The thread on radar contained one comment on not being able to afford that particular piece of equipment. I don't know about others, but I comb Craig's List regularly to see what's for sale. I've bought from that list:
A nice PVC dinghy for $500 (probably overpaid for it).
A like-new Honda 2 hp 4 stroke motor for $500.
Three head sails, two in excellent condition (135% and 90%) and one in very good condition but needing repairs, all for $600.
A portaboat for $400.
An inflatable pfd - the blue water kind - for $75
And that's just the nautical stuff.
Oh, and one other thing: We got a very nice 1998 Catalina 36 for probably $10,000 below the normal price off of Craig's List!
It's true that you can get stuff that isn't what you thought, but overall I think it's saved us a huge amount of money. I see that somebody out here is trying to sell a recently inspected four person life raft for $1350, for instance.
I feel a bit like a sea gull posting this, though. You know - they find something to eat, start squawking, and then 20 more gulls come round and they all start squabbling over it.
SF Bay
1998 C36
I'll take getting bargains one step further: I am a dumpster diver!!
It is amazing what people throw out at marinas.
Just tonight I came away with a perfectly good fender (needs cleaning, but they always do!), and a cool foldout chair that will be great for camping or the backyard.
In the past I have obtained:
A full bag of Sunbrella fabric (my sister made me a great bag for the 3 hatch boards)
A REALLY nice solid brass lamp
other fenders!
BEST FIND: A stainless steel barbeque that mounts on the rail. The burner was bad, but I had a replacement at my house that I was able to retro fit from a different portable grill.
I hope the new season brings more goodies!
Laura Olsen
Commodore C36/375IA
S/V Miramar
hull 938 (MKI 1989, TR,WK, M25xp)
Edgemere, MD
Yes, a friend of mine is at a slightly more upscale marina than I am and has found all sorts of great stuff there. My marina, though, has far fewer people with real money. I like it that way, but the only usable item I've gotten free here is a like-new copy of Jared Diamond's "Guns, Germs and Steel" - a great book, by the way.
SF Bay
1998 C36
Make sure to put sunscreen on the bottom of your feet, the dumpsters at Grand Marina where I keep my boat always have feet sticking out of them.
Most of the good stuff just get set outside the dumpster as it saves the wear and tear of folks needing to pick through the banana peels to get to the good stuff.
As for Craigs List, it is a great forum for bargins, I wish I had had the funds to jump on the used head sails John grabbed. I sold my last boat on Craigs in about two weeks. It is amazing how shinny a boat looks in pictures when you take them after washing the boat when it is still wet.
Cepheus dream
C36 MK I # 825
MK I Tech Editor No Mas
[QUOTE=Steve Frost;5306]Make sure to put sunscreen on the bottom of your feet, the dumpsters at Grand Marina where I keep my boat always have feet sticking out of them.
Most of the good stuff just get set outside the dumpster as it saves the wear and tear of folks needing to pick through the banana peels to get to the good stuff.
As for Craigs List, it is a great forum for bargins, I wish I had had the funds to jump on the used head sails John grabbed. I sold my last boat on Craigs in about two weeks. It is amazing how shinny a boat looks in pictures when you take them after washing the boat when it is still wet.[/QUOTE]
Steve: I didn't know that was why you didn't buy those sails. Your loss was my gain. I owe you one.
SF Bay
1998 C36
John, I have a 1989 Cat 36. Do you still have the headails?
Rich Lewis
John, if you feel you owe me one the next question would be which one? :)
On a more serious note, is the 90 cut high enough to be set up as a self tending sail? I have been tempted to do that on my boat for our windy summer conditions. A bit sluggish in low winds but, when its blowing 25 and you are short handed or have rookies aboard it would make for very simple sail handling and at 2-3 pm mid bay in July a reefed headsail and one reef in the main is plenty in the anywhere from the Gate to the Bay Bridge.
Cepheus dream
C36 MK I # 825
MK I Tech Editor No Mas
Our marina here in North Carolina has a "Free Table". It's simply a table in the hallway of the marina where you can pick up or deposit almost anything of value. It's amazing what I have picked up an modified and used for a project on my boat!
Glenn Druhot
Carpe Diem
New Bern, NC
35* 6' 10" N / 77* 2' 30" W
2001 C36, Hull #1965
Std Rig; Wing Keel; M35B
Fortunately, I have never had to get to the level of sunscreen on the feet!
Laura Olsen
Commodore C36/375IA
S/V Miramar
hull 938 (MKI 1989, TR,WK, M25xp)
Edgemere, MD
[QUOTE=Steve Frost;5340]John, if you feel you owe me one the next question would be which one? :)
On a more serious note, is the 90 cut high enough to be set up as a self tending sail? I have been tempted to do that on my boat for our windy summer conditions. A bit sluggish in low winds but, when its blowing 25 and you are short handed or have rookies aboard it would make for very simple sail handling and at 2-3 pm mid bay in July a reefed headsail and one reef in the main is plenty in the anywhere from the Gate to the Bay Bridge.[/QUOTE]
Yes, it's cut pretty high, but I wouldn't know how to go about setting up a self-tending jib. I suppose it's pretty simple, but then, so is tacking by myself.
John
SF Bay
1998 C36
FYI
Today, July 12, 2010 on San Francisco Bay Area Craig's List there is a listing for a rudder removed from a 1983 MKI C36. They are askig $350.
Cepheus dream
C36 MK I # 825
MK I Tech Editor No Mas
They are also selling an Edson starboard cockpit table. Too bad it's not made of teak - the only kind my wife will accept.
SF Bay
1998 C36
FYI, noted today 10/19/10 on Craigs SF Bay Area a C36 Main, full battens, two reefs, good condition, $440.
I am leary of used sales as "Good" condition is relative, may be a good deal.
Cepheus dream
C36 MK I # 825
MK I Tech Editor No Mas