Below is the body and text of the auction on eBay for my sailboat, the Mariah. I have transported the images and content to these archives from the original site at johntedwards.com

1987 Hunter 28.5 Racer/Cruiser Sailboat - Must Sell
Buy It Now at a Great Price - get GPS and Dinghy FREE
Currently moored in Bayou Chico, Pensacola, Florida

Average value for this year and model sailboat on Yachtworld: $22,000.
My Buy It Now Price: Just $13,900

The Hunter 28.5 had been designed and created with space, speed, comfort and economy in mind. She boasts an interior unlike any of her competition. The main salon sports a unique horseshoe designed interior with complete color coordination as well as easy access to the V-berth.

In the uniquely designed salon you’ll find a large center dinette that folds down on either side, a separate navigator’s station with chart light, and lots of accessible storage space. The galley is an L-shaped design area just aft of the main cabin. She comes complete with a 2-burner alcohol stove, hot and cold pressurized water system, Formica counter tops, a stainless steel sink and a large easily accessible ice box.

The head is completely enclosed for total privacy and comes complete with full shower and mirror.

The Hunter Design Group, using sound and functional engineering, has placed all of the above areas where you will have the most headroom and freedom of movement from one area to the other. Because of Hunter’s commitment to better engineering, the 28.5 utilizes every inch of space for your complete comfort and pleasure.

The patented B&R rigging system - with no babystay or running backstays - provides better control and faster tacking. The swept back spreaders allow tighter sheeting angles of the headsails, and a smaller spar section reduces windage and interference with the leading edge of the mainsail.

Mounted securely between the keel and bottom of the mast is an aluminum compression post which adds additional strength overall between hull and deck. Finally, the laminar flow section of the keel has been cast for a more accurate, more efficient shape. And an aircraft type fairing provides a sleeker interface between the hull and keel.

Specifications:

L.O.A.	28′ 5″		Headroom	6″ 2″
L.W.L.	23′ 9″		Sail Area	398 sq. ft.
Beam	10′ 6″		E (Mainsail foot)	10′ 10″
Draft (Shoal)	4′ 0″		J (Foretriangle base)	12′ 1″
Displacement	7100 lbs.		P (Mainsail luff)	31′ 9″
Ballast	3100 lbs.		I (Foretriangle ht.)	37′ 4″
Mast Height from Waterline	41′ 3″

Cruise Pac Features

This Hunter 28.5 comes equipped with the “Cruise Pac” package, including:

Rigging

• Jiffy-reefing Main sheets
• Two 2-speed self-tailing winches
• Main and Jib halyard winch
• Double-standing sheet stopper
• Double line organizer
• All Internal halyards
• Midboom sheeting
• Adjustable mainsheet traveler

Deck

• Bow pulpit, stainless steel
• Stern rail, stainless steel
• double life lines
• Mooring cleats
• Teak handrails
• On-deck anchor well
• Cockpit seat lockers
• Molded-in non-skid deck

Cockpit

• T-shaped cockpit
• Pedestal steering with engine controls and compass
• Wraparound coamings
• Teak helmsman seat
• Like New cockpit cushions

Additional extras:

• Magma Stainless Steel Charcoal Marine Grill (propane)
• Xantrex X-Power 700 Watt Marine Inverter

SS Mariah Overall Condition

Hull: Great Shape with no damage whatsoever. No blisters or any soft spots. Indeed, there are no soft spots on the deck or anywhere else on the hull. New bottom paint (West Marine Black) was just applied one week ago. The only scratches and minor blemishes are what you’d normally expect on a boat that’s been sailing for some time. All winches, stanchions and cleats are very strong; all bases for the rigging lines are rock solid. The keel is very strong, with no prior damage. All Mariah’s thru-hulls are excellent, with no leaks anywhere in the boat.

Sails: Mariah comes equipped with four sails, all Brand New or Like New

• Main Sail in Great Condition, with no marks or tears
• 110% Genoa is Brand New, with a ProFurl roller-furler
• Storm Jib is Brand New
• Full-color Spinnaker is Like New (both storm jib and spinnaker little used since purchase)

Interior: New Navy Blue canvas upholstery on all the cushions, including both berths. All wood trim has just been sanded and varnished with Helmsman semi-gloss, including the navigation desk. All cabin lights are bright and working, all hatches are dry and there is plenty of pressurized water for both showers and washing dishes.

Engine: The Hunter 28.5 is powered by a Yanmar 2-cylinder diesel (2GM20F), which produces 16HP at 3400 rpms. She easily cruises to 7+ knots at just 2000 rpms. I have just replaced the Raycor water filter and oil filters. No problems with the engine at all. Like all Yanmar diesels, she’ll run until the end of time with routine maintenance. The engine is also very accessible both in the front and back of the compartment.

Electronics: The Mariah boasts a Richie compass in beautiful condition, as well separate Horizon brand Depthfinder and Knotmeters. The VHF radio works fine, but is an older model. This Hunter 28.5 comes equipped with two 12-volt deep cycle marine batteries and built-in AC shore power with a provided 25-foot cable.

Any bidder who Buys It Now at my set price will also receive my Magellan 100 Portable GPS. Also included is my Map Kit of the Gulf Coast Florida region (36 maps), from Pensacola down to the Keys - with important GPS locations of sunken boat sites, historic areas and great fishing spots.

