It's January 2012 and we have been searching for a sailboat for over a year. Our plan of attack was heavily influenced by cost. We wanted the best boat for the best deal. We were considering project boats over turn key boats. In November 2011 we made our last payment on our home. It felt like perfect timing to invest in our second home, a bigger sailboat capable of taking us across wide open spaces of big water.
Initially our goal was to get into a bigger boat, 28-30 foot, for under $20,000. Dave spent countless hours researching boats that fit this criteria. He looked for full keel or modified full keel boats that had a reputation of being stable and seaworthy. Features we were attracted to included deisel engine, roller furling, dodger, propane stove, oven and cabin heater. We live in an old house and like the warmth of wood so we were attracted to boats with wood interiors.
Our search began in Duluth, MN on Lake Superior at the Barker's Island Marina where we looked at a three boats, a Cape Dory 28, an Islander 28 and an Islander 30. The Cape Dory was a nice boat sitting on a cradle. It was rigged for solo sailing with a custom full built in cabinet on the starboard side. This feature made the cabin feel small and crowded. We knew that Dave could take the cabinet out and reinstall a bunk but the boat was over budget and we had other options to consider. We shelved the Cape Dory for now. The Islander has a Saildrive motor. Dave had read that you can't get parts for it anymore. This could prove to be a problem. In addition, the Islander is not a heavy cruising boat and felt very small for a 28-30 foot boat. We were not impressed with it and have taken this boat off of our list.
Next we drove North to Knife River Marina to view a 30 foot Columbia named "Yes Dear". Dave and I both liked this boat immediately, including the name. It was well taken care of and roomy. It was cutter rigged with dual head stays (Dave liked that feature) and had a nice dodger. The cockpit was rigged for fishing, not a huge selling point for us but just another sign that this boat was both used and loved. Yes Dear has potential but is at the top end of our budget at $20,000. We looked at another Columbia 30 at Knife River but it was a project boat in disrepair. We began to see the benefit of a turn key purchase.
While up North on this visit, we fell in love with the Knife River Marina. It is a sheltered harbor with that classic North Woods feel. It had a rocky beach within walking distance. When we are lucky enough to find the right boat we hope to keep it at Knife River Marina. We live about 3 hours from the marina. Although it's a long drive, it would be just like going "Up North to the Cabin" to have a boat slip there.
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