What would you do?

[Kiwi]

:confused:

I am thinking of buying an Ariel (copy of the Ariel for sale above).
I am a 35 year old New Zealand guy from Auckland.
I bought a 3/4 completed GRP/Strip-planked composite Morris/Frances 26 built locally here in Auckland a couple of years ago.  She is about 75 or 80% complete.  I still have 18 months to go on my boat loan payments - yes I bought her on credit.
However, I am thinking that maybe I should sell this uncompleted boat and buy a Pearson Ariel that I have seen for sale on the internet, she is in Buzzards Bay.  If I purchase this Ariel, the current owner will let me store the boat at his mothers until I can afford to come to the USA, which will mean selling my current project.
This Ariel is for sale at under $4,000 USD and would allow me to get into the water and off sailing both inshore and offshore 2 years quicker than if I kept the Frances - all be it there may be some cost in modification to the Ariel for offshore sailing (my aim would be to sail her to England from Cape Cod).
I post a comparison of both boats using carls sailing calculator. Your thoughts welcome. Thanks.
Performance Comparison
LOA Morris      26
Pearson Ariel    25.6
 
LWL Morris      21.25
 
Pearson Ariel    18.5
 
Beam Morris     8.166
 
Pearson Ariel    8
 
Displacement Morris      6800
 
Pearson Ariel    5120
 
Sail Area Morris 26     327
 
Pearson Ariel    307
 
Capsize Ratio Morris      1.72
 
Pearson Ariel    1.86
 
Hull Speed Morris      6.18
 
Pearson Ariel    5.76
 
Sail Area to Displacement Morris      14.58
 
Pearson Ariel    16.54
 
Displacement to LWL Morris      316
 
Pearson Ariel    361
 
LWL to Beam Morris      2.6
 
Pearson Ariel    2.31
 
Motion Comfort Morris      28.06
 
Pearson Ariel    23.86
 
Pounds/Inch Morris      620
 
Pearson Ariel    529

[commanderpete]

The Frances is a well respected design, and a pretty boat. It would be a shame to give her up.

However, I don't think the $4000 Ariel will get you that much closer to your goal.  

Somewhere there is a well loved boat that has already been fitted out for world cruising. She's loaded with expensive gear. The owner's dream has died and the boat must be sold at a steep discount.

That's your boat.

[Kiwi]

Thanks for your reply Pete.
I just added a pic of the Ariel for sale to my original thread.

[Jim Rester]

Expanding on Petes comment re: a boat already equipped for cruising - cheap.

I know that's true.  I've sold two of them.  Avid sailors are not necessarily "cruisers".  There I may have just saved you (if you were me ) about 150 large.

The closest place I know of for you to find that boat would be Hawaii.  Lot's of one way tickets from there back to the US.

Now, if what you really like to do is WORK ON BOATS that's another story.

A lot of us fit that discription.  

Something about the smell of acetone in the morning!

Good Luck