INVESTIGATOR 563

This forum is sprinkled with posts about people considering buying an Investigator and I thought I would share with the forum why we bought ours.

My wife is a sailor and I am a sailor too. I sail cats around the cans and she crews on trailer sailers. We both have valid opinions. Our first boat was a Flying 15 Mark 1 (which we sailed together), next we bought a Hartley 18 (which was too slow to race but introduced us to cruising). Then, I went multihull and my wife found solace crewing on Timpenny 770s and Castles. Eventually, we decided to buy another trailer sailer for cruising (the Hartley had been transformed into a low-powered camp cruiser by this time). We found it impossible to choose boat that fulfilled all our requirements plus was competitive as a racer without compromising on size (too big) or facilities (too austere).

We agreed on the following:

1. Inside: You had to be able to get a good night's sleep on-board. A poor night's sleep means a crappy holiday. The quarter berths on a 563 are great. They are wide and you can turn over without having to wake up first. The V berth and lazzarettes stores everything else for a cruise. I love the flat floor in the cabin and the pop-top is convenient.

2. Rigging: This must be simple and straightforward. I hate arguing with unwieldy masts and miles of ropes; especially when getting ready to go home. The previous owner sailed with a young child and had installed a mast-mate - brilliant but possibly not necessary.

3. At the ramp: It had to be easy to launch and retrieve from/off the trailer. The trailer has a rail which easily guides the keel onto the trailer. At 5.63m the windage is minimal.

4. Towing - I did not want to have to buy a 4WD. I tow our 563 with a gas powered Falcon Ute and its effortless.

5. Sailing - it had to be enjoyable and safe. I expected to occasionally push the envelope a bit as far as conditions were concerned but racing was very low priority - that's what my catamaran is for. After having a Flying 15 we really like the benefits of well-placed ballast.

6. Good value - I paid $8500 for a registered boat and trailer, I needed an outboard and I bought new sails (see other posts) - total cost $12 000. This boat will last us a very long time - I see this as excellent value. The other plus is the dinghy-sized fittings which are easy and cheap to source.

Also you have say what sweet lines a 563 has and what a joy it is to sail.

So - my two bob. Decide what you must have and then determine if a 563 fits the bill. Ours does.

Peter
Peter Farrell
Commodore Yarrawonga YC
I563 Pip #127
Maricat La Ma Tai #2416

I wonder why you bought yours? Spend a few moments adding to this thread. I'm sure it will help all those prospective buyers out there.

I bought Olmate in shares with a friend on a whim, having only sailed dinghys and off the beach cats before.
Joined the yacht club as a structured context for regular use though have done many cruises on various waterways. No longer overnight on it though due to age and associated stiffness and partner's unwillingness.
It is an excellent cruising boat however and I reckon that if it was twice as long with the same configuration it would be the perfect coastal cruiser.
I feel sad to be putting it up for sale and worry that its virtues may not be replaced.
However since the current use of the boat involves racing as well as day cruises and not being part of the action on race days has negative emotional effects it has come time to remedy the situation.
I can however sell it knowing its a damn good boat.
Seeing what you paid for yours, Peter, makes me think I should ask for more because it's all good and registered and has a good outboard.
I will up the price if I paint it which is probably likely. I wouldn't mind advice on painting from anyone with experience, especially with regards application. I imagine spraying is the best method.
Am replacing the port gunwale at the moment to match the other which was replaced with very old hardwood a couple of years ago.
Graeme

I bought an Investigator563 because I wanted a boat that sailed like a keelboat. Ie it is self-righting, and does not rock to every little wavelet, or have a heavy appendage hanging on one bolt which bangs at anchor.

As a novice, wanting to get into sailing after waiting over 30 years to do so, I wanted a yacht that:

I could sail solo
Launch and retrieve solo
Was stable and simple in layout
Was easy to sail but fun
Was cost effective in purchase and maintenance
Looked nice - they do have a nice line and this is often commented on.

I have never heard of the class until I first inspected my yacht Aminee. I was immediately struck by the design and layout and it seemed to fit my above criteria. I have not been disappointed and in the short time I have been a proud owner have had heaps of fun and learned a lot. The I563 is perfect for my sailing location in Bateman's Bay NSW, and I am feeling confident enough that I may in ensuing months think about some small coastal excursions.

Mark

Hi i just bought a investigator 563 on a trailer with a 8hp Tohatsu the motor is like new not even a mark on it it has 2 jibs a main and a spinnaker like new at a bargain $2500. had to do a little work on the trailer put new brakes and get rego for both can't wait to take it out for the first time sail number is 57 if that means anything and the boat is tidy . I have only sailed caper cat before now and i have radio control yachts one of mine is nearly 7 ft long i hope i will be able to manage the real thing.

Mark wrote:As a novice, wanting to get into sailing after waiting over 30 years to do so, I wanted a yacht that:

I could sail solo
Launch and retrieve solo
Was stable and simple in layout
Was easy to sail but fun
Was cost effective in purchase and maintenance
Looked nice - they do have a nice line and this is often commented on.

I have never heard of the class until I first inspected my yacht Aminee. I was immediately struck by the design and layout and it seemed to fit my above criteria. I have not been disappointed and in the short time I have been a proud owner have had heaps of fun and learned a lot. The I563 is perfect for my sailing location in Bateman's Bay NSW, and I am feeling confident enough that I may in ensuing months think about some small coastal excursions.

Mark

Hi Mark,

I could not have added anything extra to your words....they are all of the reasons I purchased my 563.

As a person moving from a lifetime of power boats I wanted something I could moor and felt solid and stable , the idea of sail appealed but not a tender unstable platform . I originally thought of a keelboat when I decided to go sail. Trouble was I was used to the freedom of beaching and the Investigator gave me the stability of a keeler with the beachability of a power boat . Read the tropics lagoon website before I went to look at the boat and it looked purpose designed for what I wanted.

For those who want to moor I have found it be very easy to service . Drop the two side supports down to one side and tilt the boat that way. Remove the keel guides and use them as props on the high side.You have one side of the boat at standing / sitting height to pressure spray , clean and anti foul without any trailer members in the way . Paint the bootstripe from a comfy chair with a beer in one hand then tilt the boat the other way. After 14 years of crawling around in the dirt under my Swiftcraft working around 382 trailer cross members this is why I kept my investigator. Don't just get her for her looks she also has a beautiful mind.

Oh yeah , I also agree with all the other stuff mentioned by other posters

Took a pic yesterday to illustrate.

Ozzie- Puleez lash the chain plates to the trailer on the low side, as well as your prop arrangement on the working side. Would hate to read about a squashed Investigator skipper.

I take your point Ian. Actually this looks more daring than it is. I have the rear adjustable bunk basically in its normal trailering position for safety , the front one was lowered as I was using up the last of last years antifoo on the nose area for "extra" protection. An interesting thing that the boat is remarkably well balalanced on it's "broad " keel base, all three inches . What I mean is it never feels like its falling down as you tip it to one side , just gently tilts over. I do not, of course, get into the boat when it's like this.


Just a further note on anyone considering buying a 563 for mooring. It takes my wife and I probably two days of solid work to strip the boat out pressure clean it inside and out , anti foul and polish the topside. Not really a huge amount. We are now doing a few extras outside our normal turnover, new lights , handrails etc. L.J. my wife usually washes all interior cushion covers . We always aim on each haulout to bring it to "sale " condition as a marker. It keeps the boat overall good for the punishment it gets after a year in the elements. My wife is now on pre-retirement long service and as I am semi retired we are going to be having a lot of 4 day weekends this year and get as much sailing on LM as possible plus a few trailer outs to Port Stephens if we can.