So I’ve been daydreaming of sailboats again and am hoping to begin the next stage of my adventure once the car is sold. I’ll do some buying and selling up here before I head back down South, but I am intent once more on returning to the sea. I didn’t nearly get enough chance to live out my dream of sailing and living aboard last year.

And I have been poring over boats once again, wondering upon which beauty I want to fix my attention. I’m determined that this time I’m going to concentrate on larger vessels. That is, boats that are at least 35 feet long. Although they don’t flip (resell) as quickly as smaller boats, one thing is certain: they do retain their value better, even the older ones from the 1970s.

I’m already familiar with some of the boats I looked at in both New Orleans and Pensacola. The one design I’ve like for the longest time, that had the greatest value among hurricane boats I saw, was the Gulfstar 40. These were great, big sailboats built back in the early- to mid- 70s. They are strongly built, and their overbuilt fiberglass hulls have kept them on the water for many years.

I priced two of these in New Orleans that I could have had for less than $6,000 apiece. Unfortunately, the one I really wanted had deck separation and would’ve required at least $10-$15,000 in repairs. But the value is there, as each of these boats (both were 1974 Gulfstar 40s) was still worth over $74,000 ($78,000 if you have good electronics).

Anyway, regardless of what boats I work on early for investment purposes, I have begun to see examples of what my future dreamboat might look like. Among all those I’ve been checking out over the last couple of weeks, the one design that stands out is the Beneteau. Particularly those that were built in the 80s. The Beneteau are beautiful, elegant sailboats with all the characteristics I’m looking for.

I’ve included a gallery of images of these boats, taken from listings on Yachtworld. These are usually priced up in the $80,000 range. So they likely would not be my initial, next boat, obviously.

But there are tens of thousands of boats right now in hurricane yards being liquidated by insurance companies all over the Gulf, many of them with very little serious damage. I also have the contacts in the Pensacola area so that, if I wanted to pick up another hurricane boat to restore, I could do so. There really isn’t any reason why I couldn’t get one of these boats right now for $10-$15,000. It’d take some looking, and I’d probably need another five to 10 grand more in contractor work.

But the return on such an investment would certainly be worth while, as I’m sure you can imagine. More importantly, it’d put me back on the water for some time to come, traveling around the world in the manner I’d most enjoy.

Have a look and tell me what you think…

Beneteau 42 & 43 (1984-89)

The mid-80s Beneteau First Sloop 42 is an icon in the sailing world. She is truly a boat that is capable of winning regattas still today, is a comfortable boat to live on and can take you safely to any ocean in the world that you wish to cruise.

A German Frers design, she’s a pedigreed hull shape with the beautiful full belly, a fine sharp entry, and tapered stern. She sails fast! Her fine underbody and spade rudder makes her sleek, racy and responsive. There’s a reason these vessels have been sought after by ocean racers for so many years.

One of the examples below actually has already completed a four-year circumnavigation double-handed. And she’s set up to sail shorthanded.

The 432s (particularly nice with an open rear transom) were 43′ overall length, 13′ 10″ beam, 5′ 4″ wing keel draft, keel stepped mast height (including antenna) 62 feet, sufficient for all 65′ fixed ICW bridges (actually tested). The three-stateroom, two-head layout includes queen size V berth forward, queen size berth aft, and a third twin sized bedroom and 6′ 5″ cabin headroom.

Click any link below to open gallery (click left or right side of images to scroll):

1982 Beneteau First Sloop 42 – Classic French hull design

1982 Beneteau First Sloop 42 – Tapered stern, elegant and fast

1982 Beneteau First Sloop 42 – Gorgeous shape and deck layout

1982 Beneteau First Sloop 42 – Clean foredeck design, plenty of space

1982 Beneteau First Sloop 42 – Awesome teak decking adds value

1982 Beneteau First Sloop 42 – Cockpit

1982 Beneteau First Sloop 42 – U-shaped galley

1982 Beneteau First Sloop 42 – Roomy main salon

1982 Beneteau First Sloop 42 – V-Berth Forward

1982 Beneteau First Sloop 42 – Nav Station

1987 Beneteau 432 – Newer version, same great design

1987 Beneteau 432 – Cockpit and Helm with flip-table

1987 Beneteau 432 – V-Berth

1987 Beneteau 432 – View of shoal-draft keel

1987 Beneteau 432 – Open transom with swim ladder

1987 Beneteau 432 – Deck

1987 Beneteau 432 – Full salon layout

1987 Beneteau 432 – Galley

1987 Beneteau 432 – Salon aft with Nav station

1987 Beneteau 432 – Great view of tapered stern in water