Its winter here on The Chesapeake Bay!  Much of the Bay is frozen, ice surrounds many boats.  This is not common here. But it is an OK time to search for a boat... I have been looking, mostly on weekends. I have seen some good ones and some not so good. 

I looked at a 1971 Contest 30.   I am torn about that boat, it is very reasonable in price, but needs painting to fill the gel coat crazing that is all over. And the boat is just very dirty.  I have to wonder if this is more boat than I need/want for the casual cursing I do here on the Chesapeake Bay.  I wonder what the cost of repairs will be over a long time...

The Bay is the largest estuary with over 4,000 miles of shore line and 30+ major rivers all in "protected" waters.  It is "thin" water with depths ranging from 60+ feet in many of the main shipping channels to just a few feet in the small creeks and small craft channels that make such excellent cursing grounds. 

I have been looking for no more than a 5' draft.  The boat I have concentrated my search on, the Catalina 27 has a 4' draft. 

I have looked at many other under 30' boats too, a Seafarer 29 that was just too old and tired.. A US Yacht 27 That looks like a real prospect, but sadly the company is out of business, one of the features I have come to regard as important. 

My current boat Seafarer 22, is an "orphan" with no company for support or to even ask simple questions.  So, I would like to find a boat with the MFG company still in business.  The boat does not need to be still in production, but having someone to ask questions and a way to locate parts is a real plus.  The Catalina 27 is a such a boat.  The other criteria I have for a boat is standing headroom in the cabin and an enclosed head.  All the boats I am seeking have met these criteria.

I looked at one Catalina 27 that had an outboard.  I learned that it had originally had inboard, probably an Atomic 4 gas engine.  I was told it was removed and everything relating to it removed and plugged.  When I went down to see the boat on a cold February day I found the boat hard in the ice.  When I made the jump to the boat, a risky maneuver, I found a very clean and well kept boat. I thought I found my boat.  The interior of the boat was in great shape.  Cushions were all fairly new. I looked in the storage area under the cockpit, I saw a real mess. With wires hanging down and grease and oil all over the place, it looked like the engine had been yanked out just before I arrived.  And worse yet, the area was dark, and I didn't have a flashlight. But I did have my camera with a flash, so I stuck it in the opening and made a picture. I  saw, much to my dismay, the end of the shaft!  The prop shaft, and I guess, the prop was still in place!  My heart sank.  I left having decided it wasn't the boat for me.  When I returned home the owner had emailed me asking what I thought.  I told him and his reply was that he was putting it on eBay the next day.  It sold a week later for just $3,101.00!  A steal of a deal except for what still needed to be done and the eBay buyer has no idea about these problems.

I looked at another Catalina 27 in Baltimore, it was also an outboard model.  It also had been an inboard model (I seem to have found a trend).  This one had all the work done properly. the old engine compartment was the cleanest part of the boat!  The rest was a mess.  The boat was a bit expensive and the owner was firm on his price.  I told him I would keep looking and keep him informed.

When I saw the US 27 next it was also bitterly cold. It was a scary walk to the boat on the ice covered walkway .  The boat was much better. the owner and his wife were there and had shoveled all the ice/snow off the boat (we had just had a snow/ice storm).  I was very pleased wit the boat but am still looking. For now his boat is first in my line.

This week I will be looking at a more expensive Catalina 27, but it seems to have everything except it did not have a wheel (my wife wants a wheel if possible). But it does have roller furling and a bimini, to things on my list of wants.  The broker for the boat has described it as a cream puff, we shall see!

This has been an exciting time. I am sure I will find the right boat in good condition; it is just a matter of time.