About the boat...
This is going to be an epic posting, so if you want to read it, click on the "read more" link down at the bottom of the post. This is a detailed account of the boat from my perspective.
The owner had the boat pulled up to the dock when we arrived was getting it ready for going sailing. Erin and I went below and checked out the cabin while asking a few questions. The cabin was very surprising in two ways. One good way and one bad way.
The good surprise was that the amount of room below was quite significant. The ad said it would sleep four, and after seeing it, I would say 4 could sleep quite comfortably in the space below decks.
The forward cabin had a typical v-berth configuration where two berths (beds) were set alongside the forward part of the hull. The two berths touch in a point at the bow (front) of the boat and makes a V shape.
Just after the v-berth on the starboard (right) side of the boat was a small galley. There was a small hand pump sink and a small icebox. Underneath the countertop were drawers for storage. Opposite the galley on the port (left) side of the boat was a hanging locker (tall cabinet) for storing taller things.
From there back, on both sides of the boat were additional berths, one on each side. They also had back cushions which would make them comfortable places to sit. The port side berth was very wide and could uncomfortably sleep two small people. However, it would be quite comfortable for one person with room enough to stretch out. The starboard berth was more 'couch-like' and therefore narrower. It was wide enough to sleep one comfortably.
The great thing about both berths in the main cabin was the length. On both berths, there was not really an official 'end' to the berth, just where the cushion stopped. The reason was that both continued into the aft section of the boat under the cockpit. So, in essense, each one was probably 9 feet long. The portion far underneath the cockpit (the 3' of the berth without cushion) was perfect for storage of large items.
The only other parts of the belowdecks section worth mentioning were the nice old brass fixtures and location of 2 house batteries under the ladder.
So, that was the good. It sounds great just reading a factual account of what was where. Unfortunately, it is not that simple. The second piece to all of this was the condition.
I'll start with the worst and work down from there…the worst items were the cushions. In all, there are 4 berths and some have multiple cushions (backrests for seating). The cushions were all moldy, mildewed and would need to be replaced. They were not stained or torn up, just old and exposed to too much humidity and not enough care in washing.
Probably the second worst thing was the condition of the paint below…similar condition to the cushions. Just a bit old and mildewed. A thourogh scrubbing may work wonders for the paint and it may not need replacing, but it looked like it was about due for a paint job.
Next up was the carpet flooring. I generally think carpet is a bad idea on any boat, anywhere just because of the factors mentioned above (humid, mold, mildew) and the carpet was in about the same shape as the cushions. There is not much floor, so it would not be a significant job to replace…it just needs replacing.
And finally, the last item below was the varnished teak. It was in surprisingly good condition and only bad in a few spots. However, it really would all need to be sanded down and varnished to get it looking nice.
Wow…this is turning into a huge post, I will try and break it up a bit.