ceilings. I could be wrong.

She has been for sale for a long time! And she was in need of some TLC the last time I saw her, at least a year ago!

Good Luck

[tmsc]

John,

I have to agree about the survey, and I am not saying that because I am a surveyor either, but it is a buyers market right now, so I really suggest that you take your time. There are a lot of good boats out there that you can put some work in and come out with a deal. It may be a little biased since I have a Dory, but I think you are on the right course and will be happy with the quality and the sailing characteristics of the CD especially when the weather turns bad. Do look at some of the bigger models too. Like I said the market is good and you might be surprised with what you find. Good luck.