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Considering Buying A Sailboat, Huh?
In order to address that age-old question “Which sailboat should I buy?” I recommend that you print this post, and go through and circle the answer(s) that apply to you. There are no right answers (or wrong answers), just ones that apply to your needs. Then look below for some thoughts that may apply to your answer.
1. How do you intend to use the boat?
A. Racing is my primary interest.
B. I want a cruising boat that I can also race reasonably competitively.
C. I want to daysail with myself & 1 or 2 others, but staying overnight on the boat is not important to me.
D. I want to sail on the boat, and stay overnight with my wife/small family.
2. Under what conditions will you be sailing?
A. Relatively flat, calm waters.
B. Winds upwards of 15 knots, 3-5 foot long, coastal waves, or 1-3 foot short, choppy waves.
C. Winds upwards of 25 knots, 5 foot or larger ocean/coastal waves, 4 foot or larger short, choppy waves.
3. How large is the body of water where you will be sailing?
A. I will be sailing in coastal areas or the Great Lakes.
B. I will be sailing on lakes that are greater than 5 miles across.
C. I will be sailing on lakes less than 5 miles across.
D. It will vary – I’ll trailer my boat to a lot of places.
4. What is the depth of the water you will be sailing in, or motoring through?
A. It doesn’t matter, everywhere I go it’s deep (other than at the ramp).
B. I will be motoring through shallow areas before sailing.
C. I want to be able to beach the boat or anchor in shallow coves for the night.
D. I sail on lakes where there may commonly be obstructions & I’ll bump my centerboard/keel.
5. Why do you want a trailerable?
A. I want it trailerable because I can’t afford a slip/mooring.
B. I want to trailer the boat to multiple lakes/areas.
C. Trailerable boats are cheaper than non-trailerables.
D. I don’t want to pay for off-season storage.
E. Small boats require less maintenance than larger boats.
6. If you want a new boat, why?
A. I do not have good tool skills.
B. I don’t want to have to do too much maintenance.
C. I want that “new boat smell”.
D. I intend to hold onto the boat forever, or depreciation doesn’t bother me.
E. I think new boats are better than old boats.
7. If you want an older boat, why?
A. Old boats are cheaper, and I don’t mind putting in work to reduce my initial outlay.
B. Older boats are built stronger than newer boats.
C. Old boats come better equipped, and with more issues already resolved than new boats.
8. How often will you trailer the boat?
A. Every time I use it.
B. Once a year – to a slip/mooring and back for storage only.
C. I intend to vacation on it for a week or two a year, and trailer it for the trip, or I will keep the boat on a slip/mooring, but want the capability to take it somewhere new when I want to.
9. How important is motoring to you?
A. It’s not important at all – I’ll sail on & off the beach/mooring.
B. I want a motor only to get me in & out of the harbor.
C. I may want/need to motor or motorsail for extended periods (I have a long river to follow before sailing, or I may want to motorsail if the winds aren’t working to my advantage).
D. I want a dual-purpose boat that I can motor at higher speeds as well as sail.
Key:
Question #1 –
A. Speed is therefore your highest priority, and be prepared to sacrifice some comfort & size to meet this goal if necessary. Check with local sailing clubs to see if there are any one-design races locally, or who is racing what boat. You may want to match boat types with the majority of racers locally rather than always being in a “one off” boat.
B. Some cruising boats are poor competitors, so be aware of this when you research boats.
C. Focus on boats with larger cockpits, and little cabin space. A cuddy cabin or small cabin is still useful for storing sails and other equipment, though.
D. Size will become important. Trade-offs include added weight, greater difficulty in trailering, larger trailering vehicles, perhaps a slower performer & more time/effort setting up the rig. Positives include ease of staying on the boat, size, having a head, etc.
Question #2 –
A. You can probably get away with a lightly built boat with little difficulty, and the light weight may work to your benefit while trailering and in light-air performance. Look for boat known to perform in light air. You probably do not need a weighted swing keel and can get by with a centerboard or water-ballasted boat. Build quality is not critical for this application.
