Looking at a Venture

[trumpetguy]

There is a 1973 25' Venture with 8HP kicker for $1800 near me. On a trailer. I owned a 2007 26M (Blue Hull) for two years and sold it to keep my grandkids happy by buying a power boat that will go fast. I still have the sailing bug, and $1800 seems to be a good price. Are the Ventures well built enough to last almost forty years. Is $1800 a good price. I would paint the bottom and anchor her across the street in Santa Rosa Sound. Just walk out to the boat with the motor on a float.

[Sumner]

Lots of guys like their 25's . I'd try and drop the keel for inspection if you could before buying and definitely before going out. A few people have lost the keel on 25's and other older boats, some on the first trip. If that happens you probably aren't going to have much luck finding another one.

Good luck,

Sum

Our Endeavour 37

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Our MacGregor S Pages

Mac-Venture Links

[korn_kid_12]

I would suggest taking your time when you go check it out look at everything!!! I had a plain M25 (not venture) 1984 model which outwardly looked amazing. However it had been in the great lakes as a live aboard thus had no foam flotation left inside. There were random holes here an there from previous owners instruments. Someone had installed a through hull depth finder many years earlier at the lowest point in the V Berth way under water which was leaking slightly when I owned it and had long since been replaced. It had an electric keel winch. You owning a motor boat know the value of a charged battery, but try not being able to get onto a trailer or even into dock.... I sailed an 1979 M22 which was a night and day difference between my 5 year newer boat. Bottom line some of these older boats are so heavily modified that it will be a nightmare to own. Some it is obvious and some can easily fool you if your don't take your time. Also as Sumner mentioned check the keel the best you possibly can. Check the wheels and tires especially the wheels one these older boats the lug holes can be quite worn out and thus need replacement before putting it on the road (learned that the hard way) Also if possible it would be nice to make sure the current owner is lowering the keel onto the trailer thus taking the strain off the fiberglass hull.

[mrbillfll]

ventures did not have inner liners, macgregors (76 ?) had them.

checking the pivot hole on the keel and the keel itself is the most important thing to check.. if its bad its a lot of work to fix, and if you loose the keel, it can make the boat almost worthless. or just cost more than its worth to fix...

other than that, good stable boats. balance the rudder for better performance.
GL!

[trumpetguy]

Thanks for your replies. The owner says the keel bolts were replaced five years ago. My big concern is that I plan to put a coat of bottom paint on her and anchor just offshore near my home. The water in Santa Rosa sound is shallow for 100 yards so I can just walk out when I want to sail. Since the Venture is built for trailering would it be OK to leave one in the water, or should I be looking for something with a fixed keel? A friend has an older Robert Bruce 25 that I can buy but it needs a lot of cosmetic work, plus the inboard motor is shot. Probably a better hull than the Macgregor, and it has a fixed keel with shallow draft. 3'.

[mrbillfll]

the 25 keels sits down about 8" lower than the hull...

how low is the water? and is it mud/sand. in the winter it will take a beating, no?

With a proper bottom paint I can't see any problems leaving it in the water, if its not going to bottom out in a storm...

-maybe add some zinc's ?

hard to get hurt on the price at 1800, if everything checks out...

And a gas inboard....mmmK whats a heat exchanger run? (you replace them every year or 2 in salt water you know...)



(my .02 cnts)

[trumpetguy]

Thanks Mr. Bill. Good .02 cents. My main concern is water intrusion through the keel. I am not sure how the keel works on the Venture. Will know more after I inspect the boat. The bottom here is sandy and a steady 24 - 36 inches most of the year. I can always anchor farther away from shore if need be. The winters here in N. FL are pretty mild, plus the boat comes with a trailer so I can pull her out if a storm is coming. I live across the street from my anchorage so it is pretty easy to hike out to the boat, up sail, and away. Don't even know if I need the kicker but it will be nice to have. I'll post more after I look at the boat.

[Catigale]

There are a lot of people who come onto this Board saying:

:Ive just bought this great little boat...it just needs a keel...then expect that you can go to Walmart and buy a keel for s defunct design that is near 30 years old.

..and landing unhappy in the end...

[Bob McLellan]

I have a 1976 Venture 25 and bought it sight unseen off ebay. I was lucky from some of the stories I have read about. I was looking for a keel for a Venture 24 and decided to look at whole boats and maybe use the keel. But the boat I found was pretty neat - after removing a ton of barnacles. From what I learned, today I would buy a boat ready to go, but I know I could build a keel if I really wanted to. I think the 25 is a good little boat but would probably prefer an X. I think you'll like the 25 if you don't mind that lack of normal "standing" headroom and the small head. The keel does hang an extra eight or so inches below the hull when fully retracted, as was previously stated. But the boat I got had been abandoned at Dana Harbor in California for about three years and had very little water in it. I would have no problem in keeping it moored off shore with proper bottom paint.

[korn_kid_12]

if you are in only 3 feet of water you can not deploy the keel fully therefore you would not be wise to sail in any significant wind. As such a kicker would be critical for safety purposes till you get into deeper waters.

[trumpetguy]

Well darn. Snooze you lose. The Venture 25 sold today. I guess the $1800 price tag was just too good. My search continues. May join a local sailing club. $95.00 a month gets unlimited use of a 24 foot keel boat that is slipped. I can't even get a slip for less than $300/mo.

[trumpetguy]

Well darn. Snooze you lose. The Venture 25 sold today. I guess the $1800 price tag was just too good. My search continues. May join a local sailing club. $95.00 a month gets unlimited use of a 24 foot keel boat that is slipped. I can't even get a slip for less than $300/mo.