P15 and new to sailing

[Mike Rog]

Good Evening All
    Just joined the forum so thanks for having me
Im new to sailing but not new to boating .In the past I have owned a 4 Winns 180 and Robolo 160. Looking to get on the water with something that is quiet and without gas.
     Presently Im looking at a 2008 P15  .  Any advice as to what I should look for specifically when inspecting it would be greatly appreciated . Ive done a lot of research on the P15 and the Cat 14.2 and Ive narrowed it down to the P15
    Thanks again for having me and I look forward to any advice
Take care and thanks
mike

[Quantico Frank]

Hey, Mike, welcome to the forum! I had sailed off and on for decades but also had spent the majority of my sea time on motor boats (including the ones that turn into the wind every so often to launch and recover aircraft.) I actually got serious about sailing four years ago, bought a 2014 Precision 15 centerboard model and very quickly found this forum which over time has saved me $1000s and helped me avoid countless expensive and painful mistakes. So please feel free to ask anything here.

I loved the P15CB but ultimately wanted a cabin and bought a fairly new (2011) P165. Since both my boats have been newish, I didn't have to worry about the condition of the boats so much when making my decisions. Therefore, I'm going to leave it to others to help you with a more methodical approach to evaluating a used boat.

So where would you be sailing, which type P15 are you looking at, fixed keel or centerboard, and what is the age of the boat you are considering?

[David B.]

Hey Mike, I'm newer to this forum but have a Precision 15 and a couple thousand hours of sailing experience between the P15 and a variety of other small boats. I can also help answer any questions you might have.

General inspection tips- the P15 is really pretty simple, and it's built very sturdily. Make sure the running gear is all in good condition (lines, blocks, that sort of thing). Review the condition of the fiberglass around the termination points of the standing rigging (side stays, forestay). Review the condition of the sails. Make sure the trailer is in good shape. These are all pretty generic inspection tips, but I can't think of any specific weak points of this boat that are known problems. As long as it's watertight and has all its gear in good shape, it's hard to go wrong.

[Brian N.]

Mike - First "Welcome to the Forum"

As mentioned, the boat is fairly simple and 2008 is not so old. I have a 2008 P165 which has a similar rig. The following are things I would look at:
     Standing rigging - no snags, bad bends, clean looking terminal fittings, no loose strands
     Hull: no obvious depressions, patches, deformed hull lines, separated hull joints, missing rub rail, no deep
     spider cracks, no cracks at shroud attachment, mast step free of cracks and deformation.
     Mast: no dings dents, bends, pitting. Rivets or screws attaching any hardware to mast are solid. Spreaders are
     not bent.
     Deck: feels solid all around
     Running rigging is going to show some age. But if taken care of (rinsed, washed, stored away for winter) it can
     be in good shape.
     Blocks, cam cleats and such: Should run and work smoothly. Don't forget to check the ones on the mast for the
     main halyard and the jib halyard
     Rudder and pintles: Pintles should be solid and not corroded at weld. Tiller in rudder head should be workable
     but not loose. Rudder should lock up/down without excessive force.

The list is not complete, and any one item is probably not a deal breaker.
Best of luck to you

[Mike Rog]

Hey Frank , David and Brian

   Thanks so much for your responses . Much appreciated . Will take all the advice you can give.
Looking at a 2008 this weekend. Biggest issue so far is the original tires on the trailer.
  Would like your opinion on a Honda 2hp or Suzuki 2.5 . Pros and con . How well does it work docking with no reverse but spinning the motor 180 degrees
    As mentioned thanks for getting back
Thanks and take care
mike

[Quantico Frank]

Mike, great that you're paying attention to the tires—- I had to buy new ones for my 2011 P165. I also am currently using the Suzuki 2.5, and I'm really happy with the power, low fuel consumption, and reliability. Both engines are great choices, but I will say that whereas having to rotate the engine for reverse is a pain, you do get used to it.

[Brian N.]

The Honda engine is air cooled, which might be a small advantage. Very reliable with a yearly oil change and spark plug every couple of years. Spinning the engine for reverse is a bit of a pain (need to remember to throttle all the way down first). I do like the lighter weight of the 2 HP and It pushes the P165 through tide and wind well. The internal gas tank is only a liter, but enough to run the engine for 45 minutes or so 1/2 throttle, perhaps a little more. I come into the dock bow first and feather the prop down to a crawl (centrifugal clutch just engaged). Launching, I'll kick the bow out from the dock and make a tight circle heading out forward; avoids having to spin the motor.

My 2008 trailer needed tires after about 7 years. They developed cracks from age. Good idea to check the tires. The tread thickness is secondary to rot and cracks. Best of luck to you.

[Mike Rog]

Question about tires

The original trailer comes with 480 x 8
Can I replace those with 480 x 12
Thanks
mike

[David B.]

You might be able to squeeze a 12" tire in the well, but I wouldn't recommend it. There are high-speed rated 8" tires  if that's what you're worried about. The ones I bought had a 75mph speed rating.

[Brian N.]

The trailer for the P165 also has 8" tires. The Kenda 165/65-8 4 on 4 were an exact replacement. etrailer.com had a very good price

BTW- you should never need the 75MPH speed rating   

[Mike Rog]

Hey Brian and Dave
Thanks for the response
Will stick with the 8"
Thanks again

[Captain Kidd]

Hey Frank , David and Brian

  Thanks so much for your responses . Much appreciated . Will take all the advice you can give.
Looking at a 2008 this weekend. Biggest issue so far is the original tires on the trailer.
  Would like your opinion on a Honda 2hp or Suzuki 2.5 . Pros and con . How well does it work docking with no reverse but spinning the motor 180 degrees
    As mentioned thanks for getting back
Thanks and take care
mike

Here's a thread on page 2 of this Precision sub-forum. Might help a bit on motor selection:

https://trailersailor.com/forum/index.php?topic=332.0

[Mike Rog]

Hey Capt Kid
Thanks for the link
Very informative

Thanks again
mike