B. Water ballasted boats will be acceptable if you desire lighter boats for trailerability. Swing keels will work well in these circumstances. Choppy waves will tend to slow centerboard boats with no ballast in these conditions. Build quality at this point is becoming more important, but the vast majority of boats will be acceptable.
C. Water ballasted boats are less recommended for these circumstances, instead favoring swing keels or fixed keels with substantial weight. Look closely at what boats in your desired size go out in your area under these conditions. Look for boats known for a more robust build & quality.
Question #3
A. The Great Lakes are known for potentially difficult sailing conditions, and coastal sailing can result in challenges as well. If sailing reasonably close to shore, most boats will perform just fine, but keep an eye on weather and wave predictions. Prepare your boat with greater levels of safety equipment. Consider having a lifesling rigged, and know how to use it. Know how to rig jacklines, and use them when singlehanding, especially at night. A handheld backup for a boat-mounted VHF is highly recommended, as is a GPS. Charts are essential. Boat build quality is of greater importance here. Small boats are acceptable, but you may soon get the urge to have enough room to sleep comfortably.
B. The vast majority of boats will be fine. Safety equipment includes the “standard stuff” you always read about, but extra flares are probably a good idea. Having a working VHF is still a good idea, but less critical. GPS & full charts may be unnecessary if you know the area. Smaller boats may work to your benefit, as you will tack more often, and the smaller boats require less effort. Catalina 22s, and other smaller boats with a reasonable sleeping cabin will work well here since land (and presumably restaurants, bars, etc.) are probably nearby.
C. Basic safety equipment will probably suffice unless known hazards exist. You may prefer small boats for ease of setup. These are extremely good lakes to learn on due to changing winds commonly caused by trees and obstructions around the lake’s edge. Sunfish and other small boats can be excellent choices for these lakes.
D. Buy for the conditions you will sail in most, and adjust your times on the other lakes accordingly based on conditions.
Question #4
A. No depth restrictions means fin keels may be OK, depending on trailering requirements. Shoal keels and wing keels are also fine.
B. Swing keel or centerboard preferred, but a shoal or wing keel may be acceptable depending upon depth.
C. Swing keel or centerboard preferred, but shoal and wing keels will still allow reasonably shallow anchoring.
D. Centerboard highly preferred because a swing keel may raise up over a log, then slam downwards, damaging the boat.
Question #5
A. Slips & moorings ARE expensive, but not using the boat may end up being more expensive in loss of time for trailering & setup, or lack of use. Keep an eye on ease of setup when buying a boat to trailer every time.
B. One of the best reasons to own a trailerable – the adventure of going many places. If you tend to go to different lakes for days (or a week) at a time, setup time is less important, and you may be able to move up in size if you like. If you trailer for day-sails to different lakes, quick setup time will remain important, and you may want to stay with small boats to access smaller and shallower lakes.
C. Not necessarily true, especially if you compare a new trailerable to a used keelboat.
D. Off-season storage IS expensive, no doubt. But do you have a place at home to keep the boat? What about protecting your investment – will you be shrink-wrapping it? Storing it in a self-store yard? Do you have to buy a bigger vehicle to pull it? Keep all these things in mind.
E. Yes, smaller boats require less maintenance unless you’re rebuilding a derelict or have some big stuff to do. And, it truly is exponential in growth in both time and cost for the larger boats. It is things like systems, rather than just exterior size that eat up time, though. For example, our 18 footer has no systems whatsoever except a bow and stern light. No charging, starting, etc. No cushions, no cabin, no wood. REAL easy. Our 28 footer, however, has charging, fresh water, black water, inboard engine & associated cooling system, seacocks, and lots of interior teak and some exterior teak, plus an interior that needs cleaning. That’s not to mention the wheel steering, other electronics, etc., etc., etc. All these systems require maintenance. Still, I like our larger boat, but I also personally enjoy working on it in the off season. Some people don’t. One other comment, though – If you DON’T like working on your boat, GO SIMPLE. Once it becomes drudgery in your eyes, you either won’t do it and the boat will fall into disrepair, or you’ll start to dislike the boat, or you’ll pay lots of $ to someone else to do it. None of these things is a good idea in my opinion.
