Finding Condor

It was one of those "Oh No! What have we done?" moments. Did we miss something huge? We had just made a really 'low-ball' offer and the broker told us the owner accepted it. We thought we had gone over everything fairly well. Knew what was good and what needed work. But had we missed something big?


It all started a couple months ago. A friend had been soliciting boat donations for the Downtown Sailing Center. He received an unpleasant response on this one. Apparently a broker had listed a couple of boats on Craigslist. My friend had dutifully sent a email making the lister aware that donation may be an option. He forwarded me the listing and the not so pleasant response. The listing stated that the boat needed work, but I saw potential.


Apparently, seeing potential in things doesn't mean that you are an optimist. In fact, I'm beginning to believe it can be a curse. I was riding with a friend just a few days ago. As we passed a boat yard full of neglected boats, I commented on the boats with potential. He laughed and told me of his recent encounter with "potential". He and his wife were driving though a depressed area. As they passed an old run down abandoned factory, his wife commented on the building and how it should be turned into a restaurant. It had such potential. He responded that it had no potential. It was in a depressed area and even it was turned into the best restaurant, no one would come - no one around had any money to spend on a restaurant. No potential!


Anyway, this boat had potential, at least to me. We contacted the broker and asked for a list of known problems and any other important information. "Engine needs to be rebuilt/replaced. running rigging needs to be replaced. Several ports leak. Soft spots close to the chain-plate moisture not sure of the level. Leaks on 4 of the port windows. Flooring beneath the mast step is "spongy" with rot. The mast/deck joint needs to be resealed to stop rainwater from entering the boat. Keel needs to repair; current repair job is ugly. All the wire and rope rigging need replacing. Hull needs faring, sanding, primer and repainting." Okay. Still has potential. We've dealt with all this before.

The most recent "potential" we had dealt with was Determination, a 1985 Jeanneau 27. Determination had been sitting on the hard, neglected for over six years. At some point her engine had been removed and epoxy putty had been glopped in the shaft log. Perhaps she would have been in better condition if they had left the hole. She leaked profusely and with no where for the water to drain, she filled up. The cabin sole had rotted away as did the lower six inches of all her cabinetry. Her cushions had molded and the headliner was falling down. She was sporting a lovely growth of green slime on the inside of her ports. Best of all, she had a large soft spot just forward of her mast. But she had potential! We went to work and rebuilt her, even finding a replacement engine. But I digress. We're talking about Condor.

So, armed with our list of known issues, a camera and a plastic hammer, we made a visit to Condor. She seemed so lonely sitting at the end of the yard. She looked like she was being punished. Her stern was toward the water as though she had been told she wasn't allowed to go back in. Or maybe she had just given up. But we thought she had potential.

We sounded her hull and deck and were satisfied with what we found. We dug through the cabin, inspecting the rotten floor. Yeah, it was a little worse than just around the mast step that was spongy with rot. Halyards fell apart as they were touched. The mainsail had been left on with no cover - that was obviously shot. But she appeared to be a well built boat, and with great potential. We gathered as much information as we could took a hundred photos and left.

Yeah, she has potential, but so does the neglected Express 35 in Toronto. Condor draws 6'4", the Express only 5'6". With the Bahama's gently calling, the Express with her windlass, windvane, and life raft was seeming more logical. Maybe we should get the Express and sail her down from Toronto. It would be a great trip. But she would need some work before sailing. She had a split in her rudder and a small area of delamination at the waterline.

After wrestling for weeks over who had the most potential, we settled it. We had devised a plan. We would make a low-ball offer on Condor. We knew the owner would refuse and that would be our sign that we should pursue the Express.

So, we did it. We offered less than half of the asking. Note, the asking was already far less than a third of what her value would be had she not been neglected. We called the broker and apologetically presented our offer. He somewhat reluctantly asked that we put it in writing and told us that he would present it to the owner.

Then the wait. And then the answer. The owner, what? Accepted? Oh no! What did we miss? How did we end up with 1985 Sabre 36? Yeah, our offered allowed for a complete rebuild of her cabin sole, the replacement of her engine, mainsail and running rigging, and the fairing of her hull. It even allowed some room for upgrades.

So, she's ours, our Condor. But she has great potential.