Rigged: The Hunter 28.5 is rigged to not only be a great racer, but also a remarkably forgiving sloop to operate for any level of experience. The back-swept Isomast and racing lock-stays are especially efficient for going fast, while the unique Hunter layout runs all your halyards and lines directly back to the cockpit for almost effortless sailing! This is a very fun boat to sail, even if you’re singlehanding. You’ll find that Mariah makes great way, both going off the wind and running with the wind at her back.

Ground Tackle: Here Mariah shines again. I fitted her original 22-pound Danforth anchor with new shackles, 6′ of chain and 130′ of quality rode. Additionally, I added a large 30-pound Galvanized Slip-ring Danforth with 6′ of rubberized chain and another 100′ of rode for extra safety in bad weather.

Photo Gallery

Below you’ll find thumb-nailed images which, when clicked upon, open to a full page image. After viewing any full-page image, simply use your browser’s Back button to return.

Exterior:

Interior:

Gauges:

Floor Plan:

Sea Eagle GT-15 Dinghy:

Needs: Like all boats, Mariah does show her age in spots. Unlike many of the older 1970s boats you’ll find on EBay and elsewhere, this sailboat benefits from being much newer and having never been sunk or holed in a storm. However, although she is quite pretty in the pictures, there are still some minor considerations for you down the line. These are mostly cosmetic and don’t affect her performance, as she is indeed being sailed and lived aboard comfortably right now.

• Her toerails toward the back were damaged in Hurricane Ivan two years ago. The rails were fixed and are extremely sound, but just not very cosmetically good-looking. I’d have liked to paint them myself (about $50 worth of silver), but just didn’t get around to it.
• I’ve been using a simple rope ladder since the original swim ladder got badly bent. A replacement off another Hunter could be had for under $75.
• The running lights need rewiring. I really don’t sail much at night, so I just use the portable marine running lights from Wal-Mart ($20). The wiring is actually minor work, but once again I was more interested in sailing than doing a bit more on it. Her masthead/anchor light works just fine.
• I cut, fabric-stapled and Scotch-guarded the new upholstery myself. It looks good and works fine, but a little sewing in the back would make it a more permanent job.

BONUS! 11-foot Hard-Bottom Dingy with your Buy It Now:

Along with the Magellan Portable GPS mentioned above, I am also including another great bonus to anyone who chooses to end this auction early with the Buy It Now option. I have a Sea Eagle GT-15 inflatable dinghy in very good condition which will be included FREE with your Buy It Now price. This is a large, 11-foot long high-quality, dual-chambered dinghy with hard-bottom removable panel inserts, a new West Marine pump and two new oars. Other comparable dinghies are on sale locally for upwards of $1000.

So why am I selling this boat at this price?

I am self-employed with a wholesale business back in Pennsylvania. Recent events have dramatically affected my income and I simply must return immediately. Although I’d hoped to spend the summer sailing, I must now offer my boat at auction to raise funds and return to my full-time business at home (at least for now).

I could keep Mariah here, but cannot afford long-term slip rentals at this time. I have been living aboard her for the last two months and am quite comfortable anchored here in Bayou Chico. Although this area of Pensacola is considered the safest anchorage in North Florida, I do not want to leave my boat in Florida alone and unattended.

So my loss is your gain. I can arrange for anyone in the Pensacola area to see Mariah with less than two hours’ notice. After payment is made, I can also offer suggestions for both wet slips in the area and even hauling out — if you prefer to sail later. Most marinas here are charging between $8 and $10 per foot, per month.

Terms and Conditions:

This vessel is presented As-Is, Where-Is with no warranties stated or implied. Florida residents are subject to 7% sales tax. No taxes are charged on out of state sales. This vessel is under clear Florida title and not under any liens. Valid Florida state registration is also paid for through April 2007 and all pertinent documents shall be included with purchase.

The winning bidder should contact me after close of auction to confirm the intended payment arrangements. A $300.00 deposit is due within 24 hours of auction end, applied against the amount of the final selling price. This deposit is non-refundable, should the buyer fail to pay the remaining balance when due. The deposit may be paid via PayPal to spyderman.john@gmail.com or via bank wire transfer.

All applicable taxes or fees associated with the purchase, registration and title transfer of this item are the responsibility of the buyer. The full balance is due within 7 days. Payment must be made by Cashier’s Check or wire transfer only (banking information will be provided at auction end).

Following payment, delivery must be taken within another 3-5 days. If you wish, I can discuss safely delivering the boat to your marina of choice here in Bayou Chico — should you be out of state. After your payment is received, I shall overnight the title and registration documents to you (along with the hatch and engine keys, if you wish). If no other options are available, I can secure the dinghy, lock up the boat completely and secure her with the heavy-weather ground tackle for you. Once the grace period of 10 days past auction’s end is over, I must consider the boat delivered and will be returning to Pennsylvania.

You are entering into a legal, binding agreement to purchase the item described above. If you do not intend to purchase this item, please do not bid. Winning bidders must have their own prearranged financing. All bidders must be 18 years of age or older. Nonpaying bidders, unqualified bidding, bid shielding, and auction interference of any type will be dealt with according to eBay Rules and applicable laws. Actions may include, but are not limited to, legal action, forfeiture of deposit, and recovery of fees and other related costs.

I reserve the right to cancel bids from any bidder deemed inappropriate because of excessive negative feedback and also reserve the right to end this auction at any time. Any bidder with no eBay feedback must send an introduction email to: spyderman.john@gmail.com or the bids will be canceled. All sales are final. Thank you!

Contact Me Directly:

If you have any questions or concerns prior to bidding, you may contact me via eBay messaging or email (spyderman.john@gmail.com) or by phone at (484) 505-9075.