Question #6
A. If you don’t have good tool skills, you’re going to need them sooner rather than later, anyway. You may be able to find a well kept older boat that would pose you no more work than a new one. In fact, a new boat will probably require you to make additions to meet your needs, and that means tools!
B. New does not necessarily mean less maintenance. Older boats in good condition should pose few additional problems over a new boat.
C. OK, can’t argue with that. If you just want “new”, that’s up to you.
D. Can’t argue with this one, either. Just remember, depreciation in the first 5 years of a boat’s life is extremely substantial.
E. Many newer boat designs offer nice design additions for “creature comforts” but may sacrifice sailing performance in return. Older boats may be more basic, but are usually built with heavier amounts of fiberglass & metal than new boats. Older boats may have suffered from lack of maintenance and may need some real work to fix delamination or other issues, however.
P.S. I HIGHLY recommend against buying new for your first boat. This is because your needs/desires may end up being substantially different than you imagined, or find you want to move up/down in size quickly. This is how many sailors get stung by depreciation. Make sure of what you want before you buy new.
Question #7
A. Generally true unless you end up with a boat that needs lots of work. A survey may be in order depending on size of boat or cost. An educated sailor friend may well suffice instead of a surveyor on smaller boats. If the really needed repairs appear to be mounting, however, consider the cost of the repairs in time & money before buying the boat. Likewise, be prepared to sell it if the repair costs are mounting quickly as well, as “project boats” can easily turn into derelicts because the owner got tired of working on it or the wallet got too thin. If possible, go home and think about the boat for at least a day after seeing it close-up for the first time. This is the time to let the initial flush of buyer’s passion pass, and avoid “buyers remorse”!
B. Generally true, though better strength may well not offset the effects of poor maintenance.
C. This is very commonly true. If you buy used, and get lifejackets, whisker poles, added sails, etc., etc., etc., you’ll avoid a LOT of the cash drain associated with boating.
Question #8
A. Ease of setup will be very important to you. Avoid unnecessary rigging & “stuff” unless you really find you’ll use it. Lighter masts, equipment for quick stepping, & ease of connections will become welcome as you look at launch time as “a quick experience filled with anticipation” rather than a long process with frayed tempers. Sacrifice size for ease of towing, launch and mast stepping. Be prepared to set up the mast yourself so you can still sail when your wife or girlfriend doesn’t want to go.
B. Ease of setup is much less important, and go ahead and move up to the larger boat to gain usable space if you want. You may even consider moving away from a trailerable and going with an older used keelboat if storage is not too expensive or unavailable. Check into storage & crane costs prior to committing to a trailerable.
C. Larger trailerables are probably in order here, and ease of rigging is less important as well. Keep an eye out for items that make rigging the boat easier, however.
Question #9
A. No motor necessary.
B. Small outboard or even an electric is a possibility depending on boat size. Make sure the motor is sufficient to push your boat under the worst expected conditions, however.
C. Motoring for extended periods or motorsailing suggests a strong recommendation for a 4-stroke engine for fuel efficiency. Small outboards without a separate tank would be discouraged as well. If motorsailing is anticipated, an inboard would be recommended over an outboard, as motoring through higher waves/chop can result in the prop lifting out of the water, causing cavitation. Long traverses of rivers before sailing might be a good reason for a boat like the MacGregor 26x or other boats that can plane under power which can cover that distance quickly, maximizing your sailing time.
D. There are few dual-purpose boats out there, and the most common of them is the MacGregor 26x. These dual-purpose boats, however, may suffer in the area sailing performance, and may not motor to expectations. Consult with current owners of the same model before buying.
By now, you’ve hopefully printed this out, circled your answers, and gotten some recommendations for your “ideal” boat. If, however, these answers are bouncing you all over the place on size, weight, trailerability or other requirements, the answer may be that eventually you will want TWO boats, one to meet each major need.
Now that you know this, post can more clearly post your question on the TSBB, and don’t forget, you can usually ask to be crew on a similar type of boat BEFORE you buy. This will help confirm (or deny) your answers.
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